Velocars and other interesting vehicles.

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Ludwig II

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Jul 17, 2012
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There are many claims and counter claims about who made the first series production fibreglass cars (yes, it's a loose term here), but the Allard dates from 1954, so that's one marker down.
 

Intrepid Wheelwoman

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Ludwig II

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Reliant's glassfibre came after the Allard Clipper. The Corvette appears to have been the first mass produced complete vehicle. Unless somebody throws one up outside of our normal sphere of reference.
 

moto-klasika

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Jan 12, 2013
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I don't think anyone's going to pedal this anywhere far.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AWS_Shopper
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... anyway, I do not think that I would be happy wiht such a vehicle!
I had to modified it a lot for pedal-power, I would build somehting quite different in a style that I want.... As practical "heavy quadricycle", it could be OK, in spite that it is quite ugly (maybe thier is some sharm in that?).
Zoran
 

moto-klasika

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Wasn't it 1956 and the Reliant Regal Mk3?
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... ah, Trotters!
There is so often rerpises of that Emglish TV serial, that every generation in Serbia accepted it as cult! There is even one cafe in Belgrade, totally in a style of one from TV serial, with the same yellow Reliant in windows! For us - it seems that serial is about our people! Only, folk speak English - but everyhting else is the same!
Zoran
 

moto-klasika

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There are many claims and counter claims about who made the first series production fibreglass cars (yes, it's a loose term here), but the Allard dates from 1954, so that's one marker down.
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Ludwig,
Not any problem to discus such issues here!
Only, I do not like fiberglass bodies at all! They could look nice when they are new, could last for centuries, but look bad in a few years! Knowthat with boats. For one-off DIY vehicles there are more problems than benefits using it. Only "plastic" that I would accept is material used by great Paul Elkins, forgot the name... But, no bullbose shapes, just simple curves and twisting as with plywood...
Zoran
 

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moto-klasika

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Originally Posted by bluegoatwoods
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I would think it must be even worse for some of the folks around me. But they don't seem to notice it. I sure do, though.
It's better, of course, when you can step up. Such as a pickup truck or a van.
But light weight transportation with a high center of gravity doesn't sound like a very good idea. It's a shame.

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Yes exactly, it's why I dislike the things too :(
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Hello,
The worst problem that I had (and I was much younger) was when I was driving Spitfire for short time: too low, too crampled inside - but nice for driving...
Now, something more comfortable for jolly cruising around:

  • free entrance (fully open sides as for veteran cars, or wide doors);
  • higher seating position (when standing beside vehicle, the height of seats as kithcen chair - mesuring from the gorund, just to slip on it, without climbing or set-down too low)
Therefore, it shouldn't be too high C.G. when we are in/on a vehicle. With slow speeds (up to 20 mph) and pensioenr style of driving - no dangers at corners.
Zoran
 

Ludwig II

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Stability can be enhanced in a 2 seater with in line seating, so placing the centre of mass equally between sides, whilst still allowing a decent seat height.
 

moto-klasika

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[FONT=Arial Unicode MS, sans-serif]Hello Ludwig,[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial Unicode MS, sans-serif]I had in mind tandem-seats to save on width of vehicle and to make it more stable, but... [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial Unicode MS, sans-serif]If it isn't closed seating as on motorcycle, which isn't so good for us anymore, then vehicle is too long! For two of us and normal seating, we need 2 meters cabin, from my foot-rest to wife's backrest. It could be something shorter, but not too much. If it is pedal-powered version, it should be even longer.
That means that I should seat between front wheels and my wife between rear wheels, if want to have not so long chassis and wheel-base...[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial Unicode MS, sans-serif]However, still have to think about such version. Chassis could be simpler and so on... Maybe it isn't important for low speeds, but better aerodynamics could be achieved.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial Unicode MS, sans-serif]Zoran
[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial Unicode MS, sans-serif]P.S.: Attached are photos with tandem-seats veteran automobile, maybe something bigger than it is good for motored velocar. Also, a lot of cycle-cars are made in such form, the most famous was Bedelia, but not only one.
[/FONT]

 

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Intrepid Wheelwoman

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Oct 29, 2011
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That's a very simple vehicle Zoran. Essentially it's a buckboard cyclecar, but a little more narrow due to having tandem instead of side by side seating.

Here's something similar, but it's a pedalcar. French, made in 1906 from wood and tinplate for a little girl named Miss Madelaine. Overall length 72 inches.

I don't know anything about the yellow one though :(
 

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