Let's Talk Cyclecars

Here's to self imposed challenges! I share the sentiments but I'll stop short of insisting that the underpinnings comply.

 

The Austin 10 is a RHD car with the steering box and kingpin arms setup as such. Changing it to LHD wouldn’t really make sense since the original components can’t be used that way. I always try to leave steering and Ackerman alone. I may lengthen a drag link or shorten a pitman arm on a project, but major changes can often be a slippery slope when modifying a steering system. This project is a lot like a remodel rather than a new build. I have to work with the existing foundation and system locations, while trying my best to find a balance between its redesign and use of new components.

Plus the car will be a single seater with center mounted wheel, so it’ll be a both hander. In its original configuration, the driver would be sitting above the right hand frame rail creating an imbalance in the loading of the suspension like you see in a lot of small antique two seat cars from the period. I think it’s going to work much better a a single seater. It won’t be fast, but hopefully it will feel like it is.

 

Well, that is a very good reason for having right hand drive especially since it is a single seat. I dodn't realize that. how about tandem seating? always nice to be able to take a friend along.

 

Dos a Dos seating allowed for friendly conversations while driving before the cellphone was invented.

Bob

 

...not long before re-appearing in self-driving cars?

 

The Kid,​

Nice example of veteran voiturette automobile (probably seen at annual London-Brighton Run) with a capacity of 4 persons on short chassis! It seems that distance from front to rear backrest isn't bigger than 1.5-1.8 meters (less than 6 feet). It couldn't be possible to accommodate 4 persons on a shorter place in any other combination.
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Probably that all popular names for automobile carrosserie were accepted from terminology used for classic horse-drawn karts, cars, buggies, fiacres, carriages? Sometimes the different word was used in America and in Europe, and sometimes the same names mean different styles. So, in Europe, such position of seats is called "vis-à-vis" (face-to-face) and "dos-à-dos" was used for seating back-to-back - all of that from French terminology - the leader in stylish horse-drawn vehicles... The second is also a practical way to put 4 persons on short wheel-base, but not so nice in a social way - no easy communications between passengers... Safety - nobody cares, and at low speeds at mostly deserted roads and streets - both of styles were quite comfortable both for driver and his passengers...

<<if we accepted veteran quadricycles and voiturette automobiles as a predecessor of cyclecars, then this is not too much off-topic?>>

Ciao,
Zoran​

 

... another possibility to put 4 adults in a small vehicle!
Shouldn't dare to seat at a front or as a driver to put somebody there, especially children...




But...
Z.

 

HAMB newbie plans to build a GN tribute with Ford flathead V8.

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/my-gn-jap-tribute-build.1131795/#post-12854479

 

Thanks for the heads up Jack!

 

Will it be a V8 60?

 

He didn't say which V8. I invited him over to this thread, said he's been here visiting but he's still finding his way around the HAMB.

 

I had the same thought. However, reading between the lines, it sounds like a larger flathead.

 

Didn't he say it weighs 600 pounds? That would rule out a 60.

 

I like this one. It was a tiny little car.

 

This just showed up in the "unusual engine pictures" thread- half of a 409... now all I see in my head is this thing hanging on the front of a Morgan



... and yes, cooling would be an issue, but I don't care

 

That thing must weigh as much as a Morgan!

 

Right?

Reminds me of the time I picked up a spare Dauntless V6 (V8 with 2 cylinders chopped off) for my Jeepster Commando. I couldn’t resist it was so cheap. Crazy part is it had been in a VW Thing! Couldn’t believe someone had hung that lump out the back and off a VW transaxle. The dauntless weighs almost 2X the weight of a Type 1 motor.

Story was the Thing was built for the Baja 500 and bent a pushrod early. Not knowing the extent of the damage they retired the car and it was sold. The guy who bought it had the motor completely rebuilt and ran it around for a few years before deciding to swap in a Subi motor. So I ended up with a 10K mile motor with Offy/Holley 4 barrel setup for next to nothing which is nothing short of amazing considering the small island I live on and its rarity. First thing I did was pull the intake to have a look and sure enough two of the pushrods on one cylinder did not match the rest.

Since we’re on the topic of power plants, I’ve been sorting out the 1967 Yamaha YR1 I recently shipped over and I think it’s 2-stroke 350cc in-line aircooled twin would make a nice little motor for a small cycle car. A few nice things about it are that it’s lightweight compact and powerful, has crossshafts that allow for either right or left operation, features a 5-speed gearbox, and twin Mikuni carbs mounted center rear and low to avoid starvation under hard turns. I understand the addition of a chambered exhaust system can really up the power output of the motor.

 

Airhead, your beginning to compete with Monsieur Banjeaux for cool photo postings.
I'm liking it.

 

Thanks, glad you are enjoying them. I’m not trying to compete in any way, just doing my part. This thread has been a great source of inspiration for me (especially the photos) and now that Instagram has learned of my cycle car addition, I am regularly presented with these photos by a few users I follow and by Instagram the all knowing. My favorites are of multiple cars side by side. It’s really neat to see their similarities and differences.

 

I'm not competing either.Just trying to inspire and entertain.

 

Another alternative is to use a Buick/Rover aluminum V-8!

 

That is if you can find one these days.

 

No more rare than a Dauntless V-6

 

Chances are probably better in the UK

Bob and Airhead: No need to defend, I use the term "competing" with poetic license.