American Three Wheelers

puddingwrestler · March 24, 2012, 10:11:19 PM

In the UK and large chunks of Europe, it used to be possible to drive a three wheeler car on a motor bike license, or taxes on three wheelers were lower, or a range of circumstances which made them attractive to buyers. This circumstances never seem to have existed in the US, but what if they had? Would the Big Three have made any three wheeled cars? What would they look like? Would they tip over at the drop of a feather? Would Mr. Bean run them of the road? Would Del Boy drive one? Would the kids have hotted them up? Would the BEach Boys have ever sung a song about them?
We may never know...
But we can dream!

I plan to make two US Three Wheelers, one based on a Monogram 39 Chevy which just arrived in the post (yes, I know it's sunday, my postman sometimes delivers parcels on sundays, I have no idea why), the other on a Pro Modeller 48 Ford. The Chevy will have a single front wheel in it's pointy nose, the ford will have twin fronts. Both will be built curbside as I have no intention of trying to work out the underside engineering required for this sort of thing.
Construction will likely commence tonight amid a lot of ranting and wild eyed excitement.

The victims (photos culled from the internewt, not my actual boxes)

Like any kit I own is still in the plastic...

sequoiaranger · March 25, 2012, 09:17:48 AM

Those old cars with the pointy cowls seem RIPE for such conversions.

My twisted mind also thought about the third-wheel-in-back mode where, like that '39 Chevy coupe, you could turn just the "cab" around, make the "trunk" the "hood" (boot and bonnet for you Brits), and the "cowl" would become the "fender" for the third, rear wheel. Just a thought!

Here is a *CRUDE* "Photoshopped" example (trying to turn the flames around was the hardest part)!! Try to imagine the vehicle going AWAY from you!

raafif · March 27, 2012, 09:27:11 PM

good attempt, sequoiaranger.
certainly looks kinda Messcherschmitt-ish

I thought the Nash Metropolitan was ripe for the 3-wheel treatment -- no body mods, just replace the two front wheels with one central one.

Had a ride in a Reliant Robin once -- it really needed out-riggers for even the smallest bends in the road

Must get back onto my Isetta & 'schmitt 3-wheeler kits.

I await your developments Puddingwrestler !!

puddingwrestler · March 27, 2012, 10:34:55 PM

Most of the interior work is done, and some body progress. I had to spend a while working out wheels - the kit comes with huge chrome custom steelies, which obviously do not work (it also came with a V8, which the 39 Chev didn't have, and a custom bucket seat 70s interior which was not much help). I've ended up making a sort of frankenwheel out of parts from an AMT 49 Ford and the wheel mounting backs from this kit. I'll be fitting 51 Chevy hub caps with the 'Chevy' script over the top.
Interior wise, I've plonked in the bench seat from a 41 Plymouth since it's the only spare bench I have which is the right size. Early 30s are too narrow, anything from after 49 is too wide, and I don't have much in between. I've carpeted the floor, and I'm working on the door panels.
The major task will be modified bodywork for the nose. The kit comes with a bonnet, but no bonnet sides (strictly rod only this kit... and then strictly one style of rod even!) so I have to do a lot of fabrication. I want a fairly solid nose since I do not intend to fit anything resembling an undercarriage and don't want to have exposed worky-bitz because I have no idea how they'd be engineered. This is strictly a styling exercise.
Another thing is that I think I need to make it rear engined. Plenty of room back there, and the front wheel will use up a bit of space. Have to add some cooling vents or something to ensure people realise the engine is in the back.
Pics soon.

puddingwrestler · March 27, 2012, 11:46:39 PM

To get some inkling on my insane plans, this is the fearsome, brutal and untamed power of the Daihatsu Bee:

And this is the grandeur of a La Salle grille:

puddingwrestler · March 28, 2012, 02:50:38 AM

Drum roll please...
And now for the first glimpse of the GM Three wheeler!
This is what it looked like when it had four wheels:

Here the front fenders have been removed with extreme prejudice...

The interior is very spartan. 30s car interiors were usually pretty bland, but this is an economy model!

More on the interior

Paper nose mock-up

With wheels in place. The stock chassis is also there, which pushes the nose upwards. It'll be modified.

