Velocars and other interesting vehicles.

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Cpt Stevo

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May 30, 2013
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KindaVelo,.....at least that's the look I was going for without the high cost,....I have less than $2500 invested in my thingymajig of course i had to do all the work & design,...However 90% is off the shelf parts,....some welding & creativity & vavoom,....I turn heads all day long & get asked all the time "what is that" I have a few responses,...the Harley motorcycle guys I say to them (anyone lose a side car?) to the folks at the Beach I say it's the Enterprise or Hybrid recumbent delta trike,....or to the older crowd I tell them it's my mobile recliner chair.
 

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Allen_Wrench

Allen_Wrench

Resident Mad Scientist
Feb 6, 2010
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BigBlue said:
Here's a Model T cyclecart for $1200.00:
http://www.cyclekartclub.com/phorum/read.php?4,1244
http://motorbicycling.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=59729&stc=1&d=1368941271

Good Luck,

Chris
AKA: BigBlue
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Those cyclekart sites were where I got some of my inspiration for my upcoming project. However, if my classic-styled tri-car is going to take to the streets, it'll need to be a wee bit more beefier than these lightweight karts, as well as having a full complement of lights and such.
 
BigBlue

BigBlue

Member
Nov 29, 2011
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Just hope it ain't vaporware. I've been waiting for a reasonably priced reverse trike for years. Anything under $10k would be a bargain.

I've also been keeping my eye on Lit Motors gyroscopic 2 wheel electric motorcycle:
http://litmotors.com/c1/

Another exciting prospect is the Aerobike enclosed 2 wheel motorcycle being developed in New Zealand: http://aerobikeenclosedmotorcycle.blogspot.co.nz/

Chris
AKA: BigBlue
 
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silverbear

silverbear

The Boy Who Never Grew Up
Jul 9, 2009
8,325
670
113
northeastern Minnesota
Asking a question here...
but first this is in reference to a planned 3 wheeled velocar using a Grumman canoe as body donor, a 212 Predator engine with torque converter and the rear drive provided by the chassis of a Harley Davidson Sprint motorcycle. Planned rear wheel is 18" with 3.50 tire. Planned front wheels are 18" with 3.00 tires. I want to use motorcycle rims up front as well. All wheels have drum brakes.
In doing some research on how the front wheels are set up I thought I'd get some clues from the Cyclekart people. They use 17" Honda moped wheels, but I discovered they set them up in such a way as they have no front brakes. NO FRONT BRAKES!??? What? Since I want to license this as a motorcycle and would also like to be able to stop I need front brakes. I'm guessing that the axle set up creates problems in utilizing wheels meant for a two wheeled bike. How can this be overcome?

So that's my question... best case scenario would be to utilize the drum brakes already on the wheels. That would be the least expensive. Short of that would there be a way to set up disc brakes on those same wheels?

Fasteddy, someone, tell me how one sets up the front end. Steve (Fasteddy) and I already have front axles which were made for golf carts. We bought them at a discount a couple of years ago for this. They are intended to have regular wheels which bolt on. Motorcycle wheels are not like that. What is the device which would make the axle and the wheels compatible and how do you brake them?
SB
 
Intrepid Wheelwoman

Intrepid Wheelwoman

New Member
Oct 29, 2011
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SB, The cars built for specialist British trials competition use motorcycle drum brakes and wheels on the front axle. I tried to find some photos that were clear enough on detail, but didn't have a huge amount of luck. If I find something better in the way of a picture I'll post it.
 

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silverbear

silverbear

The Boy Who Never Grew Up
Jul 9, 2009
8,325
670
113
northeastern Minnesota
Thank you so much! I wish I could see inside. I wonder if somehow they are simply drilled and bolted on with a short axle running through. Steve may have an idea. It would be great if there were a low tech way to do this without having to buy some specially machined part made from platinum gold.

Hope you're feeling better with warmer spring weather coming on. It is leaf change here in my part of the world. Went fishing last evening and the lake is now 59 degrees. We will probably have snow before the month is out (used to be by now) and sometime in December the lake will be frozen over so that snowmobiles and vehicles can drive on it. Long cold winter ahead.

Thanks again.
 
Intrepid Wheelwoman

Intrepid Wheelwoman

New Member
Oct 29, 2011
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Only too happy to help out SB. The funny thing is my search for information led me to discover that the same kind of trials events are held here in NZ and that there are sporting trials car clubs and even one specialist builder of cars as well. I had to tell myself, 'No!' very firmly I did :)

From what I was able to find out on-line it seems that for some motorcycle brake hubs there are are certain car brake backing plates and brake parts that are known to fit and the hubs sometimes need to be bored out for larger bearings. In the case of that last picture I found the builder had made a backplate from steel to suit the motorcycle brake hub and had transfered all the motorcycle brake parts over to it. I think the conversion still uses a plain axle, but it has been increased in diameter (17mm?) and the hub bored out to take bearings to suit.
What are those golf cart stub axles like? If the hubs were removed would the motorcycle wheel hubs fit onto them? If they did fit, or could be made to fit, then all would be needed to be made is a brake backplate to suit the motorcycle brake shoes & etc.
 
silverbear

silverbear

The Boy Who Never Grew Up
Jul 9, 2009
8,325
670
113
northeastern Minnesota
I'm going to wait for Fasteddy to respond as he knows more about this axle than I do. Thanks for sharing what you have found out. Somewhere out there in the internet there is a how to write up for modifying the wheels.Which wheels I wonder...
SB
 
Intrepid Wheelwoman

Intrepid Wheelwoman

New Member
Oct 29, 2011
2,830
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southpier said:
any chance you could post some of the magazines' articles? are they along the same lines as Popular Mechanics? very cool; thanks.
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The magazines are still on their way to me at the moment, but once they arrive I will scan the articles and make them available on the forum.
The articles are something like Popular Mechanics, but tend to be more detailed (provided you can read French of course) and their diagrams are very good as well.
 
Allen_Wrench

Allen_Wrench

Resident Mad Scientist
Feb 6, 2010
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Indianapolis
BarelyAWake said:
...well then, here's an old French trike forya ;)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsEbeCrPcA8
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Wow! Double WOW! That thing moves way faster than I would've given it credit for! (I could still probably outrun it on foot, but hey - not bad.)
I think I also understand what may be the real reason Mssr. Cugnot ran this beast into a wall. I don't know if he had so much trouble steering it, or whether he had trouble seeing through the GIGANTIC BILLOWING CLOUDS of steam this thing was huffing out of every copper orifice. Gott in Himmel! The beast is a rolling fog bank! It's an outdoor sauna! Mssr. Cugnot could not have possibly had any wrinkles in his clothes. But I'll bet he reeked nonetheless.
But what an incredible machine for that age!

PS: I noticed the driver left the firebox door open as he drove off, much the same way I've sometimes gone motoring about with my gas-cap door hanging open. Hmm.
 
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