Velocars and other interesting vehicles.

From the April 1922 issue of 'Motocyclisme', - a suggestion on how to build a cyclecar by modifying an Indian motorcycle.

 

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Much as I like cyclecars, I think I'd rather have the Indian as a motorcycle. Back around that same time period there was a local fellow who crashed his Indian on a gravel road coming back from town weighed down with flour sacks and traveling at too great a speed. He lost it and ended up in the trees. His neighbor bought the wreck and turned it into the power unit for a sawmill. Cool saw rig, but I'd rather have that Indian as a motorcycle, too. Of all the really great early motorcycles, for me there is nothing with more allure than the early Indians. Of course, I am biased.
SB
 
Essentially though Silverbear any motorcycle could be used in this way,

After the Great War the Americans forces left a good many Indian motorcycles in France and these were used by the French in a variety of ways to create vehicles.
 
An interesting wee cyclecar is the 'Micron'. Single seat and its engine, gearbox and front suspension pivots as a unit making it front wheel drive with centre pivot steering. And if you haven't guessed already it's French.







 
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Intrepid Wheelwoman said:
Essentially though Silverbear any motorcycle could be used in this way,

After the Great War the Americans forces left a good many Indian motorcycles in France and these were used by the French in a variety of ways to create vehicles.
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On the other hand it would have been pretty cool if Indian had manufactured their own cyclecar. I wonder what it would have looked like? If they had, perhaps today there would be Indian to compete with Ford and General Motors.
SB
 
silverbear said:
On the other hand it would have been pretty cool if Indian had manufactured their own cyclecar. I wonder what it would have looked like? If they had, perhaps today there would be Indian to compete with Ford and General Motors.
SB
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I can think of a (somewhat) well known homebuilt three-wheeler that uses an Indian engine and sub-frame - the Shotwell. The original owner, Mr. Shotwell, built it when he was about 17, and before he died he gave (or might've sold, I can't remember) the car to Jay Leno. Mr. Leno got it up to running perfection and drives it sometimes.

Also, I keep finding references to Indian board track racing cyclecars. So I included a red and white one I found. I don't know yet if they were built by Indian or merely had their engines and endorsements. But here you go.
 

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Oh boy... that board track cycle car is a beauty. Don't let fasteddy see this or he'll want to build one. Thanks, Allen.
SB
 
Very doable. Probably easier than a tri car to build. Small motorcycle engine like a Lifan with a 4 or 5 speed trans and the road is yours. Oh, forgot. We'd need someone to help us in and out of it.

Steve.
 
fasteddy said:
Very doable. Probably easier than a tri car to build. Small motorcycle engine like a Lifan with a 4 or 5 speed trans and the road is yours. Oh, forgot. We'd need someone to help us in and out of it.

Steve.
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Something like a hydraulic sky hook would work. One wheel in back and it could be registered here in the states. Give it a boat tail.
SB
 
Ooohh!

I do like those "Indian" cycle-cars.

I'd be very pleased to get around in one of those.

If the other traffic didn't kill me, that is.
 
Gas tank is around $300 at Snyder's Model T Parts with a brass dog bone filler cap. Plus $325 for the Lifan 125 maybe with an automatic trans. I'd say $1,500 if you can have access to the council tip or are a really good scrounger.

Chances of making it legal are zip but it would shake up the motorcycle meet crowd wouldn't it. The cops as well if you had it on the road and they saw it. I think I'll go back and look at it one more time to see what it would take to get it together but I'm just looking. :)

Be a good time to look at getting the plasma cutter my brother says we don't need but keeps pointing out the ads for, to cut out the frame but I'm thinking out loud.

Steve.
 
[FONT=Arial Unicode MS, sans-serif]Hello,
This video-clip will show simple go-kart, but with quite interesting transmission from front-mounted vertical-shaft engine (by twisted toothed timing belt) to rear axle, across bicycle's derailleur transmission. Interesting hand-brake and a few other details...
Zoran [/FONT]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcZ8xi_iI4s
 
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