Let's Talk Cyclecars

"The first main novelty appeared in early March when a prototype of a Coulson cyclecar was shown to the press and surprised the journalists because it was missing a proper chassis: the engine and transmission units were carried on a sub-frame bolted to the body at three points, so that, in case of a serious repair being necessary, the whole sub-frame could be lifted out bodily with the minimum amount of trouble. In line with the company standards, the body was suspended, fore and aft, on pairs of super-imposed quarter-elliptical springs and attached to long shackles.

Was that a deliberate attempt to make a monocoque chassis or did the designer at Coulson just copy something he might have seen while working in aviation? Hard to tell but that’s another first!

The idea was still a very early prototype and was fitted with a 777cc 6hp Blackburne V-Twin attached to the forward end of the subframe. The very first attempt at building a cyclecar didn’t have much ground clearance, had a motorcycle gearbox with a kick-starter actioned by a lever near the driver’s seat, and it still used belt transmission to the rear. These were however issues fully understood by the makers who were already planning to raise the clearance of the production model, use a proper gearbox with reverse and introduce chain transmission.

It is not known if the Coulson Cyclecar was ever completed or if the project was abandoned but the following advert appeared on The Light Car and Cyclecar edition of July 1st, 1922 which suggests some more development might have taken place:

COULSON, 8hp, 2-seater, brand new, beautifully fitted, hood, screen, Smith's clock, speedometer. DA. lighting. 3-speed. real bargain. £105"

 

Link to story: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-43168686

 

You have really found the Cyclecar grave yard!! That last one has a FWD like no other I've ever seen.

 

http://horsforthmuseum.blogspot.com/2017/08/front-wheel-drive-car-in-leeds-1914.html

 

One front wheel 3 wheelers never caught on due, I think, that they had to be very carefully designed or they didn't handle. There were many built but only for slow driving.

 

Stanhopes patent

 

There is a bunch to see here

Cyclecars and Specials too.
Mike

 

'Baby Austin sports car' in King William Street, Adelaide; driver: PJ Baillie (State Library of South Australia)

 

'Amilcar' - State Library of Victoria

 

'Unidentified racing car parked on street' - State Library of Victoria

 

Hello and thank you!
Beautiful period photographs - history with everyday atmosphere in small town...
Except the magnificent sport automobile... Maybe, T-37 Bugatti?
(rear suspension, grill, engine... and, emblem)
Ciao, Zoran

 

The modern day Bugatti experts could probably trace the whole history of that car going by the SA rego plate and ofcourse how many Bugatti race cars in Australia in that time frame. Love the bluestone street gutters and broken bitumen too.

 

The award for longest library catalogue caption has to apply to this one: 'Lighting on facade of W. Abbey & Co. shoe shop (next to photographic studio and Silvester's sandwich shop with Austin 7 sportscar, with bodywork designed to look like a Bugatti, parked in front).' Photograph by Sam Hood; Mitchell Library/State Library of New South Wales

 

State Library of New South Wales

 

Great photo with the cobble stone and trolley tracks.

 

'Type 37 Bugatti, George Hotel, Ballarat' and same car at the Rob Roy Hill Climb (second photo probably by George Thomas) - both photos from State Library of Victoria

 

Some great photos & fascinating cars (cycle-cars)
This one is Argentinan built 1 of 1 - Viglioni
It has been in Melbourne Australia since the '50's powered by I think a 250cc

 

Modern reproductions, battery powered, fiberglas bodies.
I’ll stick to my underpowered two stroke originals.

 

artwork by Stefan Marjoram

 

'Lynden Duckett driving an Anzani Bugatti, 11th Rob Roy Hill Climb' - 1946 photos by George Thomas; State Library of Victoria (I posted one of these pics previously on the 'Specials' thread)
Primotipo has an article on this car (scroll down): https://primotipo.com/tag/anzani-bugatti/

 

I really love Stefan's drawings.

 

'Bugatti, Targa Floria, 11th Rob Roy Hill Climb' - 1946 photo by George Thomas; State Library of Victoria

 

Slowth would be so much fun but it is open to participants only.