# Reverse trike concept...VW Mk1 donar...newbie questions....



## mettzman (Mar 18, 2009)

So I've reading tons for a couple years off and on..........did the BioDiesel thing and knew I was just avoiding my true ev calling.......now I will hoard funds for this one way or another............

Love MK1 VW's.....FWD/MacPherson suits me fine, I'm not a race car driver but I do live where they film car commercials.......Bikers pass through every summer with glee..............not alot of stop and go and pretty well maintained......Hilly though, but coasting for days.............

so for a great while I thought I'd do a diesel cabriolet with my jetta rear end(13" longer)......make a hardtop.....etc.........like a suzuki brat.........

I realized that I was trying to restylize, chop some weight, take out seating for utility, have a fun open top..etc........but I still had a heavy steel car and needless mass for an errand runner..........

I know MK1's are pretty much the next best thing to a Metro in the conversion arena.....good GVWR, Cubic space, low stock curb weight, etc.......good lead acid candidate no less....... 

I got to thinking that the "rabbit" suspension/steering/brakes and wheels could be salvaged much like a "beetle" based Buggy, Delta trike or mid engine conversion.......I even found out that the MK1 MR2's and early corrolla's had what looks just like a front macphearson set up in the rear......

There's the La Bala and this obscure Triton that has just one brilliant guy with a website.........it's a tadpole for gasser rabbit drivetrains to swap right in and yet it's got a double wishbone custom setup as part of the kit......no EV options...................

http://www.tritontrikes.com/default.html

I also love the streamliner movement and Craig Vetter's Freedom machine concept.......he's playing with the idea of a second, shorter range purpose built EV eventually.........

http://www.craigvetter.com/pages/470MPG/Freedom-Machine-intro.html

I also love the mid engined Kit car that Mark Smyth is coming up with.....not EV but using most of the passenger compartment of a MKIV TDI to make a sporty econo daily driver..............

http://www.twitter.com/factoryfive


- The Concept...................(thanks for reading if you're still here...) 

I would use the Graber La Bala/Triton/Sparrow(MeyersMotors)/Doran/Trycycle concept.......

I don't mind a fish shaped car......I want to use existing MK1 parts(namely , the suspension/steering/brakes and wheels). I want to do a one-off foam core composite body.........I want to learn to weld or have sufficient plans to build from........I am patient and competent, a professional Handi-man and avid sailor/boat repair............................ 

so aesthetically......I'm talking a MK1 inspired tadpole single seater well under 1500lbs...........Targa top.........motor cycle swingarm rear suspension..............

I've read tons about side force on a motorcycle swingarm/wheel.......

It seems you can put a car tire on a Goldwing and a tadpole under 1200lbs. is not much more than a heavy cross country motorcycle..........

Am I right to think reduced weight/good CG eliminates alot of the concerns?

Is a full streamlined body matter under 55mph, 50mph.....45mph?

I would love to save most of my VW's firewall, K frame, shock towers and then glass around it a tub like a classic Dune Buggie and the "Triton"........

weld the fish tail frame to fit around the swing arm........ displace weight through out the body much like the Doran, following the R.Riley physics..........


EV needs.............

- Short spurts of 55mph.......no interstate ever..........mostly 25-45.....
- 30 to 40 usable miles of hilly range(again lot's of coasting oppurtunity) 
- Regen if practical..........
- average acceleration.....
- single seat........4 bags of groceries.......bike rack........motorcycle single wheel trailer(under 500lb. payload).....Dinghy on trailer(under 400lbs).....
trailer tongue weight would be under 20lbs. and the range needed hauling would only be 20 miles...................


Proposed Components..........

- D&D Motors Sepex or Thunderstruck's AC15/AC30
- Curtis 1238 controller
- 72v-96v system sucking off of 100ah Hi-Power Lifepo's..........
- Original traversal mount 4-speed tranny with stock CV axles
- Big Motorcycle Swingarm............ 


Random Questions........

- if the Trycycle or Indiecycle can use a single swing-arm but the Doran has double sided fabbed rear suspension can I lean towards the lowest wieght possible..........(1100-1200lbs.)

- I realize how Drag/wieght/terrain all shape the system you choose......can a Sepex push 1200lbs.?

- can I treat this like the heaviest Lead acid Motorcycle conversion?......but use 100ah LiPoFe's..........

- and Californians have specific one-off 3 wheel chassis's registered recently?

- is under 200wtt/hrs. per mile possible with a 1200lb. vehicle..........1000lbs.?

Anything you can think of out there...........thanks!................


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## grayballs (Aug 27, 2008)

Welcome aboard,,,, you might want to start out reading about this project

http://www.diyelectriccar.com/forums/showthread.php?t=30353&highlight=fishguts

'started with a VW Bug and went for it. I'm assuming that funds have derailed his project, temporarily,,,,, it's an interesting read


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## mettzman (Mar 18, 2009)

Thanks, I'll check it out................


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