A dangerous early-style cycle car. 28/6

[Frankenhealey]

Jun 22, 2016 13:56:44 GMT colnerov said:

Jun 22, 2016 11:15:11 GMT Frankenhealey said:

The Retro Rides Society of Linguistic Obsessive Compulsives thanks you for your early intervention before our heads expoloded

* exploded

I have fat fingers and keyboard dyslexia

[Deleted]

[varelse]

If it was just the Retro Rides Society of Linguistic Snobs then they'd be RRSoLS.

[Seth]

Thanks for the words of silly encouragement.

May 29, 2016 21:32:05 GMT varelse said:

I'm guessing you have enough space to transport it assembled, but it'd be easier to shift it disassembled and bolt it up there, no?
I'd consider a small plate bracket on the inside corners as well.

Its really not very big as a photo below will demonstrate.

Jun 1, 2016 12:36:45 GMT kevfromwales said:

Springwise I think I have some spare situp and beg leaves somewhere?
Bagsy a go at the gathering

Ooh, a main leaf would be ideal as I think I'd like to bolt it on through the eyes at one end but see what you've got. Gathering 2018 right?

Jun 7, 2016 12:11:05 GMT toreno said:

This is very cool the old cycle cars were the inspiration for a go cart i built for the kids a while back there is a build thread somewhere for it if u wana nose i shall be watching this one with interest

Cheers, yes I watched yours with interest.

Jun 20, 2016 15:42:43 GMT hario said:

have you considered some kind of small stationary type engine to power it? For more low revving cruising? I was thinking an old 40's racing kart engine would quite period but 2 stroke is no go I guess with this?
Oh yeah why not a single transverse leaf spring as per Ford Model-T? or does quarter elliptical pre-date even that? What do I know..

Well, I'm going to put it together with the engine I've got and see where that takes me. If I later changed it to make it more 'proper' I think I'd source a '20s bike engine of some sort. Will consider a transverse leaf for the back but it'd have to be really short. Just going to build it with old tech using whatever parts turn up really and what looks good/appropriate when I lay things out.

Jun 20, 2016 16:13:20 GMT Soopahfly said:

It all looks very heavy. Is that little motor going to be able to even get it rolling?

I hope so! Its 80cc and little 50cc mopeds seem to manage to struggle along even when overloaded. I'm not looking for any sort of performance whatsoever.

Jun 22, 2016 11:12:17 GMT Frankenhealey said:

Several advantages, it's light, biodegradable, if the cyclecar is that dangerous then the bodywork would be suitable for a nice woodland burial and finally if there is a conflagration you get to play out your own version of the Wicker Man

Jun 22, 2016 13:26:56 GMT Frankenhealey said:

Another thought occurs that if the frame was made from smaller section wood then it could flex enough to be part of the suspension and be even more dangerous.

Umm, see below....
Got the chassis rails drilled and bolted together. I've used coachbolts that were left over from something else and that I'll probably make look less shiny. Nice to prop things together again without using random bits of wood.  When it is 'finished' I am hoping it wil go in the back of an estate by removing the front axle and the back wheels and loading them in seperatly.



I made up what will probably become a more substantial 'bulkhead' to which the engine fits at the back. I can imagine this plate also being used to fix some other things so I'm not concerned about its current thinness/weakness as it'll be braced as other parts are welded/bolted to it. Need to get some shorter Whitworth screws to suit the engine plate which has threaded inserts. Also need to get a stock of chunky 1" or so long steel slot head wood screws - not going to be any Phillips/cross head screws on this when it's done.



I made up a cardboard template for front engine mounts too. Front axle post will go through the middle of this crossmember so should look quite good with these bits framing it each side.



On the subject of flexible chassis though, I hope it is, or will build some more in to it as its got a bit of a twist on.



Hoping that once there is enough weight on it, and the wheels/axles acting to straighten it, it might settle down a bit.

More when I get around to doing, err, more.

[zipgun]

Coach bolts and all other bolts must be Whitworth you know ! It's looking good , I'm now thinking of making something similar .Must have a rummage through my "Might come in useful" pile ,see what goodies i've got !!

[93fxdl]

Jun 28, 2016 16:11:19 GMT zipgun said:

Coach bolts and all other bolts must be Whitworth you know ! It's looking good , I'm now thinking of making something similar .Must have a rummage through my "Might come in useful" pile ,see what goodies i've got !!

The old school engineer in me has to add to this, whitworth is for cast iron, British standard fine (BSF) is for most other things, but since It's a cycle car,.British standard cycle could be used, except for pipes, where British standard pipe (BSP) is the correct thread form, also any electrics should be BA
These are the more common thread forms for old British machinery
There are loads more, such as instrument, for any gauges
Ttfn Glenn
If you want to be American, you could use Unified and National threads

[zipgun]

Well..... we don't want anything Metric do we..? We voted out !!

[Deleted]

I have a handful of new flat headed brass screws of about an inch long with a bit of age to them in the garage.
Id post a few to you if you wish??
Cos I like where this is going...

[nomad]

Jun 28, 2016 8:55:00 GMT Seth said:

Thanks for the words of silly encouragement.

On the subject of flexible chassis though, I hope it is, or will build some more in to it as its got a bit of a twist on.

It looks like the problem is a bent offside chassis rail* either from a previous accident** or from storage in a damp garage.
If you unbolt it you might be able to straighten by fixing one end firmly then attaching a large lever and weight (think big clock hand with bag of sand hung on the end ) at the other end and leave it to un_kink.
* Substitute the phrase "bit of wood on the right" if it feels wrong to use car terminology in this thread
** Accident like house roof collapsing, not your normal t_bone crash

PS. Is this one of these "ladder frames" I've been told about in the past?

[Speedman]

Great to catch up with you at the weekend Seth. This plan is bonkers and is looking amazing. Looking forward to seeing the progress!

[MR TIKI]

seeing the above raised the question;

is there an update due on this little beauty?

[Frankenhealey]

Oct 30, 2016 22:14:39 GMT MR TIKI said:

seeing the above raised the question;

is there an update due on this little beauty?

Oh I do like that

[dikkehemaworst]

Several advantages, it's light, biodegradable, if the cyclecar is that dangerous then the bodywork would be suitable for a nice woodland burial

Man , that's funny! Made my morning!

[pedalcarjoe]

Oct 30, 2016 22:14:39 GMT MR TIKI said:

seeing the above raised the question;

is there an update due on this little beauty?

love it

[colnerov]

Hi, Just come across this thread again, how's it going?

The 'wind' in the frame is very unlikely to be correct by weight. It comes from inaccuracies in the joints, they just need a bit of fettling.

Colin

[markbognor]

This is gold!
Don't know how I've missed it up to this point but keep it up!

[TS]

Whatever happened to this?

[Seth]

Nov 6, 2019 13:16:05 GMT TS said:

Whatever happened to this?

Sadly on the back burner at the moment. My work life has becoem more hectic (which is a good thing) leading to a bit less car time and that which I do get is spent on the Oxford as much is possible though progress on that has also been a bit stilted in the last 12 months.
There's also been a potential genuine dangerous old tiny car chassis maybe in the offing (which would theoretically be registerable) as a joint project with a friend so perhaps that will come to something too.