Buying a national award-winning vehicle is usually a very expensive proposition, even in 2022 when prices seem to have no rational meaning anymore. That’s not the case with this 1951 Allstate 811.30 three-horsepower scooter, which can be had for $3,695 or offer. The seller has this rebadged Cushman scooter listed here on eBay in Concord, North Carolina. Thanks to Larry D. for sending in this tip!
I’m just assuming that if this Allstate 811.30 scooter has won at least two major awards, it has to be 100% bone stock and correct in every way. I could be wrong, which wouldn’t be too shocking. That exhaust seems to be more visible than most other examples that I have seen online, which is the thing that I’m wondering about. That could be due to any annual design or engineering changes, though.
The 811.30 was made by Cushman beginning in 1948 and Sears offered them as part of their Allstate scooter lineup, which also included a four-horsepower rebadged Cushman model (811.40) and a rebadged Piaggio scooter with 4.7-horsepower. Make mine a Cushman-looking model and I’d be happy, as I’ve never owned a Cushman scooter. This example was an AACOA (Antique Automobile Club of America) National Winner in 1990, and in 1994, it won the Grand National First prize from the AAOCA. 1994 was 28 years ago already, but there doesn’t seem to have been any wear or even use on this gorgeous scooter since then.
The 811.30 was reported to get between 70 and 80 mpg, which would be nice if a person were going to use it as a commuter vehicle. And, it could theoretically be used for that if an owner lived in a small town and rode it to work, or something like that. But, you may not see too many in downtown Pittsburgh, Miami, or Los Angeles. I dream about living somewhere where I could ride a scooter or motorcycle every day on public streets without having to be around texting drivers and otherwise horribly-inattentive goofballs.
This scooter sure doesn’t seem to have lost any of its former luster or glory over the last almost three decades. The engine should be a three-horsepower, four-cycle single-cylinder, and the seller doesn’t mention whether it runs or not, which is a little unusual. They have probably a dozen other scooters for sale, a lot of them from the Dennis Carpenter collection, and most of them in this outstanding cosmetic condition. Have any of you owned a Cushman or Allstate scooter from this era?
13 hours and no comments? For shame! Perhaps I’m a bit partial, and I mean no disrespect to the other writers, but clearly the most imaginative writer of the bunch, based solely on his contributions, many, that never see the light of day here, I might add..
Take this, for example. By the time I was able to ride a motorized 2 wheeler, mid 60s, scooters had become kind of passe’. The joke was, you only do 2 things at night, ride a scooter, and, well, I can’t say the other, but before small motorcycles, a scooter like this, had huge implications. Everything from small parcel delivery, to big factories, Cushman was a household name for many. They morphed into the 3 and 4 wheel market, for various jobs, and the scooters were history. They had some military use, dropped out of an airplane, which sounded like a good idea for mobility of troops, but I read, not many survived the landing. Didn’t get much simpler than this. No info boards here, and that’s the way I likes it.
It’s to nice to use . Wish I could afford it, being 70 yrs old, was the first cycle I ever had the pleasure to ride. I live in a small town where it would be rode . Brings back a lot of fond memories!!
Scooters never held any interest for me, but the same is true for motorcycles. I considered them, and I consider them now, a deathtrap in case of an accident, whether being hit by a car or just hitting something on the road. No thanks !!!
To each his own, that’s why we’re all not in love with the same woman. Lol
We’ve talked about this before, I believe and it’s a shame you feel that way. To put things in perspective, after 50+ years of riding, I never had an “incident”. Couple close calls, animals mostly, but a recent bicycle mishap, where the bike broke in half, sending me to the ground, was the worst 2 wheel mishap I ever had, at 67, mind you. It’s all relative. Death traps to some, are no worse than taking a shower to others. I can understand your feelings on a scooter, they have limited appeal, and usage, but at a recent yard sale, the guy had a newer Beemer, decked out, sitting on it, it was a 2 wheel car, I was mighty impressed. Moderation and “pre” thinking is the key. On average, 46,000 people die in car crashes EVERY YEAR, but that doesn’t stop you from driving. I’ve found in the 67 years, life is a giant crap shoot, with no rhyme or reason to a lot of things. Motorcycling, like jumping out of an airplane or deep sea diving, is an adventure, and for me, a risk worth taking.
