Sold for nearly 20 years, the Mustang was developed and built in Glendale, California by Gladden Products Corporation. It started as a homebrew bike built for an employee of Gladden to commute to work during World War II – management liked it so much that they commercialized it! Most Mustangs were small, cruiser-looking minibikes but the company offered some variations like this Trail Machine.
Unlike other Mustangs, the Trail Machine got a Briggs & Stratton 5.75 horsepower engine that put power through a 3-speed Burman transmission and then a tire with tractor tread. The bike got a newly designed, heavy duty frame to cope with off-road riding – some consider this to be Mustang’s answer to the Tote Gote. Production ran from 1961-1965 (when Mustang closed up shop) – in ’64 the bike got a rear suspension. The models were simply called “Rigid Frame Model” and “Rear Suspension Model”:
Photo of an old ad from OldMiniBikes
This example is claimed to run and drive great, and that’s really all the information the seller gives. Seems like he’d rather talk to you on the phone, so find this Trail Machine for sale in St. Joseph, Michigan for $1,795 or best offer here on Craigslist.
This bike-uriousity brought to you by Bill K!