Let's Talk Cyclecars

Read about Gaston Rivierre and the Contal tricar at www.PreWarCar.com

 

From this year's Welsh Trials . GL pics

 

We've seen Duncan's car before.Here it is again at the Welsh Trials.We'll see if we get an answer to the fleece on the bonnet question this time! GL pic.

 

A couple of JAPs ('29 & '30) and a 1911 AC Sociable engine are for sale on the TradeMe online auction site in NZ this week. Good cyclecar stuff. I wonder if the JAPs are industrial units? We had JAPs on our railway"jiggers" here, coupled to Albion 3 speed + reverse gearboxes.

 

I just gots-ta know! Gary

- helps the co-driver (small cat or dog) hang on in rough terrain?
- knee pad for making repairs in lousy locations?
- helps keep the driver warm in foul weather?
- a traction aid for use in soft sand, mud or icy conditons?
- Chia pet ranch?
- softens facial impact during head-on collisions?
- or... "Flair Hair" for balding cowls?

 

That might be a possibility, as JAP did manufacture a range of industrial units, and could have been used here for running water pumps, saw mills, etc. Then again they might have been removed from motorcycles for the same uses, which, as you know, was quite common.

 

I never knew there was such a vast variety of JAP engines.I started to look around and found a guy could go blind trying to figure out all the different kinds.It's surprising they didn't survive in one form or another considering the diversity of the range.I know there are outfits making parts and complete engines as well as motorcycles.

 

Bugatti Brescia from the Welsh Trials. GL pic...

 

Another of Duncan Pittaway and his Azani powered GN at the Welsh Trials.Gillian Carr pic...

 

That's me with Duncan in the last picture! I had a fantastic time. The car wasn't built as a trials car but the thumping great v-twin seems perfect for launching it up those muddy hills. He had to answer the fur question many times over the weekend. The truth is, his daughter thought it looked nice! It certainly wouldn't be the same without it.

On the Sunday I stuffed my camera up my jumper and got quite a lot of photos - there's a gallery of the ones that weren't of my belly button here...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stefanmarjoram/sets/72157631776569544/#

Richard and Annie (who have the Jap GN) arrived in this wonderful car which Richard has spent a lot of time getting just right. It's beautiful (in a quirky way) from every angle and I had to force myself to stop photographing it in the early morning frost...


WT12-7412-2 by Stefan Marjoram, on Flickr

Here's the fur looking a bit droopy and cold - soon perked up again though...

WT12-7415 by Stefan Marjoram, on Flickr

Another GN flies up the last hill of the day...

WT12-7687 by Stefan Marjoram, on Flickr

Glorious Welsh scenery - and unusually good weather...

WT12-7575 by Stefan Marjoram, on Flickr

Lots more in the gallery, hope you like them.

 

What a great set of photos!

Thanks for the link----

Herb

 

Thanks Stefan! and thanks for the explanation of the fur covering!

Bob

 

Looks like you guys had a great time. Thanks for sharing..!

 

Great pics Stefan I did the Derbyshire trial a few years ago in my Austin 7 , it was so cold the dew drop on my nose froze,
The poor car got a real battering as the mud on the sections was frozen the whole morning
This is a picture after the Hereford trial

 

Here is a pic from Sasha Schmidtt...

 

another tricar,this one from Vincent...

 

Mr. Pittaway has an excellent eye for fun, a fur coated, brescia-esque body on a GN. surely there is a joke in there somewhere.

 

Duncan is also the owner of the Hornet!

 

Wonderful pix. The rationale for the fur covered cowl certainly wasn't what I expected. I wonder if more cars will have them at the next meet? Gary

 

Gary,you got your answer about the fur covered cowl!

 

^ Indeed. Will this become a trend, a fashion accessory for specials and such? Gary

 

Thank you so much for sharing smarjoram! Your flickr-gallery is just a blast!

 

Thanks for the nice comments everyone - glad you liked the pictures. There was a tricar at Prescott this year too...


VieEnBleu-2485 by Stefan Marjoram, on Flickr


VieEnBleu-2438 by Stefan Marjoram, on Flickr

 

1896 Leon Bolle' Tricycle .Vincent pic...

 

This has been a favorite thread of mine almost from the beginning. I've been dabbling with the idea of a motorcycle-engined three wheeler for more than a decade, starting about the time I realized I can no longer afford to build another old-timey early Ford-based hot rod like my last one.

I've been fond of Morgan three wheelers ever since I saw my first one in my early teens. I paired that with my long interest and history with motorcycles (and a particular affinity for Honda engineering/manufacturing that began when I was a Honda dealer-supported racer in 1960, and continued through the '80s as a vendor/consultant to American Honda).

What has come from my long and checkered history with hot rods, three-wheelers, and Honda is an amalgam trike -- or reverse trike as characterized by some -- that fills all my needs for an interesting and very special ride/drive that will take me wherever I choose to travel in our large country, with great reliability, exceptional fuel economy, decent comfort, and high smiles-per-miles performance.

As this thread has developed an increasingly pure cycle-car character, my enjoyment and interest have grown, especially for build threads and details; but I'm concerned and hopeful that the 'hot-rod' spirit will continue long enough for me trot out and share all the fun we're having in our shop to put three deft, swift, and good-looking wheels on the tarmac that are not pur sang in cycle-car terms.

We see our car/bike scheme beginning as a humorous story that starts "HFS Morgan, Frank Kurtis, and Soichiro Honda walk into a bar . . ." With that mix of engineering genius there's no surprise in the punchline; It's almost certain to be a hit, and that's been in my head, and my guide for more than a few years.

Concept and form illustrations are a few weeks away, but I snagged the very first image of what will be a continuing thread, this time the old scoot that will provide major elements for the mockup.



This is a long read for very little information, and no doubt of little interest to the traditional cyclecar folks here. I regret I can find no other place to share my build info, but for now I ask your indulgence; trust me, it's going to get interesting.

Mike

 

Hi Mike , welcome to the eccentric side,
I think you old gold wing is a great start to something fun , It's a nice low engine package,
One little idea that sprang into my head was having some fins added to the rocker covers and design it so the heads are exposed ,

 

Mike, a Gold-Wing based project sounds like an excellent idea, and of three wheels loses its appeal, with Honda's shaft drive, you could always go to four.

Look forward to seeing your project progress...

 

Saw this at Hershey.

 

Tell us more about that! Any more pics? That's looks like a Harley rear end.