Honda T-10 Cuby Engine

At least once a winter I've got to change the oil, check the carb, and check the plug on this little bugger, then fire it up. Today was the day. This is a 1962 Honda T-10 Cuby engine, built for training purposes at the Honda factory. It's 19.7 cc. They made very few of these (I think the number is 800), and made them available to American and European dealers in the late 1960s. My father-in-law had a Honda shop in the 1960s and 1970s, but didn't get one. He found this one at a garage sale years later for $5 -- which is kind of insane given what they go for now. And then when he moved, he gave it to me. It's in original unrestored condition. It was cold, so it took a few pulls of the cord, but I got it fired up and let it run for a few. I've got a short video but don't know how to load it here, but here are a couple photos.









I'm guessing I've got the record for smallest displacement engine started today? This month?

This is extremely cool. I've had two cubs and really like the small displacement Honda motors. This takes it to another level. Having one in the house would be awesome. Just curious, what does something like that even go for?

NIB go for $2000 or more, restored for $1500 or more, but that was a few years ago when I looked. I'm holding on to mine so I don't pay attention anymore. I might need a new float needle, however, and parts for these things don't come easily (although I heard they share carb parts with E40 generators...).

I didn't know Honda even made a flat head engine (Side Valve). Nice little motor....Clean the intake screen, for goodness sakes....

mydlyfkryzis said:

I didn't know Honda even made a flat head engine (Side Valve). Nice little motor....Clean the intake screen, for goodness sakes....

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Ha! Good eyes. Those were the pre-tune up photos!

What is it's uses? Sorry never seen one before or heard of one. Looks pretty neat though!

carnivorous chicken said:

Ha! Good eyes. Those were the pre-tune up photos!

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They were used as training engines for Honda factory techs in Japan. The parts are numbered, some with their numbers stamped on them, in order of assembly, to show how a simple 4-cycle engine works. In Japan and perhaps elsewhere some of these were available with accessories including a water pump, a saw, and a drill, but I'm not sure if any of those made it to the USA. That being said, even those attachments were just for show, they're too small to be of practical use. There are a few videos of people firing 'em up and using accessories online, and a few pages with some info. I'm crossing my fingers that mine holds together as spare parts for these things seem virtually non-existent.

Hello, I`m new and from Germany.
Here is my Cuby Collection.


All my Cuby Attachments "in action" you can see here:
Sinsheim Technic Museum October 2013

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVhf0hxx-hQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkOY29L844c

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xgzy8ATejmw


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEeVibJydHU

I bought my Cuby from a Sacramento Honda dealer back in the 60's, retail price was $25. Below is a copy of the original letter from American Honda to their dealers introducing the engines. I wish I had kept the original packaging but being 16 years old I of course tossed it. But I have held onto it all these years and recently polished it up. While described as a "toy engine" they were still built with Honda's typically nice fit and finish, with nice paint, good oil sealing and quiet muffler with heat shield. They were developed in Japan solely for education and not for any real world purpose. Some were used at the Tama-Tech amusement park in Japan to teach children about engines.









-Bill

Very cool -- I've run across both of your websites/postings, Spurlock and Hondacuby. The attachments are pretty crazy.
Let me ask you this: mine still works and runs well, but I would love to replace the float valve needle if possible -- it doesn't function. And mine doesn't have a float valve seat, but I'm not sure these had one. You guys know? Any ideas on spares or other engines that used the same parts? I've heard the E40 generator shares some of the same carb parts...

carnivorous chicken said:

Let me ask you this: mine still works and runs well, but I would love to replace the float valve needle if possible -- it doesn't function. And mine doesn't have a float valve seat, but I'm not sure these had one. You guys know? Any ideas on spares or other engines that used the same parts? I've heard the E40 generator shares some of the same carb parts...

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Not sure if any other float valve would work, but the E40 carb is similarly tiny so might be worth a try if that part is available. The Cuby float valve does not use a separate seat, the needle just seats in a hole in the carb. It seems unlikely that your needle would be worn much from occasional running, so I wonder if there is corrosion or a bit of gunk in the carb body making it leak.

I've made an acrylic display case for my Cuby and never plan to put oil or gas in it again, afraid the plastic float bowl will eventually disintegrate or warp beyond fitting. A similar clear plastic carb bowl on my old Honda rototiller eventually warped badly, i suppose from attack from modern gas.

-Bill

That's what I figured. I will have another look at it -- I think the float might be catching on the gasket I made for it, or the tangs are too low to close the valve (but I don't want to try to bend them, as I don't want to ruin the float).

My original float bowl was knackered, dried out, cracked, warped, still kind of worked, but I found a guy who had made a few. I don't know what his run was, but I got two from him, so I've got a back up.

I don't want to restore/repaint mine, I like the fact that my father-in-law knew what it was and got it for $5, so I want to keep it running.

Hi all you Cuby fans!

It took a while, but we’ve finally got it all together!
Our book about the Honda Cuby Motor!

The book has approx. 94 pages of interesting full-color pictures, facts and instructions.

We can offer you our book, including shipping and handling for 25.00 Euro or 31.50 US-Dollars (Registered Letter).

The 1.edition in English language is only 75 copies, so you should probably act fairly quickly.
They are numbered from 001– 075 and the first 25 copies will be personally signed by Volker and myself including a special stamp of authenticity.

You can order the book at once.
Delivery will be in severe sequence the orders come in.
After your payment has been received, your shipment will be shipped immediately.

If there`ll be more orders than 75 we will do a 2.edition, so everyone who is interested in our book will get one!

Orders now can be made on hondacuby@gmail.com

hondacuby said:

Hi all you Cuby fans!

It took a while, but we’ve finally got it all together!
Our book about the Honda Cuby Motor!

The book has approx. 94 pages of interesting full-color pictures, facts and instructions. . . .

Click to expand...

Hello Hans-Peter and Volker, I just received my copy of your book and want to thank you. It is a beautiful piece of work, full of great photos, detailed technical information and extensive research. It will make a wonderful companion to my little Cuby engine.

Thanks for all your work,

-Bill