Rescued attachment chassis.JPG
Here are some pics of my new chassis before I strip it down and paint it. Before anyone asks, yes it will fit out of the door. The top of the
chassis isn't welded on yet and will be welded when it goes out to the garage to be built up properly.
Rescued attachment chassis.JPG
I've estimated that the whole thing will weigh 275kg when finished. I'd be happy enough if it ended up weighing 300kg. I expect 90 MPG
too, which makes the Prius look expensive and pointless.
Rescued attachment chassis front .JPG
Now I've got to strip it down and finish off all the welds.
Rescued attachment chassis rear.JPG
Are they patio doors on your garage, or have you knackered your living room?
oooooohhhh this is the scooter thing 
finally we get to see it, What's the body going to look like?
No, that's my basement / workshop. It saves working outside in the winter and stops unpainted steel from rusting. The car will be built in the neighbours' unused garage at the bottom of her garden. I get to use it in exchange for trimming the hedge that joins her garden to mine.
Awesome. I'd love to build something similar one day aiming for high mpg
Oohh
From the VDLA site:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/OwningAVehicle/HowToTaxYourVehicle/DG_10012524
Tricycle (TC50), any cc, UNDER 450Kgs... £66 per annum Road Tax as well.
and 90mpg.. Bugger, you spotted a belter there.
good luck with it.
why have you used scooter tyres? surly all the wear will be over a very small contact patch, and so you'll square of the tyres quickly and have
to change them regularly when they loose all useful tread?
Unless the wheels articulate .... like that new scooter thing?
quote:
Originally posted by smart51
Here are some pics of my new chassis before I strip it down and paint it. Before anyone asks, yes it will fit out of the door. The top of the chassis isn't welded on yet and will be welded when it goes out to the garage to be built up properly.
quote:
Originally posted by FUORISERIE
very interesting 3wheeler project, is this going to be a cabin scooter or other ?
What engine are you using ? engine displacement ?.
[Edited on 7/4/08 by FUORISERIE]
quote:
Originally posted by smart51
quote:
Originally posted by FUORISERIE
very interesting 3wheeler project, is this going to be a cabin scooter or other ?
What engine are you using ? engine displacement ?.
[Edited on 7/4/08 by FUORISERIE]
Yes, a cabin scooter. I'm using a piaggio x8 250cc engine and transmission. It makes 22 BHP and is fuel injected, catalytically converted and is EURO3 compliant, which should make MSVA a bit easier.
I was toying with the idea of getting an electric golf cart on the road, and had found a damaged one for £400 - which was about £300 more than I
wanted to pay for it
Increase the voltage, change the gearing, put on decent brakes, lights and (removeable) windcreen. Fit solar panels on roof, and an alternator to the
brake pedal
Might build a T or a
next anyway!
ATB
Simon
Hi smart 51.
I have been very interested in your project and the use of the Piaggio engine unit.
We have just bought a piaggio 400 scooter to try something similar so forgive me if I try to pick your brain over one or two things.
first off we propose to use the whole rear end including the frame and just cut of the tubes in front of the engine, the tubes are very substantial
and strong.
Q .. have you used the frame as a starting piont.?
Q..How are you aranging a hand brake?
Q.. Are you altering the exhaust as the one we have makes the arse end very wide?
Thanks for any info.
Regards Kipper
I haven't used the bike frame at all. The engine is attached with 1 big bolt and the dampers with 1 normal sized bolt each. I decided to make
my own chassis that was a bit like a locost chassis.
I considered using a gokart cable operated brake calliper on the rear disc for the handbrake. There are unused bosses on the scooter's trailing
arms that could mount a bracket to hold the calliper. In the end, I fitted handbrakes to the front wheels, thinking that two are better than one.
I've left the exhaust unmodified. It is euro 3 compliant so should make SVA easier. My design seats 2 abreast so even with a tapered rear,
there's room for the original silencer.
What are you building? Any pics?
Hi.
Thanks for the reply. We are buiding a three wheeler using the Piaggio 400cc engine unit and rear frame assembly, for the front end we are using a
locust front end and the ladder frame chassis which will be shortened as the engine bay will not be needed. The peddle box will be just behind the
front wheels.
we dont have a plan for the bodywork yet, we will see what we have when the trike is rolling. something like a lotus elise front clamshell would be
nice as a starter.
The handbrake is still a worry though but I guess we will get over that problem.
Regards.Kipper........AKA Denis.
Any progress updates on the three wheeler project
Kipper
I've been working away on the inner fibreglass panels. Its still looking quite rough at the moment because I plan to do all the finishing in one
go. Better not to tidy up part of it then drop something and scratch it.
I even drove it today. 2 metres, from the back of the garage to the front. It was so good, I went back and did it again.
Rescued attachment inner tub.JPG
The car has a roof and a boot and everything.
Rescued attachment boot space.JPG
I had to take it out of the garage (my next door neighbours) whilst she had a fridge freezer delivered, so I just had to take it up the lane that runs
along the back of the houses. It power slides like a demon up wet grassy / muddy slopes
You see those blokes with white coats on coming up your driveway... 
hi there,
what are the wheels at the fount? thay look like rear wheels from a scooter if so what hub / upright are you using with them? does the scooter have a
bolt on stub axle at the rear?
any pictures greatly apreasheated.
Blake
quote:
Originally posted by ceebmoj
what are the wheels at the front?
Here is a "beautifully" rendered drawing of the car as I intend it to look. I now have to transfer this to the foam.
Rescued attachment MinimaCabinScooter.JPG
Nice!
Just a clean design, what else do you need?
Looking smart Smart
hope you don't mind I've U2U'd you a very quick Q on MSVA.
wow that is just the type of project that a few (4) of us at work are going to look at,
1 is a structural engineer (the leader)
2nd has a degree in aeronautical engineering,
3rd has a degree in automotive engineering,
4th me,
have you any more details/drawings of your project,
thanks
wow that is just the type of project that a few (4) of us at work are going to look at,
1 is a structural engineer (the leader)
2nd has a degree in aeronautical engineering,
3rd has a degree in automotive engineering,
4th me,
have you any more details/drawings of your project,
thanks
There are a few pics of the bodywork under development here: Link to bodywork thread
quote:
Originally posted by smart51
Here is a "beautifully" rendered drawing of the car as I intend it to look. I now have to transfer this to the foam.
, what are the dimensions ?
quote:
Originally posted by FUORISERIE
quote:
Originally posted by smart51
Here is a "beautifully" rendered drawing of the car as I intend it to look. I now have to transfer this to the foam.
nice design.......
quote:
Originally posted by smart51
Here is a "beautifully" rendered drawing of the car as I intend it to look. I now have to transfer this to the foam.
quote:
Originally posted by smart51
quote:
Originally posted by FUORISERIE
quote:
Originally posted by smart51
Here is a "beautifully" rendered drawing of the car as I intend it to look. I now have to transfer this to the foam.
nice design.......
The intention was 2.5m long, 1.2 high and 1.295 wide (to sneak in under the 1.3m width that makes the car lighting regs easier). It will be slightly longer at the front to give clearance to the headlights and at the rear to make it look nicer.
It is also not quite as tall due to a slight error making the roof!