Begin a fan of anything with an engine, my desire was to have an enclosed, single seater, with modern features to drive
in the rainy season when the motorcycle is not feasible.
As a motorcycle and sidecar rider, three wheels are not a new
thing to me. This car was not even my first converted car. After building several sidecars, I built a 1956 BMW Isetta powered
with a Honda Helix scooter engine/trans. It features electric reverse, cabin heat, stereo and many other thing not available
on a 1950's German car.
A few photos are here:
https://kennethwinter.tripod.com/id4.htmlMy last project combined a modern fiber glass/monocock cockpit with a modern engine and transmission. The use of manufacturer
designed sub components saved hours of engineering and provide access to parts to facilitate long term viability of the vehicle.
Yes
it is a one off car, but the goal was to have a dependable daily driver not custom show piece. The Honda engine/trans are
installed as a power unit that can be removed as a sub component for service and repair.
The construction of the driver
compartment is similar to the composite construction of the motorcycle helmet...As such NO helmet is required, even though
DOT categorizes the vehicle as a motorcycle due to its three wheel design.
Since its completion in June 2010, it has
been driven 900 miles. The current features in the car are:
electronic ignition
fuel injection
CVT automatic transmission
full
instrumentation( silverwing cluster plus others)
Willwood racing brake components
CD player
Color back up camera
Cabin
heat/defrost (AC upon rebuild)
Remote start, Remote lock, remote front and rear hatch opener
LED cabin lighting.
The
redesign plans for the winter are to install the electric reverse and AC
compressor...
PS.. there are two other
car nuts like me...
One powered his Corbin with a 500C cc Kawasaki Ninja engine and the other uses a front mounted diesel
engine driving the rear wheel with a hydraulic forklift motor.
Ahhh to be different.
Kenneth Winter
