Let's Talk Cyclecars

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Thank you, Rolf,​

For the interesting article about one of my favourite small automobiles! (it could be translated to English without problems, but to Serbian, we could get only funny and even stupid text)...

It is interesting that in the article, Hanomag Kommissbrot was declared as "limousine", probably because of a closed cabin? Similar was in my old Yugoslavia - my Trabant 601 was declared in traffic licence as "limuzina"!

Of course, cute Hanomag was just one between my 15-20 "favourites" in a class of small old-timer autos, but near the top of the list...






From some early teenage years, when I found one-two photos of Kommissbrot, I was thinking about a homebuilt version of small and cute “soldier's bread”, not knowing for the phrase "replica" and a fact that people build them worldwide.
Through years, I collected a lot of photos with various variants, including chassis and suspension, even a sketch with dimensions - but, my school-days dream shall stay a dream.

Ciao,
Zoran​

 

Nice video of how a "Crash Box" works. My Morgan 3 wheel has one of those.

The Lane Car Museum in Nashville, Tn. has a Hanomag on display. and an amazing story about it and it's owner Josef Ganz. Here is a write up of the story of Ganz and his relationship with the development of the Volkswagen.

 

Thank you, Fred,​

For giving me missing link between Josef Ganz and Hanomag Komissborte!

I was always sure that the first few of the Ganz prototypes were similar to Komissbortte (by construction, style and spirit), but constructed and made better, being more modern for their time and that class of autos.

There are many articles, web-pages and even one book that put a new light on Ganz's work on "Volkswagen" (peoples-auto)... He didn't "invented" well-known Volkswagen, designed by Ferdinand Porsche and produced in his new factory got as good Nazi from his mentor Hilter. Ganz didn't have a direct influence on Ferdinand's Volkswagen - but, he "invented" the name "Volkswagen" for one of his prototypes. Of course, he was later "asked" to leave Germany and settled in Switzerland, continuing work on "peoples-autos". However, Gestapo found him there and molested him a few times, including influence on Swiss to put him in prison...
For him and all other wannabe constructors and producers of "peoples-auto", it was forbidden to use that name, except for Ferdinand and his factory.
In that time, longer then a decade there was steady development toward practical "peoples-auto" including almost a dozen of German (including Mercedes-Benz ) companies and a few Czeskoslovakian designers (Tatra was the best known and the most copied), or Italian (the most known and successful was FIAT 500 Topolino)...

Mostly all of the designs were based on works of Hans Ledwinka (tubular chassis, independent suspension, rear positioned air-cooled engine...) and Paul Jaray (aerodynamical auto-bodies). Ganz was going through that process and was among the most successful of designers and indirectly lead to Ferdinand's Volkswagen. A few of the first Ganz's micro-cars were not much practical as peoples-autos, being a two-seater with small engines. Through years, working as a designer to other German companies, he developed something larger body for "peoples-auto" that had a bench for kids or smaller passengers and more powerful engine - real family auto: cheap, simple and small...







If he had time and money (work for German companies was stopped), he should develop his design to something better than Ferdinand's. The first of Ferdinand's designs were pathetic too, including two-cylinder miniature engine or 5 cylinders radial engine and so on...

Then, after the WW2, Swiss took all his work for their own company and made a lot of small autos - RAPID, after sent him away!

In any case, a great man and great designer, but with quite turbulent and unhappy life: moving from country to country and finished poor and unknown in Australia... However, on most of the photos from various periods - he was smiling person!

Ciao,
Zoran​

 

P.S.: Video with "Auto-Baby" - Ganz's prototype "Maikaffer" - quite daredevil drive of micro-car across streets:



Z.

 

Oh i want one...lol.
That looks great fun.

 

A good reason to visit Europe

 

Did you guys notice the bump steer in the video at 11 seconds? you can see it again when going over the curbs.

 

Found this FS in Boulder Colorado

 

What does that say on the grill? If I was closer I’d be all over that.

 

Morgan

 

Cool project. Looks like a barrel back Morgan but seems more curvy in areas.

 

What you have there is an F4 (4 seater). they were the first F models made. here is what they can look like when finished.

 

^^^^^^^ I hope that little one doesn't turn out to be the one I once had. Bob

 

i don't think we'll ever find out.Where do you think the photo is from Bob?

 

I guess the photo is from overseas, I just sold one of those Shell gas pump globes last week, and have never seen them mounted 90% out on any station photo in the USA. I had the globe for 50 years, sold it to the son of the fellow I bought it from. The station building is still in the family, built in 1928. Bob

 

The car inthe back is looking like a car from Lillian La France https://motoridersuniverse.com/news/1253805-lillian-lafrance-motorcycle-stunt-rider.html

 

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Hello, Rolf!​

If not the same auto (the first shown had extremyl high bonnet/hood) - for sure that both belonged to the same kind and use...


I am wondering what three-wheeler on the right could be? Too big for Morgan and its clones! Maybe some one-off American specials?


