Let's Talk Cyclecars

here's some more...
Senechal - Mathis - Sima Violet - the one with the side mounted engine i forgot what it was ...

Mario

 

some more details of the Humberette

 

Premier Chassis with solid mounted rear axle.

 

Mario,I think the car with the side mounted engine is Frank Seger's SCHASCHE.

 

Via LeCycylecaristeBelge...

 

Via LeC yclecristeBelge

 

leCyclecariste Belge

 

The picture of the brass tags is from Denis C. video found by Marc.

 

Mario,the car with the side mounted engine is a Schasche.The engine is a 23U,350 cc, Sarolea racing engine.Makes about 25H.P. . The car gets up to 80km/h.

 

Schasche

 

Hello Ned,​

Those years I can forget more in one week then could learn in a month during "good old days" (generally, before computers)... However, I remember well that I saw many photos, sketches and diagrams about those two systems well-known for any fan of veteran or vintage automobiles...
But, now I couldn't find any good visual fact about those two systems on Internet! Probably that I saw all that in many books and magazines that I had? For central gas-pedal shouldn't be problems (still used a lot in vintage era and sometimes later), but off-side gear-change lever system was sometimes different. It couldn't be simple as ordinary remote control for central positioned stick? For early automobile gear-boxes in a style that were used for motorcycle (and still are usual for them) – commands could be simple? Just forward-backward movement of vertical off-side stick with axle/lever to gear-box, similar to motorcycle's pedal... But, when gear-boxes became “modern” with “H” shifting – things became complicated! Maybe, two axles/levers to gear-box?
I found only some unclear photos of veteran cars chassis, but not very useful for this issue. Also, attached are a few photos with Bugatti system...
Maybe something could be found later, lost somewhere in my computer archive?

Ciao, Zoran​

 

Thanks Zoran!

 

Note that in the Bugatti the rear is driven by the countershaft in the transmission. A far better system IMHO. because it keeps the cluster turning during a shift. Indian motorcycles used this system also, although that isn't much of a recommendation. I wonder why more manufacturers of cars, particularly sport and racing cars, didn't adopt this--perhaps they did. Makes for quicker shifts, with a crash box. Thinking about it, I seem to remember that an old air cooled Fiat 500 used this too--but again, not a good example to recommend the system Hardly!

 

I'm inclined to agree with you. The only downside is the absence of a (possibly very efficient) direct-drive top gear. These days direct-drive is often the second- or third-highest, so that benefit appears to be moot.

Coming back about an hour later and taking a closer look at the Bugatti 'box I think I misunderstood what you were saying. The engagement is on the input rather than the output? i.e. the opposite of the conventional arrangement. The difference is that the torque multiplication on the output shaft gear varies with the engaged ratio, though how much of a difference that would make in practice is hard to say. I'll have to think a bit.

 

Another photo of the Enfield Allday car shown at the 1919 Olympia Auto Show on Stand 77 and perhaps the Scottish Motor Show Jan 23-31, 1920. The car had a 5 cylinder radial engine with flywheel fan. The supposed benefits were space saving and excellent engine balance.
Notice the pressed steel Wobbly web wheels, 30 years ahead of Lotus.
Cosmos Engineering was also at the same 1919 Olympia Auto Show (Stand 20) with a 3 cylinder radial engine light car, using the same or very similar wobbly web wheels.

 

more photos of the Enfield Allday light car -

 

Curtis V8 M.T. pic...

 

Largely unknown 1910 Christie V8 -

 

Via LeCyclecaristeBelge

 

From Joris at www.PreWarCar.com

 

Alfred Feger's Kleinstrennwagen.Photos by Heinz-Ulrich Wieselmann,1949

 

here is the other sweetheart ..a 1967 Velorex that is now on loan to the Motorcyclepedia Museum in Newburgh New York.. this is a hoot to drive but at this point needs some help..

 

That's an interesting example of early-? mid-? 20th-century organic architecture in the background. It's hard to date because it is usually designed with a healthy disregard, if not actual contempt, for "the discourse on architecture" and all the bullshit that is increasingly associated with it. I love this sort of stuff. Have you got any more information?

 

Thank you Bob!
It was indeed quick! The event where the pictures were taken has a small circuit and most of the cars and bikes on display have a chance to race. I rode with a friend in his 1939 Railton. Great fun!

 

Mario,need more pictures of the schasche?

 

Oh yes please! I liked that little thing - especially when running with the open valvetrain.....

 

LeeStohr, Tuesday at 2:38 AM:
Another photo of the Enfield Allday car shown at the 1919 Olympia Auto Show on Stand 77 and perhaps the Scottish Motor Show Jan 23-31, 1920. The car had a 5 cylinder radial engine with flywheel fan. The supposed benefits were space saving and excellent engine balance.
Notice the pressed steel Wobbly web wheels, 30 years ahead of Lotus.
Cosmos Engineering was also at the same 1919 Olympia Auto Show (Stand 20) with a 3 cylinder radial engine light car, using the same or very similar wobbly web wheels.
--- ---
Hello Lee,
Thank you on excellent photos of unorthodox automobiles! Both of them had interesting chassis and suspension, beside radial engines. Am I wrong or COSMOS had in-board coil-springs at rear? If so, nothing new in motoring world...
Ciao, Zoran

 

Well spotted, Zoran!

It suggests a bolt-in alternative for early-Ford buggy springs.

 

Here is an image by Stefan Marjoram showing the V8 JAP of Mr. Scaldwell enroute from England to France and back again.Further illustrating that the car is no trailer queen!

 

Zoran,
You are correct, it is amazing to see the advanced ideas conceived long ago. The Cosmo was designed by the brilliant English engineer Roy Fedden. However, the suspension was not his - see Motorsport magazine, April 1991 - "The simple frame had only three cross-members, the tubular one in the centre, forming 'A kind of keystone for the whole car', apart from the weightsaving achieved. Fedden was content to use the patented Adams (AFS) system of springing, found otherwise only on the Douglas light-car, a remarkable layout in which central transverse coil springs were coupled to the axles by long arms and bell-cranks, further arms being needed to locate both axles."