Author Topic: Where can a person see and purchase one of the new velorex cars?  (Read 17026 times)

rcvincent

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Hi - I would like to know if anyone knows where in the USA that I can see and possibly purchase one of the new velorex cars. they look really neat. The only websites that I found that had them pictured were written in a language that I couldn't read. In fact some of the words couldn't by translated by my computer. Also, (not on topic) whats with the classified section on this forum? It just seems to me that a micro car forum would be an excellent place to see all kinds of cars currently for sale all the time. But, sadly this doesn't seem to be the case.
« Last Edit: May 30, 2012, 09:07:44 PM by rcvincent »

marcus

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Re: Where can a person see and purchase one of the new velorex cars?
« Reply #1 on: May 30, 2012, 09:21:15 PM »
Hello and welcome. I doubt if the new Velorex is on sale in USA, but there are several Americans on this forum who might know better than me, and one is bound to be along soon.

There are two sections here for ads, RumCar Mart where people can post about things they want to sell or buy, and Sales & Auctions where people can post details of ads they have spotted, to advise any interested members. It seems to work pretty well!
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richard

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Re: Where can a person see and purchase one of the new velorex cars?
« Reply #2 on: May 30, 2012, 09:25:58 PM »
great to be criticised by a newbie  :D makes a change from us doing it ourselves  :D :D
outside of a dog a book is mans best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read .Groucho Marx 1895-1977

Rob Dobie

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Re: Where can a person see and purchase one of the new velorex cars?
« Reply #3 on: May 30, 2012, 10:02:39 PM »
whats with the classified section on this forum? It just seems to me that a micro car forum would be an excellent place to see all kinds of cars currently for sale all the time. But, sadly this doesn't seem to be the case.

The Forum is run for RUMCARS, that is the Register of Unusual Microcars. RUMCars was established in 1980 to cater for the growing number of microcar enthusiasts whose vehicles were not eligible for membership of any of the existing one-make clubs or registers. The general definition of microcars as economy vehicles with either three or four wheels, powered by petrol engines of no more than 700cc or battery electric propulsion, and manufactured since 1945 was adopted, but this can be varied if justified by vehicle interest The Register is not a commercial enterprise. It exists purely to maintain records of the existence of these rare little machines and to encourage their preservation and restoration. A comprehensive archive includes original sales and service literature, road test reports, magazine articles and many photographs.
So having "all kinds of cars currently for sale all the time" would defeat the object of the Register. Small cars only, thank you very much!  ;D

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richard

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Re: Where can a person see and purchase one of the new velorex cars?
« Reply #4 on: May 30, 2012, 10:34:19 PM »
preferably small and very obscure thats where the unusual bit comes in .

by the way the velorex thing looks yuk !
outside of a dog a book is mans best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read .Groucho Marx 1895-1977

Jim Janecek

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Re: Where can a person see and purchase one of the new velorex cars?
« Reply #5 on: May 30, 2012, 10:34:57 PM »
Hi - I would like to know if anyone knows where in the USA that I can see and possibly purchase one of the new velorex cars. they look really neat. The only websites that I found that had them pictured were written in a language that I couldn't read. In fact some of the words couldn't by translated by my computer.

The image you posted was someone else's Computer Generated Image of what they thought a "modern" Velorex could look like.
However, perhaps I am wrong. Post the link of where you saw this "new" Velorex for sale.

There are a bazillion european vehicles that are not and never will be available to the US market.
This is one of them.  
Also- the closest thing to a "real" one appears to be a one-off concept vehicle:
http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2010/12/21/velorex-rides-again/
Why would this one-off concept be available to purchase in the USA?

Quote
Also, (not on topic) whats with the classified section on this forum? It just seems to me that a micro car forum would be an excellent place to see all kinds of cars currently for sale all the time. But, sadly this doesn't seem to be the case.

So the existence of a classifieds section means that everyone is somehow obligated to post their microcars there for sale first?
I'll make sure everyone who chooses to use eBay instead knows that this is what they should be doing.

Many people also choose to sell their cars privately to other enthusiasts.  
Are you under the impression there are just great piles of these things laying about that cannot be sold?
Many marques are quite limited in the number that remain and they don't trade hands that often.
They are not Fords or Chevys where you can fill up a weekly classifieds easily with hundreds or thousands of vehicles trading hands.

Bob Purton

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Re: Where can a person see and purchase one of the new velorex cars?
« Reply #6 on: May 30, 2012, 10:59:53 PM »
Steady on Jim, did you get out of the bed on the wrong side this morning?

blob

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Re: Where can a person see and purchase one of the new velorex cars?
« Reply #7 on: May 30, 2012, 11:24:49 PM »
Quote
In fact some of the words couldn't by translated by my computer.

Try translating Czech! That is if they're still manufactured in the Czech Republic. If so you'll probably have to import it yourself, just like all the other Velorex's in this country.


Big Al

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Re: Where can a person see and purchase one of the new velorex cars?
« Reply #8 on: May 30, 2012, 11:42:47 PM »
Beware the Jawamockery, my son
The drawings that might, the trawls that catch.

I think this is an image set to catch interest in ideas rather than real thing, just is the above is no Carroll.

