Rotary-engined ground vehicles

[Weaver]

Does anyone know of any example of a ground vehicle powered by a rotary engine, that is to say, the kind of spinning engine found on some WWI fighters, not a Wankel rotary?

The only ones I know of are a handful of obscure motorbikes (one called the Megola) which used such an engine inside one of the wheels, and the Adams-Farwell car, which used horizontally mounted 3 or 5 cylinder engines.

[scooter]

Does anyone know of any example of a ground vehicle powered by a rotary engine, that is to say, the kind of spinning engine found on some WWI fighters, not a Wankel rotary?

The only ones I know of are a handful of obscure motorbikes (one called the Megola) which used such an engine inside one of the wheels, and the Adams-Farwell car, which used horizontally mounted 3 or 5 cylinder engines.

Not that I know of.  I do know a Lemons racing team stuffed a Kinner 5 cylinder radial in a Toyota MR2

[kerick]

Sounds like it's time to build a whiff of one!

[killnoizer]

In fact I am on that project     

Got a dozen rotary engines left over from my builds 

[zenrat]

Imagine the torque reaction when you blipped the throttle with the car in neutral.   

[kerick]

Imagine the torque reaction when you blipped the throttle with the car in neutral.   

With the crankshaft vertical take it to an icy parking lot and rev the throttle to see if it spins in place!

[Weaver]

The sole surviving Adams-Farwell rotary-engined car demonstrated running:

[PR19_Kit]

The exact opposite of Colin Chapman's 'Simplicate and add lightness' philosophy!

'Complicate and ad heaviness'!!!

I've seen that car at the Harrah Museum, but didn't realise what I was looking at as I only looked at the front.   

[Leading Observer]

Fit it to an afv - didn't some Shermans have a radial engine?

[Rheged]

Fit it to an afv - didn't some Shermans have a radial engine?

Correct!!  Some had a Wright RD 1820  9 cylinder diesel radial  and others a Continental R975-C1 or -C4 9 cylinder radial petrol engine.

[PR19_Kit]

Fit it to an afv - didn't some Shermans have a radial engine?

Yes, but that's not a rotary, the cylinders stand still.

[jcf]

A rotary of sorts as the 3-cylinder radial engines, plural, are mounted directly to the non-steering front wheels:
Rohrbach concept

You cannot view this attachment.

[jcf]

More on the Adams-Farwell at Douglas Self's Museum of RetroTechnology:

Adams-Farwell

[killnoizer]

Fit it to an afv - didn't some Shermans have a radial engine?

Correct!!  Some had a Wright RD 1820  9 cylinder diesel radial  and others a Continental R975-C1 or -C4 9 cylinder radial petrol engine.

Oh , THAT's a difference I am also ignored .

[PR19_Kit]

A rotary of sorts as the 3-cylinder radial engines, plural, are mounted directly to the non-steering front wheels:

It steers from the rear wheel?   

Be afraid, be VERY afraid!