Barely hanging on and closing stores again, JCPenney was at one time one of the big three retailers along with Sears Roebuck and Montgomery Ward, and is the last one standing, for now. It’s sad for those of us who grew up with these retail giants, and to know that overwhelmingly-massive online companies are replacing neighborhood brick-and-mortar stores. This 1970 JC Penny Micro Buggy is listed here on Facebook Marketplace in Greensburg, Indiana and the seller is asking $600. Here is the original listing, and thanks to Sam61 for the tip!
The online shopping experience has changed everything, but maybe it’s related to the old retail giants who had catalogs, now that I think about it. A person would get catalogs in the mail (everyone under 50 just rolled their eyes) and would never have to visit a store to order almost anything they needed other than fresh food. Clothes, tools, furniture, appliances, and even motorsports toys, such as this Pennys Micro Buggy. Thinking of that era now, it seems weird to wait for a catalog to arrive in the mail and then look at things to either order or pick up in the local store. Or, have delivered to that store and pick it up in person.
Things like mini bikes and go-karts were on the top of my list as a kid, at least when it came to checking out the catalogs. Camera equipment, VW parts, and anything mechanical or vehicle-related were big. I still have a lot of the old catalogs from the 70s, I wonder if they’re worth anything? The Micro Buggy was similar to other fiberglass-body go-karts made by a number of companies in the 1960s and 70s. According to the ad above, they were about $350 new in 1970, that’s $2,850 in 2025 dollars! $600 for this example is a crazy steal even if it doesn’t have its original paint or original engine. I’d bring it back to its original spec ASAP. Old vehicles are about memories and reliving the past for me.
There is no question this Honda GX-160 5.5-horsepower engine is light years nicer than the original 4-hp Tecumseh. I appreciate someone modifying a vehicle to how they want it, that’s what it’s all about for a lot of owners, making things exactly how they want them. They say this Honda engine starts and runs like a champ and this rig weighs around 200 pounds so it could be slipped into the back of an SUV, pickup, or minivan and taken out into the country for some fun family time. Have any of you heard of the Pennys Micro Buggy?
I can imagine myself pointing at this in the catalog and my Dad saying “No”.
When Sears called their catalogs the “Wish Book”, they were spot on.
I second that!!! Dad was dead set against a lot of ” dangerous” stuff.
This is a cool find Scotty!!! I remember going to JC Pennys and Sears and some others too which are now sadly a part of history. This looks like a neat little buggy. The upgrade to the Honda GX engine was a very smart one. Those engine are amongst the most serviceable small engines ever produced, and also extremely reliable as long as they have fresh fuel in them. Live the catalog image of them getting it out of a station wagon too. There can’t be many of these around in any condition.
The closest I got to a powered anything was a push lawn mower. But hey, at least it had an engine!
If you have a big field, this looks like fun for your kids you kids.
Taking a break of sorts, but Scottys posts are irresistible. JC Penney, for many was the “Anti-Sears” . I don’t remember them selling many foreign goods, that was Treasure Island, but seemed to sell a bit less quality USA goods, naturally for less than Sears. I remember “Penncraft”, a dig at Craftsman tools, and most power tools were made by Skil. I had a JC Penney 40 channel CB, that had Sony(?) guts, that I used for years. In some cases, Penneys out did Sears, as I believe they sold Rupp mini bikes, compared to Sears Allstate, made by a company named Bird. I tend to disagree, what else is new, but I had great luck with Tecumseh, and as far as I’m concerned, yep, here it comes, Honda sure helped with the demise of Tecumseh, another Wisconsin based company ka-put.
I wonder if kids today will even want this, much less know how to operate it. What’s a choke grandpa? Quick story, my nephew ( 41) bought one of those newer Farm and Barn ones, 2 seat, tube frame for his son then about 14. Maiden voyage, they took off like a shot,,,some time passed, after a while, both came walking back, great nephew crying, apparently, took a turn too fast, lost it, and it’s been sitting in my brothers barn ever since.
Perfect vehicle to throw Jarts from.
I can see 10 year old me studying the catalog and dreaming of this. Or, maybe while cutting the grass while power shifting that reliable 6-horse Craftsman garden tractor.
I just resurrected a 1964 (?) Montgomery Ward branded Motobecane moped. We never had them or JC Penny in Canada as far as I can remember. We only had Sears and Eatons.
The kids in my neighborhood are racing around on electric 2 wheel scooters. Zooming by they are usually looking down at their smart(?) phones and have their headsets or earbuds on. Probably mimicking what they see when driving with their parents.
Oh oh, this one is “pending”, did one of you make an offer?