Let's Talk Cyclecars

Thanks for the informative pictures. I really like the wooden spoke look although one could paint a faux wood on a steel spoke wheel. The Studebaker National museum has the carriage that was used by Abraham Lincoln in their collection. It really shows some beautiful curving craftsmanship on the body and chassis and that may inspire my design rather than the "piano box" that became popular with production motorized carriages.
I would be a little cautious about using hover board electronics as they were getting famous for catching fire.

I was thinking of possibly using a double motor driveline from the new Arcimoto electric 3 wheeler powering the rear axle as it has differential compensating software in its controller. It would also augment braking with its battery regeneration. I have a very good connection with them.
All in all, it is a very back burner project as I need to finish my cyclecar ASAP. Trying to complete the suspension fabrication this month.


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This video was very impressive for me.I think it will be not easy to find someone in the modern western world to do this job with this basic workshop equipment.I'm impressed!
(I'm running in Switzerland a mechanical workshop with modern CNC machine tools)

 

ROLF

I THINK THE COWS NEED GPS AND CALORIE USE TELEMETRY. PLUS THE SPECIAL EU APPROVED BLANKET FOR THE COWS TO SLEEP ON..... IN THIS WAY VEAL WOULD BE FAR BETTER. AND FARMERS COULD BE SEVERELY FINED.... ADDING TO ''PROPER'' MEAT DEVELOPMENT IF CALVES MOVED TOO FAR TOO FAST......

I HONESTLY DIDN'T TAKE THE VIDEO SERIOUSLY OR THE ABOVE STATEMENT EITHER.....

 

Star of Retromobile Paris for me was this car - built by a British engineer using a genuine Bugatti 4 cylinder supercharged 325cc engine. Bodywork is his interpretation of an Atlantic. Not completed and now for sale at €415,000. Actually a bargain IMHO

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This was also highly amusing

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Hello, BlackJack,
For interesting information and excellent photos! ​

It is really cute coupè with a magnificent realisation: design, construction and details. To "replicate" style of big Bugatti T-57 Atlantic on so small scale is a miracle!
As I know, it started some years ago as a replica or re-creation of Bugatti T-68 designed and constructed by Ettore himself, during the German occupation. There was a legend that this small coupè was based on original components of original T-68, and is made using original Ettorre's plans for coupè on T-68 base. Mostly, people believed that it is quite a new car, extremely well designed and built, with maybe original engine, or it is also made from scratch...

In any case - expensive and nice toy for some happy and lucky adults - only to know to finish it, or to pays somebody for that - a few more hundreds thousand of $$$ or £££ or Euros or whatever...

Ciao,
Zoran​

 

Thanks for posting those pictures. In the world of Bugattis the price is not very much. I’d really like to see it finished and running - maybe some enthusiast will buy it and complete it.


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More photos from Instagram:

 

The Isetta van conversion is really cool! I'd like to have that.

 

THERE ARE A LOT OF FAKE BUGATTIS OUT THERE .. EVEN COUPES
I KNOW OF ONE RUNNING T-57 MECHANICALS FRACTION THAT IS RUNNING AND DRIVING RIGHT NOW AT A FRACTION OF THE FAKE.

YOU COULD BUY THIS FAKE CHEAP

 

HONESTLY I THINK THIS HAS MORE PLACE IN THIS CYCLECAR THREAD

 

Looks like 8 cylinders to me.

 

4 cylinder, DOHC

 

4 valves per cylinder with individual ports and pipes. Only 4 spark plugs.

 

My little project is "done"... or as "Done" as a project ever is....

Ran pretty good on the first outing...
Was making a top speed jaunt down my normal runway/public road when some mouth breathing, crack head decided to pull across the road and into the same lane I was in....

So I just slid into the passing lane and blew right on past... But I lost my momentum and decided to abort the run... Only hit 52.57 mph...

Obviously the people never got the notice that was never sent out that there was going to be Unofficially Official, Slightly Illegal, Landspeed Cyclekart Record Attempts today..

 

хелло, Рев. БоњЂ
Фоллоњинг ѕоур проејцт ат

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SORRY, THAT WAS WRITTEN ON SERBIAN
CYRILLIC ALPHABET, BY MISTAKE
----​

Hello, Rev. Bow!​

Following your project well presented at CycleKart Club...

http://www.cyclekartclub.com/phorum/read.php?2,13305

... I know very well entire adventure, from design, construction and driving it around Juma!