Currently trying to think of a name. GM would not make such a thing as a Chevy because it'd damage the brand name. They'd use Chevy parts to keep costs down (GM: king of badge engineering!) but launch the whole project as a new division, that way if it went down, it wouldn't kill an established and succesful brand. Same thing went for La Salle - instead of making a cheaper Cadillac, they started up a whole new division which basically built a cheaper Cadillac, but called it a La Salle. GM tended to name brands for people in the early days -Cadillac for an explorer, POntiac for an Indian Chief, Chevrolet for a racing driver, La Salle for another explorer... I think I might try to keep to the pattern.

perttime · March 28, 2012, 03:17:45 AM

The problem with many American cars, is that they are big and tall. The problem with a single front wheel is that it is hard to get the car to behave in turns, especially when the vehicle is tall.
http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/28/video-clarkson-demonstrates-why-there-arent-more-three-wheeled/

edit: here's video that works: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bIn_ZgHJaE

A low three wheel car in the "tadpole" configuration (two wheels in front) can be very cool. Something like the Morgan three wheel car.
http://www.morgan3wheeler.co.uk/

Cobra · March 28, 2012, 03:33:48 AM

what about calling your Creation the 'Le Fay' as in Morgana Le Fay

call it the 'Pixie'! hope this Helps. Dan

PR19_Kit · March 28, 2012, 06:53:14 AM

Quote from: perttime on March 28, 2012, 03:17:45 AM
The problem with many American cars, is that they are big and tall. The problem with a single front wheel is that it is hard to get the car to behave in turns, especially when the vehicle is tall.
http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/28/video-clarkson-demonstrates-why-there-arent-more-three-wheeled/

edit: here's video that works: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bIn_ZgHJaE

Erm, you do realise this was meant as a comedy interlude I hope?

Reliant Robins weren't REALLY that unstable, I drove more than one in my time in the motor industry and I did the seat belt anchorage tests on most of the Reliant range at the time. As a side bar I don't know how Clarkson managed to fit a 4 point harness into a Robin, there isn't any structure anywhere to anchor it to. A 3 point harness works fine, as it's anchored to the roll-over hoop moulded into the B posts and the roof and two hard points in the floor platform

I'd venture most of Clarkson's rolls in that vid were 'assisted' more than somewhat. As I mentioned earlier, lifting one wheel on a rear wheel drive 3 wheeler loses the drive almost immediately and the car tends to right itself unless you're going WAY to fast for the corner anyway.

sequoiaranger · March 28, 2012, 06:55:04 AM

>GM tended to name brands for people in the early days -Cadillac for an explorer, La Salle for another explorer... I think I might try to keep to the pattern.<

I guess "De Soto" is out, then??

How about "Magellan"? "de Leon"?

If we go the "Indian" route--"Seminole"? "Denali" (isn't that already a GM car?), "Sequoia"? (Hey, that BECAME a Toyota product, but back then, who ever heard of Japanese cars in America??)

Since it is a 3-wheeler, how about "Trident"?

Mossie · March 28, 2012, 07:01:47 AM

I was thinking around 'trident' too. How about Leister, an alternative name for a trident? Can't think of any famous people with that name, but I'm sure you could make one up!

PR19_Kit · March 28, 2012, 07:03:08 AM

There was a Brit sports car called a 'Trident' but it had four wheels.

sequoiaranger · March 28, 2012, 07:43:31 AM

An exotic, far-away place in the 30's.

Remember, that in the 30's it was a mere shiekdom, oil had yet to be discovered there, and "Mo" Quadaffi was just a glint in the eye of Quadaffi Sr. !!

"Triumph", of course, was another British sportscar. "Trireme"?? "Tribute" or "Tribune"?

"Triad"?

"Trifid"?--(brings back scary plant movie memories for Brits?)

"Triton"? (Later, a very large missile)

perttime · March 28, 2012, 09:12:11 AM

Quote from: PR19_Kit on March 28, 2012, 06:53:14 AM
Quote from: perttime on March 28, 2012, 03:17:45 AMedit: here's video that works: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bIn_ZgHJaE

Erm, you do realise this was meant as a comedy interlude I hope?

Of course: it is Jeremy Clarkson on Top Gear, after all

It was certainly exaggerated, but "delta trikes" are more susceptible to tip over if you do go into a turn a bit too fast.

edit:
the image links didn't work. This page has a couple of recumbent trike related illustrations. The same principles apply with heavier vehicles too.

PR19_Kit · March 28, 2012, 09:35:19 AM

Quote from: perttime on March 28, 2012, 09:12:11 AM

the image links didn't work. This page has a couple of recumbent trike related illustrations. The same principles apply with heavier vehicles too.

But with motor vehicles the CG is usually lower unless the vehicle is fully laden, a relatively rare condition. The Robin and Bond 875 manuals both said that roof racks were not allowed, and in the case of the Robin the gutters we designed so it was impossible to fit a standard roof rack. Quite how 'Trotters Independant Trading' managed to fit their roof rack is intriguing......