Let's Talk Cyclecars

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.

 

... anybody complains that cyclecars have small and powerless engines?
Maybe to use some bigger racing/sports boat or airship engine? Not too much - just 4-cylinders...

http://theoldmotor.com/?p=153620


.... or, maybe BENZ engine, 4-cylinder with 200 HP?


...or, maybe BMW, six-cylinder engine?


... or, Mercedes 6-cylinder, 200 HP engine?


... or, FIAT V-8 engine?


Probably that one and only cylinder would be too much for cyclecars, but who knows?
Should we ask Rolf and a few other using Curtiss V-8 in chassis of light sports cars, if not real cyclecars?
Glen Curtis tried V-8 in his motorcycle in 1907, got World-speed record of 220 km/hour and survived!

Ciao,
Zoran​

 

How about 7 cylinders?

 

... gooooooooooood!​

A small and cute radial engine in a small and cute car, a miracle appeared more than a century ago: three-wheel auto, or three-wheel motorcycle, or three-wheel cyclecar or... (low flying ultralight aeroplane, especially in the shown case)
There is a couple of Morgans here in Bern, one old original oldtimer and one classic from the vintage era.
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Happiness for all the people in Oceania that are now (European hour 16:17) in new 2019 year!

Zoran​