Full Catalog 3 Wheelers Thread

[AriLea]

One thing I found interesting about the Vanderhall Blackjack, it's weight is quoted at 1500lbs. It's a 1.4L engine.
The Viking IV I worked on in 1980 was 1250lbs with a Subaru small displacement boxer, I think 1600cc. And it had a full body skin.
Why is the Vanderhall so comparably heavy? Hard to beat an aluminum sheet metal chassis, probably.

Another way that weight can be saved is combining composites with spaceframes as Lotus has done at times.
On behalf of ultimate weight savings I've been playing with that in a solo craft design. As usual, this is a total CAD exercise.
In this, a small displacement motorcycle engine, aluminum space frame, and rubber-blocks for suspension damping are put to use.
I estimate this entire craft could be less than 500lbs(226kg), although it would be easier to reach 600lbs(272kg)
It does implement a cross leaf spring for added anti-sway. With a 450cc or 650cc engine, NOT a very high top speed. But 85mph is plenty for common street/freeway driving around here.

Here's a snap image. (link to CAD file for download)

 

[AriLea]

I have noticed that the FRS has upgraded it's looks slightly. The mechanics of the FRS2 is essentially the same as my Atlantric design.
Unfortunately the wheels, track width and engine choice probably would not fit.

This car using a steel space-frame, dry weight is 430kg = 950lbs.

From them, "We supply a very comprehensive FRS 3 kit for £5,695."
Currently £5,695 = $8,027 USD

 

[Mark BEX]

 

[AriLea]

I started this thread with my own creative activity in Autocycles.
Now that the catalog of existing three wheelers is fairly fully posted, there is many more places that imagination can travel.

This is one, the 50's aerodynamic style was less about engineering and more about art. But could it have been more about actual aerodynamics than it was? I think so. This model represents two cars, one a three wheeler, which, based on the Elio estimates, could get over 90 miles per gallon, and a four wheeler that might reach 75MPG. A pragmatically selected front wheel drive train is required to accomplish this. I also think this can still satisfy the need for an attractive design. This is what this conceptual experiment is about.

 

[Made in USA]

I started this thread with my own creative activity in Autocycles.
Now that the catalog of existing three wheelers is fairly fully posted, there is many more places that imagination can travel.

This is one, the 50's aerodynamic style was less about engineering and more about art. But could it have been more about actual aerodynamics than it was? I think so. This model represents two cars, one a three wheeler, which, based on the Elio estimates, could get over 90 miles per gallon, and a four wheeler that might reach 75MPG. A pragmatically selected front wheel drive train is required to accomplish this. I also think this can still satisfy the need for an attractive design. This is what this conceptual experiment is about.

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Don't know why but these bring back memories of Studebaker. The front ends also look visually heavy.

 

[AriLea]

Don't know why but these bring back memories of Studebaker. The front ends also look visually heavy.

>Studebaker
Yes that would be an expected impression, given the 50's style intent. Hudson's and Kaiser's also come to mind.

>front ~ heavy
I saw that too, the bumper has a filled in area behind it, take that filler out and it will look a lot lighter. The 50's tended to look heavy in front, maybe not that heavy would be better. Maybe additionally using a smaller or segmented bumper could help as well. I added some hood art to the online model. It was a little boring right there.

Only the three wheeler needs to be made lighter, the other has a match in how the rear was implemented.

This is not a style category every one likes. But those who do, are ravenous for it.

The change from the past, the unique issue, is an old style with technology that is highly efficient or has green credentials at minimum.

 

[Coss]

I like that front end, it gives the feeling of MASS and women more then men seem to feel that you are safer if you have a lot of whatever in the nose of the car. I read that somewhere, it makes sense.

 

[AriLea]

A recent concept from Acrimoto: The Kitefin city car, with proposed self driving features, and a comparably limited EV range.

With AWD or at least FWD, this would make me much more happy.

 

[AriLea]

Another style exercise (Link). (I get bored not being able to do any of my own shop-work, esp. while the 'Mongrel' is in work)
I don't think anything but an EV drive will fit in there, unless there were some very creative work in an intake manifold for a Subaru flat-4.

 

[AriLea]

I think I will say something about the heavy-front look of these 2F autocycle trikes.
It's a valid assessment. But such perceptions are based on what people are used to.
I address this because I'm always considering how they would market in the world going forward.

You might not think it applies, but it very much does because of how we are 'wired' to beauty. There is some baseline in biology, but it is also highly flexible as affected by environmental exposure. As evidence I will point to two examples of such judgements that might surprise a few people. And a third one related to behavior.

One; In the classic period art paintings of wildly under-dressed women, these women were considered very attractive, but today they are considered 'frumpy', overweight, fatty and unhealthy. It seems what every period you are in, the biological base-line for female beauty is heath and looking well taken care of.

Item two; Marilyn Monroe in her most famous and attractive photos are not how she typically is glamorized today. Those older photos are today considered a bit heavily loaded. Although recently, there has been a little return her sytle to larger portions in the upper and lower body segments.

Behavior; At one time there was a culture that considered it highly sexy for a person to have had their eye-brows bitten off, as if in the throws of hysterical love making, which I find abhorrent.

So, given the right experience the previous artwork might look actually too light. But my guess is that such a judgement in the future, either way, would always be made.