RUMCars Forum
General Category => Sales & Auctions => Topic started by: super-se7en (Malc Dudley) on December 10, 2012, 09:47:59 am
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Just noticed this working mini comtesse on eBay (item no 290828677388). There is a reserve but what do you think it is worth?
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The third photo in the listing showing the front end of the Minicomtesse with its front end up in the air while apparently pulling a wheeli trying to tow a Cadillac would be funnier if; there was someone in the Comtesse,
the front wheel wasn't perpendicular to the direction of travel, the rope wasn't slack, and it didn't have front wheel (albeit singular out of the 3 front wheels) drive.
Clearly there must be someone standing just inside the cropped out portion of the photo holding it up.
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Yes, I know that is a "duh".
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Since the Mini Comtesses did not have registration documents when sold in France, how easy are they to register for use on Uk roads? How easy would they pass a UK MOT?
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Scootashaun is the expert. He managed to get a 125cc Willam registered.
I think a Mini Comtesse is going to be pretty difficult. Once you have it registered it will be almost completely useless for any journey in the UK (unless you are considering a sort of self assisted euthanasia).
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Once you have it registered it will be almost completely useless for any journey in the UK (unless you are considering a sort of self assisted euthanasia).
Let's take a look back at the "Good Old Days" of 2007 shall we.... (Read all three pages) :)
http://www.rumcars.org/forum/index.php?topic=676.0
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Great read Stuart, what an adventure. Did you register the Comtesse yourself? Have you still got it?
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no jonathan no no no ! not for U.K. you will need all kosher paperwork signing off by someone with the correct authority in the u.k. and they would NOT allow any of that . end of
jonathan please see p.m.
Woops, guess france is a bit different than the UK ;)
JP
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You could pretend to be a French tourist on the few occasions you run it on the road. Practice your Gallic shrug which defeats just about any British argument about anything and your about sorted. THereafter I have been advised to not say anything on the grounds it might be naughty. MInd you they changed the rules again since I did my last car - see prior rant.
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I really can't see why everyone seems to be having so much trouble trying to UK-register a Mini-Comtesse. Mine was bought ready-registered in 2006 from thingy-doo-dah in Leisctershire (I'll remember his name in a moment!, he's got a Nobel and a deep blue Trojan these days). He had brought it over from France two years earlier and had no trouble at all getting the proper age-related number on it. After all, the chassis plate has the year of build on it, and France is an EU country etc etc. Certainly no obstacles were encountered, nor did any dodgyness need to take place.
I can only assume therefore that anyone who frets about the registering of a Mini-Comtesse either hasn't actually physically tried it at any time and is only building obstructions in their own mind, or else they just can't help themseves doing it dodgy because they can't comprehend that "by the book" really is that simple. (More than a few names I could mention, but here is not the place...)
The things are virtually all 1975-build, so be happy with your N-reg plate rather than trying to pass it off as pre-1960 as I know three people at least are trying to do at this very moment!!!!!
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Let's take a look back at the "Good Old Days" of 2007 shall we.... (Read all three pages) :)
http://www.rumcars.org/forum/index.php?topic=676.0
I was only re-reading the story of that epic voyage the other day. The titanic battle of one man and his microcar against the depravations of the Cotswolds is one of the most entertaining microcar tales I've ever read!
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great stuff !! really enjoyed it and what i do like to read ! if i EVER get a car back on the road instead of just talking i will attempt to write something as entertaining . you have made your point i did miss at least one interesting thing during my sojourn in the wilderness :) WELL DONE _ BELATEDLY
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Just noticed this working mini comtesse on eBay (item no 290828677388). There is a reserve but what do you think it is worth?
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In answer to your question it seems that it was worth 1745 GBP to someone in the UK, and 1795 to some fool from America.
