Folies

 

Graphics by Andrew Boulton

I have been talking to fellow cyclekarter Andrew Boulton, a graphic designer, about wanting a Folies Bergere style logo for the Bédélia and he has been playing with the idea. The car, the French archetypal cyclecar, was designed and built in Paris in 1910 (home of the legendary music-hall) and is regarded by many as a folly - a mad idea.

Also, speaking sentimentally, my late mother's cottage was known as Little Follies, so in a small way this will be a tribute to her. I know she would have approved.

trailer mods

My wonderful trailer was designed for a slightly shorter load than I need it for. The boat-back of my cyclekart sticks out 6" beyond its rear wheels. It will be accommodated in an extension box which I fitted to the trailer today.

What I designed comes in two parts, which I fabricated in my workshop:

1 A wooden box made of scrap ply.
2 A steel frame made with 20mm angle iron, with tabs for securing the box. 

Today I cut the front steel strap, cut a hole in the front, mounted my angle iron frame through the hole and bolted the box to it.

in-place but not fitted

I ran out of time at the hangar today, so need to go back to finish bolting and sealing the unit. But for now I am really pleased with how this went.

One final thing to be done after fully securing the box will be making a steel strap to continue the line around the front, but this will simply be an aesthetic detail.

Cockpit panels

 

Judging clearance. Slightly worried that my front cockpit will look taller than the rear.

further metalwork

 

turtle back curve

 

Two days' work and the turtle back curve is nearly there.

Hours of shrinking, stretching, slapping, adjusting and filing.

 

Bédélia Carrier

 I just bought this superb trailer, built by Andrew and his dad.

You can see why they did away with cable steering! It is murder to set up!

 

The mad thing is that this has taken so long, given that it is a joke and serves no practical purpose, as regards actually making the car go. 

You can see why cable steering was done away with. 

It buckles; develops slack; distorts brackets, which flex; frays; risks breaking; and draws blood.

faux steering wheel mounting

 Today I made a steering wheel mount incorporating a thimble and cable arrangement for the rear cockpit.

What's the faux steering all about?

Dad asked me what the faux steering is about. And it occurs to me that lots of people may ask  the same question. 

The original Bédélia was driven from the back seat, with the person in front helping with gear changes by moving the drive band with a length of wood, or else just sitting as a passenger. In my cyclekart rendition, I shall drive from the front, with my fake (faux) driver, Mr Bourbeau, the original car's French designer (or rather, his top half up) over the engine bay. The original's engine was in the front, in the nose of the car (beneath that brass petrol tank), which is where my legs will be in my version. 

The faux steering is a cable and drum system which connects my steering wheel to Mr Bourbeau's in the back, so that when I turn right, his steering wheel will turn right, too. His arms will be attached to his steering wheel so that his arms will "drive". A second linkage will turn his head in the direction of the turn.

See the original mock-up here

Dad was asking after seeing this entry about the steering

steering and faux steering