I must say that I was and I am still delighted by your masterpiece! Maybe to show here some videos of you driving it around, trough prairie? As I know, it is one of the fastest CycleKarts known in the Club? Average maximum speed is around 40 MPH.

Beside excellent realisation, it is a replica of unusual Morgan 4-wheeler and is finished as the cute mini-racer...

For the people here, CycleKart is "invention" of Pete Stevenson, his son Mike, brother Bill and their friends, established in California and later moved to their Stoneleigh Ranch in Texas that became the centre of the Cyclekartism. Vehicles are scaled-down replicas of vintage GP racers but in many cases of any other interesting sport/racing car from a bygone era. By their design and construction, they are a mixture of go-karts, cyclecars, soapbox cars and down-coaster racers...

Have a nice fun testing it, improving it, driving it, racing it (if you want that)...

Regards,
Zoran​

 

I see it now. Thanks.

 

The mention of a Cyclekart Land Speed Record prompts me to add my own record, although technically it's a Briggs & Stratton Flyer Replica. Please note the information provided in the asterisk.

 

I think its on topic, Gary

A Triumph For The Light Car (1933)

 

Here is my CycleKart under its own power... I gave my "boy" a ride



It is powered by a 212cc Thumper with a CVT/Torque Converter (snowmobile style) clutch. I'm betting it will do 55 mph without much trouble... And a single, mechanical rear disc brake to keep things entertaining...

I and thinking about doing an actual Cycle Car next and trying for road legal...

 

BOW

NO OFFENSE BUT WHY NOT SAVE SOME HONEST TO GOD REAL HISTORY
I HATE TO SEE EFFORT AND TALENT TOWARD REPLICA ANYTHING WHEN THERE ARE SO MANY WORTHY AND HISTORIC PROJECTS AROUND.

I DO UNDERSTAND "IT IS ART" .. KINETIC SCULPTURE

I HAVE SPENT MY ENTIRE LIFE SAVING HISTORY AND IT HASN'T TURNED OUT SO BAD FOR ME.

I REMEMBER WATCH MY OLD FRIEND LUM A FONG WITH HIS LITTLE PEUGEOT. STANDING NEXT TO IT HE'D GET FAR TALLER WITH PRIDE

IMAGING HOW I FELT ON THE STARTING RAMP OF THE MILLE MIGLIA 50 YEARS AFTER MY CAR'S OVERALL WIN. OR THE DAY THAT MY ENTRY FOR MILLE MIGIA AND HISTORIC LE MANS CAME TO ME THE SAME DAY AND UPON LOOKING AT THE ENTRY LIST FOR LE MANS MY ONE OFF BMW WAS THE ONLY PREWAR BMW ON THE "ELIGIBLE CARS" LIST. NOT MODEL, OR TYPE BUT MY PARTICULAR CAR!!
SAVE SOME HISTORY PLEASE

 

Why not "save" one instead of building one?
I can think of a couple reasons...
-Availability
Cost

Cycle Cars were never as popular in the US as they were in Europe... The Model T pretty much killed the whole cycle car/light car segment here, so trying to find one to "save" can be a pretty pricey adventure, if you can find one at all...

 

I THINK YOU NEED TO START WITH A GOOGLE SEARCH.
I HAVE SPENT MY LIFE FINDING OBJECTS IN THE US. PRE-INTERNET!!

I REMEMBER WALKING INTO A WAREHOUSE ACROSS THE STRRET FROM MY SHOP AND FINDING A BABY PEUGEOT IN AMONGST A BUNCH OF NAVY SURPLUS. IT HAD NEVER BEEN OPEN FOR YEARS...

I GUESS YOU'D JUST RATHER HAVE A GO-KART. SORRY FOR THE SUGGESTION.

I'VE OWNED EXPENSIVE HISTORY BUT MY FIRST CAR COST ME TWO BOWLING SHIRTS AT AGE 14

YOU'D BE SURPRISED WHAT'S AROUND YOU IN AZ. ALL IT TAKES IN THE BALLS TO LOOK.

HONEST

 

BOW

THIS ONE IS IN AZ.


