Building a 100mpg consumer vehicle

[Ken Fry]

Originally Posted by Bicycle Bob

A trike eliminates all weight transfer at one end, so the other end always slides first, unless everything else has been radically compromised.

No need for radical compromise, just correct setup. The 1982 Trihawk was tested by Road and Track and found to be faster than a Porsche 924 in the slalom and faster on the skidpad than all the cars they'd tested to that time other than the BMW M1, The Lamborghini Countach, the Ferrari Boxer, and the Porsche 930 Turbo. "Lofty company indeed." they added. The Trihawk had the front suspension from a Citroen GSA, which kept the front wheels at the same dynamic camber angle as the rear.

Road and Track said "The Trihawk brings out the latent formula-car driver in anyone."

[Gfleisch]

If the CG is below the roll center, which is very possible with this car as it is with other race cars, the body will roll the opposite way from the turn even though all the force is on the outside tire. Since the body rolls the opposite way that is into the turn, the rear wheel is not going to get very much positive camber going around a turn. Also, if the front outside wheel does not start out with very much negative camber, it will not have that much on a corner. I've seen many front wheel drive cars in autocrosses, especially the fast ones, lift the inside real wheel in corners, thus becomming a three wheel car. They still generally understeer tremendously.

[G2TDI]

Originally Posted by drmiller100

Thank you for the link!!! Kind of similar to what I'm doing......

In case you need more inspiration just ran across this

Malone

http://www.3wheelers.com/aztour.html

just adding interesting ones I found there:

http://www.rqriley.com/xr3.htm

[drmiller100]

hood is roughed out, narrowed up, and pretty well decided.

Fiberglassed the rest of the body today. Still LOTS of sanding and sculpting, then gell coat, then more sanding, then more body work, then primer and paint.

A few minor changes along the way, but nothing huge. Starting to look really cool!!! No one seems much interested in pics just *****ing, so I quit taking pictures.

[JackMcCornack]

Well heck, I'm sure interested in pics--I just hadn't chimed in because I didn't have any *****ing to add to the conversation, much less have any practical advice. I'm more interested in seeing it finished than in telling you what tubing I would have built it from if it was me and I was starting over from scratch.

I'm sorry the offset-driver thing didn't work out. What did you discover that made it unworkable/undesirable? And please, more pics.

[user removed]

Same here Jack, it seemed like things were getting overly nasty. I'd like to see some more pictures, but if Mr. Miller does not want to post them then that is certainly his prerogative. I've learned a lot here on ecomodder, many ways to improve my concept which should save me some frustration when my vehicle is finished. Also legitimate concerns which make me think more clearly about real solutions.

regards
Mech

[pete c]

From reading this whole thread, it seems that basically, the car hasn't worked out for him as well as he had hoped and he's frustrated and deals with it by acting like an A-hole to those that have just given honest opinions.

Too bad as I think it is great that people out there transform their ideas into reality and maybe challenge the established car makers.

I tried opening his link to pics a few times and it didn't work. Is it still available or did he just decide to punish all us meanies for not praising his efforts vigorously enough?

[deathtrain]

i really dont give a ****. It is his project to live with. i wish him the best none the least. At least he is doing something and not being a keyboard fanboy. I still would like some pics also

[pete c]

I do wish him well, even if he is an a-hole. As you say, he gets credit for doing rather than talking like us keyboard fanboys.

[a8ksh4]

Pics or it didn't happen!

Reverse trikes are cool... Good discussion.