Velocars and other interesting vehicles.

[Intrepid Wheelwoman]

I've been able to purchase another of those French magazines with yet another interesting velocar/cyclecar plan. I've been aware of issue No:96 for a while, but haven't been able to find a copy until now. When it arrives I'll scan the plans and post them in the same way as I will for the others.
In the immediate post-war period 'System D' magazine offered a considerable number of simple vehicle plans for the homebuilder and I'm amazed that no-one has scanned the bulk of them as yet.

The second picture is of an French electric cyclecar, but unfortunately I don't know anymore about it as yet. The front steering is by a centre pivot axle which is truly only for the brave........

 

[fasteddy]

Silverbear,

Been under the weather with a migraine headache the past couple of days except for the odd run to the surface.

To answer your question about the axe. It can be modified to fit the Honda 70 or 90 Trail wheel. The wheel needs the existing bearings replaced with 6904zz - 37mm outside diameter and 20mm inside diameter bearings. Since they are pressed in you may need a bearing puller to remove them. To replace them you need a length of 3/4" all thread rod with washers and nuts to to push the bearings into place as you tighten the nuts

The spindle may or not be long enough. I don't know how wide the wheels are. If not go kart spindles are readily available in different lengths. The king pins are 3/4" so you will need a spindle for a 3/4" king pin with a 3/4" spindle for the wheel. Around $20 ea if I remember correctly. I may make my own since I want bronze bushings top and bottom to make the turning easier.
Nothing wrong with the spindles the way they are, just keep them well greased. I tend for over kill.

The inside of the bearing is 20mm and the 3/4" axle is 19mm. A wrap around the axle with a piece of a beer can will make up the difference. The hubs in the tri cars have a 22mm bearing inside diameter and a 3/4" axle and I made the difference up with a piece of a soda can. They aren't turning and just need to be held in place.

It will be necessary to figure a way to anchor the brake arm to the spindle and make a holder for the brake cable but that should be easy to do. Then again I'm the fool that said building a tri car was easy as well. I would hopefully expect fewer problems with a brake arm anchor point.

Steve.

 

[Intrepid Wheelwoman]

Here's a nice picture of a barn find French velocar. I haven't seen one with the front wheels mounted like that before.

 

[silverbear]

Silverbear,

Been under the weather with a migraine headache the past couple of days except for the odd run to the surface.

To answer your question about the axe. It can be modified to fit the Honda 70 or 90 Trail wheel. The wheel needs the existing bearings replaced with 6904zz - 37mm outside diameter and 20mm inside diameter bearings. Since they are pressed in you may need a bearing puller to remove them. To replace them you need a length of 3/4" all thread rod with washers and nuts to to push the bearings into place as you tighten the nuts

The spindle may or not be long enough. I don't know how wide the wheels are. If not go kart spindles are readily available in different lengths. The king pins are 3/4" so you will need a spindle for a 3/4" king pin with a 3/4" spindle for the wheel. Around $20 ea if I remember correctly. I may make my own since I want bronze bushings top and bottom to make the turning easier.
Nothing wrong with the spindles the way they are, just keep them well greased. I tend for over kill.

The inside of the bearing is 20mm and the 3/4" axle is 19mm. A wrap around the axle with a piece of a beer can will make up the difference. The hubs in the tri cars have a 22mm bearing inside diameter and a 3/4" axle and I made the difference up with a piece of a soda can. They aren't turning and just need to be held in place.

It will be necessary to figure a way to anchor the brake arm to the spindle and make a holder for the brake cable but that should be easy to do. Then again I'm the fool that said building a tri car was easy as well. I would hopefully expect fewer problems with a brake arm anchor point.

Steve.

Thank you Steve. I'll need to read this over a few times to make things settle into my brain, but it is good to know that it can be done. I hope your migraine lets go and gives you some . My grandfather was subject to them and I know it was very hard for him.
SB

 

[silverbear]

Intrepid Wheelwoman,
Your velocar finds are much appreciated and I want to formally recognize how much you have given this forum. At some point we need to draw your research together and make it an easy resource for future members. I find the French plans intriguing in that they are for the most part so low tech, so practical and within the reach of everyday people such as the forum members here. I think that pretty much single handedly you have gotten a number of people interested in three wheeled velocars and cyclecars. So this is a shout out of thanks to you.

