If it's this much fun to look at pictures of it, I can't imagine how much fun it is to drive that thing. Must be exhilarating to drive something so light at road speeds. Beautiful job constructing that cyclecar/aero engine special.
Hey Metalshapes - that's my trike there. Does 90mph and returns 50 to 60 mpg on a regular basis. I have driven it all over Europe - it's a stable easy drive. Has a 2CV engine but others have fitted Moto Guzzi engines.
This is a cyclekart that I have been working on for a couple of years. Just to many other projects ahead of this one.
Cycle cars are sweet!...I've got an idea though.... 3 Wheeled V8 Modified...Make it look like a modified roadster, 2 wheels in front with your engine...and 1 nice fat one in back... My only problem is how do you set up the rear? any ideas? I've had this idea along with many others floatin' around in my head for a while. I thought you could take the back and set it up on some type of swing arm for suspension... I just don't know how you could get the rear wheel to drive...If I built I would either use a 394...or a Straight 8 Buick...The trans is kind of up in the air.
These are being built in Seattle. Not inexpensive but they sure are interesting. http://www.cycle-car.com/index.htm They catch the spirit of the Morgan three wheelers with an HD flavor.
Why not use a REAL v-twin that is set up for this perfectly? A Moto Guzzi is set up correctly for intake/exhaust and transmission. It is even a shaft drive so that you can forego the chain. There is a gent in Germany that also has a setup so that you can put a small supercharger on it. I know that there is a company making 3-wheeled cars using them and are actually registered to produce production vehicles with registered VIN's in the UK. It crossed my mind, as I am restoring a 72 Eldorado I have owned since I was 13..
If you search for motorcycle engined cars on the web, you will find a lot. Even some previous threads on the HAMB. Busa Smart cars are already out. Styer Puch Fiat 500s KILL in autocrosses (only seen them in Europe). I'd opt for a Busa in a single seat speedster, myself. Gary
i thought so too..wouldnt mind having one to tool around in the city with..very true to the traditional build of these types of fun rides in my opinion.. I have owned one of their sidecars for my harley when my daughter was a little girl..it was very well built and it held its value..sold it to a guy in Mass. for about 1800 bucks less than what I paid for it, and that was his offer..he knew how they were built, and mine had very few miles on it and was taken very good care of.. although..I see the price for the ACE (their name for it) is around 48 thousanda bit steep..i think i could probably get 2 nice Model A's for that kinda change eh?
I'm surprised that nobody found the Pembletons yet: http://www.pembleton.co.uk/ Kit car, the first one designed AND built in 4 weeks by Phil Gregory, who's an engineer and a top motorbike designer/racer in the UK. He and his spouse were going on holiday to Ireland and his spouse happened to notice that 3-wheelers travel free on the ferry. So she said why don't you do us up one, and he did exactly that--in 4 weeks!
Some was asking about GN, I found these in an amazing collection on flickr. I only got to the fourth page and he deleted the lot while I was looking I had to triple check.
That strange looking Morgan in the third photo over is very interesting. I wish I could track down technical details on the Morgan 3-wheeler frames. I know they were made of lugged tubing, and it must have been just gaspipe because that's what the state of the art was. But how did he get gaspipe to take the kinds of strain his cyclecars routinely endured?
the loads shouldn't be that great (compared to a traditional 4 wheel) as the wieght is distinctly on the centerline (or slightly infront of) the front wheels and the rear end should both tilt and slide due and slide. Also there is a very limited amount of tire patch to grab the ground anyways.
Do you really think that was the weight distribution? I can't see how the engine and cooling system could have outweighed an adult male driver and the drive train. Could you explain?
on my to do list, I have a Bussa motor waiting for me to build a reverse trike, or cycle car around, after a few other projects
Indeed it is!! Some nut cases have even used TWO 'busa motors.. http://www.zcars.org.uk/mini/index.htm What about a Wabbit? http://germancarscene.com/2007/05/10/hayabusa-turbo-powered-mk1-golf/
How about a belly tank version of a car like the old Cooper formula 3. One of those with a 500cc Norton Manx motor was hard to beat on a short road course with anything. A Busa in a belly tank. Yeh!
Well, looking back in history (pictures and not using my 240 lb ass as reference) most of those drivers couldn't have weighed more than 150 pounds. The driver's ass is in front of the rear wheel and behind the center line of the car. The engine (which weighs about 125 pounds for arguements sake) is mounted just in front of the centerline of the front axle. Gas, water and misc is located just behind the engine and above the drivers feet: all in front of the centerline of the car. All the suspension components, steering are in the front of the car. There is only a swing arm and shocks in the back. I would hazard a guess and say the weight distribution is in the range of 55/45 f/r. and looking at most pictures of Mog's at speed, those front ends push pretty hard.
This is something I have been planning for years. I think this year may be the one. Here are two good sites with a lot of info. They may mite not be the most HAMB friendly but will get you started. http://www.locostusa.com/forums/index.php http://reversetrike.com/home.html
just watched nacho libre with jack black the other night ..he had a great homemade rig...trying to find pics
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