Some forums seem to be happily commercial. This one appears to prefer to point out opportunity rather than initiate them itself. I kind of quite like that. Even then it can be difficult to get away from what stuff is worth and get into some gubbins where one can learn something.
Messerschmitt set, Goggo Darts, Heinkel 175, Fiat Jolly, Autobianchi, Fairthorpe Electron Minor, Borgward, Isuzu Trooper
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For sale - Vellam Isetta, Bamby, AC Type 70, Velorex, Church Pod, Reliant Mk5, KR200,  Saab 96, Bellemy Trials, Citroen BXs

Jim Janecek

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Re: Where can a person see and purchase one of the new velorex cars?
« Reply #9 on: May 30, 2012, 11:51:45 PM »
Steady on Jim, did you get out of the bed on the wrong side this morning?

Sorry, here is the short version of my answer to the new Velorex question:  No.

also- as for the Classifieds: Sorry they disappoint.

rcvincent

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Re: Where can a person see and purchase one of the new velorex cars?
« Reply #10 on: May 31, 2012, 04:23:40 AM »
sorry fellas. it seems that i may have come on a little to strong for some of you and for that i truly appologize. I do realize that most micros are quite scarce. and i also understand that people have the right to sell to anyone they choose. the comment i made in my post was purely because in my own stupidity i spent more than two hours looking through what i thought was a treasure trove of micro cars for sale and then all at once i realized that the posts go forever back in time. i added it all up in my head and came to the conclusion that almost every post had to be null and void at that point. now, when you put yourself in my shoes you may have made a comment also. or, maybe not. sorry again.

 as for the velorex. automotto.com seems to have a real one. and you may be right. it may be a on off. if not though it may be note worthy although i don't know if it would fall into the catagory of micro car. i guess that would depend on what they were running in it.
« Last Edit: May 31, 2012, 05:41:48 AM by rcvincent »

Jim Janecek

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Re: Where can a person see and purchase one of the new velorex cars?
« Reply #11 on: May 31, 2012, 06:01:35 AM »
automotto.com seems to have a real one. and you may be right. it may be a on off. if not though it may be note worthy although i don't know if it would fall into the catagory of micro car. i guess that would depend on what they were running in it.

http://www.automotto.com/entry/with-velor-x-trike-velorex-returns-with-bang-at-motosalon-brno-2010/

It is exactly the same vehicle I posted in the Hemmings Blog link above.

Here is how the Internet works: Blogs need content to get you to visit and click links, hopefully clicking ads, either deliberately or by accident.
That's it.  That's how the internet works.
So any crazy rumor gets posted over and over and over again, each "blog" trying to make it sound like they have the inside scoop.

For years there was a rumor going around that BMW was making a "new Isetta".
There was absolutely no truth to it, but that did not stop creative people from taking concept drawings of a new smaller BMW - done by a graphic artist not associated with BMW - and proclaiming that it was going to be the "new Isetta".  This rumor laid the groundwork for more rumors of when the car would be introduced, pricing and availability, despite the fact that it existed as a concept drawing done not by BMW, but by an auto enthusiast magazine in Germany.
BMW has no "new Isetta" in the wings.

Current computer technology makes it relatively easy for anyone to generate "concept" cars such as the one you originally posted.
Many times these concepts drawings are used to fool people into believing a real one exists, or they are used as sales tools to entice investors for a potential future project.

The actual official website for the vehicle in question appears to be this:
http://www.velor-x-trike.com/

Everything appears to be promotion and press coverage with no actual plans to build more.  The vehicle appears to be a design study.
It is also powered by a Honda 1.3Liter motor, so it is not really a microcar.  It is a very large enclosed trike motorcycle.

Microcars are generally enclosed scooters.

richard

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Re: Where can a person see and purchase one of the new velorex cars?
« Reply #12 on: May 31, 2012, 06:48:44 AM »
aah ! isetta wings - now theres a thing saw some on ebay once and they flew  ::)
outside of a dog a book is mans best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read .Groucho Marx 1895-1977

Bob Purton

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Re: Where can a person see and purchase one of the new velorex cars?
« Reply #13 on: May 31, 2012, 11:50:29 AM »
Thanks for posting their website Jim. It says they plan to build 60 of them but as you say these things seldom come to fruition. I was mulling over what you said "microcars are generally enclosed scooters" I dont think thats strictly true unless you mean in the sense that many have engines that have been converted to be fan blown like a scooter. Obviously Hienkels were an extension of the Tourist scooter and the schmitt is called a cabin scooter but most other microcars have adapted engines used in motorcycles, Isetta being the prime example, all the villiers powered British ones, Bonds, scootacar, Frisky, Tourette although to be fair some of these units found there way into unsuccessful scooters as well. Berkeley's also used motorcycle engine, excelsior, anzani and Royal enfield none of which are fan blown, they also have big wheels. Powerdrive, Coronet are car like with bike engines etc. Of course the original Velorex used the Jawa motorbike engine with motorbike wheels.  I'm sure there will be others that were more scooterlike too if I thought about it.   No real point to this post, just an excuse to think about microcars whilst I'm supposed to be working!! I'm sure you will come back with something to prove me totally wrong Jim. :D :D

marcus

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Re: Where can a person see and purchase one of the new velorex cars?
« Reply #14 on: May 31, 2012, 12:08:22 PM »
Bob brings us back round to the old Micro car, Scooter Car, Cycle Car, Bubble Car debate, all VERY close relatives!

Thanks for posting the link Jim, I was very pleased to see the photo of Mojmir Stransky signing the "prototype", it must have been a proud moment for him to know that his work still has an influence. Mojmir is the surviving one of two brothers who started Velorex, Latin for Speed King, just like the (in)famous Ludwig Bass Drum Pedal.

I have to admit that I am sick to death of "Concept Cars" and "The New ...."  and "The 21st Century ...."  Virtually all of them are just there to tease and tantalise.
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