Velocars and other interesting vehicles.

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moto-klasika

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Jan 12, 2013
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Would anyone know if this is a wood frame covered in sheet metal? Or is it actually a metal frame? I didn't see any weld joints or brazing.
And I have to say, you've all put out interesting pictures and information of late. I'm going to be researching some of these for a bit. Thanks all.
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Allen,
To me it looks as metal over wooden frame (frame as for boats or airplanes), maybe steel or maybe aluminium...
For such construction we could use fabric over wood frame as simplified Weymann body construction?

Beside Amilcar tandem, attached is photo of nice wooden frame - for side-car - but could be used for cyclecar or velocar...
Zoran
 

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moto-klasika

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p.s.: My post was written before Steve's were posted, but posted after that (searching for photos) - repeated the same thing: metal plates over wooden frame for Amilcar Tandem! Of course, Steve as expert explained that better!
Zoran
 
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fasteddy

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Feb 13, 2009
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Hi Zoran,

I hadn't thought about a band sawed frame work like you had posted. Certainly stronger than what was in the Amilcar and much better protection if your in an accident and not a lot more work once the patterns are made.
I would guess that the Amilcar makers were following the custom of the times and they may have worried about weight if they were racing them.

I'll have to look around the net and see if I can find it again but there was a good write up about covering a car with spandex cloth and then soaking it with fiberglass resin. I would guess that it took at least two coats and then it was sanded and painted but the results were wonderful.

I'm thinking that window screen material would be better than chicken wire since it would be less likely to print through the material when wet. That is leave the chicken wires pattern showing on the finished product. The man who wrote the story stretched it over a plywood backing.

Steve.
 

curtisfox

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Dec 29, 2008
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minesota

moto-klasika

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WOW! i really like that car, thinking if you are going to cut plates in the shape of the curved wood. Why not use some flat stock and form it around the cut plates and weld it, sorta like the same as Model A for frame. Just my thoughts.............Curt

https://www.google.com/search?q=ami...HPbyHM:;ZeFZfWQb0AaJgM:&imgrc=Wa9XwuGHHPbyHM:

https://www.google.com/search?q=ami...ei=_oumVuj-EuOkjgSzwL0g#imgrc=pLtB066RY0UpvM:
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[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Hello Curt,[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Making light "bird-cage" frame for the body using various “profiles” and flats of steel, that are welded, bolted or pop-riveted – could be simpler way to make fabric-over-frame body.... [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]It is easier to work with steel material and it is more economical: less left-overs and easier correction of mistakes. All the steel is mostly of the same quality. I know that from experience in some other projects, including motto-camper with steel-cage living box: from 300 kg of steel, we had left-over of only ½ of kilogram (one pound). Many mistakes were easily corrected, the same as changes in plans... With wood, everything is opposite! [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]I have simple electric welding apparatus, welded a little, but wouldn't be sure in my qualities to weld structural and stressed components. Beside, only working place is in a basement of our building with 6 flats – no good idea to work with any kind fire or sparks (brazing or grinding including)... Therefore – wood is a choice for possibly built vehicle! [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]No big problems - I like to work with wood and now it looks as only possibility. Anyway, wooden monocoque construction is my old dream/plan, from some 4 decades ago! Of course, not any complicated, compound curves – simple boat building technique... Modern technologies (not so new anymore), as epoxy glues and fiberglass, or carbon-fiber, or vacuum plastic, then CNC and other computerized machines, 3D-printing... not for me - far away from my possibilities and interest![/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Ciao,[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Zoran[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]P.S.: Attached are photos of too complicated shapes of wooden frames for bodies...
[/FONT]
 

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curtisfox

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Dec 29, 2008
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minesota
Sometimes i take things for granted, thinking everyone has access to welders,neighbor or somebody. Sorry. I am also a wood worker rebuilt my 200 year old house,cupboards and all. Can't afford to newer at the time,so did it slowly one room at a time.
My next thought if i were to build a frame for Amilcar i would use plywood in layers up to the thickness of the frame. A lot of machine shops have scrap multi layer like 1/2" 5 layer plywood that parts come in and goes to scrap, sorta like baltic birch. Just cross grain glue up pieces, be way stronger then a single cut timber.

Like them pictures,some really cool frame work. Recognize the rear late 40's Ford fenders on the buss. The body frame work is a lot like the old model T's and A's ..........Curt
 

fasteddy

Well-Known Member
Feb 13, 2009
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British Columbia Canada
The site that I was looking for has been taken off the web. The owner passed away shortly after he added the Monark and sidecar to his web magazine and the site wasn't kept up and is now gone.

Steve.
 

moto-klasika

Member
Jan 12, 2013
584
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18
Bern (more) and Belgrade (less)
Sometimes i take things for granted, thinking everyone has access to welders,neighbor or somebody. Sorry. I am also a wood worker rebuilt my 200 year old house,cupboards and all. Can't afford to newer at the time,so did it slowly one room at a time.
My next thought if i were to build a frame for Amilcar i would use plywood in layers up to the thickness of the frame. A lot of machine shops have scrap multi layer like 1/2" 5 layer plywood that parts come in and goes to scrap, sorta like baltic birch. Just cross grain glue up pieces, be way stronger then a single cut timber.

Like them pictures,some really cool frame work. Recognize the rear late 40's Ford fenders on the buss. The body frame work is a lot like the old model T's and A's ..........Curt
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[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Hello Curt,[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Its hard to find (expensive!) good solid wood, without knots, uniform and good looking, all parts the same... Plywood is better, especially if laminated – for chassis rails the best, but some other components, too. Even better, chassis rails could have bonded, even twisted shape is we start with thinner plywood and glue layer over layer fixing them over some mold. So – chassis could have some kind of elliptical shape as body...[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]--- ---[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]In Belgrade, I and friends that had friends that know everything to do in their small back-yard workshops or workshops in companies where they worked (small money or drink). If necessary, somebody should know where to find the best and cheapest materials or services... Here in Swiss everything is opposite, including 3-4 more money needed when you find something! So, I depend on whatever I had and could do by myself![/FONT]


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]I like to work with wood and done a lot of woodwork on adaptation my old small house in Belgrade. Before that helped a lot my brother to built river-raft on barrels with small cabin on it... But, we made metal boat of 6 meters too, and motto-camper working with steel... Here I built garden house of 16 square meters (around 160 square feet?) all by myself only including transport of material...[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Ciao,[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Zoran[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]P.S.: Attached are photos with part of my works on small house in Belgrade...
[/FONT]
 

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moto-klasika

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... finally, our garden-house here in Swiss!
So, I could choose material (wood or steel), but because of circumastances - for future velocar or quadricycle or cyclecar - I am inclined to wood!
Zoran
 

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moto-klasika

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[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Hello,[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Something on the same theme, this time decades old light body, made of wood and fabric! (French Salmson)
--- ---
As was said on some other threads where most of us are present, too - this Forum is one of the most decent where I am member or was a member! It is full of friendly and family orientated, god-willing persons, wide-open minded, with creative ideas and projects... I enjoy a lot in internationally wide internet friendship![/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Zora[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]P.S.: Attached is another photo of quite opposite design and construction!
[/FONT]
 

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curtisfox

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Dec 29, 2008
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Zoran
KOOL beans, love your shed and camper also.

Reminds me of when i used to model air planes together, used paper and air plane dope for cover.................Curt