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A few decades ago, in Belgrade at fairs I watched guys (no girls there) driving motorcycles in barrel (Wall of Death) - quite daredevil and dangerous performance. In some scenes, there were three of them on the wall going up-and-down at various speeds. Dangerous was that bottom of the barrel wasn't empty: there were a few motorcycles, workbench and small auto FIAT 500 Nuova with an open top that was also used on a wall. One family lived in a village near to out suburb where we live for 15 years. Often, I was going there to watch them practising and testing new shows. For me and my small son, a ticket was a few cold beers that we brought them... Sorry, no photos!

Ciao,
Zoran​

P.S.: I didn't have personal photos, but found videos on interent (Wall of Death from Serbia: "Zid Smrti"):




(and, there is one girl - videos from "modern" times, not from my youth)

 

Hi Zoran, the three wheeler might have been a 4 seater converted into a sportster ?
Just before i left uk 25 yrs ago i almost worked with a wall of death, but chose to leave uk and work and play with a travelling stage for music, (wango rileys travelling stage), great fun on the road,

 

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David, according to size and standard front suspension - it must be some of smaller American autos or middle-size European? For me - it is cute!
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You made a proper choice:


For sure that music was better than running in the burel, on a motorcycle or in a car! less dangerous but still exciting! I do not have any sense for music and rhythm, for playing ti, singing or dancing - I and always regret that! Nice way to travel around entertaining people, seeing nice places and girls!
I am not sure if anybody died in Serbia or old Yugoslavia, but there were a lot of broken bones, broken muscles, and tattered skin - driving in barrels, not playing music or singing!

Zoran​

 

Zoran i didnt play on stage...you wouldnt want to hear my guitar playing...lol.
I just used to help set up the stage.
The photo youve put is the second stage built by the original owner of my freinds stage,
The first one was a bit smaller and was on a Bedford Tk chassis, had the same look as your photo,
The original stage burned here in south france from an electrical fault, it burnt next to my lorry which was my home, heres a funny thing, my freind and his wife visited just before christmas, had not seen them since 23 yrs ago, much laughter , a bit of tears and remembering old times of doing stupid things living on the road in my 1955 commer Q4 army truck, yes making people in towns and villages happy through music was good and fun.
Oops soory for the not cycle car post. Keep dreaming about your cycle car, you will find a way of making one,

 

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David, anyway, great way to be wiht music and travle around with nice company!​

But, not to stay too much outside on-topic lines, there would be presented touring and camping across Europe in a minimalistic but stylish way. Small motto-vehicles and small camping modules:




Above is a pair of motto-campers based on my beloved Trabant 601... I had Trabant like that and had similar ideas, but didn't think that it is possible! Pity that I didn't have Internet in those years. Next is my beloved Velorex (never had one) with light trailer! Both vehicles could be classified as after-War cyclecars?


Then a couple of ancient light camping completes! I had somewhere more of vintage photos and sketches (mostly German), with teardrop campers suitable to be pulled by motorcycle/sidecar combination or baby cars, but couldn't find them now ...



More of realised ideas about minimalistic touring/camping will be attached in the next post!

Ciao,
Zoran​

P.S.: my old dreams are still alive and shall be, but my plans are reduced, becoming more realistic!

 

... and, some more!

 

weinermobile?

 

Here's another one for your collection Zoran.

 

Thank you, Fred!​

Excellent combination, indeed. However, as I am enthusiasts for camping anymore, I would take three-wheeler, if I just could. (I think that it could be BSA, but probably it is Morgan four-seater?)
Only, I do not understand why they need standing height in so small caravan? Not so good for side-winds...
Most of the time I spent outside during camping adventures, but that was during sunny summer days (most of them were so), in campings at beautiful big lake or Adriatic Sea coast...

Ciao,
Zoran​

 

That 3 wheeler on the left in post 11260 definitely has a hot rod “look”. Appears to have a windshield that swings out and forward at the bottom, and the lines of the top look very gangster. From afar it certainly appears to have very nice proportions. I’ll take it!

A few more photos to close out the 2018. Happy New Year to all.

 

Going by the architecture I'd suspect North America, probably north-east. The masonry to the main building is in plain stretcher bond, suggesting a non-structural cladding of around 4½" thick over a timber structure. As this most certainly predates widespread use of cavity-wall construction, had it been in the UK or continental Europe it would most likely have been built of load-bearing brick around 8-10" thick, in English or Flemish bond. The bricks also seem flatter in proportion than the standard British stock brick. It is interesting that the window-boxes seem to be borne on corbels. The soldier-course lintols over the openings being combined into a continuous decorative band also supports the idea that the brick skin is thin and of secondary structural importance.

Moreover, the horizontal boarding to the upper storey of the building to the right is rare outside North America. I can't make out whether the shed on the left is rendered masonry or timber-clad, or perhaps clad with corrugated iron as was common in British colonies – Australia perhaps?

Likewise I can't tell much from the arrows painted on the ground surface: does one drive on the left or the right there? I can't see on which side the steering wheel of either car is.