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Steven and I have been attempting to understand why his Mini Comtesse does not work. Clearly I have been a sounding board as I have no real experience of these cars/engines yet. The info on the net is - sketchy. A Norwegian manual, a few mixed Sachs parts books but nil on Comtesse, so as you notice, in terms of hard information. We have, I think found the faults and determined from first principles how the engine should work. However this still does not seem to tie in with the arrangement of controls in the car. The only offer of comparison had is with Stuarts old car. That now seems to have had quite a few mods on it too. My car is unavailable for sometime, so the question is, all those who have bought one of these cars or associated paperwork is;
a/ What does the paperwork offer as the array of controls. I know folk value their paperwork from copiests but the information is what we need, not the document as such.
b/ What controls are actually on your example and does it look original?
c/ Has anyone got the pedal power assembly intact
d/ Does yours have a decompresser
e/ Does yours have a hold down gear for descending steep hills and bump starting.
f/ Does yours have facility of starting without the electric starter?
g/ The biggy. Is there someone who actually knows these things inside out who is prepared to help.
This will go some way toward rationalizing the info on these cars and at last Steven can attempt to get his under its motive power with some sort of known control suite as a driver. There must now be at least 7 of these cars in Britain. Are they all just to be ornaments? I know I am guilty as well.
Anyway Steven is waiting for me to send him some info on parts suppliers so that the bits broken by a previous owner can be replaced. Theory is, tried to tow start the car at some speed, enough for it to change up to second. Not recommended if your tempted. Having bust it, passed it on for someone else to find out its inoperative.
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On my super comtesse the decpompressor is a must if using the electric start. (only method to start).
Too obvious a question - do you have a spark?
On one of my cars the decompressor was slightly 'on' I am pretty sure this is why the car was stored.
Freeing the decompressor was all that was required to get it going.
The pedal mechanism is disconnected on my car at home but its fairly straight forward set of chains around pulleys.
I don't know of a hold down gear - hill brake? There is a lever for selecting reverse.
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Stevens prob is way passed a spark I am afraid. Getting the engine running is not the problem really. Its getting it driving correctly. Thus if a decompressor is fitted on yours which control is that in the cab? Reading about these engine the decompressor is a source of issues but it does seem the high compression/more powerful version need them with electric start to overcome the initial resistance of the compression. So starting is with decompressor out, spin up the starter.
Which button is your starter? Then drop the decompresser in. Is there a choke? If so which knob should it be. With Stuarts I was starting it from the front with my hand over the carb and pulling the throttle so I have no idea what he was up to in the cab operating the starter.
Now Stuarts car did not have reverse. Steven can find no reverse on his, yet. What makes the reverse work?
So you have the man powered assembly. Great. Then there is a chance of understanding how that works. One up for your example over the others. Steven probably needs to talk to you direct about that.
The Norsjo uses nigh on the same engine. It can be held down into gear in this machine. Does not mean Comtesse have this. Stevens engine is a Saxonette 50 AMAL X version Z. No clue as to a reverse there. Is that actually the correct engine type? Could explain a lot.
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I started a more detailed reply but realised that the engine in my Super Comtesse is a Motobycane. I have all the details of this engine which includes a second 'primary compression' piston and reed valve.
The Flipper has a Sachs Saxonette two speed engine which may be more like the Mini Comtesse.
The decompressor is operated by a black lever under the dash.
The starter button / switch is a bit of a ??? to know what does what and where the arm is supposed to be to start - the red button is the starter. I have a picture attached from my car stored at the Bubble car museum but my car at home is bodged-up with various switches.
There is a lever on the left, on the floor by the drivers knee. this operates a transfer box for reverse.
On the Flipper, I have a cable coming up from the engine which I assumed to be for changing-up to second gear - there is nothing on the end of it in the cable (except my mole grips). I thought the 1st and 2nd gear clutches had been overridden in some way. Now it makes sense that this cable actually holds the 1st gear. Next time at Jeans I was going to investigate her flipper but your suggestion spounds good.
We really need to find a Mini Comtesse.
The Super Comtesse is rear wheel drive with the engine behind the seat (under) so not much the same as Mini Comtesse.
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Best to find one ? Blimey ! I am glad I have never found one ;D should I ever , be sure you may have it :)
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I started a more detailed reply but realised that the engine in my Super Comtesse is a Motobycane. I have all the details of this engine which includes a second 'primary compression' piston and reed valve.
The Flipper has a Sachs Saxonette two speed engine which may be more like the Mini Comtesse.
