Driving home from school today, listening to NPR, I hear talk about the SmartCar coming to the U.S. in January. Which gets me to thinking about small cars. Which gets me to thinking about the Fiat 500 I see in the parking lot every now and then and how I fantasize about putting a Hayabusa engine in one. Which further leads to me thinking about motorcycle engines in four-wheeled contraptions in general. How about one of these: Stuffed into one of these? What have you got? -Dave
I know the one you're talking about. It had a wooden boattail, didn't it? I have pictures saved on my laptop. I didn't realize it had been finished. For some reason, the four-wheeled variety appeals to me more, although I'm not entirely sure how you'd do a differential from a chain drive. Harley-Davidson evidently had it figured out with the Servicar, however: Kinda looks like a Ford banjo, doesn't it? -Dave
This is the thread that made me want to build one: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=201625 - Matt
Having gotten your link to work... I like the Velorex. Especially the fabric bodywork. Looks more practical for inclement weather than my Dudley Bug, too. -Dave
Interesting idea. There have been more than a few folks who've swapped a BMW twin into a Citroën 2CV, bringing it up from 425 or 602cc to 1000cc or more. As to the Dudley Bug, it already has a twin cylinder motorcycle-type engine in it. Specs are scarce, but likely a Spacke. Cosmo
I did a little what if about a bike car a few years ago.... It's always in the back of my mind. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=28503&highlight=modified+crotch+rocket
There's a company that makes a transmission for HD's (and other motorcycles) that includes a reverse gear and allows connection to a regular automotive axle. Pricey at around $1500 but available.
That is the coolest! A bit more engine than I had envisioned, but the hardwood framerails are most inspirational. -Dave
Hmm... ...the Spacke isn't quite as gutsy looking as the Knuck, but not bad. Still, the odds of finding a Dudley to hot rod seem slim. What are these GN cars mentioned in the thread with the JAP V8 cyclecar? I saw them referenced in November's banger meeting as well. They're kinda cool. Doesn't look like they use a differential at all, though. -Dave
hahaha, that's crazy. I'll bet he doesn't get quite the original 40mpg anymore. But the upshot is that he can still park perpendicular to the curb. -Dave
This is the Pop Dryer built Catfish, powered by a Harley Knucklehead, it had a lot of great drivers. One an East Coast Chanpionship in the late 1930's with Bill Schindler driving. NEVER sell a racecar before you do the research on it!!!!!!!!! I sold it to a friend in the mid 1970's for $100.00 before I knew what it was.
This is a 1915 Baby Cup Racer, one of a pack of 12-15 Harley Twin powered cars. They toured the USA and Japan all with different grills to represent big cars of the era.
Here's a slightly different one powered by a 750 HondaMatic.The body was a kit built awhile back(don't recall the name).It was 'glass formed over wood.There was a large bulkhead in back where the bike bolted on.You removed the front fork and attached the whole bike to the bulkhead.It was two passenger and the top was hinged to allow entry.There was a provision for reversing but it was a bit complicated.It involved putting the bike in neutral and then pulling a lever that worked a cable that led back to a 12v cycle starter motor with a rubber donut attached to the drive end.This lowered the donut against the rear tire.You then switched on the motor and it(supposedly)turned the tire to allow you to back up.Not having any rearward vision didn't help matters either.But this thing was built over 20 years ago.sort of looks like a Bricklin in front.A friend of mine owned it for awhile but (wisely)moved on to other more practical things.
The Hot Rod Hawg had my intrest a couple of years ago. http://www.rbimovies.nl/media/amt/Movies/Hotrod_Hawg.wmv?rnd=5038383 Some people have turned those legend cars street legal.
Morgans are the ones I like!,Pure simplicity with huge performance from really ancient J.A.P engines. http://www.morgan3w.de/technic/technic.htm heres one in action http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NA40gaIeVg&feature=related
damnit. damnit. damnit. something told me i shouldn't click on this topic... but "cyclecars" sparked my curiosity. part way through the first page, i realize i'm saying to myself "hmm, i've got an axle like that... i've got that weird grille in the basement that would work... oh, i totally know where there's a cowl that would do..." i've got too many projects as it is. and now i find myself wanting another one wait... it gets worse (better?). just realized the narrow track of a 20s lookin' racer would fit in the basement, thus working around the "shop is too full with other stuff".... the basement is nearly EMPTY! wife's gonna kill me when she sees a frame sitting down there...
I'm "lucky" Daddylama, my basement floods, so there's never a temptation to put things down there... -Dave
A few years ago there was a company I checked into from the U.K. that produced three wheelers based on the old Morgans. The JZR (John Ziemba Restorations) used Honda CX 500/650, Moto Guzzi, even H.D. power trains. Commonly they are registered as motorcycles with the doner bikes title. The quality of the kit looked high in the video I purchased. The U.S. distributor is Bill Todd out of Texas. I believe they are still available for around 5-6K. Google it for plenty of info.
just had 5 days of constant mild rain (and it'll be followed by a couple more months of that)... basement is partially flooded at the moment. "honey, what are you doing?" -fixin' the basement leak! "sounds like you're grinding!" -grinding the leak! "and the welding?" -welding the leak! i reckon it'll not go as smoothly as that, but it's what i'm hoping for. there's an FJ1200 with mangled forks for sale, locally... and a KZ1000 that looks near abandoned... ok, not traditional by any means... but something that looks along the lines of a 20s dirt track car with lights, the air-cooled cycle motor under the bonnie... it'd make a fun driver that might be cheap on the gas... or another endless project, along side all the other endless projects i've got
This thread has a cool boat-tailed 3 wheeled job. I think its the one mentioned in this thread too. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=167392&showall=1 There is a rendering in that thread that is pretty friggin' cool
Almost a cyclecar, lots of Locost's have been built with bike engines. Wicked, scary fast...... Most of them retain the bike transmission and have a coupler that hooks to a conventional driveshaft and rearend, but a few are chaindrive. Lots of video on u-tube.
That's the thread that got me thinking about the four-wheeled cyclecars. I first saw an illustration of the Dudley Bug years ago in a rather academic book on auto styling called Chrome Dreams and filed it away. I see that S&S is now offering a complete dual-carb 71ci Panhead for somewhere around $8K. They have a Knuck in the works - I know the early Harley overheads aren't known for their tremendous fuel economy, but I'll bet you'd still do pretty good with one of these. Titling might be an issue, though. "Yes officer, it's a 1914 Dudley Bug but with a '36 Harley engine and '35 Ford wheels..." -Dave
It does kinda look like someone riding an ATV backward. It's definitely not what I was thinking when I said "cyclecar." -Dave
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