Let's Talk Cyclecars

From Lee Stohr...Henderson Four powered lives at the Motorcyclepedia Museum.http://www.motorcyclepediamuseum.org/

 

Bluto...I have to thank you for your great words about real cars, early history and the real preservation of these pieces. So glad that you are still on here and giving us much to ponder...

 

You should know I collect some mistakes too ^^^^^^ This machine has a gear ratio of 1:1 and would never really work very well.



People actually ask me "How do you stop this?" I'd tell them "The motor was to get you to the top of the hill"

 

Some images of Dougal and Liz Cawley( http://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/ )and their car "PIGLET".Some are at the Loton Park Hill Climb,while others are at Circuit Des Remparts Angouleme.

 

More "PIGLET". She runs a heavily modified Model A Ford engine and the Cawleys aren't afraid to push it.

 

Another exam;e

 

By suggesting that people should search for, save, preserve lost history. I mean no real argument with those that want to build history (for the future). Decades ago I came upon the notion of "Industrial Archeology". In the last 100 years plus so much has been lost ..... maybe as much and all time preceding. At this stage in my life I would really like to see others get interested in the "Lost" And by that become people that enjoy the satisfaction of discoing machines

A friend of mine once showed me a photo of the lost 1939 BMW 328 Touring bodied coupe. The mystery lead me to a wonderful hunt that reveled many BMW prototype automobiles over the next seven years. The last place the car was known to exist was New England in the USA. I lived all the way west. It was last seen all the way east. Thru a driven quest I was finally successful. Then many years more to preserve and restore the car. In 1990 I took the car to Italy for the Mille Miglia Storica on the 50th anniversary of my cars overall win!

There are still so many mysteries to be solved. Many more discoveries and volumes of knowledge still to find.

I guess that was my point. To infect all of as many here with the need to hunt and discover and get the satisfaction that comes along with a battles hard fought. AND WON.

I have always loved machines large and small. I tend to really enjoy the others that like the quirky small cars too. Often as eccentric as I am. A long time ago once told me "Driving a small car teaches you that if run into the corner with the wrong line it takes forever to get your speed back." I would add that if you loose a cylinder and only have one to start with it is more instructive than V-8 skip a beat

And I can tell you they fit in the back of and old truck a lot easier too.

 

McCollough drone engine.....

 

Yes Bob just enough power to make you look like a loaf of Wonder Bread if you feel off the sled. And as we all know NO ONE EVER FELL OF A SLED!

 

The Messerschmitt and the paper that came with it.From ...From Pride and Clarke of London a 1956 Messerschitt KR 200 catalog given to my father inlaw at the time, when he picked up his brand new KR 200. Plus the receipt for his Messerschitt from the 5th November 1956.K.W. pics ...

 

Alexandre P. Pics...

 

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Hello AHR,​

At start, I am sure that you shall solve all mechanical and esthetical issues! Good thing is if cylinders stay visible? In Belgrade I have two big classic headlights and nice small rear lights – but that is far away from Hawaii!

Your layout of seating and of general shape is nice – mix of motorcycle and automobile? My old plan with JAWA was similar. It would be more 4-wheel (or maybe just 3-wheel) motorcycle than automobile... With engine/gearbox in front of me, between my legs – I would have feeling of riding motorcycle (considering being too old to ride one any more)... In that position, I could change gears by hand, the same as kick-starting engine that didn't have electric-starter. Throttle, brake and clutch could be operated by VW-beetle commands (had one complete) with separate control for rear mechanical drum-brake (hand-brake on rear wheel, too). My son thought that I should have motorcycle steering handles, too... Doesn't mater now – all that is still in Belgrade, son doesn't mater any more for that, maybe all was sold to Gypsies as old iron...
Because of my abounded plan, I am even more interested in following your project, wishing all the best from now to testing and driving it! Beside, that would be nice living memory on your friend Mark!

