Project code name Cheese Wedge

[hondaguy72]

Hi guys and gals. It's time to start another project thread. I guarantee you will not find another vehicle like this in America.

My goal is simple for this car. 55-60mph top speed, four wheels, two passengers, daily driver status and the ability to go on any road legally, and no less than 75mpg. It's got to be enclosed and have heat.


I'm going to keep the specific chassis a secret for the time being as it is in storage away from home. What I will disclose is that it has an aluminum tube frame. Total vehicle weight is estimated at 1350lbs with a payload of no less than 600lbs, possibly a great deal more.

The drive system will consist of a water cooled three cylinder diesel/biofuel engine and centrifugal drive. If I can make it cost effective the drive will also have reverse, but currently I'm not certain it will.

I will begin posting photos as the chassis is brought home in the spring.


Anyone care to guess what chassis this motor will be in?

[IndyFetch]

Originally Posted by hondaguy72

Hi guys and gals. It's time to start another project thread. I guarantee you will not find another vehicle like this in America.

My goal is simple for this car. 55-60mph top speed, four wheels, two passengers, daily driver status and the ability to go on any road legally, and no less than 75mpg. It's got to be enclosed and have heat.


I'm going to keep the specific chassis a secret for the time being as it is in storage away from home. What I will disclose is that it has an aluminum tube frame. Total vehicle weight is estimated at 1350lbs with a payload of no less than 600lbs, possibly a great deal more.

The drive system will consist of a water cooled three cylinder diesel/biofuel engine and centrifugal drive. If I can make it cost effective the drive will also have reverse, but currently I'm not certain it will.

I will begin posting photos as the chassis is brought home in the spring.


Anyone care to guess what chassis this motor will be in?

n600?

[GasSavers_BEEF]

the 3 cylinder diesel will probably keep it from being legal on any road. the reason many car companies don't have small diesels is becaue they have to be very clean to be able to put them in a car (trucks have some sort of exemption)

I would think that you could achieve similar with a small 3 cylinder gas given the weight. my first car was a geo metro with the 3 cyl and it weighed in at around 1800#. I would think 500# would be a significant weight reduction.

[theholycow]

Emissions shouldn't be a problem as it will probably be registered as a motorcycle. Anyway I googled it and Minnesota doesn't have emissions testing.

[tradosaurus]

Sounds like a modified old Volkswagen

[GasSavers_BEEF]

I don't think you can register it as a motorcycle since it has 4 wheels. I thought that was the loophole for the wildfire vehicles and some of the other ones as they had 3 wheels.

I thought also in states that don't do emissions testing that they still check to make sure that the emissions equipment is present. not necessarily functioning but present and accounted for.

there again, I will say that I don't know much about minnesota's rules.

the whole definition of a motorcycle may also be a state to state thing as well, I'm not sure.

it will be an interesting project.

[hondaguy72]

Hint: The car started life as an EV.

I still may not go with an ICE. My kubota d600 is not in the condition I was hoping it was in. Parts for it are about four times as expensive as any passenger car's. It probably needs a full rebuild (sigh).



























The answer is:
1976 Sebring Vanguard Citicar.



Again, the vehicle is still in storage so actual car shots are not available. All the panels are in fairly poor condition, but they are restore-able.


Great guess Fetch! I would have loved to have gotten my hands on the n600 which the owner's father had in his driveway! I'll see if I can get some pictures of that car while I'm picking up the citicar.

[hondaguy72]

Here's the wiki for the car:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citicar

Originally the car's top speed was only about 40mph, but was actually legal (but not wise) for highway travel.

[IndyFetch]

Originally Posted by hondaguy72

Hint: The car started life as an EV.

After you said it started life as an EV, I knew immediately what the car would be, before I had even scrolled down. The only one of those I had ever seen was yellow, and your "cheese wedge" name gave it away.

Clever, Clever.

[hondaguy72]

Just when I thought I might have the idea to make something no one else has, I find this:

http://mattoon.craigslist.org/ctd/2734728689.html

It has disheartened me enough that I may just have to rethink my project. The differences would be that this one is motorcycle powered and I doubt it is titled.

If the link breaks I can repost images from the ad.

I may just have to restore this car and possibly update the controller instead.