A wedding in a velocar

My velocar was in use as a wedding vehicle. The couple found it online somewhere and they contacted me, asking if I would lend it out to them for a week or so. Seems they had a a nice celebration, with a big crowd of bicycle enthusiasts, beautiful bride and groom. Fancy flower arrangents on the bonnet as well. I wish them all the best for their future. Here is some footage of the wedding.

Modes of transportation

 Now that the Velocar Mk3 is underway in the rough traffic conditions of Berlin, I want to show some of its transports and abilities.

 

Velocar recreation

 All my velocar builds are more or less inspired by these old Mochets from 1930s-1940s.

Still I did change some characteristics, most significantly the front axle being narrower and shifted forward to prevent interference with the cranks and pedal space.

Hence, my creations are much narrower than their classic predecessors, enabling them to pass through bollard rows on nowadays cyclepaths.

Minimum width for a sociable velocar is IMHO a mere 1 meter, while the maximum should be 1,20 meter, if you want to use cycle lanes.

My latest build is a collaboration with Stephan from Berlin.

He designed a velocar for his own use, just 100cm wide and 280cm long, which is the smallest footprint for the demanded capacity of two riders, plus seating for kids and luggage space.

I agreed to do the "hardware" while Stephan and his wife will do the electronics, batteries and website of the project.

Of course they will also test the velocar in the busy city traffic of Berlin.

Here are some photos of the outcome so far:

The Website of the project

Reworked Mk3 drawings

Hello

Recently I installed a new 3D drawing program and still have to get used to it.

So I made new drawings for the 24" wheeled Mk3 Version, which will be the next to be built.

Due to my still not so good skills, the drawings are somewhat simple, no interior for example.

The rear wheel wells can be closed by slats, but I insisted in one side mounted wheels  for ease of maintenance.

Also I tried how an estate version would look like.

Length is the same as for the teardrop cabrio, I just added a square end.

I think about making the rear body versions interchangeable, 

conversion from cabrio to estate and reverse should be completed in 15 minutes.

The plywood panels are bought since a long time , still waiting for being cut into shape.

Before I can start the build, there are some other projects yet to be finished.

Cheers, Kai

Driven drum brakes

Hello all.

Currently I had some work on recycled wheelchair hubs.

I want to build one side mounted, driven rear hubs with drum brakes.

Normally these hubs are spinning around a fixed 12mm axle.

After removing the axle and hammering out the bearings, i put the hubs on the turning lathe, widening the center hole of the drum hubs to nearly 25mm.

Then I pressed the new 25x2 cromo steel axle into the hub.

Additionally, i welded a flange to the outer end of the axle tube, screwed to the hub to make sure a proper torque transmission.

Left: Front hub with usual 12mm axle

Right: same hub after being  converted into a driven rear hub

 with 25mm axle and outer torque flange.

Design No.4

This is another design I made this year.

Focussing speed and high efficiency while retaining the load carrying capability

leads to this particular design with a very low silhouette.

Some influences from Morgan, Jaguar and Triumph, I call it "Shooting Brake"
Intended to be built as plywood monocoque with the long front fenders doubleacting as sills.
No additional girders necessary, which will simplify the building process and saves weight.
This particular design is very low.
I created an ugly dude, 189cm tall (my size) for comparison.

Specs:
2+2 Seater, as always ;)
Length:345cm/136"
Width: 120cm/47"
Wheel base: 225cm/89"
Wheels: 20" or 20x1 3/8
Height of body: 75cm
Height of top: 100cm/40"
Height of entry/ top of sills: 30cm/12"
Seat level: 20-25cm/ 8-10"
Ground clearance: 10cm/4"
Expected weight: 55-60kg with use of 4mm gaboon ply,
Less, if I use thin airplane plywood for non-structural parts.

I guess, it won't fit the needs of the usual grocery getter that good.
Climbing in and out is more difficult than in a design with higher seat level.
Visibility and visability are also restricted by the low silhouette.
So this design is intended as hommage to all those fancy vintage sportscars i like so much.

More projects...

Some components for another velocar,

in this case I bought some vintage rear hubs.

I want to build this particular sociable tandem as a smaller and simpler version,

much like the original Mochets from the beginning of the 1930s.

These are two Sachs hubs with drum brakes, one has also internal gears

 in addition to the derailleur system with 6 sprockets.

I'm still not sure, if it's a 2 or 3 gear hub,

but this one will be installed on the pilots side.

The other one is still without it's cogs, this will be the passengers hub.

 

The front axle will get the same hubs with drum brakes,

these are from a stripped wheelchair.