SPECIFICATIONS

Manufacturer: Eshelman Motors Co.

Origin: Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A.

Motor: B&S 1-cyl., Model 14, 4-stroke

Displacement: 15.2 cu. in.

Power: 8.5 hp

Length: 5 ft. 4 in.

Identification No. 29993

In 1939, at age 23, Cheston Lee Eshelman crash-landed a rented monoplane on a reported “flight to Mars.” Following that event, he designed an airworthy wing-less aircraft, for which he was awarded a patent, and started producing light commercial aircraft. He is probably best remembered, however, for garden tractors and miniature automobiles.

After World War II, Eshelman set up shop in Baltimore, building small tractors and implements. By 1953, he had branched out into scooters and automobiles. The Eshelman Sport Car was advertised in the back of magazines like Popular Mechanics and promised “70 miles per gal” at “1/5 the price of most other cars.”

The recipe was simple: an air-cooled Briggs & Stratton engine, a centrifugal clutch, a single-speed belt drive, and four-wheel mechanical paddle brakes acting directly on the tires. A cam device locked all brakes down for parking.

This Eshelman Adult Sport Car is the Deluxe model, as evidenced by its chrome-plated rocket side trim. The 1956 models were advertised as red or yellow; this one has been restored in yellow with a matching seat cushion. It is very well-detailed with a black rubber floor mat and restored controls. Dashboard functions include a choke cable and recoil starter—turning off the engine requires reaching through the panel for the kill switch. The brake and accelerator pedals are marked “Stop” and “Go,” respectively. The rear-hinged hood gives excellent access to the correctly-detailed engine compartment, which indicates very little use since restoration. An exceptional example of the Adult Sport Car, there is probably no finer Eshelman available today.