The story of Rupp Manufacturing (or Industries) is a fascinating one with a history spanning almost two decades. They produced a vast range of motorized on and off-road toys and even managed to hold its own for a while against Japan’s stranglehold on the industry once the Z50 Mini Trail debuted. The company was founded in Mansfield, Ohio in 1959 by Herbert E. “Mick” Rupp; a then unemployed construction worker who was an engineering whiz. The American manufacturer sadly closed its doors in ’78 after filing for bankruptcy, but before that would happen it would produce go-karts, ATV’s, dune buggies, dirt bikes, mini bikes, snowmobiles, and some out-there designs that are hard to even classify.
Mick seriously knew his way around an engine and set of wheels so when go-karting rose to popularity in the late 1950’s it caught his attention and it wasn’t long before he got involved. Initially, he ordered a few kits that he got to work on improving and customizing for superior performance. Those around him in the local karting community took notice of the then 23-year-old Rupp’s handy-work and people started placing orders with him. Over the next decade Rupp would pursue this full-time and expand his repertoire to include mini bikes and snowmobiles while his company would experience exponential growth.
The Ohio native was an avid auto-racing enthusiast and USAC racecar driver in the 1960’s – he actually finished in sixth place in the Indy 500 one year. Rupp built two foldable mini bikes around this time – one for him and one for a friend. He brought his to Mid Ohio Sports Car Course where he utilized the collapsible-scoot as a pit bike. His mini garnered an enormous interest from fellow motorsport enthusiasts at the track and he claims he had roughly two-dozen orders by the end of the weekend: “…And that’s when I figured I should get into the minibike business,” he explained to Motorcyclist Online in 2015.
The company’s offerings were distinguishable via their bold bright red paint digs and grew to become a household name alongside the likes of Honda or Yamaha. Mick says the majority of what he was able to achieve by his mid-30’s boils down to “Curiosity and innovation.” His philosophy is straight forward: “Be curious of how that works, or why this exists, or what makes it happen. Then I ask how can I make that better?” Obviously this mantra falls a little short today with all kinds of advanced electronics suites, but the general idea still rings true. The basic concept of an internal combustion engine, a chassis, and suspension have always been the primary elements of every motorsport.
Mick started his business from his home garage but by 1970 Rupp Manufacturing was generating gross annual sales of around $30M, with 400 employees churning out 35,000 snowmobiles and twice as many mini bikes every year. Rupp saw major successes in the mini bike arena with early models like the Dart and Continental, and then the Roadster, Scrambler, and Enduro. Over the years of mini bike-production – as you’d expect from someone with Mick’s ethos – Rupp improved and upgraded models over the years. Rear suspension, disc brakes, and new engines were all updates Rupp minis would receive over time. “Luxury amenities” were also introduced over the years such as head and tail lights, chrome chain-guard, and fenders.
Though relatively big strides were made by Rupp with its minis, 1970 was almost unarguably the year that the Ohio-based moco’s minis saw their biggest changes yet. A new seat, tank, exhaust, taillight, handlebars, chain guard, center stand, and decals were all introduced for the 1970 model year. A completely redesigned frame was also used along with new larger 10” spoked rims. These tough little scoots were powered by 3-4hp Tecumseh HS40 engines boasting a slanted engine plate with a diaphragm carb. Rupp would also debut its TC-1 torque-converter that year on some of its more high-end models. The TC-1 utilized a weighted clutch on the engine-shaft with a belt-drive to a pair of sheaves on the jackshaft, running a chain drive back to the rear-wheel.
In 1969 Rupp was offering a handful of minis, but in 1970 it would unveil the Enduro and Sprint models as well. The Enduro was a big hit, similar to the previous (and same) year’s Scrambler model only with the 4hp engine sans lighting-coil – which increased power – and a number-plate instead of the headlight. The Sprint was a more economical offering that used the older 6” rims but still had the all-new frame from ’70, a shorter exhaust, and no TC-1 unit. The Roadster was on the more top-shelf end of the spectrum for Rupp. It was powered by a Tecumseh H50 power-plant with two-speed jackshaft, and was similar to the Scrambler – sharing the same rectangular head and tail-light.
At the heart of the Rupp Scrambler was a 3.5hp Tecumseh H35 engine and single-speed jackshaft. In 1970, the Scrambler jettisoned its head and taillight in favor of a numberplate, often sporting the classic “Live it RUPP” slogan. The company would last another eight-years and in that time came out with some weird products that straddled the line between car and motorcycle such as the seriously wacky three-wheeled “half-economy car/ half-cycle” ‘Centaur’, or the “mini dune-buggy”: ’The Ruppster’. Though next year will make the 40th-anniversary of Rupp’s decline, the American marque still holds a special place in countless riders’ hearts as very often minis are our first foray into the world of motorcycles. There’s an amazing article about one rider’s passage – via minis – into a lifelong passion for riding in the most recent issue of Fast Times Magazine (issue 2.1) – which is a Canadian publication that I highly recommend checking out.
This particular 1970 Rupp Scrambler example has undergone a major restoration and is in remarkably clean condition for a near-half-century-old, off-road mini bike that still gets raced and ridden. The American 150cc single has an automatic transmission and has been given a few minor custom mods. During the restoration the current owner replaced several stock parts with upgraded components such as the drive clutch and exhaust – which has been replaced with a megaphone-style unit – and a (non-functioning) headlight in place of the original number plate. The example also has new grips and a newly covered seat. The seller claims this Rupp has taken home two “Peoples Choice” awards at unspecified events, but makes it very clear that this bike is by no means in “museum-quality-condition”, though he points out the entire thing can be cleaned in about half an hour which makes sense based on its small size.
The restoration seemingly took place a few years ago, and the seller still has a 3.5hp “newer replacement engine” as well as an earlier “rounder” shroud to also go with bike. It has also been fitted with what’s commonly referred to as a “puke can”, or “breather catch” which is required for racing. This 1970 Rupp Scrambler isn’t perfect but it’s an awesome little mini with a lot of character, it’s in pretty great shape, and despite its lack of power relative to what you may be used to riding – like most minis – this example is just plain fun.
You can find this restored 1970 Rupp Scrambler mini bike (VIN: C-110559, missing title) for sale here on Craigslist in Freeport, New York with a price of $1,500.