Believe it or not, I’m not a big ATV guy. I’ve never had a real one, or at least what most of us think of when we think of three-wheeled ATVs: Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki, Suzuki, or others in the sporting category of three-wheelers. As in, just something to have fun riding around on. This 1970s Commuter Industries TE-380 three-wheeler can be found here on Facebook Marketplace in Pulaski, Wisconsin, and the seller is asking $500. Here is the original listing, and thanks to Lothar… of the Hill People for the tip!

That being said, I do own one of these unusual Commuter Industries TE-380 three-wheelers. These are tough machines, made more for farmers and ranchers than for people who want to scream down a trail or a gravel road. They even had accessories like an herbicide sprayer attachment and front and rear racks. I haven’t seen a perfect example, and mine is far from perfect, but it runs great, and starts and stops as it should. It’s a little clunky, but maybe that’s just the toughness coming out. Here’s a fun little two-page brochure with some info and specs. And, another one with even more info. And, an overwhelming amount of info, yet still no dates of manufacturer.

The gas tank is unique in that it’s a metal tank with a plastic cover. I’m not sure why the company went that route rather than just using a metal or plastic tank. The seat has seen better days, but that’s an easy fix. The biggest issue with these heavy-duty machines is the one-piece rear body shell/cover. Mine has a couple of big cracks in it that the previous owner repaired, or tried to repair, and some of the edges are chipped or frayed. For the life of me, I have no clue how to fix that. It’s a textured finish, and it would look weird if it were a smooth patch. I’m sure a lot of you have experience with fiberglass repair and maybe making a mold of that, and then pressing it into the curing fiberglass?

Commuter Industries out of Cascade, Iowa, apparently came along after Pacesetter Enterprises, which made really cool mini bikes and also similar three-wheelers and even five-wheelers, as did Commuter Industries, but nobody really knows the exact timeline of when these things were made, unfortunately. The TE-380 (T = transaxle, E = electric start, 3 = 3 wheels, 80 = 80 horsepower. Just kidding, it’s a one-cylinder 8-hp Kohler engine with electric start going through a Comet-40 clutch to the rear wheels. The enclosed transaxle was fairly innovative at the time and helped to keep mud, dirt, and water out of the drive system. There was a TR-380 with a recoil pull-start and a TE-390 with a 9-hp industrial Kawasaki engine and reverse. Reverse would be handy on this 300-pound thing to back it into the storage unit rather than having to drag the back end around every time. Have any of you heard of Commuter Industries’ three-wheelers? How would you restore the cracked fiberglass rear shroud?