The decompressor is operated by a black lever under the dash.
The starter button / switch is a bit of a ??? to know what does what and where the arm is supposed to be to start - the red button is the starter. I have a picture attached from my car stored at the Bubble car museum but my car at home is bodged-up with various switches.
There is a lever on the left, on the floor by the drivers knee. this operates a transfer box for reverse.
On the Flipper, I have a cable coming up from the engine which I assumed to be for changing-up to second gear - there is nothing on the end of it in the cable (except my mole grips). I thought the 1st and 2nd gear clutches had been overridden in some way. Now it makes sense that this cable actually holds the 1st gear. Next time at Jeans I was going to investigate her flipper but your suggestion spounds good.
We really need to find a Mini Comtesse.
The Super Comtesse is rear wheel drive with the engine behind the seat (under) so not much the same as Mini Comtesse.
Oh the disappointment. All that sexy talk of red valves and secondary compression. oowahh! I was really getting quite excited. Yes I think the Super is more like the Coupe I had. The rear axle with transfer box/diff and a pedal set attached, in the Coupe's case for the passenger. Your right the Flipper will have more in common with the Mini Comtesse.
Hmm. a third small car with a two speed auto Sachs engine that seems to be having a gear/drive selection issue. Is this a lack of knowledge passed on or an engine only just able to cope with the task it is being asked to do. The plot thickens.
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I have full details of the Sachs two speed engine (in French).
The flipper is pretty quick of the mark but I could never quite work out if it had changed up to second gear when whizzing around the garden. lots of screaming and definitely second gear sometimes. Hence the mole grips on the cable to change-up. Never even imagined that this could be to'stay down in first'.
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Some shots from the one on ebay showing the controls.
Good old recovery Dan seems to bring one back regularly.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/281114665884?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649
Better resolution on the Ebay photos showing the switch with red button. pull starter etc.
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Found a Mini Comtesse/Acoma handbook on the net. This includes a menu for the controls not including the rope pulls. It covers both engines, so the Motobecane as well, Barry. Not sure the car pictured is like yours though. I have attempted to send a copy to Stuart in the hope he can post the relevant bits up. Hopefully the whole thing can be made available. If the controls of the car can match the paperwork then some semblance of order is restored from modified controls and miss-understanding.
I only skimmed the French text but for Sachs, no reverse. It has a decompressor. It gives speeds for the gears and the gearing ratio progression. The correct drive chain routing. There is operational advice on driving. It mentions pedals, to comply with the rules of the time, requiring power 'musculature' as an option. So with this understood those machines, and to an extent Flippers and others on Sachs 50 AMAL X units, can be better understood. Hopefully also the more advanced Motobecanes. If the Manual can be bought down, and the Norwegian understood, it really only remains to find a copy of the appropriate parts book for ease of parts ID and Bob's your Aunt Lucy. Maybe once these docs are produced in a well presented format, rather beyond my skill level, I fear, they can find a home somewhere on a page attached to the RUMcar site as a resource.
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Many thanks to Big brained Al and Barry for their extraordinary efforts to help get my Mini comtesse controls figured out and clutch and tranny parts sourced.
Mine looks identical to the last picture posted by Barry, except for the fact that there is an additional rubber pull handle symmetrically displaced from centerline to the left of the one shown on the right side of the dash.
They both look like rope start handles, but neither could ever have been designed to function in such capacity as the engine appears to be pure electric start that is engaged by pushing in a push button that looks to be original and is found on the part of the dash to the left of the steering wheel as you see from sitting in the vehicle.
Interesting is the fact that the ignition is energized by pulling out a separate settable knob to the far right of the dash whose primary function is to allow fuel to flow from the tank to the carburetor. When this knob is pulled a red light just a little to the right of it goes on and stays on until you push it back in again.
After counting the gear teeth on the crankshaft and transmission shaft for each of its 2 speeds, it appears that the right most pull handle is designed to engage second gear if the engine is not spinning, as you would want to for a jump start. It could also function as a hold down to ensure (premature?) engagement of second gear if the engine is running.
