Velocars and other interesting vehicles.

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Allen_Wrench

Allen_Wrench

Resident Mad Scientist
Feb 6, 2010
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Indianapolis
IWW, may I ask a favor, as I cannot read French hardly at all and my Latin is weak? I read what I could of the site with the Bedelia photos. I noticed some with windscreens both large and curved. Did you note if the text said they were made of celluloid, or what else of which they might be made? Plexiglass didn't come into use until about 1926 and those windscreens were on 1913 Bedelias. True, they could have been later photos of earlier cars with aftermarket windscreens, but I'm unsure. And I think the odds of having curved glass on those cyclecars were somewhat unlikely, but I suppose it might have been done on a very, very rare occasion. Could you tell me what you make of them? Thanks in advance.
 
Intrepid Wheelwoman

Intrepid Wheelwoman

New Member
Oct 29, 2011
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Hauraki District, New Zealand
Allen_Wrench said:
IWW, may I ask a favor, as I cannot read French hardly at all and my Latin is weak? I read what I could of the site with the Bedelia photos. I noticed some with windscreens both large and curved. Did you note if the text said they were made of celluloid, or what else of which they might be made? Plexiglass didn't come into use until about 1926 and those windscreens were on 1913 Bedelias. True, they could have been later photos of earlier cars with aftermarket windscreens, but I'm unsure. And I think the odds of having curved glass on those cyclecars were somewhat unlikely, but I suppose it might have been done on a very, very rare occasion. Could you tell me what you make of them? Thanks in advance.
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Unfortunately Allen the text is somewhat vague about the windscreens. It does say that some accessory manufacturers made extra bits for Bedelias such as windscreens, but it looks like the factory also fitted windscreens to certain models. The Bedelia in the photo is described as a 'wide windscreen Paris Circuit model', which means that it was designed for sporting purposes. No mention of what the windscreen was made from though.
 
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Allen_Wrench

Allen_Wrench

Resident Mad Scientist
Feb 6, 2010
2,784
26
36
Indianapolis
Hmmm...maybe it is curved auto glass. Celuloid would be kinda flimsy if it reached that high. And I've seen turret windows in Victorian houses, so I know they've been curving sheet glass for some time before these Bedelias were around. I think I've become interested enough to delve into some serious research.
 
Allen_Wrench

Allen_Wrench

Resident Mad Scientist
Feb 6, 2010
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Indianapolis
What a wonderful, vintage, cycle engine sound. I like it. Despite the fact that it also sounds like "taco night" at my house, I like that sound.
 
C

Citi-sporter

Active Member
Jun 16, 2014
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North Bend, Or,
I just wanted to say thanks for the old school threads in this subforum. I have a couple of old bikes, a 1951 men's Rudge 3 speed, EA3 (26"X1-3/8"ths) rims, in a 23" frame with matching Sturmey-Archer hub gear. I also have an old Astra single speed mens 21" bike with 26" steel 2.15" rims which I've adapted a Sturmey-Archer TCW-3 coasterbrake 3 speed hub to.

I've not owned a velocar or cyclecar yet. Although when I had a subscription to Cycle World, back in the 70's ( back when they actually did good articles on vintage British motorcycles..) they had a thorough series on cyclecars that was very informative.

I also wanted to say that the video was interesting, the engine displacement in that Cyclecar is seriously big, guessing it's upwards of 500 cc's, although the owner isn't doing his engine any favors by running it open port like that, unless it has modern metallurgy in the valves and valve seats.

cheers all.

cvlt1
 
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