Yes, it's real, I've looked inside one. The Tandy conversion of the Reliant Fox pickup. Propelled, but not greatly powered, by an 850cc pushrod engine.
Hi from the UK - INDIAN Board Tracker tribute, my first build
- Thread starter PeteMcP
- Start date
I had the opportunity to go with enlarged 'big bore' (ha!) 645cc jugs on my 2CV motor, but opted instead to have my standard 602cc motor tweaked by a one-man-band specialist who has 45 years experience race tuning 2CVs. As can be seen from the 2 x DeFlyer pics Ludwig posted, this thing is so dinky, it's power to weight ratio doesn't need mega cc's to make it sprightly. If I ever do feel the need for more oomph, I can always consider fitting the turbo I mentioned. Always been a big fan of bike-engined cars, and that flat twin 2CV motor is near enough a bike engine for it to make no difference. Plus, the notion of front wheel drive really appeals too.
Pete in all my years of messing with cars I've only seen one 2CV on this side of the pond. Hub Nut has been a great source of 2CV information as he works in his garage.
Many of my cars over the years have been been British Manufacture. Just gave me great pleasure to build a tempest in a tea pot.
The Fox and the 2 x DeFlyer would in my mind be perfect.
Steve.
Many of my cars over the years have been been British Manufacture. Just gave me great pleasure to build a tempest in a tea pot.
The Fox and the 2 x DeFlyer would in my mind be perfect.
Steve.
Pete,
believe it or not I just bought one those clever little sundials with wood case for $11 or 8.7 quid free to my door, going to be a Christmas present for a Brother-in-Law that likes off the grid devises.
Thanks,
Tom from Rubicon, Wi USA
Way to go Tom. Those solid brass sundials are a real bargain. How they do them for that price AND throw in free shipping is beyond me. You'll score brownie points for sure from your Brother-in-Law who'll guess you spent WAY more than that on his xmas prezzie.
Great looking bike Trebor. Easy to be smitten with the bike bug regardless of your country of origin.
Rick C.
Rick C.
Hi Robert,
I did pay some import duty bringing my debut build's tank/frame/forks into the UK from China. Wasn't as painful as you might expect - especially when you take into account the nominal 30 quid shipping cost they charged me. Talk to cnolmotorsport, and they'll work with you concerning how much you're happy to have the shipment's valued declared at.
Wheels on my Indian rep are 26" dia.
Hope this helps getting your leccy boardtracker underway.
I did pay some import duty bringing my debut build's tank/frame/forks into the UK from China. Wasn't as painful as you might expect - especially when you take into account the nominal 30 quid shipping cost they charged me. Talk to cnolmotorsport, and they'll work with you concerning how much you're happy to have the shipment's valued declared at.
Wheels on my Indian rep are 26" dia.
Hope this helps getting your leccy boardtracker underway.
Hey Pete good to see you back! Is your relocation complete?
Good advice on declared value....taxes, tariffs & duties can and have led to revolutions among commoners. negotiations are more sensible.
Rick C.
Good advice on declared value....taxes, tariffs & duties can and have led to revolutions among commoners. negotiations are more sensible.
Rick C.
Hi Rick and others,
Nah, Jen and I are still here in the UK. Fate intervened big time. We were scheduled to move to our place in Spain on Jan 21st - but Jen fell and broke her pelvis on Jan 18th. Talk about bad timing! The ironic thing is, her fall occurred in a care home she attended one day a week to give me some respite from caring for her dementia 24/7. She spent the next six weeks recovering in Alnwick Infirmary and was discharged two weeks ago. She is now in respite in a private care home. Of necessity, our Spain move has had to be put on the back burner for the time being while we establish the level of mobility she may yet achieve. One thing's for sure - I'm resigned to a wheelchair playing a major part in Jen's future from here on in. Thanks to these factors, I'm looking to rent a place here in Alnwick where we can be close to the hospital's physiotherapy dept and take advantage of some intensive physio to get her as mobile as we can before deciding if the Spain thing will work in our favour (Brexit deadline not withstanding!). Our UK house sale did eventually complete on Feb 11th and since moving out I've been living in a hotel here in Alnwick whilst hunting for a six month to a year-long rental place. Need to find somewhere soon (easier said than done when you need disability access) 'cause what with Jen's care home fees, my hotel fees and paying for furniture (and bike) storage, I'm haemorraging dosh considerably in excess of a grand a week....!
Don't anyone get the impression I'll ever give up on Jen. Even with the challenges that lie ahead, I'll always take her the way she is rather than not at all.
Hope to tune in with an update on our situation asap. In the meantime, I still log-in to this forum now and again to keep up to date with the builds I'm interested in. .
Best to you and your wife Pete. the Golden Years are hooey!
Tom from Rubicon
Tom from Rubicon
Pete best to you both & prayers go up for you. I'll look forward to updates regardless of which thread you post to...as we both haunt the similar threads.
Rick C.
Rick C.
Hi Pete,
Sorry to hear that your wife fell. Ironic indeed it was in a care home. Hoping it all comes together for you both and she is able to recover well.
Steve.
Sorry to hear that your wife fell. Ironic indeed it was in a care home. Hoping it all comes together for you both and she is able to recover well.
Steve.