At least the jump start provision appears to make sense as one usually is wise to avoid jump starting in first gear, as it tends to over wind the transmission. The ability to maintain a pulling force on the pull handle and thus either shift up to second gear, or discourage downshifting into first doesn't sound particularly usefull to me, so may just be an unintended ability that the jump start feature creates in the system.
The left pull handle goes into the carburetor so must be a weird handled choke intended only for momentary operation. It does not appear to be a compression release to me due to its fitting to the carburetor.
Also interesting is the fact that the red button shown in Barry's picture is on my headlight switch, and has nothing to do with starting the car. The Super comtesse looks to have almost nothing in common.
Would love to see the pedal linkage on one of these cars,as by reading of Stuart's sojourn it seems that this feature could prove usefull in crossing over bridges.
Also need a source for a clutch and related hardware.
Thanks, Steve
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There is also another handle on the one which was on ebay Steve. Seems like one hell of a handle for a choke?
I will try to scan details of the Sachs engine from my French book.
I am going by memory for the red button because the car is miles away, I can't check. Perhaps my memory is fading.
Where was I? Oh yes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tWtHu6SCNw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSDYTZ_Dnnw
I can remember that the engine wouldn't start with the switch and the light in a certain position but once it was running it would stay running in that same position. Also It was almost impossible to stop! Red button could be a kill switch. I will have to get the Super Comtesse back and have a look.
perhaps it is the grey push button that does the starting.
The idea of a cable going into the engine casing that keeps it in first gear makes sense.
Barry
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For the sixth time of trying....
From: stuart cyphus <invacar@yahoo.co.uk>
Subject: Re: Fw: Comtesse mysterises
To: "steven mandell" <stevenmandell@verizon.net>
Date: Sunday, 19 May, 2013, 12:47
Hello Steve
Much apologies for taking a while to respond but total chaos here what with two mates moving house, cars to move, relatives dieing, houses to clear, so please forgive there not being much general chat in this message. Things should get beck to normal around the end of the month (I hope!) Anyway, to answer;
What is the inteneded purpose for middle pedal on left, just to the right of the brake pedal that actuates a rod that goes straight backwards parallel to the floor, but presently connects to nothiing?
This pedal is the “Manual propulsion lever”. The very earliest French Sans Permis regulations in the 1940s were mainly tailored towards motor-assisted bicycles like the Velosolex, which was essentially a pedal bicycle with an occasional engine fitted. As time went on, people realised there was nothing in the regulations to say a car could not be built to Sans Permis regulations, provided (amongst other details) that it had some sort of manual-operated system of making it move around when the engine was not running. (To serve the same purpose as the pedals being the main form of propulsion on the aforementioned motor-assisted bicycles The fact that on the Mini-Comtesse it’s a foot-operated pedal is neither here nor there. It’s still “Manual”. Every Comtesse I’ve seen has either had the system disconnected (like yours) or completely removed (mine). I don’t know how it should be connected to operate.
Is one pull handle for starting the engine in forward rotation, and one for reverse?
They are both jammed. How to fix?
The two pull handles under the steering wheel is choke and manual gear-change handle. I can’t quite remember with my car, but I think I’m right in the choke is on the left & change-speed is on the right. I never had a proper choke on mine as the cable had been pulled out of the top of the carb, stripping threads etc. We wired up the choke slide so it couldn’t move, blanked off the hole in the bulkhead and whenever it was being started from cold, off with the bonnet and tickle the carb direct like a motorcycle.
On my car the change-gear handle only shifts up from first gear to second gear. It did not shift down from second to first. The downshift was entirely automatic. Other owners reported that their cars shifted up completely automatically, but my car never did that I noticed. I always had to set off, and when the revs got to screaming pitch, reach down, pull out handle (about an inch if that of travel, floor the gas and slowly feed back in the handle. Two times out of three it would then have upshifted and the revs not quite so manic. If the revs instantly scream again, it hadn’t upshifted. Repeat above until it did. Once it was in top gear (second gear), it would only drop back to bottom gear when the car was very nearly stopped when parking, or when I let the gas off momentarily on a hill at just the right point in space & time. (You have to get the feel through experience)
Engine spins when rolling car.
