Rekindle Your Childhood With This No Reserve 1970s Dune Cat Selling for Around $1,000

Folks, I wasn't around during the 1970s, but I've definitely heard the stories. However, this next one has nothing to do with the Watergate scandals, pulling troops out of Vietnam, or the Viking I landing on Mars. It does, however, have a whole lot to do with plain old having fun, the old school way, with a cord-pull and putt-putt-putt-putting it around all day with safety standards at a minimum.

That's because the machine before us today is currently up for grabs and in fully functioning order, having just recently received a new torque converter, drive chain, sprocket, front wheels and tires, and mechanical disc brakes. Clearly, the tires have been replaced too. Oh, and if I do say so myself, at the time of writing, this puppy was offered at no more than $950 (€880 at current exchange rates). You will, however, need to travel down to Missouri to pick it up and complete the sale.

To get an idea of what's up for grabs here, we need to travel back in time over 50 years, when Muskin was still around. Well, I tried to find information on this manufacturer, but it would seem that sources say very little, only that they were around until 1974; you can taste their legacy, possibly the reasons why they aren't around anymore. Class-action lawsuits and low sales were the main hurdles.

So, what are we buying? According to the auction listing on Bring a Trailer and some details dug up by our autoevolution's own Benny Kirk, what we're looking at is nothing more than a mini dune buggy built upon a steel frame and fiberglass body which even the seat is molded into. A couple of cutouts where the pedals come out, and a steering wheel column later, the Dune cat is basically ready; what seatbelts?

As for the unit before us today, I'll be honest: This thing looks pretty dang fresh, especially considering it's been nearly 50 years since it was built. But it's not perfect. Here and there, mainly where the chassis and fiberglass body meet, some cracking is visible.

Apparently, the motor isn't original either and has since been replaced with a 6.5 hp 212 cc Predator OHV with pull-start and all linked up with chain drive. The original motors seem to have had less power, only 5 hp, but still more than enough to hit a top speed of 30 mph (64 kph) while out on the dunes, according to the brochures the Cats came with. Neatly enough, Sethb, this listing's owner, has also added a couple of videos with the motor in action and a full walk-around.

The question is: What purpose could this thing still feed these days? Well, that all depends on your idea of fun. For example, this listing is up for another five days (at the time of writing), and if you want to rekindle a bit of your childhood, assuming you're at least 50 years old, then keep this one in your browser. Then again, I'm 36 years old, and by the time I'm 50, there's no romping around on sand dunes for me.

But, if you've got kids, then this Dune Cat is sure to give them a taste of the sort of vehicles you may have grown up with. Think about that for a second. If you're reading this text, the chances that you're into the whole off-road and free-wheeling lifestyle, as I like to call it, are pretty good, and to share that freedom with your progenies is something that is sure to bring a smile to your family's faces.

Just remember what you're buying: a vehicle that basically has no conception of a safety feature. This means that your kid should take things easy at first until they get the hang of things because, honestly, I don't see how you could ever add anything like a roll cage to this, not to mention seat belts.

Now, it's not every day that a deal like this comes up, and for the current bid price at which this thing is, it comes across as one hell of a birthday gift. Maybe, you pick it up for yourself, fix it up a little bit, throw in a bigger, stronger motor if the construction holds, and it's off to ride around the local woods, desert backyard, or downright dunes; this bugger's natural habitat. You might even be able to do something wild like copying what you see, reconfiguring it to modern standards, and starting an entire business. Hey, I'm just the messenger here, and the fun you can rekindle with this is just too good to pass up.