He Restores Doodle Bug Scooters
 ✖  |
Jim Juon simply wanted to restore a Doodle Bug scooter from his youth when he retired, but somehow he ended up with a new business. In the past 9 years, the retired farmer has restored or sold more than 30 of the little red scooters made in the late 1940’s. That’s not to mention countless replacement parts he has refurbished or made himself.
“I’ve sold parts all over the country and even internationally,” says Juon. “I shipped one restored Doodle Bug to the Netherlands.”
Juon owned several Doodle Bugs when he was young, but sold them to buy a car. The Doodle Bug, with its 1 1/2 hp Briggs and Stratton motor and 10-in. wheels, was designed for low-speed use.
“They weren’t stable over 30 mph, so the little engines were adequate,” says Juon.
While the basic frame never changed, small improvements were made in the 5 models, known as A, B, C, D and Super D. When the company couldn’t get enough Briggs and Stratton engines, they switched to 4-cycle Clintons for the Model B. All had kick starters.
The original models used a combination throttle/brake squeeze lever. When untouched, the motor went to full throttle. As the operator squeezed it, the engine throttled down, and the brake was applied. The Super Doodle Bug was the first (and last) to have separate throttle and brake controls.
Kits were available to make the Doodle Bug street legal. They included headlights and taillights and either batteries or generators to power them.
The scooters were made in Webster City, Iowa, just 13 miles from Juon’s home. Manufacturing started in 1946 and stopped in 1948. The company made more than 40,000 over those 3 years, but only about 1,000 are thought to exist today.
“Demand diminished as gas and cars became more available when rationing ended after World War II,” explains Juon. “I’ve never heard of many being used as transportation by adults. Most were used by kids who talked their parents into buying one.”
Juon says those kids, now adults, are a big part of his customer base. “There are two camps. One wants an original like they had as a kid, to display in their home or garage,” says Juon. “Others want to ride a later model engine with more horsepower. Many of them will buy a 5 1/2 hp. Honda for their Doodle Bug.”
Juon does partial or complete restorations, including seats, gas tanks, side panels and more. He looks for used parts he can refurbish and fabricates other parts.
“I am always looking for parts or old Doodle Bugs,” he says. “They are usually found in junk piles or in a garage that has fallen down.”
The side panels, he notes, were often the first parts to disappear. Along with seats and mufflers, they are the most in-demand parts. He laser cuts panels that are perfect replicas.
“Kids would take the panels off to work on the scooter and never put them back,” he says. “Seats would wear away and mufflers rust off.”
In addition to a wide range of parts, Juon can restore damaged crankshafts, reline brake drums and install new bushings. He sandblasts, primes and reproduces the original finish, including decals.
The cost of restoration varies depending on the shape the Doodle Bug is in. Prices for the little scooter, which originally sold for as little as $69.95, vary from $2,500 to $5,000.
“Those on the high end will be accurately restored and highly detailed,” says Juon.
More information is available from the Doodle Bug Club of America, which hosts annual gatherings.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Jim Juon, 2209 350th St., Stanhope, Iowa 50246 (ph 515 460-3854; jimjuon@gmail.com; www.DoodleBugscooters.com) or the Doodle Bug Club of America (www.wcDoodleBug.com).
Click here to download page story appeared in.
Click here to read entire issue
He Restores Doodle Bug Scooters AG WORLD Jim Juon simply wanted to restore a Doodle Bug scooter from his youth when he retired but somehow he ended up with a new business In the past 9 years the retired farmer has restored or sold more than 30 of the little red scooters made in the late 1940’s That’s not to mention countless replacement parts he has refurbished or made himself “I’ve sold parts all over the country and even internationally ” says Juon “I shipped one restored Doodle Bug to the Netherlands ” Juon owned several Doodle Bugs when he was young but sold them to buy a car The Doodle Bug with its 1 1/2 hp Briggs and Stratton motor and 10-in wheels was designed for low-speed use “They weren’t stable over 30 mph so the little engines were adequate ” says Juon While the basic frame never changed small improvements were made in the 5 models known as A B C D and Super D When the company couldn’t get enough Briggs and Stratton engines they switched to 4-cycle Clintons for the Model B All had kick starters The original models used a combination throttle/brake squeeze lever When untouched the motor went to full throttle As the operator squeezed it the engine throttled down and the brake was applied The Super Doodle Bug was the first and last to have separate throttle and brake controls Kits were available to make the Doodle Bug street legal They included headlights and taillights and either batteries or generators to power them The scooters were made in Webster City Iowa just 13 miles from Juon’s home Manufacturing started in 1946 and stopped in 1948 The company made more than 40 000 over those 3 years but only about 1 000 are thought to exist today “Demand diminished as gas and cars became more available when rationing ended after World War II ” explains Juon “I’ve never heard of many being used as transportation by adults Most were used by kids who talked their parents into buying one ” Juon says those kids now adults are a big part of his customer base “There are two camps One wants an original like they had as a kid to display in their home or garage ” says Juon “Others want to ride a later model engine with more horsepower Many of them will buy a 5 1/2 hp Honda for their Doodle Bug ” Juon does partial or complete restorations including seats gas tanks side panels and more He looks for used parts he can refurbish and fabricates other parts “I am always looking for parts or old Doodle Bugs ” he says “They are usually found in junk piles or in a garage that has fallen down ” The side panels he notes were often the first parts to disappear Along with seats and mufflers they are the most in-demand parts He laser cuts panels that are perfect replicas “Kids would take the panels off to work on the scooter and never put them back ” he says “Seats would wear away and mufflers rust off ” In addition to a wide range of parts Juon can restore damaged crankshafts reline brake drums and install new bushings He sandblasts primes and reproduces the original finish including decals The cost of restoration varies depending on the shape the Doodle Bug is in Prices for the little scooter which originally sold for as little as $69 95 vary from $2 500 to $5 000 “Those on the high end will be accurately restored and highly detailed ” says Juon More information is available from the Doodle Bug Club of America which hosts annual gatherings Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Jim Juon 2209 350th St Stanhope Iowa 50246 ph 515 460-3854; jimjuon@gmail com; www DoodleBugscooters com or the Doodle Bug Club of America www wcDoodleBug com
To read the rest of this story, download this issue below or click
here to register with your account number.