I think, too, that there are many of us who admire a woman who can make sparks out in the workshop, make the sun go dim with her welder, make up plans and ambitions, turn a wrench and yet come across as a civil and educated woman who is also a mother. You help give this forum some much needed balance.

Back to the machines. The one using bicycle forks up front is interesting, isn't it? It looks like there is an armature inside which turns both forks when you move the steering wheel. That simplifies mounting the front wheels and all one needs then are two forks much the same to match. They could even be suspension forks and have drum or disc brakes operated with a cable. Moped forks would work nicely. I can see using something like a 2 speed Tomos engine and rear wheel behind the seat, then two Tomos suspension forks up front. It would make a capable little cyclecar of 50cc's which could be modified for more power if needed. I'd like to see this and others built here and of course will be following your own effort.
SB

 

[Intrepid Wheelwoman]

Aw gee whizz Silver Bear (blush).

Being able to Google in French helps enormously with finding all this material, though what particularly drives me is that for most of my life I've been a woman of slender means which means that building and repairing things from scavenged/recycled material has been an essential daily skill. These skills have rubbed off on my children too. My daughter does computer software development working from home and the older series twin Xeon 64 bit IBM rackmount server she has set up in her bedroom cost her all of $NZ35.00 from a computer recycler.

I believe good transport is very much a need, - only somewhere along the way we've got it all wrong and ended up with our roads full of huge metal fuel hungry motor vehicles that cost $$$$$$$ and are used most of the time to transport a single person around.

I do agree that this knowledge from an older and more simple time needs to be preserved and I feel very motivated to do that in my own small way. And yes I will confess that I just happen to really like velocars and cyclecars and old bicycles and find them fascinating. I suppose I was lucky too in that I was taught how to use tools and to weld when I was growing up. Thanks Dad
The one problem with finding all this wonderful old DIY material is that it can be terribly distracting when it comes to my own projects. At the moment just when I think I've got a working plan all mapped out for the Colombe I find yet another fascinating old article or photograph which tempts me in another direction (sigh).

Edit: Yes I agree SB it is a fascinating velocar in that picture and yes it would be very straightforward to build in the way you've outlined; - only I'm doing my best to ignore it at the moment because I want to get the chassis welding on the Colombe finished!

 

[BarelyAWake]

Bit on the large side for this forum it's true & it's not retro in any way... but it's such a clean & tidy homebuilt electric tricar I figured folks might dig it;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tueMUFaENJ8

 

[silverbear]

I do dig it...
SB

 

[atombikes]

Can't remember if I posted this before, but you guys might be able to get some inspiration from cyclekarts.

The originators of the design:

http://www.cyclekarts.com/

and a fairly active club I am a member of:

http://www.cyclekartclub.com/

 

[Intrepid Wheelwoman]

Yes I think you did Atom. Pretty darn cool wee cars in my opinion.

 

[Allen_Wrench]

Yes I think you did Atom. Pretty darn cool wee cars in my opinion.

You know, Ms. Wheelwoman, I too must give you a great deal of credit for my inspiration of late. I don't really care if you're a woman or not. But I do find your knowledge of velocars and your ability to tackle such interesting projects as these rather fascinating. The ideas and pictures you've shown keep me moving ahead, and I must thank you for that. With the coming income-tax return I will be purchasing a donor bike for my long-term project. The little Cycle Karts merely showed me methods and means by which I can accomplish parts of the project. I've attached a new picture which is based on reams of graph paper drawings and measurements and materials-based studies using items available which are pre-made. Working name is still "Troika", mostly because I love the name and always wanted something which I could name the Troika.

 

[Intrepid Wheelwoman]

Ooooo very BSA three wheelerish. That's a really nice design Allen, it would be very interesting to see that built.

As to the woman thing my now adult daughter calls me 'Mum' and I was certainly there when she arrived in the world, - so I guess I must be one
I grew up in a family where my Dad was a trademan in the metal trades and my brothers all worked in the motor trades. Our backyard was always occupied by at least three elderly cars in varying states of being either modified or rebuilt so I couldn't really do anything else except join in too.

 

[silverbear]

Allen,
I do hope you will start a thread even if the project at this stage is something in your dreams and on pieces of paper Your drawing is also "Morganish" and I like it very much.

