Let's Talk Cyclecars

1930 L' Eclair at the Lane Auto Museum. http://www.lanemotormuseum.org/collection/cars/item/l-eclair-1930

 

Got my project finished this week. It's at the local tractor show for the weekend.

 

They used the JAP engines not only fot motorcycles and three wheelers but also for helicopters http://www.redbackaviation.com/articles/historical/early-australian-experimental-helicopter-2
From;justacarguy

 

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Hello Todd,​

Excellent CycleKart, quit unusual - almost real automobile, something smaller!
If somebody want more Todd's photos, please visit CycleKart. Club:

http://www.cyclekartclub.com/phorum/read.php?2,18959​

There are hundreds of photos with a few dozens of CycleKarts build by other members!

Ciao,
Zoran​

P.S.: Cycle-karts are some wonderful mixture of cycle-cars and go-karts, mostly vintage GP racers replicas, scaled-down... Engines: Honda's originals and clones, with 6.5HP and more... Speeds up to 60 km/hour or sometime more... Some dimensions limited, fun unlimited!

 

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Hello Rolf,​

Quite interesting post about magnificent DIY made micro-helicopter! There is more photos and facts on the first page of the same article:

http://www.redbackaviation.com/articles/historical/early-australian-experimental-helicopter-1​

We must not forget that this helicopter was made just a few years after the first professionally made practical helicopters (before 1950)! I am not sure if any of modern helicotper pilots shoudl dare to test it now? There are witnesses that saw it flying in backyard of creators house, on a height of housese roofs (probably over-land aerodynamic-effet)
So, some creators made flying machines using auto or motorcycle engines, and some make automobiles with aero-engines!

Regards,
Zoran​

 

I wonder of the inventor was a bit shorter than the fellow in the seat, looking at how close his head is to the blade.

 

No risk no fun!

 

I can only wonder how many hours of flight time it would take for one if those tubes to crack from engine vibration, or one of the bolted joints to fail. Ingenious, yes, but positively a death machine.

Herb Ke
p
h
a
rt

 

1928 Ratier monoposto...pics from J-E S. ...

 

Amilcar from J-R S. ...

 

Did a bit of laboring on the Airhead Roadster today. Basically labored over the grille as lately I've felt the need to nail down the shape of the front end which has been a toss up between a traditional radiator type grille or a more vintage Indy race car type with a sloping hood. If Amilcar grilles were readily available, the decision would already be made! But the other day I found this cast aluminum grille on Ebay and although I knew it was overall undersized for the proportions of the car and width of the frame rails, I decided to pull the trigger as it was inexpensive enough to have a bit of one-eye squinted mock-up fun. It arrived today so I played around with positioning and took a few pics. It's probably from a children's pedal car or something, but what drew me to it was the shape which follows the shape of the motor setting up a gradual streamlined hood profile that would enclose the block and do a good job of scooping fresh air into it while allowing the heads and exhaust to stick out for better cooling and dispersion of heat. Anyway, this grille shape fits my original plan of going for a low profile streamlined look which I may revert back to if I can't find a suitable radiator type grille that doesn't make it look like a traditional Hot Rod. Sometimes I question why I'd want to go for that look since that look is sorta dictated by the need for a radiator with a lot of surface are for cooling when the unique thing about this car is that it is powered by a front engine air cooled motor. Ahh... decisions decisions...

 

Interesting truck. Has a primitive but very functional look about it.

 

That will look really nice. Easy to flare the body out from it.

 

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Hello AR,​

Quite unusual grill, but very good for your cycle-car! It is quite in a style of great-looking BMW boxer-engine (some kind of "Art Deco"?). I hope that you will left most of BMW engine visible?

For sure that low body would be the best if it is possible? Try CARD-BOARD Design: simple and cheap test with forming shapes of metal plates and general sight of final look! In ayn case, you are building not-so-simple auto by yourself for yourself!

Did you have enough of space for your and passenger's legs?

Regards!​

 

Rosemarijn had a little mishap while touring in her Amilcar this weekend and had to be trailered home.

 

Thanks guys. Been taking breaks between razor blading paint off the other roadster project in the garage to stare at the AR and the more I look at it the more I like it. The grille is finish cast well but it's shape is not perfect, so it has some character flaws but certainly looks the part -and I'm sure my body will have plenty of "character" once shaped so I think I'm going to roll with it. I just wish I could throw it in an oven and stretch it out a bit to fit the cars proportions better. I think the plan will be to mount it halfway between the front of the frame rails and the radiator crossmember as shown in the photos then fabricate a hoop or horse collar that's a bit bigger with the same shape that the grille can bolt to and the hood can close against that will also serve to make the grille appear to be a bit larger. Then I'll plan to fabricate a louvered panel across the frame rails to direct air in and fill the area behind the bumper forward of the grille and fill the gap along the sides and rear of the grille just inboard of the frame rails like you see on a lot of these cars with round grilles that are narrower than the frame rails.

Zoran-
For a while there I was contemplating side by side seating with the traditional grille and taller/wider body shape, but will now likely revert back to a single with a jump seat/trunk in the boat tail section that will allow the passengers legs to pass through into the drivers cockpit either side of the driver. This will make the foot control layout much easier and less cramped with the clutch left of the motor/driveline and the brake & throttle to the right as originally planned. There will be plenty of leg room but going this route will mean that I'm going to have to live with straddling the driveshaft if I want a low slung body, that is unless I go back to my middle gearbox idea which I now think is just too complicated.

 

Those are two different cars. Maybe the same brand.

 

This looks like the Instone "MARTYR" from the Chateau Impney Hillclimb

 

Jean - Pascal at work on his Amilcar GSS.

 

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Hello AHR,​

I think that there wouldn't be problems with planed shape with so small grill at front!
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For double tandem-seating - neither any issues: many cycle-karts had such layout for driver and "mechanic"! Just, not put driver at rear seat as Bedelia had - never knew what was a reason for that! Even elegant racing Amilcar had tandem seats! Only, no need for so deep body and hidden crew. I think that passengers seat could be put something higher – just to let him/her watch above your shoulders?
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How will you arranged steering mechanism: steering shaft over engine, or something else? (beside engine, with two universal joints)...

Regards!​

 

Rosemarijn and her Amilcar headed to a rally near Guttannen,Switzerland through the Grinsel Pass.

 

Zoran,
I guess that this qualifies as a tandem seat "cyclecar" even though it actually has only one seat.










Built with a new H-D 88 Twin Cam B, Toyota pickup 5 speed and rear end. Triangulated 4 link rear end with rising rate cantilever linkage on coil overs. Dragster torsion bar front suspension with 16" spoked wheels with Airheart brakes. Totally street legal here in Indiana.

Roo