Who can identify this 1960's European Three Wheeler?

[Hank]

I have already started thinking about the 2nd prototype. It seems I need to find a Citroen 2V, which I believe I have never even seen one around here.

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Forrest- The Citroen 2 CV never cleared DOT regulations. The few in the states are focal points for harrasement.

A solid front end for prototype purposes might come from a Suzuki quad runner/Racer or one of the other four wheel single seaters.

Hank

[WebPilot]

The Citroen 2 CV never cleared DOT regulations. The few in the states are focal points for harrassment.

Well, that surely explains why I've never seen one around here. They apparently do have a very nice air cooled engine, though, coupled to a FWD unit.

A solid front end for prototype purposes might come from a Suzuki quad runner/Racer or one of the other four wheel single seaters.

Bingo! Good thinking Hank! Do you know if these units are RWD or both FWD and RWD (4WD)?

-fde

[WebPilot]

Bingo! Good thinking Hank! Do you know if these units are RWD or both FWD and RWD (4WD)?

I just came back from a buddy's house who owns a Yamaha Quad. It is definitely 4WD, but unselectable - so if I got one like that, I'd have to detach the rear wheel drive unit. Unless I felt like extending the front axles (etc.), I'll have to build a tandem like the Messerschmitts where the passenger sits behind the driver. I don't have a problem with that - I love the look of a Messerschmitt!

Thanks again for a path through these murky waters, Hank.

-fde

[mk]

A 32 mm Mikuni carb would be the easy answer Larry, the crank would be a bit big with a hole or slot that size in it.

Viv

Hehehe...thanks Viv! Also for the former posts!
Bruno, thanks, too! Nothing to complain to the cylinder head rotary discs.

The hollow crankshaft question:
Too much dead space in the crankcase -- we want the dead space as small as possible --, a too large moment of inertia and too large outer velocities -- bearing and sealing assemblies are affected.
For model engine the hollow crankshaft is a nice solution IMHO, because making the shaft smaller would also cause bearing and sealing problems. Despite making it much smaller in diameter doen't seem to work because of stability issues. But also the port areas for model engines are made as large as possible already. Putting a suitable inlet there for piston-porting would make for really small walls. Reeds are out of question, just as rotary discs are.

Then, to the question of a variabel inlet position and rotary discs, the cutting angle or the tranmission ratio between the crankshaft and rotary disc would have to be changed to guarantee the optimal porting time. I cannot envision how a change in the inlet position can make for a charing improvement.

One thing a rotary discs improves nicely is, as mentioned, the pumping efficiency due the disc normally opens quite some degrees past the piston passed it's lower dead-spot. Thus the crankcase has already been a bit pre-evacuated, what improves charge -- being in the inlet tract -- acceleration and improves the useage of the limited charging time.
Sometimes this trick is also used for non-disc assemblies by connecting piston-porting with reed valves.
The piston-porting part is important to preserve a pre-evacuation, what makes for an abrupt and large reed opening and an increased mass acceleration. The reeds are important to keep an advantageous, asymetric porting diagram by shuting off the inlet as the pressure rises above atmospheric and the mass flow stops after having taken advantage of inertia. Usually a couple degrees after the piston passed it's upper dead spot. Without the reeds the engine would not be able to work due to a too large inlet porting time.
Rather look carefully at your two-stroke engine before pulling out a file or a grinder! Taking the mentioned feature apart and settling on reed porting only might not improve anything or might even slightly decrease charging efficiency, despite the inlet porting time has been increased.

Okay, enough about two-stroke philosophy for now.

I can nearly see three wheelers driving over my monitor...

[WebPilot]

A friend recently emailed me a pic of one of my favorite car marques: Morgan.


Morgan Sports Model (1933)

Built from 1932-1939. This model replaced the Aero. It could be ordered with either none, one or two doors. In 1932 it was equipped with a J.A.P. engine, later with Matchless MX, MX2 and MX4 engine.



I knew I had a thread up here on Messerschmitts et al; 'though I am surprised to find I posted it almost 4 years ago. Links are long since gone; but maybe the pics still exist on my former machine's hard disks.

[WebPilot]

1932 Morgan Aero 2-Seater Sports

[Jutte]

Messerschmitt bubble car.
I happened to go into a panel beaters and saw this in the
process of being restored - cool car.

[WebPilot]

Sweet pic, Jutte. It looks ready to roll.

I'd love to see/drive one of those, a Messerschmitt KR200, or Kabinenroller (Cabin Scooter).

Can you get more pics?

[Jutte]

Messerschmitt KR 175.

[WebPilot]

There is a new three wheeler running 'round here. I've only seen it twice but I'm working on a photograph. Maybe I'll catch up with it at the next car cruise.

From afar, it resembles this, something I posted earlier ... somewhere.

[WebPilot]

I still have not 'run into' again the 3 wheeler I saw earlier this summer. I should've ran and got my camera when I first saw it. 3 wheelers are rare in these parts - except for trikes.

[WebPilot]

I took my bike to a cruise over in OHIO this past weekend in the hopes of seeing some rare machinery. I did, but not this 3-wheeler.

[WebPilot]

I talked to a guy in a bar 2 nights ago and he saw the very same 3-wheeler. It was parked at a motel so the owner is probably from out of town.

That makes 3 people who saw it and none of us can id it.

[WebPilot]

I ran into another bike enthusiast who was riding one bike and is restoring a Gilera - year to me unknown. I think that is the manufacturer of this 3 wheeler. I sent him some pics of some older Gilera's and am awaiting a reply.

[WebPilot]

I have my fingers crossed.