HHC: Restore: Chapter 1: How to Identify your Hummer

A few of you may find an original-paint bike from the first owner who rode it one summer and then stored it in a nice dry heated garage for the last 50 years. The owner will dig out the original title, warranty card, owner's manual, and even the first license plate and registration and pass them on to you. And the cow jumped over the moon...

The rest of us will find something a little different. Most of the parts on the lightweights are interchangable. This was Good News way back when - if you dented a fender or blew up the motor - you could simply find a wrecked bike, and transplant the needed parts into your bike. You could take a 1948 engine and bolt it into a 1966 frame. Or vice versa.

You've just purchased a bike to restore, and are wondering just what year it is. Well, the Bad News is: most of the parts on the lightweights are interchangable. A lot of swapping has gone on over the last 50 years, so your bike may have a mix of components.

The Bike that started the Hummer Club? it's now: 1955 Hummer 55B 1234
Wheels:	1955 or 56 Hummer
Front fork:	1955 or 56 Hummer
Engine:	1960 Super 10
Magneto:	1962 Ranger
Frame	1957-1959 Hummer
Gas tank:	195? Model 165

Some bikes are so "hybrid" that it's difficult to decide just what year they are! Sometimes, the choice is easy - if you have a nice original frame, sheetmetal, speedometer, etc., but the wrong year motor, the choice is easy - just find the correct year motor. Other times, the choice is more difficult.

So, where to start? First, try to identify just what you've got.

Start with the engine serial number.
Now look in Chapters 10-57 for that year. Does the rest of the bike look like the picture there? If not, perhaps the engine was changed.
Look at the speedometer. Is it the correct one? Speedometers are available, but expensive.
Next, the frame. The differences are subtle.
Now, the Chapter (coming soon) on Sheetmetal. Fenders straight and uncut? Fenders are hard-to-find and expensive. Correct gas tank? Tool box there (optional on Hummers and 1960-1962).
A thousand other small details. Look through the How To Restore section and learn as much as you can about your year and model. Some of the topics get quite detailed, so you may need to consult a "The Details" chapter for additional details.

Second, look at the pictures in the Members page - in the Years/Models section. We've selected these bikes because they ARE good examples - but they are NOT necessarily restoration standards!

Third, determine the expense and difficulty in obtaining the correct parts. A perfectly restored speedometer can run up to $500. Fenders for a 1948-1950 model might take years to find. So take an inventory of what you've got, and what you will need. And hopefully, the direction will be obvious.

Quick List of Models
Years	M.D.	Name	Description
1948 - 1952	S	Model 125	Single-cylinder two-stroke, generator, 125cc
1953 - 1959	ST	Model 165	Similar but 165cc
1953 - 1959	STU	Model 165	165cc, low horsepower
1955 - 1959	B	Hummer	Single-cylinder two-stroke, magneto, 125cc
1960 - 1961	BT	Super-10	Magneto but 165cc
1960 - 1961	BTU	Super-10	Same but under 5 horsepower
1962	BT	Pacer	Road Model, 165cc
1962	BTU	Pacer	Road Model, 165cc, under 5 horsepower
1962	BTF	Ranger	165cc Hunting/Fishing, no lights
1962	BTH	Scat	Off-Road Model, 175cc
1963 - 1965	BT	Pacer	Road Model, 175cc
1963 - 1965	BTU	Pacer	Road Model, 175cc, under 5horsepower
1963 - 1965	BTH	Scat	Off-Road Model, 175cc
1966	BTH	Bobcat	Road Model