Creating illusions

The original's nose (enclosing the engine) was very narrow. I have to create room in mine for my legs without making the horizontal timber running either side of my petrol tank look too wide and also need to avoid making my tank too large. So the top of the nose is very roughly the same as on the original, while the bottom is wider, meaning that my verticals have to narrow without sloping at all. At the front of the nose I use angle-iron rather than anything solid section, which meant that my feet fit down the end of the nose. The uprights holding the edge of the front of the skin have to accommodate cut-aways so that my legs are not pinched. That is what I have been working on this evening.

Dieting!

 The car feels way too heavy. Think I may remove the treadplate floor to begin with. I need to come up with a strengthener where you stand and replace the treadplate with ally or thin ply.

front axle

 Today I made spacers in aluminium (which encircle the stub axles, fitting between the bearings), which stop the bearings sliding towards each other in the hubs when the wheels are secured on the axle. Initially I made a mistake. I cut some spacers the same length as those that I took out of the wheel when it arrived with different bearings in it, but presumably because they also had seals, they were set closer together. My next set was half a millimeter too short, but I figure that will be ok. If needs be, I can use a shim on the outside.

Assembled, the front axle with its 2mm walled, 40mm tube feels like a dumbbell. My car is going to be heavy! But at least it does look like a car!

spoke sorted

Today, on Jim Tanner's advice, I fixed my spoke situation (a blown spoke hole) by doming a washer and putting a spoke nipple through the washer, then tightening it up to pull the washer into the rim. And it worked! I took it along to Dom Stevenson (fellow gyroplane pilot) of Kingdom Motorcycles in Ipswich, who very kindly got his number two, Will, to put the tyre back on it, but not before twanging it and declaring it a good repair.

Gratifying - no welding or brazing. Just a quick solution.

not a good photo, sorry

How the hell will I get it out of the shed, up the path and out through the gate?

Throughout the project I have been trying to design a wheeled rig which will rotate  the car longitudinally, so that it will go through a shed door, along a path and through a gate. But I have come up with a better idea. I have made the decision to have my boat-back completely removable, to give easy access to the engine etc. But it will also mean that the rear axle can be removed by disconnecting the drive chain and unbolting the bearing assembly. This will mean easily rolling the car-body up the garden path and through the gate on a gurney. My front axle will also be easily removable.

Once on board the trailer, I can prop it up on blocks and replace axles...or I can transport the chassis strapped down, then fit axles at the track, either on the trailer, where I will have a flat surface, or out on the ground.

Phew. Problem solved

boat back

 I made an upper former to give shape to my boat-back, today.

I need a wide angle lensed camera!

working out the faux petrol tank and supports

 

cable routes

 I have been thinking about the routing of my steering cables, and about how the right and left cables have to cross over in the cockpit and then travel vertically, attached to the chain, over the main cog, with the opposite cable paying out in the opposite direction.

Of course, they have to cross over because When you turn the steering wheel, the main cog is turning in the same direction. Turn the wheel right and you want the right wheel to be pulled in towards the car, so I will be pulling the the right cable clockwise over the left hand side of the cog, and the cable to the left wheel will be feeding out from the right hand side.

Well, I know what I mean, anyway. I need to do a quick sketch (pending)

tying all the wooden bits together

 

nose job done

 

A treasure-trove of detail

I have heard from the USA, from the chap who is selling the replica chassis and parts. He has sent me an absolute treasure trove of photos of the Bedelia and how it works. I wish to goodness I had discovered him before I started my kart, sigh! I have had to work everything out, so far, from just looking at photos of cars - not even close-ups. 

On Facebook, on a group dedicated to the marque, I did ask one chap what the dimensions of the original were and he snapped back, "It is not permitted to build a replica of the Bedelia!" and would give me no further detail. To be frank, owners of the few Bédélias that exist have been very reluctant to talk to me. I suppose because of their extreme rarity, their owners are very suspicious of someone like me showing too much interest in their cars. But I am in the process of joining Club Les Amis de Bédélia, a somewhat long-winded process (assisted by a leading light in the society), and I am optimistic that once in the club, my bona fides will be recognised.

Back to my friend in the USA, Gerron Hite. I have asked if he would mind me publishing his photos on here. He is looking for a buyer for his replica and original parts. Permitted or not, someone did build replicas, and I couldn't be more pleased, because although these are unfinished, their existence provides a wealth of otherwise very hard to find information.

replica axles

Someone on Facebook is selling two replica Bédélia chassis and parts. He posted a few photos, but this is the most interesting. 

 I have never seen an original Bédélia, but hopefully the builder of the replica has. I still haven't fully worked out how to make the "box", though I am close.

Stub Axles

On Jim Tanner's recommendation, because my axle is going to have some unusual forces on it (with its sliding pillar and steering all on one point), I have up-rated my axle to a 40mm CDS tube, but that creates its own problems for how I am going to fix my Gemini stub axles in it. I may solve it all just by fitting a shaft collar (plug welded to the stub axle's spigot), then butt-weld straight to the side of the tube, as the collar with the 25mm inside diameter has an outside diameter of 40mm.

In the meantime, however, Gemini has been waiting an inordinate amount of time for their machinist supplier to deliver their stub axles, so I will have to concentrate on other things, myself.

(Gemini Karts' picture)

1 x 70 mm shaft with a 25 mm dia x 35 mm spigot with 20mm of 1/2″ unf thread and nyloc nut

(Plug weld of collar to spigot not shown)

Note to self. You can get a split collar with a 17mm ID and an OD of 36. Weld this on the right hand side of the spigot, inserted inside the axle, with the 25/40 collar welded to the outside of the tube!

If Gemini are unable to get a supply, get someone to turn a thread on to some 17mm stock (if it exists?) and weld a couple of 17/36 collars on and insert both (spaced out) inside  the tube and cross bolt, as on original car.

setting up the nose

 

from Gerron Hite, original source unknown

machining sliding pillar parts

 My mate John, who has an old Myford lathe, took a tiny skim out of the inside diameter of these 20mm shaft collars so that they rotate around and slide up and down a 20mm o/d steel tube. I am replacing the grub screws with M6 grease nipples for lube.

cockpit daydreams

Now got to the stage where I can sit and daydream 

(or think through the next stage of the design)

 

seat

 Today I made a sprung seat. I am unsure how effective it will be, really, but at least it is less hard than a slab of ply. It looks super bouncy, but really, as soon as you sit, the springs compress to frame height, or slightly below. Will let you know if it bounces on bumps or whether it is just like a wire hammock.

As I got up off it, it did give me the tiniest push up, as it unloaded.

Still need to foam and cover it.

cockpit steering mechanism

 

back base gives shape to aluminium siding