Velocars and other interesting vehicles.

GoldenMotor.com

fasteddy

Well-Known Member
Feb 13, 2009
7,470
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British Columbia Canada
If you are interested in building a composite body for a vellocar check this site out. Two brothers who called themselves The Wizzard Brothers.

One brother, Jim Wilson, started Bikerodnkustom an Emagazine featuring all sorts of custom bikes. He put the Aussie Jesters bike and my Monark and sidecar build in his last issue before he passed away.

Steve.

http://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j...jbHpCA&usg=AFQjCNEZElWlYv1Z1fOmg2kD4nLnLQgaMA
 

fasteddy

Well-Known Member
Feb 13, 2009
7,470
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British Columbia Canada
Hi Bill,
Your welcome. I hope this helps anyone that is going to built a velocar. I hope to build a trike along these lines next year.
I saw that John Brain was going to take the BRK mag over and get it going again. Jim Wilson worked too hard to make it great just to see it stop.

Your bike is sweet. Has a really nice look about it. Being a chopper fan from away back and an owner until a maple tree attacked me, the lines of the bike bring a smile.

Steve.
 
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happycheapskate

New Member
Nov 26, 2009
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Rockwall TX
http://img.gawkerassets.com/img/17mo1bftwcy50jpg/xlarge.jpg

Mini cars reissued in US and UK!

http://jalopnik.com/5910190/the-wor...paign=3199765ccb-UA-142218-9&utm_medium=email
"
The Peel P50 is the World's Smallest Car, most famously enjoyed (indoors and outdoors) by Jeremy Clarkson. The Trident is a sort of sportier-looking model, with the same mechanicals (original: 49cc, 4.2 HP) but swaps the cyclopian porta-potty look for a very 50s-modern bubble-topped futuristic fiberglass body. The Trident also can hold two, instead of the solitary seat of the P50.
The modernized P50 and Trident swap the old (reverseless) three-cog transmission for a CVT unit, and use a 3.35 HP motor (one of the few times the hundredths decimal place is important), which is enough to push the 198 lb Trident or 240 lb P50 to 28 mph (electronically limited— maybe you could go a bit faster?). "
 

fasteddy

Well-Known Member
Feb 13, 2009
7,470
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British Columbia Canada
I saw two people on scooters this winter with a fairing like the yellow one on the scooters. I thought that was a great idea given the rain we get here every winter.

Steve.
 

silverbear

The Boy Who Never Grew Up
Jul 9, 2009
8,325
670
113
northeastern Minnesota
How nice to see your post, IWW.

How heavy depends on the sheathing I would think. I rather like it as it is so basic and suggests another time when things were simpler. Highly visible, too.

My own velocar project is only at the gathering of parts stage as I have too many projects to finish up and too little money to invest in yet another. I do have the canoe donor for the body, the front axle assembly and a windshield, as I'm still envisioning something along the lines of a Morgan. I suspect this endeavor will be a slow one, taking years a bit at a time. Much as I like putt putt sounds, I'm beginning to think electric will make it more acceptable to the powers that be.
SB
 

Intrepid Wheelwoman

New Member
Oct 29, 2011
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Hauraki District, New Zealand
I like simplicity of that velocar too. As you say it represents anther time when building a vehicle with what you had to hand was what everybody did.

With my own velocar I need to stick to using an engine because I need the range a petrol motor can give. The electric converted tricycle I've used for some years now is great for local trips, but no fun at all when the batteries start to fail when I'm a long way from home.

Oh and just to stay with the vintage velomobile theme, how's this for a homebuilt one :)
 

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fasteddy

Well-Known Member
Feb 13, 2009
7,470
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British Columbia Canada
The use of a petrol engine is superior to an electric motor but our province, in it's quest to prove to someone that it is the greenest, enforces the electric only rules and with a great deal of vigor. There have been reports of $5,000 fines for petrol engines on bicycles.
Plus they can take your drivers license and cause your auto insurance rates to sky rocket.

I would love to make a pure velocar but since I am slowly losing the use of my legs that is but a dream. I will pack a lot of batteries into it though so I don't get stuck some where. My loss of mobility is, I hope, some time off but I am told not something that will go away. One of the cheques I wrote in my youth that I must now cash.

The velocars you are posting are an inspiration to build one.

Steve.
 

Intrepid Wheelwoman

New Member
Oct 29, 2011
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Hauraki District, New Zealand
That's sad about your legs Steve, getting older can be a right b*tch. With my own disability everything still works just fine, only I can easily end up too fatigued to do anything.

With the gas engine vs electric question here in New Zealand the Police take no notice at all of electric conversions, but put a petrol engine on a bicycle and you have to have moped registration or else. My vintage appearance electric Hercules tricycle carries a well out of date numberplate from the 1930s and simply raises no more than a smile and a wave from the local Police guys in the small town where I live, but I'm sure that if they see me trying out my Villiers powered velocar down the back streets without proper registration I'd get an immediate, 'Now look here Annie.....," from them and be sent off home with a warning to never do it again.
 

fasteddy

Well-Known Member
Feb 13, 2009
7,470
4,954
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British Columbia Canada
Our police do issue warnings as some of the members have said. It really is not worth thier time to chase it into court but there are the odd few who want to make it an issue so they do. Kind of a slow news day thing.

It would make sense to most people to make it possible to register these things but not to the province of British Columbia. The provincial government is our auto insurer and since they not only make the laws and enforce them but supply the insurance as well so they are a little touchy about anything that may cause problems or cost them insurance dollars so they cut off everything out of the ordinary.

Yes, old age is not for the young or the weak. I don't mind the legs going out on me since I was killed in the car accident that caused the problem. I know that sounds funny but I died in the ambulance that was taking me from the first hospital to the second and larger hospital. The ambulance attendent had just taken an advanced course in how to bring them back and I was the first test case. A smashing success in my book.

I've had an extra 48 years because of his efforts and never could find him to thank him. Wouldn't you know it, in the one that finally got me I was a totally innocent victim unlike the others.

Steve.
 

Ibedayank

New Member
Oct 29, 2011
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Columbia Tennessee
I find that building to be legal in the eyes of the local laws and obey all traffic laws is the best way to beat any tickets you may get in court. The judge does not care what your or the cops opinion is only what is stated in black and white.

Now on battery packs there are other ways then buying premade packs. The RC aka radiocontrolled packs can be wired to make some very nice Ebike packs and at a lower price to
 

fasteddy

Well-Known Member
Feb 13, 2009
7,470
4,954
113
British Columbia Canada
Very true. I gave up doing it my way when the judge slapped me with a fine that equaled 6 months wages and gave me 2 weeks to pay it or I could spend some time in the gray bar hotel.
That is why I'm a bit of a stickler for rules and telling people what they are. If you know the rules and still poke the angry bear in the backside with a short, sharp, stick then you do it with the knowledge that there could be problems later on.

I have thought of RC battery packs but leave them to builders that have more experience than I do and pay some one for thier knowledge.

Steve

ps
I went to a loan shark finance company and borrowed the money to pay the fine but it was a lesson well learned
 
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happycheapskate

New Member
Nov 26, 2009
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Rockwall TX
So glad I don't live in Canada! I am friendly to Canadians, but you guys don't get to have any fun, and your beer costs 20x what it ought to. I hope to see a day when you can drive gas bikes.