Velocar cyclecar semi-replica.

[MEASURE TWICE]

I found by the dumpsters a kind of directors chair with canvas seat and back. Way more comfortable that any chair I purchased. It helps when I am thinking how things might work looking over a build. It went to Burning Man Event 2014. I kept it to take back to default home, but it has its right place at home in the high desert Black Rock, NV.

I'll have in the future a covering for my motor bike to be a Fish Look A Like, California Sheepshead to look for krill in the 15 thousand year old dry lake bed.

MT

 

[fasteddy]

Anne,

If I'm wrapping up chocolate to send to a young lady in New Zealand it will have the same effect here as it will there upon receipt. I'll check to see what is available tomorrow.

Thank you for the kind words about the tri car. The latest arthritis attack has let up a bit and I'll take advantage of the lull to get something done. It's been the worst one yet and the longest and most crippling as well.
There really isn't a lot to be done to finish it to the point that it can be started. I'd just like to have everything hooked up before I take it down off the saw horses in case it is working properly. If it does I'll start buying lottery ticket though I may have won the best lottery going if it does.

Steve.

 

[curtisfox]

AWESOME! your coming along realy good on your car. Is that the real Peugeot axel on the front wheel?

Really like what you are doing and can't wait to see more,glad you are up and able to do some more. I know i have some of Steve's buddy arther also and know what he is going through and a rotater cuff in my right shoulder as well,the golden years.

Yep can't seem to go to Fleetfarm supply without getting a dark chocolate Dove bar or two,LOL................Curt

 

[Intrepid Wheelwoman]

Thanks Curt

No that's just a piece of steel rod in the picture, the Peugeot bits should arrive next week. The sprocket is from a Puch motorcycle, - I have no idea of the model or year it being one of those things I've gathered up over the years. If I can get it to fit up how I want I'll be able to kill two birds with one stone as it will give me a front brake too. On the Colombe/Villards the front brake is described as being a 'parking brake' and it's not a big brake by any stretch of the imagination so I think the Puch brake will work out fine.

The jackshaft mount that can be seen in one of the pictures is made from cast steel and I do have a pair of them only the workshop Pixies seem to be teasing me by hiding the other one away from me at the moment. It would make for a very tidy arrangement if I could use them, but I guess I'll know more once I get a bit further along with things.

Ha ha, the 'golden years', - just when you're smart and wise enough to be able to really achieve something worthwhile everything starts falling apart.

 

[moto-klasika]

Hello Annie,
It seems to me that name "INTREPID" shall be the best! For sure that this "mobiltette" shall be your creation, just inspired by Villard/Colombe light three-wheeler. Anyway, even I like "replicas" trough many decades, and wanted to build one, I would never like to make exact copy as many people did and still doing. I prefer my interpretation of some models, not so famous... Pathetic is to put name of original on them and sometimes even try to sell them under that name or present them like originals on various veteran shows. On one show in Belgrade, my friend brought his wonderful original Jaguar, and one football player approached to him and said proudly: "I have Jaguar, too!" and show to pathetic replica on VW base. My friend said to him: "Why you didn't came with it but brought that piece of sh... here"
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Maybe photo cheated me, but it seems to me that engine is aligned to chassis rail, that is side of trapezoid (not parallel sides of chassis). Maybe it should be aligned parallel to symmetry-line of chassis?
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I like all chocolates, but prefer black, for cooking and cakes, or with 85% of cacao. Even living in Swiss known as land of chocolate, our Serbian's are better! People didn't believed me that, so we used to bring Serbian chocolate here to Swiss and they were surprised by taste and quality. Of course, Belgian's are the best, but couldn't be found here in Swiss... Because of too much sugar in my blood, I have to be modest in eating them!

Ciao, Zoran

 

[Intrepid Wheelwoman]

Thanks Zoran

I think the steel channel base the engine is sitting on might be a little off line, but once I start putting everything together properly I'll be very careful to align everything correctly.

Apparently the friction drive models were sprocket eaters when used for competition purposes due to the movement of the jackshaft while changing gear. One of the reasons why I'm basing my cyclecar on the ones with a conventional motorcycle gearbox.

Serbian chocolate? - interesting. This thread might become the covert meeting place of a chocolate appreciation society

 

[Intrepid Wheelwoman]

A little CAD (cardboard aided design) work this evening. I can't begin to express how exciting it is to see my cyclecar begin to take shape.
Copying the Carden cyclecar I've made the curve of the bonnet more raised than on the Colombe cyclecar. Whether it's too much I'll decided after some more creative staring. The nice thing about CAD is that it's easy and cheap to make changes so I can get the shape right before I start cutting any steel and plywood.

And Zoran, you were quite right about the way I had the engine lined up. I've corrected it now.





This is the speedometer I've had salted away for ages to use on my cyclecar. The brakeplate and shoes are from the Puch sprocket hub I'm planning on using.

 

[silverbear]

The cardboard panels really help in visualizing, don't they? I can see why you're excited. Nice big old speedometer. More CAD, please.
SB

 

[Intrepid Wheelwoman]

The thing is though Silverbear I can't make up my mind whether to build the sports type body like this one........



...... or the ordinary bread and butter type body like this one......