I owned an Allstate 5 HP scooter similar to this. The side panels were not there and the exhaust went down into the 3” pipe that formed the frame from the front fork to the engine and rear tire frame, then exited on the left side of the foot rest near the rear frame. It would do 45 mph. That’s also not the sealed beam headlight, this one’s been modified but acceptable not original. I paid $245.95+tax in 1957.
Had a ’49 Cushman highlander back in early ’60’s when I was 12. Really thought I was cool. good times!
My first scooter was a Cushman I think it had like an 8 HP Husky single cylinder engine it also was a kick start. I bought it for 50.00 and it didn’t run. I put a new coil on it and it fired right up. Ran it for a few years and one day it quit, had no compression. I pulled the engine had it bored out and new piston then got it all back together and took it for a spin. Took it very easy on the rebuilt engine for a couple of hours. Next day went for another ride and it quit again and wouldn’t turn over, broke the crank shaft! That was the end of it.
Back in 1955 when I was 14 years old I wanted one of these scooters, but my Dad wouldn’t let me have one because legally you were supposed to have a driver’s license to operate it on public roads. Dad finally told me not to ask him again after I pestered him for several days. If it wasn’t bad enough, my best friend was almost exactly the same age as me, and his Dad bought him one exactly like this one.
Oh, I hear ya’, Russ, it was tough being a kid then, when your neighborhood chum upstages you. I had the same old man as you. I’m not sure why he got the Honda 50 when we were kids, he generally had a hatred of motorcycles. I fixed his wagon, though, after I was 18, and 5 seconds, I moved out, and rode motorcycles freely much to his dismay.
Had a Allstate 250 2 cycle and nothing
would keep up with it for the first 50 yards
if you could stay on the seat. Yes it would
run out from under me.
Hi Harold, well, if the blistering off the line 2 cycle performance didn’t get them, the smoke screen did,,
was that the 2-piston single cylinder 2-stroke? It was fairly unique, because it used the second piston to “force feed” induction. I think it was a rebranded Puch and Allstate only sold it for a couple years.
I had a Allstate 250 2 cycle that had 2 pistons on 1 Y shaped rod, it was awesome traffic light to traffic light if it didn’t run out from under you.
Also had a Cushman with the gas tank 2 speed, lots of fun, ah the good old days.
Had friend that had a later model, electric start, overhead valves & so quiet you could barely hear it running & fast too.
The good old days indeed. Yes there were 2 engines, 3 & 4 hp. I drove a 4 hp many times. It belonged to a friend. No 8 hp in the ’50s. Maybe later but I doubt it. 8 hp was a huge engine in those days. Cushman also made a 3 wheeler, 2 in the front with a large box between for carrying/delivering things. Drove that one too. As to the speed, no way the 4 hp would go 70-80 mph mush less the 3 hp. Best the 4 would do was about 45 on a good day. They were 2 speed. Kick start was a pedal in front of the engine. Yep you did need a license for any motorized vehicle so we were careful when we drove being under age. Nowadays if you don’t have a motor on your vehicle you are’nt cool.
Had a 50’s Cushman that I rode the for several years in my early teens. Motor was bored out 0.30”and the crank was turned to probably 0.40”. Threw the rod through the block more than once…..thank goodness dad was a welder! I think in Texas =< 5hp was some magic number for age of driver age. Stripped the big metal body off and added a boat trailer fender and a seat mount and it was way cooler looking :).
My first ride and many more after was on the Cushman step through with a 2 speed tranny.
I had a buddy with one, and he let me ride it all the time. I did what all first time riders do – I went as fast as I could go. I was lucky, I never fell off it, but I did exceed it’s dynamics and experienced fatal wobble ( other names shimmy, flutter, amplitude oscillation) – but fortunately it came off that pretty well. I learned to behave a little after that. Great scoot !!
My biggest apprehensions about scooters are quite simple:
small wheels vs. big potholes. Pretty sure who wins.
And as for this one, I especially like the combination muffler/foot rest.