Ciao!​

 

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Bluto,​

At the first sight, that automobile looks to me as some “Edwardian” racer or sport runabout from the same period (the first 15 years of XX century), but looking to some details and size compared to trailer – it must be some baby-racer, maybe Vanderbilt baby-Cup racer? Grill and bonnet/hood looks similar or Packard's?

Anyway, it is strange, but beautiful! Something that I dreamed as teenager to have (built) making many sketches of scale-down Mercer or Stutz!

Ciao!​

 

Marc pics of a Fiat Ballila at Angouleme this past weekend.

 

Amilcar by Marc @ Angouleme.

 

That little car is from an early flying circus. They had several and staged races for the crowd

I am still looking for streamlined little cars

 

Yes,still more pics of "PIGLET"....by Marc.

 

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Bluto, ​

You are quite right about searching, finding and preserving original historical items, in our case motorised vehicles! However, no mater how I wanted that, in times that it was relativally possible in Belgrade, I never could buy any classic automobile or motorcycle... When having money just for second-hand family transport (older automobiles), or new FIAT 126p and new Zastava YUGO - anything classic was beyond of needs and possibilities...
Nearest to that I was when with my brother had FIAT 500 Topolino in late sixties, later one more (in components) and twice time Triumph Herald... From motorcycles - mentioned JAWA 350 from late eighties, or a few scooters and mopeds in sixties. In all cases they were not really historical vehicles – just old not-so-bad “wheels”. Now, some of that could be valued old-timers... About all that, and especially desire and some work on preservation of “Industrial Archaeology”, or “Technical/Motoring Heritage” - maybe once in private messages, not to bother members of this thread.
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Therefore, some light motorised quadricycle in a style of veteran automobile, or cycle-car – could be my highest possible goal, if ever realised. I do not like too much phrase “replica”, because people named any bastards made in a style of old-timers from various periods. Some general style and details are not enough to be a real copy, or at least realistic copy... I would prefer my own creation, without copying anything special, which is difficult and expensive in any case – and mostly pathetic.
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Was that rusted masterpiece – mechanical propelled “horse”? Wonderful idea, maybe needed better realisation to be used on road, if not practically than for fun... Reed three-wheeld scooter is cute and probably practical!
--- ---
Learning on small cars, in my case some new, some old – excellent driving experience, sometimes annoying! I was driving a lot Zastava 750 (Fiat 600d made under licence in Serbia), Citroen 2cv and Diane, Fiat 126p, Renault 4l ... Never was drivng any of micro-cars, bubble-cars, cycle-cars...
Trabant: once was pulling four of us up long hill to our home, under heavy rain, with flat left-front tyre – with one dead cylinder, of two in total...
Sometimes fun – sometimes pain! (a few times, some of automobiles - with camping trailer over Bosnian and Croatian mountains to Dalmatia, Adriatic Sea Coast)

Ciao​

 

One last PIGLET for Sunday!

 

Zoran

From Bern you only need to travel west into the south of France to find some really wonderful and odd machines.
From Belgrade you travel north to Hungary again. Things without papers are very cheap. I have friends in Romania...... good guys that are always finding items for their collections.

It all takes time money and energy but there are so many wonderful items all over Europe.

We have Simcas, Topolinos, and other wonderful things too. Not everything is expensive. Just quirky and entertaining to us

 

For sale in Europe as it seems (not by me):
http://www.prewarcar.com/postwarclassic/classifieds/ad205197.html

 

This is funny.

That is for sale by me. I am selling several things to lighten my workload post heart surgery.

Any of you can PM me if you like.

 

Bluto, do you know the brand? Kind of looks like my Offyette, but has some things different.

 

They made so many of these little cars in the 1920's that all look somewhat the same. This is the first one that looks a lot like the one I had years ago with a Henderson four. Very nicely made with a lot of Model T Ford parts. Bob

 

How about this one.........

 

That's fantastic, Bluto (I'd be smiling like that, too, if I were in his seat)! Any pics from the front?

 

Sorry no other photos

I don't remember where I found it

 

Messerschmitt