Let's Talk Cyclecars

UKAde "Would love to see a picture of the whole engine" Thanks for asking.

This is the 8hp.


This is a TWELVE


There are almost no Australian Manufactured, Pre-war, engines, suitable for automotive use except the Howard's.
The 12hp. was built between 1934 & 1953 in Northmead, NSW.. They were exported worldwide.

The 12hp has a bore: 98.425 mm. and stroke: 120.650 mm. Capacity: 918cc.

Big enough for a small car...but it's a Twin.

Total capacity: 1836cc !!!

 

Here's a Clip of one running

http://youtu.be/HmHd9t2OzDo

 

This is the little car I want to put it in.

 

Daryl,thanks for showing us the Howard.Very interesting.

Bob

 

That motor is tough. Is it running a big ole tiller?

 

Nice engine, one of those would be great fun in an Austin 7 ch***is

 

I agree,Ade, and thanks Daryl!

Herb

 

I would think the Howard cam regrind would be an easy task for these folks. Bob http://www.howardscams.com/

 

Thanks Bob, it generally is best to find a Spe******t!!!
You do need to watch out for Howard Scams though.

Chu**, Yes, it is running a big ole tiller. Here's a link to one in action. http://youtu.be/dSDaNh6NIgI

Re: Austin 7 ch***is. Based on the engine supports, the little roadster probably had a small Austin engine in it at one time.

I don't know all that much about it. I bought it from a fellow who got it from an old wrecking yard in Lismore, New South Wales.

The painted number plate on the front apron is "all digits". These were last used in NSW in 1937. Unfortunately the NSW motor registration people do not release information on previous owner history.

The general look is sort of late 20's early 30's. Curved cowl & dash are not very common. The hood is short, not long like most of the English sports cars. I've been trying to find a production car that the design could have been based on.

The interesting feature is the tubular frame. There were not too many cars built before WW2 with this type of construction. The tubing is quite thin, like heavy exhaust tube. Some sections have been rolled to oval shape. It's not a triangulated space frame but just tubular rails and hoops & some braces. Two men can easily pick up & carry the body (with the rear springs only)

The welding is all oxy-acetylene gas welded and some brazing. Panels are all tack welded to the tube structure. Seat has wooden bases and leather covering. Brakes were cable operated.

Based on all the above I consider that it is a rather special, Australian, one-off, built pre-war and I want to fit a "suitable" drive train.
There are plenty of little english flathead motors available, I was even offered a French OHV 7hp DFP but that wouldn't be special or particularly Aussie enough.

Hence the Howard V-Twin engine.

The whole thing is a "Bit of a *******" (an endearing, colloquial term) and I don't think it could/should be posted anywhere better than this Tread. I hope you all agree.

Cheers, Daryl.

 

Daryl your car looks similar to this

http://www.historicracing.org.uk/racecars4sale/specials.html

 

Got a few hours on the jappic yesterday in between daddydaycare

Just doing the gearbox mounting crossmember and working on seat mounting setback bulkhead ,

I need to get the driver in before the engine mounting as it is going to get a bit tight in the area

 

Just looking at my picture I think it's time to tidy my work bench

 

A BIT tight???

Herb

 

There's a bench in the picture?

 

Jappic update today I tidied up so Bob can see my bench ,

Made part to join gearbox x member to seatback bulkhead

Dragged out the 600 sv engine which will be temp engine for the car until the correct 350 ohv twin port engine can be found

 

This Tamplin is just about right.

http://www.stilltimecollection.co.u...mobile-motorcar-cyclecar-sidecar-tamplin.html

There was an article about a homebuilt Voisin Laboratoir in Cl***ic and Sportscar a few years ago. Will see if i can locate it.

 

I saw there was some discussion about the original Jappic engine.
In one photo, it looks like it is a three valve head. One inlet, two exhaust.

 

The twin port engine had two valves one inlet and one exhaust but the exhaust exits through twin pipes

http://kioteegarage.blogspot.co.uk/2011_10_01_archive.html. Pics here

 

Ade,you should see my bench at work while I'm building an 18 speed Fuller transmission.I hate putting anything away,much wiping anything down before I do!

 

Welcome to the HAMB and the Cyclecar thread Huvius!

 

Thanks!!
Spent the last 15yrs or so in English guns and am starting to get the itch for some motoring.
Had some OK cars int he past, Alfa Giulietta Sprint, '38 Ford 1ton pickup, BMW 3.0CS and a bunch more but now am thinking a 20's-30's car is where to go or a self build.
Ade, I looked at the stills of the Jappic film and now see that it is a 2V twin port.

 

A couple of Morgans in the Malvern Hills...

 

I was prepared not to like the new Morgan at all (it isn't really a Morgan what with an S&S engine and no sliding pillar front suspension) but I like it a lot on its own terms. Would have one in a heart beat and £30k isn't that expensive for a handbuilt low volume car - easy to spend that on creating a replica.

 

The engine doesn't bother me. After all, Morgan have used a variety of engines over the years, JAP, Ford, Standard, Fiat, Rover, etc. To my mind the S&S fits right in. I have more of a problem with how it is aspirated and sparked: I'd prefer a big SU and ****ogue power-transistor ignition.

The sliding-pillar suspension is part of the traditional idiosyncratic Morgan (and Lancia, for that matter) character, though I have grave misgivings about the system as such. I can understand the considerations that probably originally led to the design, but I'd have liked to see a few layers of subsequent cleverness (as opposed to "progress") deposited upon it. The current set-up looks much the state of the art, but rather boring as a consequence.

 

Hi,
The Morgans suffered from rear wheel displacement in some cases because of the output of the 1000c.c. J.A.P. engine and the inertia that had to be overcome when launching the vehicle with two ocupants. Modern engineering has overcome that problem and do not doubt the performance of the 3 wheeler. These were genuine sports cars in their day, outperforming many more conventional compe***ors.

 

The new Morgan Trike was tested on BBCs Top Gear, Series 18 Episode 6.

 

Welcome to the HAMB and the cyclecar thread Trooper32B. From the looks of your avatar you might know Sancta Rosa!

Bob

 

Someone's ankles are gonna be BURNING !!!

 

Ade, are those the same **** they ran in speedway bikes? There was one for sale in NZ on the TradeMe auction site but I can't find it now. Must have got snapped up real quick. Complete bike, pre war engine in a later frame, built late 50's or early 60's, had about NZ$7000 on it if my vague memory serves me correctly. I'll let you know if I see it again.

 

Well my memory really is vague, I had all the details wrong! Just found the expired auction. Sorry, it's a 500. http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/motorbikes/motorbikes/cl***ic-vintage/auction-517085907.htm