HOW TO BUILD A CYCLECAR - A REPRINT

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 The cyclecar craze was born from the pioneer era of transport by home build engineers searching for a simple vehicle. The likes of Morgan, Bedelia and GN; braking the mold and making more of a commercial success of this new craze. 'The Cyclecar' magazine catered for the 'cyclecariste'; and the home builder with the right tools, imagination and workshop could build his own cyclecar with components from companies like 'Chater-Lea' and engines could be bought from J.A. Prestwich ( 'JAP' ). 

A book could be purchased in the period, guiding a cyclecar enthusiast through the pitfalls of building his very own cyclecar. Originally printed by Temple Press;  must have been a success, as several cars were build using the book. Original copies are very rare to find, but several years ago I managed to acquire copy. With modern technology; The book was scanned, enhanced and reprinted on matching paper. They are available to below.   

It was these pioneer cyclecar builders that sparked a passion for cyclecars and inspired me to build my own cyclecar with parts from the period, and as 2020 marks 20 years since I first drove the Grafton cyclecar.

I've learnt allot about cyclecars over those 20 years. How to build them; but more importantly, how to not! I've a keen eye for always gathering parts that could be used or adapted to build a period style cyclecar. So much so, that I have amassed a goodly stock of the right stuff and I'm always looking to buy more if I'm offered it. 

A simple cyclecar needs to be just that, effectively a motorcycle engine, a 3 speed gearbox with clutch and chain final drive. Several such machines were built with this type of configuration and some still exist! One being; the Bramble cyclecar, powered by a 500cc JAP engine mounted on the side of the car with a single belt drive to one of the rear wheels. Reverse is a hole in the floor for the drivers legs. The Bramble cyclecar is the epitome of an ultra-simple cyclecar from that era..  

The Bramble Cyclecar. Image by Stefan Marjoram

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