Too cool. You'll love this
 

No idea where to put this but you'll love it. No idea what it is worth but it sure is worth sharing.

Antique Rudge bicycle with a factory original 18cc built in diesel engine.

I wonder if Cheezit has a few of these in his garage somewhere? I wonder if Weld has one on his workbench? I wonder if 2LZ is figuring how to soup it up?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-1949...iuO&rmvSB=true

lol you can ROLL COAL on your bicycle

I think it's pretty neat ,but I don't believe that bike is as old as claimed .I am thinking it's probably a 1970's model bike ,possibly late 60's ,everything on the bike is too modern to me to be from the 40's .

I had no idea of it's age. Vintage bikes for me are 70's and up.

Hard to imagine such a small diesel engine. Looks like a flathead. I don't see why that can't be done but never seen anything like that before. And 18cc?? It may have a bit of torque but I bet my cat makes more horsepower.

I think it would be a difficult restoration. Where to get parts? Maybe Germany?

Many of the r.c. toys are diesel ,a homeowners whipper snipper is generally about 21cc so it really is small ,often old diesel stuff is simple like a hammer I would not be super concerned finding parts it might not ever need any .I do think it is cool ,just misrepresented to the bicycles age I think but Cheesy would know better than me ,if he ever walks away from his urinal he might smarten us up a bit .

' I think but Cheesy would know better than me ,if he ever walks away from his urinal he might smarten us up a bit'

LOL.

I'm also waiting for the CheeseMeister's evaluation.

I think it looks older than the 60's though.

I just looked at the gas cap. Looks like it calls for premix. Maybe it's a 2 stroke diesel like a model airplane engine.

Chiming in now.

The bike is a Raleigh built Rudge. Equivalent to the Raleigh Sports of the same period. Nottingham, the shape of the handlebar stem, along with Sir Walter on one of the pedals are the tells there. 1949 is possible, no newer than 1954, which was the last year for the brazed on shifter pulley. Also, the Sturmey Archer shifter is late forties, early fifties. Probably dated by the date stamp on the rear hub, which is a good a judge as any because Raleighs' serial numbering system left something to be desired until the late sixties.

It's a gorgeous bike and the little engine is icing on the cake, but $2800 is way overvalued. That said, someone will snatch it up.

Thank you for chiming in Cheesy. Your knowledge of these bicycles is truly encyclopedic. I really didn't think it could be worth as much as the seller was asking, but it sure would be an interesting machine to look at and play with.

I am completely surprised by that cheesy ,I would of thought it would have balloon tires to be from that era .

If it was a North American bike from that era then it would. The Brits have run the EA.3/ 26 x 1 3/8 tires forever.

If it's diesel, it's begging for a turbo.....

I couldn't find one on my workbench, but it is pretty messy. It's not likely to be there, as I shy away from diesels.