In the ‘50s and ‘60s, Cheston Eshelman’s company built all sorts of interesting things, including this Sport Car. It essentially was a children’s toy car that could go 15 mph using a Briggs & Stratton engine. They were mostly sold through mail order and lead to Eshelman making a bigger one that adults could use. This example, from 1954, looks to have been restored and had a more powerful Tecumseh motor added. Located in Barrington, Illinois, this tiny little car is available here on Facebook Marketplace for $7,500. Thanks, Mitchell G, for turning us on to “America’s Smallest Car!”

The Eshelman Company was formed after World War II to produce light commercial aircraft in Maryland. But they quickly expanded into all sorts of other things, like garden tractors, scooters, pleasure boats, golf carts, snowplows, and trailers. In other words, at one time or another, they made just about anything. In 1953, Eshelman got the idea to produce an itty-bitty air-cooled, one-cylinder automobile they would call the Sport Car. For $295, you could order the “Child’s Sport Car” which could carry two children for up to 15 mph with a 2-hp lawnmower type engine. For another $100, you could purchase the “Adult Sport Car” which carried one full-size human using a 3-hp engine that could travel up to 25 mph.

These machines were not to be taken lightly. They came with battery-operated head and taillights, seat-cushion upholstery, and trademarked chrome “rocket” emblems. They supposedly got 70 mpg on a gallon of gasoline, and you could add an Eshelman trailer cart and for light-duty hauling and delivery. They were only 4.5 feet long, two feet wide, and weighed between 225-250 lbs. We don’t know how many of these little jewels were bought and sold, but today they’re more a novelty than practicality. Would you spend $7,500 for something for the kids to ride around in the backyard?

We’re not told much about the seller’s Sport Car other than the engine upgrade with an electric starter. If the 2-hp engine could do 15 mph, what would one with 6-hp be capable of? 25, 30, or 35 mph? Sounds like a good way for a spirited youth to quickly get into trouble. The seller suggests this could be great for parades, but I’d be more inclined to include it as a marketing gimmick in someone’s children’s-oriented business.

Eshelman’s factory burned down in 1956 and he eventually moved it to Florida. Ole Cheston was not afraid of taking chances. We understand that he later bought some new fleet-model Chevy Corvairs in quantity, and re-trimmed and re-badged them with special gold-colored Eshelman insignia and sold them as “Eshelman Golden Eagles”. When Chevrolet got wind of this, they issued Eschelman a cease and desist order, so he switched to providing these packages as aftermarket for folks who wanted to apply them to their cars. That’s a true entrepreneur!