What you are doing is very likely to impact my own cyclecar plans which at this point are still half formed. As you know I have long been thinking about using part of a Grumman canoe for the donor body and motorcycle parts for the propulsion. It still excites me to think about. Whether or not this will ever becomes something street legal that I could use as alternate transportation in fair weather... I don't know. And I might not want to ride out on the highway with it, but I guess I'd like to be able to, at least on more sedate roads.

I did go to my local licensing bureau yesterday with photos of a couple of different light Harley Davidson motorcycles given to me... without titles, of course. I figured getting a title is the beginning and will need to go back next week to speak with the other employee there who is more knowledgeable about lost titles, reconstructions, etc. It looks like maybe going this route is not so easy, but will know more in a week. I'm thinking the other route might be to look for a wrecked or basket case motorcycle WITH a title, get the title transferred and get plates for it... then proceed using at least parts of that chassis including the rear portion and the serial number identifying it. Don't know, but will find out.

Do start a thread and I'll sign up to follow along. Good luck to you and keep dreaming. I like your Troika!
SB

 

[frugaltravel]

hi does any one have more info on this one, this is the only picture i have found!

 

[silverbear]

It would be interesting to see the whole article, not that I can read German. Cool, low tech velocar! By the way, welcome to the forum...
SB

 

[Intrepid Wheelwoman]

That's one of those Scandinavian designs and nothing to do the Mochet velocars despite the word 'Mochet' being on the page.

 

[Intrepid Wheelwoman]

It would be interesting to see the whole article, not that I can read German. Cool, low tech velocar! By the way, welcome to the forum...
SB

It's Finnish SB

 

[Allen_Wrench]

Ooooo very BSA three wheelerish. That's a really nice design Allen, it would be very interesting to see that built.

>Well, thank you. And fear not, I'm rather determined about this. But I will need to be patient too. The money for it will be there, just not all at once.

As to the woman thing my now adult daughter calls me 'Mum' and I was certainly there when she arrived in the world, - so I guess I must be one

> I do hope I haven't offended with my previous remark. There was something fresh on my mind that day from earlier at work. One of our new workers was wondering why our boss had hired so many women in the department. (I'm the only other guy.) He answered by stating that Human Resources takes whoever applies and is qualified. It just worked out that way. She then deduced that I must be pretty skillful for a guy.

I grew up in a family where my Dad was a trademan in the metal trades and my brothers all worked in the motor trades. Our backyard was always occupied by at least three elderly cars in varying states of being either modified or rebuilt so I couldn't really do anything else except join in too.

The more, the merrier.

 

[Allen_Wrench]

Allen,
I do hope you will start a thread even if the project at this stage is something in your dreams and on pieces of paper Your drawing is also "Morganish" and I like it very much.

Thanks, SB. I do like the old Morgans. Also, Google a 1927 Sandford GS (Grand Sport.)

What you are doing is very likely to impact my own cyclecar plans which at this point are still half formed. As you know I have long been thinking about using part of a Grumman canoe for the donor body and motorcycle parts for the propulsion. It still excites me to think about. Whether or not this will ever becomes something street legal that I could use as alternate transportation in fair weather... I don't know. And I might not want to ride out on the highway with it, but I guess I'd like to be able to, at least on more sedate roads.

I plan for a few of my load-bearing members to be overbuilt.

I did go to my local licensing bureau yesterday with photos of a couple of different light Harley Davidson motorcycles given to me... without titles, of course. I figured getting a title is the beginning and will need to go back next week to speak with the other employee there who is more knowledgeable about lost titles, reconstructions, etc. It looks like maybe going this route is not so easy, but will know more in a week. I'm thinking the other route might be to look for a wrecked or basket case motorcycle WITH a title, get the title transferred and get plates for it... then proceed using at least parts of that chassis including the rear portion and the serial number identifying it. Don't know, but will find out.

This will be the hard part. I'm going to see if a couple of employees will let me make a dry-run with a model.

Do start a thread and I'll sign up to follow along. Good luck to you and keep dreaming. I like your Troika!
SB

Thanks again SB. I think my patience will pay off. And yes, a tread of its own will start up before long.

 

[Ludwig II]

With my liking for plans in old French magazines I've just purchased these on ebay.

The first picture looks like a German Goliath front wheel drive 2 stroke. Goliaths were made under licence in India until recently.

Some ideas for anybody interested: Bond Microcar, the text states only 85 made, but that will apply to this version. There were thousands made over the years.

Later model, D, I think.

Wiki info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bond_Minicar