Let's Talk Cyclecars

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Hello KR,​

Wonderful pair to have in own room! Nice surrounding, too - real micro-museum. I hope that sometimes you have pleasant weekend-cruises taking them out?

Maybe holders for skis look out of place, but people in those times were quite different than today, especially in relatively poor Europe...
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Messerschmitt Cabin-rollers were less present than Isettas on Belgrade's streets in my childhood and youth, but I knew for a few abounded in backyards of big buildings in center of the city. There were more BMW Isetta bubble-cars, but people didn't like them either, considering them as “cars for invalids”, as they were originally imported by the state for WW2 veterans. Nobody liked them: neither owners accepting them as necessity, nor public considerning tham as funny quazi-cars...

Later, they could be bought cheaply in relatively good condition, as were never used a lot. Some 20 years ago, I could buy one cheaply at Belgrade's periphery, from old man, first-owner and back-yard mechanic. His adult children was ashamed of him because he used Isetta from time to time, driving it around. He offer me to change it for my old Trabant (not used any more, as I bought Triumph Dolomite) – but my wife should kill me if saw “that” in front of house! If I made that deal, now I would be rich and could have a few “normal” old-timers instead of then unloved Isetta! Of course, small cars in any class (veterans, voiturettes, cycle-cars, micro-cars...) are my old love...

Ciao.
P.S.: However, there still could be found a few well-reconstructed, or derelicted:






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messerschmitt TG500

 

A few of Damien V.'s images of the ATF Rally in Normandie.

 

Rosemarijn pics...

 

Same view of a 1911 Kelsey Motorette rear wheel, if I had more I could build the car. Bob

 

The Alden Sherman Amilcar at the show today. Bob

 

A TG 500 that is under restoration in my shop:
It has been here for about three years, it will be finished in a couple of weeks.

 

Thank you for the kind comments. I took a cruise in my KR200 today, I saw the aluminum body car today which could be considered a cyclecar. It is a Pembleton, the engine and drivetrain is from a Citroen 2vC.

 

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Hello Bluto,​

Nice sentences written here, the same as nice sketches shown in previous letter, dedicated to home-built small motorised cars and karts! Most of such projects “For Father & Son” or “Plans that everybody could use and make a car...” (sometimes airplane) mostly appeared in American magazines from fifties. In Europe was similar movement in thirties/forties, mostly in France (System-D) but UK (Cyclecar fro 20£££) and Germany, too... We in old Yugoslavia didn't have neither such domestic magazines nor tradition in building such micro-automobiles. American magazines or similar books were not imported, not because of ideology but finance- state didn't like to waste $$$ on such "non-important things"!
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Brother and I had good luck that our mother worked in Army Library and could bring home to us magazines from previous year, both domestic and some foreign. For us, the most important was “Savremena Tehnika” (something as “Modern technique”) that was window to domestic and foreign science and technique, including home-building objects (radio, photo, motoring, boats, aircrafts...). Often, such articles as you show us are copied (translated) with sketches/plans and photos. Unfortunately, without proper workshop, tools and experience (of our father or relatives), all stayed at dream-level... Some interesting DIY one-off vehicles (automobiles, three-wheelers, motorcycles, boats and airplanes...) appeared here-and-there and I had collection of a few photos with information about them. That was more results of creator's desire to have own “wheels, wings or hulls”, than to made a toy for themselves or their kids... Automobiles are rare and expensive: imported models cost three times more than at West (custom and taxes). In the middle of fifities, Serbia started to produce Fiat 600d under licence as Zastava 750 and Slovenia started porduction of PUCH mopeds and motorcycles under name TOMOS and automobile Citroen 2CV, Bosnia NSU motorcycles and scooters, later NSU automobiles too – people wanted that, not having money and passion for toys! Later, some released boy's dreams, some not. I tried a few times and failed...
Now - small, light, simple and cheap motorised quadricycle for tow of us pensioners - should be my maximum goal! If necessary for legalisation and social accessibility – then with pedals and electric motor as assistance (later “tuned” a little – innocent cheating)...

Now, pedal-powered automobile for my step-grandson! Some of shown details are interesting for the main construction and mechanical components, the same as German "micro-streemliners" from 1933 for body style. Interesting is system "forward-neutral-reverse" using belt/pulley and friction drive! Saw something similar on some on the American veteran cars, but at larger scale...

Regards!​

 

velocars

 

Georges Irat resting comfortably.

 

Kid,​

As your choice is three-wheeler - your task is simpler? Just to find two front wheels and start building replica of 1911 Kelsey Motorette, if couldn't reconstruct one original!


What is type of found wheel: wooden construction or steel-spoked?

Ciao!​

 

Bond microcar

 

Amilcar MCO at Montlhery in 1936....

 

Sasche

 

Hey Bob - is that from the National Microcar Rally in Wem, Shropshire a couple of weeks ago? If so you have eyes everywhere ;-)

 

The folks with the foto didn't say where it was. However,I do keep an eye out.I converse with folks in The Uk ,the continent,and the rest of the globe.As for seeing small cars ...the 2 events I would like to attend are a Shelsley Walsh meet and a Vintage Revival Montlhery run!

 

GN

 

We have seen this Darmont before...

 

The HORNET Special at Prescott.

 

Another image of The Hornat at prescott Speed Hill Climb.This one from Calvin samuel.

 

THIS IS NOT MINE!

I thought some here might find it interesting

https://www.leboncoin.fr/voitures/1028671177.htm?ca=12_s

 

Cute name, Rare is Me

 

Same car and family as in post # 9079.

 

Gee ..... The dog stood up