I LOST TOUCH WITH IT A COUPLE YEARS AGO

IT'S A LITTLE "CLOWN CAR" FROM A FLYING CIRCUS DARE DEVIL. INDIAN FOUR CYLINDER MOTOR.

 

Bluto,

Building the CycleKart was like a "proof of concept", instead of trying to build a Lotus 7 clone (Locost 7) right off the bat for the 2.4L DOHC engine sitting on a stand in my Garage.

I apologize if me posting my "go Kart" (as you call it) in this thread has offended you. The difference between a true vintage cycle car and my Cyclekart is a very small margin...

I have been looking on the 'net for a cycle car for sale, just haven't found one yet that would interest me, or in the price range I'd want to spend

 

NOT OFFENDED IN ANY WAY.

FOR THE MOST PART THE ONLY CYCLE CAR YOU'LL FIND ON THE INTERNET IS ONE THAT SOMEONE FOUND BEFORE YOU AND IS NOW TRYING TO MAKE MONEY ON.

THE LITTLE CAR I POSTED HERE IS IN AZ HONEST I JUST LOST CONTACT WITH THE OWNER. BUT IT AND A LOT OF WONDERFUL HISTORY IS AROUND YOU. AND WORTH LOOKING FOR HONEST.
IT'S NOT ABOUT MONEY OR LUCK. THESE DO HELP, BUT MORE ABOUT GOOD DETECTIVE WORK AND EFFORT.

MY POINT IS THAT IF YOU HAVE THE DRIVE AND INTEREST IN QUIRKY AUTOMOBILES WHY NOT SAVE SOMETHING. IN THE END YOU'LL HAVE HISTORY AND SOME WONDERFUL STORIES TO TELL.
THE COUPE IN THE PHOTOS WAS LOST FOR 30 YEARS... I FOUND IT AFTER A 7 YEAR HUNT. I WAS IN SO CAL IT WAS IN CONN. ALL DONE PRE-INTERNET.
SOMETIMES RARE AND WONDERFUL ISN'T AS EXPENSIVE AS YOU MIGHT THINK.
I DO ADMIT TO USING THE INTERNET BUT OFTEN TO SEARCH SMALL TOWN NEWSPAPER LISTS .... THINGS LIKE THAT.
I BROUGHT A GROUP SEVEN CAN-AM CAR ADVERTISED AS A DUNE BUGGY ONCE. THE POOR GUY WAS GETTING MARRIED AND HIS SOON TO BE TOLD HIM TO "GET RID OF THAT JUNK"..... LIKE I SAID CARS AND STORIES TOO.

 

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Hello, Rev. Bow!​

You shouldn't apologize for anything written and shown here. This is the Forum about classic and modern cyclecars (replicas?), or at least it is so started and developed.

Misunderstanding is because there is quite a difference between CycleKarts and cyclecars or their full-size replicas.

CycleKarts are here less known, but that movement started some 15-20 years ago by Stevenson family and friends in California (where should be else): making a mixture of cyclecars and go-karts, all influenced by motorised soap-box back-yard made racers. Now, there could be a couple hundred in process of building or already built around the World.

Mostly, they are styled as GP racers or sport/racers from the vintage era. They are scaled-down versions of originals, mostly having 60-70% of wheel-base and most of other measures. CycleKarts should be cheap - around 2.0-2.5 thousand of $$$, simply and quickly built in a shed or garage, with cheap tools...
There are no official plans, neither kit-completes nor they could be bought new - just some of the components and parts. Would be owners and wannabe "racers" choose original automobile as inspiration, make their own plans and construct them, test them and enjoy driving them alone or in groups...
Some shows/races gathered a few of them and some even 2-3 dozens.

Your CycleKart is a cute and good replica of four-wheel Morgan, quite rare model. However, everybody should notice that small engine (Honda 200 or its clone, with 6.5 HP) and CVT is positioned at the rear! Of course, it is something smaller than original, slower a lot.

How much would it a cost to buy one original Morgan 4-wheel racer, or even more regular 3-wheel sport/racing car, then serviced it, enter high-level racing?

More about all that could be found at:

http://www.cyclekarts.com/
www.cyclekartclub.com/
http://www.gittrevillegp.com/www.gittrevillegp.com/Welcome.html
http://www.cyclekart-fr.com/index.php

A few other websites could be found as many videos about construction, driving or "racing" them.

Ciao,
Zoran​