May I guess? Judging by your thread on driveshaft construction and your profile: something loosely GNesque powered by a R100 flat-twin?
My friend and I are big American Pickers fans, never miss a show. We are also very interested in Formula 3 cars. My buddies Staride F3 car is pictured earlier in this thread. He sold it to a guy in England who has been racing it quit a lot. Anyway.... we have been all over that Henderson cyclecar Mike found on the Pickers, trying to figure out what it is. I watched Mickey Rooney in the Big Wheel on friday looking for that car. ( The whole movie is free on Youtube) I didn't see it. It looks a lot like Cooper construction, cross leaf springs front and rear, the right size, the same shape. Cooper inspired, maybe? Thats my two cents
That 2cv Velorex looks like the entire 2cv firewall/interior/windshield was used. *Edit - and at least the front half of the chassis Love the Frazer Nash 'chain gang' transmission photo - Jay Leno and the Big Dog Garage are restoring and American barn find. Videos here: http://www.jaylenosgarage.com/video/restoration-blog-1935-frazer-nash-chain-gang/1252220/ Here: http://www.jaylenosgarage.com/video/restoration-blog-1935-frazer-nash-tt-replica-update-2/1283761/ And here: http://www.jaylenosgarage.com/video/restoration-blog-1935-frazer-nash-tt-replica-update-3/1302732/
Question...how long do the chains on these things last? That 'chain gang' photo prompted this thing I know...stupid question...
I asked a motorcycle guy the same thing formy reverse trike project. I suppose they could last four times as long given that there's four of them
Precisley Mr. Ludd, I have a dersire to put a three wheeler together useing an r100 motor, transmission and rear end. GN? Sandford? something along those lines. Perhaps this is something you or someone else here is familiar with? Thanks for your response.
No first-hand experience, I'm afraid, but always up for throwing some ideas about. The perennial problem is, of course, the lack of a reverse gear. The solution to that might also solve your drive shaft problem: install a gearbox from a small rwd car half-way along the chassis, thereby splitting the drive shaft into two reasonable lengths. The gearbox can be an otherwise undesirable four- or even three-speed, from which all but the upper two ratios and reverse have been removed. That would give a low range, which might be useful in light of the extra weight. There is a wide variety of candidates among European and Japanese products of the '50s to the '70s. Just don't use a Morris Minor Series II or early 1000 gearbox: they have to be installed while blindfolded because one can break the case just by looking at it (side-valve 'boxes are fine - perhaps just what you need).
I thought about the use of a gutted car box to obtain a reverse gear for my trike project, or even a transaxle that would double up as the bevel box for achain drive rear. Ijust kept coming to the conclusion that it was too complex (in terms of parts and adaptors to machine) and heavy (I have a strict 450kg diet to keep to). Since you're going with the beemer motor, it may be worth your while getting in touch with some of the Ural guys. Urals often had reverse for use in sidecars, and were virtually carbon copies of BMW machine (apart from the quality, where there are huge differences). I believe some BMW motors bolt right up to Ural boxes. This would get you reverse, keep the weight low and maybe avoid using adaptors. Elsewhere on this thread I think there's a link for sombody in the US who has these boxes unused for $3/400 ish, he might be worth talking to. I know Ural quality is generally not great, but the aftermarket has done wonders for 'poor' components in other applications - maybe the same here? I don't know - food for thought