3, 4, 6 and 8 wheel drive Microcars

[Chris Thomas]

Dear Rumcar friends. If I may call you that?

I was undertaking some research for the next volume of 21 Century Microcars, and I started drifting off at a tangent (as you do) and realised that we have a lot of one wheel drive Microcars, many two wheel drive microcars, but do we have any 3 wheel drive Microcars. Looking carefully there are some 4, 6 and 8 wheel drive Microcars. But which is which?

Who better to ask than the most knowledgable people on the subject: YOU. I know that some purists will say that if it has more than 4 wheels it may not be a Microcar, but for the sakes of this quiz lets say it does not matter.

Collectively can we name all the Microcars with more than 2 wheel drive, along with the country of origin and engine the size.

I will start off the list with: -

Steyr Haflinger, Austria, 4x4, 643cc
Argocat, Canada, 6x6 & 8x8, 674cc


I have no list of right answers, but I do have an extensive library against which I can check any dubious claims.

Good luck

Chris Thomas

[Stuart Cyphus]

 That Crayford Bobcat thingy-doo-dah from the late 1970s  Didn't that have eight-wheel-drive & a piddling engine?

[inacoma]

Harrington Isetta

http://www.groupharrington.com/ev/

4 wheels driven by independant electric motors.

Will they be able to use Isetta name?

john

[Jim Janecek]

Ferves Ranger 500cc made in Italy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsyQwwc0Mfc

[Chris Thomas]

Dear Jim and John

Excellent start for you two.

But unfortunateley Stuart has a first refusal as the Argocat was sold in the UK by Crayford as the Crayford Argocat and a Bobcat is a mini digger, which I think is 4 wheel drive, but is not road worthy.

There are plenty more to find.

Chris Thomas

[Jim Janecek]

Citro

[Chris Thomas]

Dear Jim

That is a difficult one. The engines were 600cc each so x2 =1200cc which means it is not technically a Microcar.

Chris Thomas

[Stuart Cyphus]

the Argocat was sold in the UK by Crayford as the Crayford Argocat and a Bobcat is a mini digger, which I think is 4 wheel drive, but is not road worthy.

 Damn, I thought I was onto a winner there!  Right, lets have another go; how about this thing built by Moto Guzzi for the Italian army in about 1971, as seen at Retromobile. 700cc, three wheels & three wheel drive.....

[Chris Thomas]

Dear Stuart

Splendid!

A 3 wheel drive vehicle. I knew that there must be some somewhere.

But are there any others?

I can see that you are starting to get into this thread.

My personal list is now up to 10

Chris Thomas

[Chris Thomas]

Dear Micro friends

Since I started this quest the list now looks like this

Argocat Canada 6x6, 8x8, 674cc
Daihatsu Mira 550, Japan, 4x4, 547cc
Daihatsu Hijet 550, Japan, 4x4, 547cc
Ferves Ranger Italy, 4x4, 500cc
Harrington Isetta BB, Vietnam, 4x4, Electric
Honda, Acty Street, Japan, 4x4, 547 & 656cc
Honda Today 660, Japan, 4x4 656cc
Mazda Carol, Japan, 4x4 546 & 657cc
Mazda Scrum, Japan, 4x4 547cc
Mitsubishi Minicab Bravo, Japan, 4x4 548cc
Moto Guzzi, Italy, 3x3, 700cc
Scoiattolo Super, Italy, 4x4, 767cc
Steyr Hafflinger, Austria, 4x4, 643cc
Subaru Rex, Japan, 4x4, 547cc
Subaru Sambar Try 550, Japan, 4x4, 547cc
Suzuki Alto 0.5, Japan, 4x4, 547cc
Suzuki Evert 0.5, Japan, 4x4, 547cc
Suzuki Jimney, Japan, 4x4, 543cc

And that is only after three hours

Those Japanese do like their little four wheel drive vehicles.

If you can think of any more to fill in the gaps, please do so.

Chris Thomas

[Chris Thomas]

Just to keep you up to date. I havefound two further 3 wheel drive vehicles. They are not as spectacular as Stuarts Moto Guzzi Mulo Mecccanico.

They are

Dug 3x3, USA 3x3 211cc
Rokon, USA, 3x3 171cc

Both are off road motor bikes with a driven trailing third wheel, for driving across soft sand. Very strange

Chris Thomas

[Jim Janecek]

Suzuki LJ10, LJ20, L40 and L50 all have 359cc engines

The LJ10 was also known as the "Jimny" and the "Brute IV" in some markets for 1970

[marcus]

I saw a custom trike near Plymouth  ( the UK one, not the US one!). Similar to the military 3wd, and probably no one's idea of a true micro car. I saw it in the distance, but only as it passed did I realise that it was not a normal "bike" trike. I guess it was 4wd....but all on the same axle. That's right, it had NINE wheels. One front, and 2 truck rear axles each with 4 wheels. Very "Mad Max". Probably not very good on tight corners!