Author Topic: Help wanted with Eccles Ryder  (Read 10935 times)

rokraider

  • Occasional
  • **
  • Posts: 27
  • Flying round the universe in Fireball XL-5
Help wanted with Eccles Ryder
« on: June 11, 2008, 11:02:15 PM »
Hi All!
I am a newbie here and hope you can help me with information on my latest acquisition? It is an Eccles Ryder. It is essentially a very heavy duty golf cart like electric 3 wheeler. It is 24 volt. It has 2 bolts through the rear crossmember that could take a tow hitch. I assumed it was the sort of thing that might have been used in a railway station towing the mailbag trailers etc. The strange thing is it has fancy wheel trims and a couple of pouches on the bulkhead. The bench seat is covered in a sort of grey vinyl (same as pouches), but the back rest has piping and ribbing. A bit ornate for a working truck? I would be very grateful for any information on this. I am restoring it and would like to get it road legal, but it doesn't appear to have been registered in the past.
Jean believes she has a similar cart, but doesn't know much about hers either.

It is complete and fully functional, although a little tatty bodily. I have equipped it with 4 x 6 volt traction batteries to give it the best possible range.

I have included some clickable pictures:

Thanks for any help you can give me.
Chris















Eccles  Ryder (Jennifer) , 3 wheeled electric cart.  Assorted Jeeps n things.

Stuart Cyphus

  • Possibly the most fabulous person in the universe....
  • Prolific Poster
  • *****
  • Posts: 1491
Eccles Cakes!
« Reply #1 on: June 12, 2008, 01:05:32 PM »
 Jean's Eccles dates from 1963 and started life as an electical shooting brake in order to sneak up on the hunt. Wither this was her vehicle personally or the type in general, we don't yet know. Certainly her one was road-registered and ended up being used as an old dear's shopping car.



 Alas, I don't know much more about Eccles vehicles than the next person, but I do also have the following publicity picture taken from an Electric Vehicle Association publication of December 1964, the same publication giving the same address for Eccles Enginnering Ltd as is on rokraiders chassis plate. Yours probibly dates from the 1963-65 period as well.  If you could get along to Jean's Open Day in July, it would be very interesting to get the two Eccles's side-by-side....... 


rokraider

  • Occasional
  • **
  • Posts: 27
  • Flying round the universe in Fireball XL-5
Re: Help wanted with Eccles Ryder
« Reply #2 on: June 12, 2008, 06:20:02 PM »
Thanks for the information. It does look the same as Jeans.
I have started stripping it down to sandblast the chassis etc. The fibreglass is all stripped off and is being readied for repair. The chrome parts are being sent off to be replated. I have 3 new tyres ready to go on and it can all go back together. I will try and get it finished and bring it along to the do in July. :)

Are there any more pictures about?

Eccles  Ryder (Jennifer) , 3 wheeled electric cart.  Assorted Jeeps n things.

rokraider

  • Occasional
  • **
  • Posts: 27
  • Flying round the universe in Fireball XL-5
Re: Help wanted with Eccles Ryder
« Reply #3 on: June 13, 2008, 06:25:22 PM »
As I am stripping it down, I am taking pictures for reference for re assembly. I thought I would post some on here if it is of interest to others? If this causes problems I will obviously remove them. I can't get over how massive everything is!










Eccles  Ryder (Jennifer) , 3 wheeled electric cart.  Assorted Jeeps n things.

Inaheinkel

  • Quite Chatty
  • ****
  • Posts: 127
Re: Help wanted with Eccles Ryder
« Reply #4 on: June 13, 2008, 07:31:23 PM »
Wow!

Look at the guage of the steel, certainly built to last.

One of my favourite cars that came up for sale recently was a Colenta Electric Car.

I have a picture of it that I will try to post via "Photobucket" when I can work out how to get back into it again

John
Heinkel Kabine, Cursor

Inaheinkel

  • Quite Chatty
  • ****
  • Posts: 127
Re: Help wanted with Eccles Ryder
« Reply #5 on: June 13, 2008, 07:42:07 PM »
Here is a very interesting website if you are into electric vehicles.

Some of the info is in German, but it is amazing the scope of the stuff on the site :-

http://www.solarmobil.info/

Hope this helps

john
Heinkel Kabine, Cursor

Inaheinkel

  • Quite Chatty
  • ****
  • Posts: 127
Colenta Electric Car
« Reply #6 on: June 13, 2008, 07:51:49 PM »
Hi

Managed to get the pic. into photobucket :-





John
« Last Edit: June 13, 2008, 07:58:05 PM by Inaheinkel »
Heinkel Kabine, Cursor

rokraider

  • Occasional
  • **
  • Posts: 27
  • Flying round the universe in Fireball XL-5
Re: Help wanted with Eccles Ryder
« Reply #7 on: June 14, 2008, 12:15:09 AM »
That looks like a 70's take on the Eccles. I am new to this scene and am fascinated by the sheer numbers and variants that are out there! Thanks for the info, I will investigate the link.
Eccles  Ryder (Jennifer) , 3 wheeled electric cart.  Assorted Jeeps n things.

rokraider

  • Occasional
  • **
  • Posts: 27
  • Flying round the universe in Fireball XL-5
Re: Help wanted with Eccles Ryder
« Reply #8 on: June 18, 2008, 11:12:10 AM »
Here is an update so far. The chassis and forks have been stripped shotblasted and painted. I found the front wheel bearings were in poor condition and the stem for the forks had come loose allowing the forks to cock over to one side. This would explain the poor tyre wear and the slight pull on the steering. Now the chassis is clean and everything is visible, it has appalling build quality, nothing is welded in square. There is no sign of a chassis number anywhere, it looks as if it has been knocked up quickly just to try a design out? The rear section has been extended. It looks as though it was a lot shorter, finishing just behind the rear wheels originally. It has then had an extension welded on. In the pics you can see it has 2 rear (identical) crossmembers and has been extended backwards from the forward one. I have wire brushed up the rear axle and painted it black. It was working perfectly and felt good, so I didn't bother to strip it.I have upgraded to new fork truck tyres, they have better tread and will handle the weight better than the originalk wheelbarrow tyres. Surprisingly every nut and bolt has come undone other than the floorboard and body bolts, they had to be cut. Next step is the fibreglass :-\









« Last Edit: June 18, 2008, 11:14:27 AM by rokraider »
Eccles  Ryder (Jennifer) , 3 wheeled electric cart.  Assorted Jeeps n things.

blob

  • Prolific Poster
  • *****
  • Posts: 1276
Re: Help wanted with Eccles Ryder
« Reply #9 on: June 18, 2008, 12:02:17 PM »
Quote
it has appalling build quality, nothing is welded in square. There is no sign of a chassis number anywhere, it looks as if it has been knocked up quickly just to try a design out?
  that's microcars for you! :-X
« Last Edit: June 18, 2008, 12:05:17 PM by blob »

rokraider

  • Occasional
  • **
  • Posts: 27
  • Flying round the universe in Fireball XL-5
Re: Help wanted with Eccles Ryder
« Reply #10 on: June 18, 2008, 04:46:10 PM »
Todays update.



Eccles  Ryder (Jennifer) , 3 wheeled electric cart.  Assorted Jeeps n things.

blob

  • Prolific Poster
  • *****
  • Posts: 1276
Re: Help wanted with Eccles Ryder
« Reply #11 on: June 18, 2008, 06:03:27 PM »
Hi rokraider, I've come to the conclusion that you do this sort of thing for a living, as this has got to be the fastest restoration carried out on a micro, can't wait for the next installment!

Jim Janecek

  • Prolific Poster
  • *****
  • Posts: 864
Re: Help wanted with Eccles Ryder
« Reply #12 on: June 18, 2008, 06:50:48 PM »
Quote
it has appalling build quality, nothing is welded in square. There is no sign of a chassis number anywhere, it looks as if it has been knocked up quickly just to try a design out?
that's microcars for you! :-X


Best.Post.Evar.


blob

  • Prolific Poster
  • *****
  • Posts: 1276
Re: Help wanted with Eccles Ryder
« Reply #13 on: June 18, 2008, 06:56:34 PM »
Incidentally I've just come across a rather interesting newspaper clipping, it appears your vehicle is known as the Workmaster hailing from the early 1970s.


Here's a link to the blog I found it on: http://www.roadtransport.com/blogs/truck-and-van-blog/2007/11/ maybe the guy who posted the article knows more about it.

Chris Thomas

  • Administrator
  • Prolific Poster
  • *****
  • Posts: 1261
  • old Banana
Re: Help wanted with Eccles Ryder
« Reply #14 on: June 18, 2008, 07:00:06 PM »
Dear Rokraider

When you have finished the Eccles next week I have two that need a similar bit of TLC. Do you think you could finish them by the end of the month?

Chris Thomas