Let's Talk Cyclecars

Fred V that car is excellent, but the back window would hardly be useful for a rear view mirror.

 

GUESS IT'S ABOUT NOT CARING WHO'S THERE........

 

In those early days the guy behind was responsible for his own actions.

 

FRED

IN THESE DAYS OVERTAKING DRIVERS ARE STILL HELD RESPONSIBLE SINCE THEY HAVE A BETTER VIEW.

MY 1940 FORD COUPE WILL GET PEEK-MIRRORS

 

marc pic. ...

 

Cooper-Sunbeam: Coopers were asked to build a cyclecar/kart for Lord Docker's stepson to blast around their estate. Lord Docker was the chairman of Daimler, who owned Sunbeam. The car wasn't a success, and they built him something else. It looks like they'd have done better to take a foot or so out of the wheelbase.

 

PERHAPS THEY WERE INSPIRED BY CZECH AERO ... ALL CAR ... LONG BONNET AND ALMOST NO ENGINE.
IT WOULDN'T BE THE FIRST TIME ENGINEERS IN THE UK MADE THAT MISTAKE.

 

1926 Tour de France

 

gorgeous! shame about the modern in the background.

 

Anyone recognize this car?

 

That heat shield would protect the passengers elbow much better if it was moved a bit forward.

 

QUOTE="Rolfzoller, post: 12410101, member: 248849"] View attachment 3785399 Strong girl in a Benjamin
http://www.wbur.org/onlyagame/2017/02/24/gestapo-hitler-book-anne-sebba[/QUOTE]
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Hello, Rolf! ​

Wouldn't like to see Violette Morris Brassai in dark, not even at daylight - not even to have a free ride with her! Probably not even if I get that Benjamin as a gift!
She was a really unusual creature! Just can't imagine how she collected information from Movement of Resistance? What tricks she used? Code-name was "Hyena"!





People said that she was a good and brave driver, especially after she removed her too big breasts?

Ciao,
Zoran​

 

I’ve got a 1990 2CV I’m going to cut up to make a Barbot replica


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Hello, Eric!​

Ser Alliot Verdon Roe was my favourite between early pioneers of Aviation in UK, because of his achievements on that filed, but also because of his entire life (except episode when he was the active member of British Fascist Union).

As he was quite poor, compared to other pioneers and without much of influence, I doubt that JAP V-8 engine was built for him. He didn't have money to buy any of better engines and especially not to purchase such prototype. But he had instaled V-8 Antoinette engine in the second version of his canard biplane! As I know, it wasn't bought by rented, borrowed and later returned...
There were rumours that he had short flights with it in 1908, but as he wrote that was more hops. The first version was like a dead duck, with a V-twin engine from his motorcycle...






He used his motorcycle to travel from brother's farm (where he lived for some time and started construction of the first version) to Brooklands where he had a hangar built. He constructed the special body for his motorcycle so he could use it even when the weather is bad. Much later he designed two-wheel Avro Monocar or Avro Mobile, on the same basis!





For his triplane with triplane tail, covered by paper instead of fabric, he used JAP V-twin and had the successful flight in 1909, as the first British with British built aeroplane. The engine was smaller than Antoinette, but the aeroplane was lighter and with better aerodynamic characteristics. Later he installed 4-cylinder Green engine and good flights started...
Colonel C. F. Cody had a successful flight before him, but he was then USA citizen...

Later A. V. Roe became successful constructor of WW1 aeroplanes, becoming quite a rich industrialist with company AVRO and aeroplanes with that name flow in WW2, too.

As could be seen, at almost all photos he was smiling in spite that have professionally and personally turbulent life and lost two sons as squadron commanders during Battle for Britain.

Quite off-topic, but could be interesting. At least his first prototype of a motorcycle with carrosserie and the second as factory produced - are cyclecars, on two wheels? And, his ultralight triplane was a cyclecar compared to Cody's gigantic aeroplane known as "The Cathedral"...

Ciao, Zoran​

 

Great historical information! This is really helpful in understanding the challenges that these pioneers faced. Lots of hard won battles to put together even the simplest machines. It must have been much simpler to create a car than it was an aero plane. Modifying a carriage was a little simpler than developing those spindly planes. And quite a bit safer, too.


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Here is a spindled front axle I have that looks like it used wagon wheels. No idea what it is from but it was part of a collection of parts from a man that restored a very early Columbia gas powered horseless carriage. It's about 42" from spindle to spindle. Bluto or someone else here may have some idea.



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And here was an initial layout of a little runabout based off that axle. Notice the hot rod stance. Could be gas powered or electric. Tiller steering, too.



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Second try
On 7 May 1933 he started the Tripoli Grand Prix in a new 3 L Maserati 8C owned by fellow driver Bernard Rubin, finishing third. During his pit stop Birkin burnt his arm badly against the hot exhaust pipe while picking up a cigarette lighter. There are different opinions of what then happened. The traditional view is that the wound turned septic, whilst others say Birkin suffered from a malaria attack. It was probably a combination of both that proved fatal, as Birkin died at Countess Carnavon Nursing Home in London 22 June 1933, aged thirty-six.
(Wikipedia)

 

Why not bot both gas & electric like they did in 1897 Bob ?

 

Wow! That's nice. I like that chassis design. Too bad it burnt up. That was quite a bit of technology there. I like the simplicity of pure electric power. (Plus I would like to get it done in my lifetime).
I saw a running 1902ish Studebaker electric at a show and was impressed. I have a couple of friends that are EEs for electric vehicle companies.


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This is a 2CV based hill climb car


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That's very nicely done. Too bad he retained the boinky front suspension.

 

Blackjack
Any more pictures or information?

Herb

 

Too bad he didn't have a GS.

 

Some of the cars Artcuriel will be trying to sell at Retromobile 2018. Philppe B. pic. ...

 

Well, it shares with the traditional Morgan sliding-pillar arrangement the characteristic of camber gain being equal to roll angle, which will tend to exacerbate a reverse or tadpole trike's propensity to understeer, unless you "don't let it" in the Chapmanian sense.

I'd rather say it's a pity he didn't find a way to keep the interconnection. In any event having only three wheels eliminates over half the percentage in that. Nothing you can do can prevent the rear weight transfer in turns from being zero. But you might be able "not to let" the suspension work and still have a survivable ride quality.