1955 Other Makes Eshelman sport 55

roadster

3hp 1 cyl

Automatic

029500

Clear

Gasoline

This is a very unusual American made micro car from 1955. It may look like a lawn mower powered go cart but it was marketed and sold as practical transportation for adults! The Eshelman company advertised these little cars in the back of popular science and mechanics magazines of the era as actual cars for every day use at a relatively low price. Many people who purchased one realized they had been taken only after it was delivered by mail. Despite this Eshelman stayed in business for a long time producing lawn and garden equipment, golf carts and many variations of their little cars. This model with a 8 cubic inch 3hp Briggs and Stratton was considered the adult model until they produced a slightly larger car with a 6hp engine and then the smaller model became the childs sport. I think the 55 in the name is for the length, roughly 55 inches long although by coincidence the car was made in 1955. This car was restored by the Microcar Museum in Madison Georgia. It is actually licensed to be driven on the street in Georgia! The body and paint are in excellent condition. The quality of the paint is extremely nice and the car looks fantastic. There is a tiny bit of rust on the back of the body (very hard to see) that was painted over. The frame is totally solid with no rust. The Interior is great with nice floor mats and a nice padded seat. The engine is a 3hp Briggs and Stratton model 8 (8 cubic inch) and it starts easy and runs great. The controls are very basic. There is a fuel tap under the tank you reach through the gap in the grill to turn on or off. The carb has a choke lever than can be accessed from the drivers seat. There is a hand throttle and a very simple hand operated brake that simply pushes blocks against the rear wheels. The car is quite fast for its simple construction and can easily carry an adult. It is rather complicated to drive with a hand throttle that does not return to idle when you let go. It also turns very sharp and could probably tip if not careful so care should be taken if kids are allowed to drive it. The wheels have solid rubber tires and the engine is hard mounted so their is a lot of vibration. It's humorous to imagine they really thought housewives would drive this to do their in town shopping. It has a centrifugal clutch that is fully automatic. A belt drive goes to a jackshaft under the seat and two chains deliver the final drive to the rear wheels. This is an unusual and amazing piece of American automotive history that would display great with other 50's American classics or with other microcars. It never fails to delight and we had lots of people stop with questions and to take pictures while filming the video below. It comes with the original brochure pictured (which I think is a little newer than the car) plus some other original period documents from Eshelman regarding enquiry to their products. It also comes with some spare carburetor parts and the Georgia paperwork. An Eshelman just like this one recently sold at RM auctions for $10,000!! The reserve on this car is nowhere near that. Buyer is responsible for shipping costs and arrangements. I am willing to help as needed. I highly recommend and encourage a personal inspection if possible. The Eshelman can be viewed by appointment in Granite Falls WA (near Seattle) I reserve the right to end the auction at any time. Car must be picked up within 30 days. Feel free to ask any questions. Please watch the video of this car in action: