Let's Talk Cyclecars

I only know about Sherpas because one floated past on my local (Western NC) Craigslist a few months back,
It caught my eye as I was scanning for a light flickable back road bike,
Keep us updated on your project,

 

The coolest Cyclecar ever built (In my Biased opinion)
The Morgan RIP Special

 

There was a brief fad in the early '50s for these Morgan/GN specials. The 500cc cl*** had been developed after the war as a low-cost racing formula, but with the rise of the Coopers and their ilk, the home constructors were outcl***ed (or outspent).
GNs weren't worth much (Bill Boddy said that they went for 30 shillings [1½ pounds]) and early two-speed Morgans could be had for the asking out of a hedge or the bottom of a garden (you didn't need a Super Sports, any Morgan would do). Other than combining the two drivetrains, the build was mostly iron****ery.
The RIP is the lowest of these that I've seen.
One question I haven't been able to find an answer to is: Why only two speeds? Was the GN it was built on only a two-speed? The early belt-drive GNs, with the engine mounted longitudinally were, but I thought that one of the benefits of the GN ge****t these specials used was four gears. Or was that only the Frazer-Nash?

 

I suspect that the specials were built to get 4 wheels not 4 speeds so the easiest thing to do was use the Morgan bevel box with 2 sprockets and get on with it. It would be much mor complicated to have 4 chains.

 

from Stiffspeed

 

Got a question... got several touring bikes with driveshafts for free, and was wondering if a Model T rear axle would be able to handle to motor? I have parts galore for model T's, but thought of using some of the misc parts to build something different.

Sent from my SM-N960U using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

I bet the diff would work fine. Many T's were hot rodded back then. The T front axle and steering would work too. Morgan 3 wheel owners would take the reduction gear box from T's and put them on the steering shaft of the Morgan.

 

Interesting "all weather" Moggy.

 

Very comfortable but homely.

 

It is quite the pendulum swing to function over form

 

I'd rather get in that Morgan outhouse than one with one of those low canvas tops and no side curtains.

 

Something special about form over function, but I admit the practicality of that coupe appeals to me.

 

Interesting cycle car for sale

https://www.prewarcar.com/293936-new-carden-cyclecar

 

While doing some more digging on the Morgan-GN question, I came on some interesting stuff:

A speedway midget built in the UK by Jean Reville before 1935:
It had a 4ft 5in wheelbase, modified BSA engine and 12 in. wheels on BSA front-drive hubs. It drove the front wheels directly by chain, having neither gearbox nor brakes(!) The wheel the boy is resting his arm on is a stock BSA front-drive wheel.

In 1935, he replaced it with the Gnat:
This had a 5ft wheelbase and a JAP twin.

He announced a production version of the Gnat for £165.
A few were produced before Reville captained the British team that toured Australia in 1936 and Reville decided to stay.

The speedway car to beat in 1936 was the Skirrow, which we looked at on p.291:


Here's a survivor in the middle of a restoration:


And now for something (almost) completely different:
Dorcas, which we saw most recently on p.358, seen here in 1934:
The engine was said to be a 1925 JAP KTOR.

 

Most versions of this pic online have this caption:
"C.W. Cooper of Surbiton drives the miniature racing car he built for his son John. The tiny car is fitted with a 1.25 hp two-stroke engine and can travel up to 52 mph, 1935" Even with a 'Brooklands can' exhaust, I find that improbable.

 

Down hill in a hurricane, maybe.

 

Old Charley Cooper actually liked his son, so he wouldn't give him a fast, top-heavy car on pram wheels...
I'd guess 5mph would be closer to reality for 1.25hp, given the car's weight and lack of a gearbox (at least as far as we can tell).

 

Someone spent a little time attending to detail!

 

WOW, nice modeling. There is a whole group called "fine scale modeling". Interesting stuff.

 

https://www.carandcl***ic.co.uk/car...P8zBhP2115q6kuEMpd4E76U#.Xc0-7i0JJPg.facebook

 

Speaking of modeling, check out Gerald Wingrove’s models. His talent is astounding!

 

Unfortunately Gerald died recently. His website may still be up, his cars look real!. Also, if you like modeling go to papermolders.com. These guys build insane stuff out of paper.

 

I like this one.

 

For sale

https://www.brightwells.com/lot-details/100011805

 

I had come to identify that flat deck pointed tail as BSA.
Learning as I go.

 

On the Morgan 3 wheel forum they said it was a Family model that was modified and raced.

 

Don't know much about this, taken off the internet, looks like a good idea.