Let's Talk Cyclecars

Lightweight on the hill, Shelsley Walsh
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Sounds like he's using cadence throttle to round that corner. Cadence throttle is a front-wheel-drive technique. I've only once ever heard of it being used on a RWD car, and that was a Trans-Am Corvette noted for its ill-handling.

 

Unidentified driver driving a cyclecar during speed trials at the Tacoma Speedway in September of 1914.

 

micron from Marc. ...

 

Chenard et Wackler and 2 BNCs from J-P P. ...

 

Marc pic. ...

 

This front suspension looks interesting.

 

Amilcar Gahagan Special
Read the whole story in Pre War Car Amilcar for sale.

 

Would that be a Wilson epicyclic 'box?

 

I read recently in a British magazine that Armstrong Siddeley (who used the Wilson design) built gearboxes for some competition MGs.

 

A Model T Ford has an epicyclic gear box.

 

I'd been wondering if Major Wilson had been playing with Model T gearboxes, but it seems his first epicyclic gearbox predates Ford's by three years.

 

From just a car guy
http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2018/07/1935-rytecraft-scootacar-british-made-2.html

 

mathis from Marc. ...

 

Interesting french side,but I was not able to open the details
http://www.en-noir-et-blanc.com/-cyclecars-et-voiturettes-p1-24.html

 

What do you need more to be a lucky guy

 

1918 American Junior

 

Cool pix, but take the captions with a shaker of salt. A twenties T speedster was labelled "Cycle-car of 1900" ... Several other model Ts are labelled 'unknown brand'.

 

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Hello, SR and thank you for nice old advertisment!​

Lucky should be sons (daughters, too?) that could get such a small automobile as a present from their fathers...
It seems that they could take an adult person, too - at least one not in a variant of today's average body size and weight.
Nothing strange, both are based (just inspired?) at Smith Flyer buckboard ultralight and ultrasimple automobiles, made for a pair of adults... Smith Flyer was later better known as Briggs & Stratton Flyer (with fifth-wheel and gasoline engine at the rear) and Red Bug (as electric powered version, with motor and battery on chassis behind setas)...

If I am not wrong with my old eyes, as could be seen - the upper one had "ordinary" chassis and suspension, with a fifth wheel at the rear behind a chassis, carrying small gasoline engine.
The lower one had chassis/platform of wooden planks, without suspension, in a style of all buckboards, but with a gasoline engine instead of electric-motor on chassis, behind the seats...

Ciao,
Zoran​

 

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Hello, Rolf!​

Thank you for the interesting information, with various oldtimers, from veteran cars o vintage era, and post-War period...
On the left side of the web-page, there are many links with old photos from various places and occasions, the majority from the XIX century... Pity that most of the photos are small and with not so good resolution.
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This cute "monocar" (usual name for light cyclecars for a driver, only) should be great even now for cruising across and around Bern? My wife should demand from me (if I would be lucky to have one) to install the second seat for her if it is possible (it should be!)... Maybe a light trailer, as a rickshaw?

Ciao,
Zoran​

 

Klas,
Were you thinking of something like this:

This one was attached to a forecar. Most of these were attached to trikes, motorcycles and even bicycles.

They seemed to fade out around 1908-10. I'd love to see the reaction of the traffic officer when you towed one of these behind a cyclecar now.

 

High treason science fiction movie from1929 skip to 1.15

 

Hello, 100!​

Just one like that! As you mentioned, such a system was used a lot at the beginning of motorisation. Principe was simple: why to make a big car, heavier and more complicated - for more persons, when you would use it mostly alone? So, you could add trailer just when you need it.

Here in Bern, it is a usual sight that parents pull such small trailers for babies and bigger kids (up to a few years old - older use to drive their bicycles in traffic) - but, only using bicycles as "the car"! Never saw person-carrying trailers (for babies or adults) behind mopeds, motorcycles or micro-cars...

Maybe just a tradition or it is prohibited by the law. When I mentioned such an idea, my wife joked that she would mask her in a big over-sized baby, when I pull her behind my pedal-powered quadricycle. Anyway, I built it in a style of a rickshaw, with her seat in front, similar to many ultralight 3-wheelers and quadricycles from pioneer era of motorisation...






I still think that a trailer should be more practical, but... Various ways to solve problems that are not so serious?

Ciao,
Zoran​

 

Home page of the artist who draw the three wheeler
http://www.garycampesi.com/about-me/

 

... a few more socialized people-carriers from "Belle Epoque"!
Could be grandpas of cyclecars?
Z.

 

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Hello, Rolf,
And thank you for interestign film with shown cute three-wheeler!
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It seems that it could be the same one as on the photos that I attached?
Old black/white photos show a very similar vehicle, but with open rear-end showing motorcycle frame, engine, transmission and all mechanics... I wonder, is it made before the film and then used in it, or somebody bought it after the film was finished? Anyway, strange design, especially for side-doors - interesting, but hard to enter-in and step-out?





There are three photos found on the internet a long time ago, and a pair of shots taken from the film - for comparison...

Regards,
Zoran​

 

--- film is interesting as imagination of the creative poeple from 1929 about World in 1940 (especially "modern" London) and possible new World War between Confederation States of Europe and Atlantic states!
(nowhere cyclecars in the city, just futuristic ships on the Thames, then trains, cars, buses on the streets and aeroplanes over fantastic buildings)
Z.

 

WOW! I like this guys drawings. Some really cool stuff.

 

Klas,
It is illegal to carry people in a trailer behind a motor vehicle here, but the trailer-chairs I posted earlier disappeared from the road long before that law. They fell out of favor because the passenger had to breath the bike/trike/forecar's exhaust. The vehicle also flung up manure left in the streets by horses (less of a problem today). There were also a number of accidents where the cyclist leaned as he was used to doing, causing both bike/trike & trailer to tip over. Perhaps an electric cyclecar would solve most of the issues (except the law).