Budbilt (Milburn) Cub
Being the Drumrunners and being known for accepting castaway outboards,
this unwanted orphan was left on our doorstep.
Very little is known about the manufacturer of this motor. Peter Hunn has devoted quite a bit of space in his book, "The Old Outboard Book" to this brand. There are no model numbers on this piece and we could find no serial number either. It was apparently built in the early "fifties"
When we got it was stuck tight and required the grease gun trick to get it apart. We suspect that this motor may have been born stuck. The rings were frozen in the piston so I got to try the "beat on the rings with a spoon trick" I ran out of patience after only two days and we pried them out in pieces. We found some rings for hydraulic cylinders and they worked. It's supposed to be a 2.5 horsepower motor but doesn't seem to put out near that much power.
The carb is a testament to simplicity. That's kinder than saying it's crude. The float is a little brass puck that floats free in the float bowl and sometimes manages to control the fuel. To choke it, you place your thumb over the air inlet. There is no variable air metering and speed is controlled by adjusting the timing and single needle valve. Even that was stuck.
The gas tank is heavy cast aluminum and it's got scratches but it would be virtually impossible to dent this tank. I think that this motor was intended more as a hunting motor than a fishing motor. It didn't run very well but you could easily crush a bear's skull if you used the lower unit as a handle and clubbed him with the gas tank. Oh, and the little curleecue in the gas line is also stock from the factory. 
Note here that the tiller is on the opposite side from other outboards. It's probably that way so you could hold your thumb over the carb opening to choke it
When I first looked at this motor and saw the safety wired screws on the transom clamp, I figured this was a quality item. Closer exam showed that the clamp casting is a rough sand casting and unmachined. The only way you can adjust it and get it to swivel is to adjust it finger tight and and then wire it.

There, now I have devoted more time to this page than any other page in our album.
Peter Hunn calls these "KOOKY little motors" and he's right there is a strange
fascination to them. He also says that in no advertising is there ever shown a motor
mounted on a boat. Well, here it is.. The Hummbuggg hisself is getting ready to fire this puppy up.


I just hope he doesn't go very far from shore...

And away he goes!!! This may be the only running example of a Budbuilt Cub in the world!!
Hey Peter, if you're out there, it lives!!!!