The good news is I viewed a 2 bed, 2 bath rental property in the centre of Alnwick on Friday and agreed to a one year tenancy with a six month break clause, meaning I can bail mid way through the tenancy without any financial penalty if Jen's mobility improves to the point where I decide our Spain move is still on sooner rather than later. The property is a mere 200 yards from the Infirmary's Physiotherapy dept. It's perfect for us, being a relatively new-build ground floor flat in a conservation area with disabled access/bathrooms. The bad news is it doesn't become available till April 24th - so the care home, hotel and storage fees will just have to continue to rack up till then. Plus, the place comes with a dedicated parking space but doesn't have a garage - so my bikes and all the car parts I have stashed in preparation for my 'De Flyer' kit car build will have to remain in storage unless I can maybe rent a garage locally. That said, I really don't know where I'll find time to work on bikes/cars now Jen's care needs have multiplied. Still, progress of sorts....
Hi Pete,
I don't usually follow forums - and I think I just proved my ignorance of the format by posting a blank page!
Anyway... I am the guy who built the original 2CV 'Flyer'. I must admit, my narcissistic tendencies led to my checking the internet to see if there had been any recent interest in the project. This led me to your fascinating build diary. As a dedicated 'creative starer' myself, I really appreciate the style of your bikes. And then the engineering and attention to detail is superb as well! I would love to see them in the flesh someday (I'm in England, but not near Northumberland unfortunately - although, is anywhere near Northumberland?)
Myself and Arthur Breuning created a modified version of the Flyer to comply with European regulations. This is the car being offered by Deflyer. We would both be thrilled if you were to use your unique creativity to put together your own version.
However, I passed your details on to Arthur (who will probably be in touch also) before I read to the latest point in your diary. I am so sorry to hear of the problems you are currently having with your move to Spain.. and more importantly, with Jen's health. I really hope you find a solution which works for you both. It has been quite touching to follow your story through this blog, and I wish you both the best.
Greg.
I don't usually follow forums - and I think I just proved my ignorance of the format by posting a blank page!
Anyway... I am the guy who built the original 2CV 'Flyer'. I must admit, my narcissistic tendencies led to my checking the internet to see if there had been any recent interest in the project. This led me to your fascinating build diary. As a dedicated 'creative starer' myself, I really appreciate the style of your bikes. And then the engineering and attention to detail is superb as well! I would love to see them in the flesh someday (I'm in England, but not near Northumberland unfortunately - although, is anywhere near Northumberland?)
Myself and Arthur Breuning created a modified version of the Flyer to comply with European regulations. This is the car being offered by Deflyer. We would both be thrilled if you were to use your unique creativity to put together your own version.
However, I passed your details on to Arthur (who will probably be in touch also) before I read to the latest point in your diary. I am so sorry to hear of the problems you are currently having with your move to Spain.. and more importantly, with Jen's health. I really hope you find a solution which works for you both. It has been quite touching to follow your story through this blog, and I wish you both the best.
Greg.
Hey Greg,
Thanks for getting in touch. Wow, small world! Great to be in contact with the DeFlyer's original creator. Congrats on this project. I fell in love with it several years back after seeing a single small pic of your prototype featured in a kit car magazine and knew I'd build one some day if it ever came to market. It's taken a while to finally see the light of day - but after following progress on the DeFlyer website, the finished project has been worth the wait. Kudos to Arthur for some top notch grp work.
As you have read on this forum, my plans to commence construction of a DeFlyer kit have stalled somewhat due to my wife Jen's dementia related issues - but we've become used to coping with whatever life throws at us since she was diagnosed in October 2013, so we'll continue in the same vein. Our plans to relocate to Spain may be temporarily on the back burner, but now we've settled into our new flat in Alnwick, I'm still able to purchase and stock-pile many of the components needed for my DeFlyer build. I recently noticed Arthur's latest update on the DeFlyer site confirming the kit is now ready to be ordered. Soon as I track down a suitable garage space, I'll finalize my order with him. Incidentally, I did send Arthur an e-mail about a year ago, expressing my interest in a DeFlyer kit, outlining my build experience and sending him some pics of my previous build. I told Arthur I was interested in becoming one of the DeFlyer kit 'Pioneer' builders he was looking for feedback from - but I never received any reply. I have some questions regarding placing my DeFlyer order, so I'll recontact Arthur via e-mail next week and take things from there.
Thanks for the kind words regarding my motorized bike builds. I'm itching to get build no. 3 out of storage so I can finish it off. There is an empty second bedroom here which has ample space for me to do this...
I guess it makes sense for us to stay in touch.
Pete
RESULT!! FINALLY TRACKED DOWN SOMETHING OFF MY BUCKET LIST... YEEAY!
Did the deal today to secure something I've been searching for for a long time. A 1950's 65cc Moto Guzzi Motoleggera (affectionately known as a Guzzino). I'd had my eyes on one in the nearest town to our place in Spain - but the way things are panning out here, It'll be a long shot to get my hands on that particular Guzzino. Was lucky enough to find one on eBay a couple of weeks ago and the seller and I finally thrashed-out a deal yesterday. Shame it's located on the UKs south coast. Organising courier collection right now. This little Italian gem looks like it needs very little to get it sorted. It'll fit in the spare bedroom here, so it may jump to the head of the queue...Failing that, I may just prop it up in the living room and stare at it longingly!
Generic Guzzino pic shows what I'm talking about.
Did the deal today to secure something I've been searching for for a long time. A 1950's 65cc Moto Guzzi Motoleggera (affectionately known as a Guzzino). I'd had my eyes on one in the nearest town to our place in Spain - but the way things are panning out here, It'll be a long shot to get my hands on that particular Guzzino. Was lucky enough to find one on eBay a couple of weeks ago and the seller and I finally thrashed-out a deal yesterday. Shame it's located on the UKs south coast. Organising courier collection right now. This little Italian gem looks like it needs very little to get it sorted. It'll fit in the spare bedroom here, so it may jump to the head of the queue...Failing that, I may just prop it up in the living room and stare at it longingly!
Generic Guzzino pic shows what I'm talking about.