Let's Talk Cyclecars

For today the last contribution from just a car guy http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2018/08/jack-brabham-at-parramatta-speedway-feb.html

 

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Hello, Rolf!​

I thought that Smith Flyer or Briggs-Stratton Flyer or electric-powered Red-Bug, or McDonough as replica from fifites should be the simplest cyclecar, in original form or as a replica...





Or their ancient ancestor:



Now, you found something even simpler! For my ideas, it could be built something bigger and stronger, with a tandem-seating position for two persons, as on motorcycle.

Red three-wheelr I never saw until now and it looks interesting and e3ven cute. Only, it seems to me that high grass isn't the best road for it, maybe only concrete or asphalt pavement... Probably that it is built only as a one-off for some lucky and happy kid...

Ciao,
Zoran​

 

Yes it is!

Roo

 

... and this one:

 

There really isn't any moderator or owner of this thread. Generally speaking we post small cars and cycle powered vehicles pre - 65. An hayabusa may be stretching things a bit.When Ryan was cleaning house awhile back I asked about this thread... he said "keep it traditional".So,here we are after more than 10 years coming up on 2 million views on an esoteric topic.We happen to be one of the top google search results for "cyclecars".Maybe you should start a thread for Baja Bugs and Meyer's Manx's and
see where it goes.

 

Rodger with the '27 Red Bug is a good friend. I talk to him about once a week.

 

More from Instagram:

 

I drew up my version of a Red Bug on my computer at work. I really need to build it.

 

Airhead Roadster, that "69" car appears to be using a Fiat 500 engine. Haven't seen one of those since the early '60s. My late brother had a '59 Sport that I got to play with.

 

y old

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Hello, Nobo!​

It would be nice if Rodger shares some personal information about his Red Bug!
I collect a lot of information, photos, sketches, plans - but do not know how it was really to use one.

Here in Swiss, an electric version should be better socially and legally accepted.
It could be built, attested and registered as a replica of historical cars, with verification od Swiss oldtimer association. Probably that it should fulfil standards for so-called "light quadricycles": four-wheel mopeds, with electric-motor up to 4 Kilowatts...

For now, just a food for my old brain - but who knows. For sure that it would be the simplest and cheapest replica even built close to the original.

Ciao,
Zoran​

 

His Red Bug is electric. It is powered by a Dodge Brothers starter/generator, which would be 12 volts.

 

Yes, that 69 car is quite a contraption! Steam punk meets Burning Man art car, meets Mad Max. Lots of time put into achieving that look which is almost movie set prop-like.

On another note I’ve been kicking myself for not responding sooner to an ad for a modern Velorex that was for sale a few weeks back. Seller was the builder. It was powered by a Honda CX500 and used a VW front torsion setup, had the full canvas body and even a drop top. Stupidly I hesitated and it was snatched up. There are photos of it out there, maybe even on here, documenting the build. The guy basically hacked off the neck of the CX, built a tubular perimeter pan to which he welded the motorcycle frame and attached the VW front end. The proportions were a little longer, but it looked the part and was a real bargain considering how well it was built and designed. Builder said it would easily cruise at 75mph. You know what they say, you snooze you lose.

Ohh well, on the positive side it got me focused back on the Airhead Roadster, that was until hurricane Lane started heading for us. Now there isn’t an inch of extra room in the garage to work. Fortunately the storm weakened and is only bringing rain, and so in the next few days once everything is back to normal I’ll pick up, where I left off and see if I can’t make some progress on the project.

 

Here are a few photos of the Velorex recreation and a link to the build album. Based on my conversation with the builder, the car performed quite well. Since he left the motorcycle 80% intact with VIN in place, he just hung the bikes plate on it and it was registered, titled and insured as a CX500.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/7965618@N08/albums/72157629186996789

 

Airhead Roadster, I've thought about doing something similar to that. That's a neat build.

 

A

 

Steve Wilkinson pic. ...

 

I love 'em

 

My JZR has a similar engine, CX650, but up front.

 

Would this be the same Mr. Martin of Stationette and Martinette fame?

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/automotive-weirdness.944738/page-3#post-10689836

 

No, the Stationette, Martinette and Aerodynamic were produced by James V. Martin, 'prolific inventor,' while the Scootamobile was designed c.1915 by Charles H. Martin of the Martin Rocking Fifth Wheel Co, a pioneer in fifth wheels for tractor-trailers. He had no sons, so unless James was a nephew, they weren't related.

 

Has some one information about this nice little car?
The owner seams to be very proud.

 

Hello, Rolf!​

Houses at background look to me as built in an American style, but cute, the small coupe looks me more some less-known model (special variant) from Central Europe?
If the owner is not extremely tall, that must be quite a small auto, maybe in a class of 600-800 ccm?
From a few some years ago, I am attracted (again) to small coupes form period between Wars... Some 35 years ago, there was a period when I was thinking about converting my Trabant 601 to something like that, but then I realised that its "plastic" carrosserie is its best attribute...










However, strong platform chassis and front-wheel drive with a two-cylinder, two-stroke, an air-cooled engine could be a good base for a re-creation of light "sport" auto, of course, simplified and with a little of cheating (VW-bug fenders/mudguards or from 2cv)...
(style of JAWA, AERO, Wikow, Skoda, Zbrojevka and similar, mostly Czeskoslovakian and some German or Swiss)

Ciao,
Zoran​

 

Zoran,
I thought the same things. The houses look like American bungalows, but the license plate is definitely European. Judging by the wheels, the car is in the 500-800cc class. I'm guessing the pic is reproduced from a newspaper or magazine. I tried to find a higher resolution copy of the picture online, but couldn't. It looks like the first two letters if the reg number are II. If so, the reg is likely Bavarian. Our best bet on identifying the car is the badge, but I'm stumped.
Brent

 

Those houses are also very Australasian

 

I was about to say. So, perhaps, is the number plate.

The house on the right could be South African, the one on the left less so; and that isn't any kind of South African plate.

 

Hello,
To all interested in the subject of small cute coupé! ​

In Europe between the Wars, there were many then famous manufacturers of special carrosserie for luxurious and sports automobiles, of course very expensive.
However, there were smaller companies, big workshops, and even individuals that for base used small and cheap, mass-produced automobiles. They made various kinds of specials, replacing the first original body with their own, or making the first body for new and available chassis.
Then, there were specials built in smaller numbers for special occasions (like for Le Mans 24h or Monte Carlo Rally), built by sports divisions of big companies. Most of them were from Czechoslovakia, then Germany and even Swiss, but the most famous were specials on Austin-7 chassis. Some manufacturers of the Austin-7 based carrosserie become well-established manufacturers of their own complete cars made under license and later with more serious models. SS and MG in UK, BMW-Dixi and Wartburg in Germany or Rosengart in France.
This one shown above, could be any one of the mentioned cases, but I think that it is the one-off model: a prototype or home-made product? Built on an imported automobile as a base, that could be photographed anywhere that is mentioned above. For sure that it isn't in Central Europe.

Probably that mystery wouldn't be solved, so until then some photos of small cute coupè autos, built here-and-there in any numbers, from 1 to 1000s. Some were small and some smaller, some had not coupè but cabriolet body

Ciao,
Zoran​

 

... and, a few more of small, cute coupè automobiles from vintage era or younger!
Z.

 

In the first batch, mark me down for the Tatra looking thing with black disc wheels. It's cute.