 

[silverbear]

I see the dilemma. They are really quite different and give a whole different feel to the machine. Are there practical considerations which make you lean one way or the other? Will this likely have a canopy of some sort or will it be open to the sky?

I suppose it is because of the MGTDs and Austin Healy 3000 roadster from my youth, but I rather like the sports version. Another indication, I suppose, that I have never truly grown up. You, however, strike me as a responsible, adult-like person and may better appreciate a more conservative and stately look.

It is a bit of a toss-up, isn't it?
SB

 

[silverbear]

I was just back for another look and realized that since you are doing a build "in the spirit of" and not a copy, you're free to do as you like and could make a compromise version. I like the front end better on the sports version as it looks to me more comfortable in it's own skin, so to speak, not trying to look like a four wheeled sedan automobile, but freely owning it's motorcycle kin. The back portion though has a lot to say for the "bread and butter" version with all of the cargo space it has. I'm guessing it would be better for hauling things from the tip or for grocery shopping or for the occasional passengers who want to got for a ride down memory lane. I'm sure there will be requests...

That's where the CAD comes into play, eh?
SB

 

[curtisfox]

How about doing both? And just make it your's. I like the hood ornament and spot light as it covers the wheel is better. Then the Kool windshied from the sports and the curve of the front down by the wheel with the curve door opening.And i sorta like the slanted down hood of the regular....................Curt

 

[Intrepid Wheelwoman]

My daughter has already asked me if there's going to be a seat for a passenger so I guess she's going to the first of many who will be wanting to take a ride

An out and out sports type body would be nice in a way, but this little cyclecar is supposed to be practical transport for me so I think I will be tending towards the more bread and butter body. However there are elements of the sports design that do appeal to me such as the cutout door which will make construction easier as well as being completely practical for getting in and out. And Curt I tend to like the slanted hood/bonnet too. I suppose in the end the final result will be a blend of both body styles which is where CAD will prove its worth as I work towards the best all round solution.

Bread and butter body from the rear.

 

[Ludwig II]

Question: why not hinge the body at a balance point, so the side swings up out of the way, like a carrier aircraft wing? Or even tip the whole body to one side.

 

[silverbear]

The bread and butter version viewed from the rear is nice, like a boat tail. Viewed from just one angle can be limiting. As you say, the CAD will be invaluable for those step back with a cup of tea sessions of creative staring from different vantage points. I'd like to see a front on view as well. Will the front fork be of the suspension type? If so and it had ears the headlight could fit between them... a nice big one.
SB

 

[Intrepid Wheelwoman]

I see the dilemma. They are really quite different and give a whole different feel to the machine. Are there practical considerations which make you lean one way or the other? Will this likely have a canopy of some sort or will it be open to the sky?

I suppose it is because of the MGTDs and Austin Healy 3000 roadster from my youth, but I rather like the sports version. Another indication, I suppose, that I have never truly grown up. You, however, strike me as a responsible, adult-like person and may better appreciate a more conservative and stately look.

It is a bit of a toss-up, isn't it?
SB

Gosh, I've just realised you called me responsible and adult-like SB

Truthfully though my days of daring sidecar outfit piloting are well over and with the old fashioned way I now dress and generally dignified habits I think I'd cause a scene in our little town if I started to drive something that looked like a 1920s racing cyclecar. Inside myself though in secret I can still imagine there is a circle with the number '60' on the body side.
I like the very French boat tail and will be doing my best to capture this feature. It also will provide me with a nice covered luggage space for carrying grocery shopping & etc.

At some point I will be making a set of roof bows and devising a folding soft top roof. With our Winter/Spring wet season we get here it would be silly not to.
The front suspension fork is a quirky and complicated thing SB, but yes I do have a nice largish period correct brass headlamp which I fully intend to mount at the front.

Ludwig, the body can't be hinged because it's going to be part of the chassis structure in an early form of unit construction.

 

[Ludwig II]

In that case you must, regrettably, be unhinged.

 

[silverbear]

I meant "responsible and adult like" in comparison to me. The headlight will work nicely. Cool photo makes the Colombe look really fast. The driver's helmet could be an inverted flowerpot. I wonder if the cigarette made them go faster or was to steady the nerves.
SB

 

[fasteddy]

I'd have to go with the bread and butter body myself as much as I dislike saying it though it doesn't really fit the usual bread and butter body look since it's not squared off and desperately clunky looking. More of a subdued and refined designed for the proper country gentlewoman of the era.

Perhaps a gentle nod to time passed and the need to be able to take someone with me since you are absolutely right that there will be a large contingent of admirers who would absolutely love a ride.

Perhaps we will see a CAD body design soon.

Steve.

 

[moto-klasika]

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Hello Anne,
I am sure that trough some sketches and a few variants made in CAD, you shall find the best form, maybe combination of those two... I thinhk that front wheel should be "naked" as the most interestign part of vehicle and the rest must be pleasant for driving, but even more for step-in and step-out.
Entire my life, I prefere norrow-bodied specials, with polished aluminium aerodinamic bodies (from thirties up to fifites), in a style of British specials... of course: doorless! Now, I would like somehting more "comfortable", if that could be said for any kind of velocar, or cycle-car or vetaran car replica...

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Ciao, Zoran