Let's Talk Cyclecars

Hey, I was wondering what engine would be best iN a home built cycle car. It has to be cheep and also powerful and pre war. Any suggestions?

 

Prewar, it's probably a bit of pot luck. I'd suggest joining a local club that's into the early stuff, and seeing what people have available. Chances are that it'll involve some creative mixing and matching to adapt more common parts, and quite possibly a bit of judicious machining.

 

Tschech via G.L. ...

 

Thanks

 

WOW!!!Do you have more information about this car?

 

Citroen chassis,Hotchkiss engine,looks like GN front axle......Custom clothes.

 

Hello Bob,​

Great photo of Waltham Orient's friction-drive variable transmission! It was something similar to present snow-blower's transmission... It looks to me that Orient was forrunner of cyclecars that appeared a few years later.

Ciao, Zoran​

 

Bob,
Full story of that unusual aerodynamic DIY automobile!
Zoran

 

Where is the audio from this? Gotta sound awesome.

 

I don't know if you will get enough of a fix from this video. Amilcar26 videos are marc's.He has a lot of them.If you look at his videos,there will be other cyclecar vids that come along side of his.

 

I wish these guys would shield their microphone from the wind. I've seen some videos where they did and the sound was really great. Wind noise sucks.

 

Ah,pretty much.

 

For all of you following Ade's JAPIC recreation.....

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.476874405784138.1073741868.288202517984662&type=1

 

Salmson VAL 5 via M arc and Rolande....

 

GN via Marc...

 

More from Marc.... Modified Buick chassis and 1917 CIRRUS aircraft engine....

 

1910 Kelsey Motorette at the Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum,Fairbanks,Alaska (http://www.fountainheadmuseum.com/ ).

 

Thanks Bob, The Kelsey was the first three wheeler to drive across the USA, it covered over 3,000 miles on the trip. I've wanted one since I first saw one in the early 1960's. I have a good collection of original literature and an instruction manual. Bob

 

What are there...10 left?

 

Ten to twelve is a fair guess on the Motoretts, I think some of the known ones from the 1960's to 1970's have been restored and may be thought of as additions to the total. The Fountainhead car is new to me. Whoever picks the cars to add to that collection sure has a great eye, and a visit to that collection is on my Bucket List, I crossed off the Neathercutt Collection this year, everyone needs to see that one. Bob

 

I would rather go to the Mullin instead of the Nethercutt.However,when I go to see the Mullin,I will go see the Nethercutt the next day....

 

Elvis in a Messrschmitt...

 

Hello,​

During the first half of twenties appeared entire generation of so-called “Baby Cars”: mostly two seats (sometime +1 or +2), simple open body, but - almost a real cars: four cylinder water-cooled engines, gearboxes, propeller-shaft and differentials, later four-wheel brakes (not very effective by modern standards)... Some were developed from better cycle-cars, but some were quite new brave designs. In France started with cute Peugeot Quadrilette and Renault 5CV Cloverleaf, followed by Amilcar and Salmson with a dozen of almost the same popular and successful sport-touring automobiles, mostly in class of 1100 cc (quite hot class become soon)... In UK appeared something smaller but not less popular and succesful Austin-7 and Morris Minor. That was wonderful vintage era with motorisation for masses, and I could hardly find one of those small automobiles that I wouldn't like. Sad but true, those magnificent automobiles killed my other big love: fragile cycle-cars!

Bob show us wonderful early Salmson, bets known from wonderful old film "Les Vacances de M. Hulot" (or "Mister Ilo's Holiday" )... From many decades ago, when we were watching that comedy on TV, we felt in love with it, but even more with that cute, small and simple automobile... It became our favorite (for my father, my brother and me), even we didn't know too much about old-timers, and nothing about cycle-cars and their more serious brothers and sisters... Unfortunately, my father never realised his dream to have something similar... There were such veterans in Belgrade in early sixties, at back-yards and old garages, in various state of originality and drive-ability. Maybe brother and I could build replica using some original components and some modern, but... But, some people managed to make replica of it: my old but now gone forever friend Peter Stevenson from USA, known better by his Cycle-Karts! Just to memorized his work and love for such vehicles and that era in general, I will attach a few photos of his magnificent automobile (beside original Salmson's from mentioned film)!

Ciao,
Zoran​

 

Oh the Mullin is on my Bucket List for shure, I want to have an enlargement made of the centerpiece of that collection when it was a $65,000 World Record at Auction at the time sitting on an open trailer in Mom and Dad's driveway on my lunch brake. I got to work on some great stuff 1970=1983. Bob

 

Yes,those cyclekarts are a great substitute!