Velocar cyclecar semi-replica.

[Intrepid Wheelwoman]

Wow! I did not pay that for mine Steve. I got mine from a fellow Kiwi on our own local auction site for around $NZ20.00 and I got all the cannon shell casings as well as a part of the deal.
You'd think with the way they're being chucked about the place in foreign parts shell casings would be dirt cheap.

 

[buba]

saw an older gentleman- leather flyers hat and all -cruising down Culver Blvd to the beach today in Los Angeles in a three wheel Morgan!!!!

pulled alongside and asked if he had made it
he told me no
it was a Morgan
when I asked when it was made he said it is new

got me thinking--- had a California license plate on it!!!!!

 

[Intrepid Wheelwoman]

One of the new Morgan three wheelers? I'm a wee bit suspicious of those as they're a toy for rich people and not really a true cyclecar anymore. They don't even have the sliding pillar suspension like a proper Morgan should which means that they're built for SOFT posers and not proper cyclecarists.

Grrr, grumble.....

 

[buba]

Hi intrepid how are you

I have not yet even googled them
I do not know a thing about them $, history ,not a thing!!!
but ---he sure seemed to be having fun

my wife and I were headed down to the beach for nice bicycle ride
beach weather in Los Angeles cannot be beat

just posted a beach ride for sunday but never sure if there will be any response or riders --a slow cruise
I have not had a chance to try and get any of my bigger engine stuff completed to date

Best

 

[maniac57]

I have to differ here I.W., the current Morgan is still quite a gem.
It may not be as faithful to the vintage engineering as we would like, from the drivers seat it remains 100% Morgan with all the history that entails. The upgrades mostly affect reliability and function as a machine. They have lost the charm that consists of the tendency to strand you randomly at the most unfortunate moments and leave large spots wherever parked.
If you squint, none of the modern running gear shows.
Some things are better remembered than experienced again. Kinda like MG autos.

 

[Intrepid Wheelwoman]

Hi Buba, Oh you know I'm doing Ok, working on getting my 'Grumpy Old lady' practicing certificate, building a cyclecar for myself, - just the usual

Morgan history is an interesting read, you should look it up. Basically they are the oldest completely family owned motorcar manufacturer in Britian and they succeeded where a lot of other makers back in the 1920's and 1930's failed.

Edit update: Hi Maniac, I'm not sure I entirely want to agree with you, but the new Morgans certainly do look very nice. Auto chassis lubrication was an important part of British car design. My old '54 Morris Minor went three times round the clock and was in great condition due to the amount of oil that had coated the chassis during its long life.

 

[fasteddy]

The upgrades mostly affect reliability and function as a machine. They have lost the charm that consists of the tendency to strand you randomly at the most unfortunate moments and leave large spots wherever parked.
------
Obviously they will never qualify as a true British sports car.

Steve.

 

[buba]

Posted re: Morgans in your other thread--

the Morgans do seem way overpriced no matter how you cut the pie
but making something of that nature does seem very appealing

have you done such things maniac????

you know I have a clutter of bits and pieces that could certainly get me started
comes this June after Belgium

 

[maniac57]

Funny you should mention that I.W....
Growing up in Chicago Ill. I once had a 73 Dodge Dart with Slant 6 and a bad (!) rear main seal. Being firmly in the rust belt with road salt on job, that car basically rusted down to the door sills! But the floorpan was flawless as the day it came off the showroom floor.. It would literally drip it's outline on a parking spot after a prolonged highway run.
Add a quart every day, two every day if running the interstate.
It would spot the windshield of a car following too close.

 

[fasteddy]

Here's a cycle car on eBay. Maybe not for the faint of wallet such as myself. Nicely done though.

http://api.viglink.com/api/click?fo...ww.ebay.com/itm/Replica-Kit-...US_Cars_Trucks

Steve.

 

[Theon]

Is I.W. Ok?
Havn't seen her on here for a while!

 

[fasteddy]

Happens from time to time. She may not be feeling well and there won't be anything from her for a while and then she will be back. Hopefully she will see this and reply.

Steve.

 

[wheelbender6]

I like everything about that ebay car but the price. I guess hand made aluminum bodies are very labor intensive.

 

[silverbear]

Nice job on the body and no doubt it would be fun, but seven grand is a lot of money. For that kind of price one would think the engine would be of more interest... either something vintage more fitting the style of the car or at least electric start if an industrial motor. But to unlatch the engine compartment and then pull start a modern, industrial motor seems out of keeping with the rest of the build. Otherwise I like it. It being four wheeled I would think it would be impossible to make it legal to ride on a public roadway of any kind so the question then is, what do you do with it? With three wheels it could have become legal.
SB

 

[Allen_Wrench]

Nice job on the body and no doubt it would be fun, but seven grand is a lot of money. For that kind of price one would think the engine would be of more interest... either something vintage more fitting the style of the car or at least electric start if an industrial motor. But to unlatch the engine compartment and then pull start a modern, industrial motor seems out of keeping with the rest of the build. Otherwise I like it. It being four wheeled I would think it would be impossible to make it legal to ride on a public roadway of any kind so the question then is, what do you do with it? With three wheels it could have become legal.
SB

Apparently, $7000 is the price of being unable or unwilling to build your own car. And, I'm with SB here too; I would pine for taking it to the street. That's why I haven't given up hope of putting together a cycle-powered replica along the lines of this one below:

 

[wheelbender6]

At my lofty income level, any vehicle I sink $7000 on needs to be capable of taking me to work. I do admire that hand made aluminum body and the fabrication.

 

[fasteddy]

Wheelbender6,
For that price it would not only have to take me to work but it would need to be able to help me on with my coat and tie my shoes.

It's a beautiful car but a lot of money to drive around you yard. It's their right to ask what they want of course but why waste your time.

Steve.

 

[wheelbender6]

You could build a body like the ebay car from coroplast and it doesn't require a lot of skill or experience.
I'd like to build the trike in Allen_Wrench's post with a coroplast body.

http://diyvelomobile.blogspot.com/

 

[Allen_Wrench]

You could build a body like the ebay car from coroplast and it doesn't require a lot of skill or experience.
I'd like to build the trike in Allen_Wrench's post with a coroplast body.

http://diyvelomobile.blogspot.com/

It is a 1927 Sandford Grand Sport (or GS depending on how you use the search engine). Back in the day, it had a Ruby engine which raised 34 hp and it needed only a bit better than 70 mph to win races. It was also, in more modern times, found to be a good deal more aerodynamic than it looks, and it looks rather streamlined for its time.

 

[Otero]

Pvc has potential as it is easy to bend and mold when heated.
That's not the case with this vehicle, but shows the possibilities.
It's also inexpensive.