Is there a neutral, and if so, how do you select it?
There is no neutral selector. It’s a centrifugal clutch which should be completely not engaged below a certain RPM. If yours is turning the engine just from being rolled around, it sounds like someone or something has jammed the centrifuge in engaged position to me. I’d take further advice on this, I’m not completely confident to make mechanical diagnostics.
Same for kill and start switches. What are the other switches for, and how do I recognize them?
My car had a home-made toggle switch acting as the battery on-off kill switch, mounted over the right-hand rear wheel arch. To start my car, it was (after having tickled carb as above) lean into car, flick home-made kill switch at battery box to open power curcuit. Then move up to left hand door, reach in and push the plunger located at extreme top right corner of main dash. This plunger is the main starter. Engine will now turn and fire. To stop engine, flick battery kill switch. I don’t know what factory standard kill switch is, as mine was not factory standard in that respect.
Moving around your dash from left side to right side of the steering wheel;
Left side of dash;
Extreme top right plunger should be engine starter.
Plunger to left of engine starter, I don’t know. My car didn’t have this one.
Left-hand Knob, this is the indecators, left for turning left, right for turning right etc etc.
Thing to right of above which looks a bit like a wristwatch laid out; this is the lights (dip, main beam etc) and horn.
Right side of dash;
Petrol on/off knob. On my car, it was pull on, push off. Movement was about half an inch.
Tell-tale light to side of petrol knob. This never worked on my car. I guess ignition light?
That silver-grey vertical thing with knob at bottom just poking into top left corner of your dash picture. My car never had this.
What is the cure for seat cover bunching?
I think they all do this through age. It’s more or less the same system as a Peel P50 and most properly original untouched P50’s do the same. My car never had its original seat, being fitted with a 1989 Reliant Rialto seat.
Hope this helps for the moment....
Stuart
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Hurrah, I made it work! So this is the official answer, from the book. New improved image now in place, sorry Rusty Chrome, but thanks
Running across from left to right we have.
E - Decompressor
B - Starter Motor switch
F - Horn push
C - Lights - 3 position switch Top - Turn in a clockwise direction
Mid - a - Parking Lights
Bot - b - Dip
D - Indicators, 3 position
K - Wiper motor
G - Speedo
H - Ignition/Charging light
A - Contact, so I assume ignition switch
S - Choke, Ah you see, you were making assumptions because it was S!
There are no mole grips or bits of string involved, though its all good fun.
No mention here of the one or two pull cords. Clearly one is a gear control. Would the other put the muscle power into drive mode? Perhaps it is to hang yourself while waiting to get to the top of a big hill. Maybe more will be revealed on attempting to convert the rest of the images into a form that publishes.
Switch F/C, lights and horn -This switch seems common to other machines, so there is a vague clue as to how that works for you.
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I've made the picture a bit darker just in case anyone couldn't read the original.
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Yep that is a bit better. I will attempt to to re collect the files later on now I have an idea what to do. They should present better. Then it might be for someone else to enhance and present then to a file somewhere. Anyway I have to go and hit a Citroen BX with a hammer, or something, to make it go after 5 years none use.
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seems as if the only button missing is the self destruct in 30 seconds button - surely the most , if not only , useful button of all on these strange devices ;D
there is no manual or whatever for the Bruetsch i feel sure i have not alienated any potential sources of help ? have i ? surely you will still be playing with your little knobs and switches .
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Hurrah, I made it work! So this is the official answer from the book.
Running across from left to right we have.
E - Decompressor
B - Starter Motor
F - Horn
C - Lights - 3 position switch Top - Turn in a clockwise direction
Mid - Parking Lights
Bot - Dip
D - Indicators
K - Wiper motor
G - Speedo
H - Ignition/Charging light
A - Contact, so I assume ignition switch
S - Choke, Ah you see, you were making assumptions!
There are no mole grips or bits of string involved, though its all good fun.
No mention here of the one or two pull cords. Clearly one is a gear control. Would the other put the muscle power into drive mode? Perhaps it is to hang yourself while waiting to get to the top of a big hill. Maybe more will be revealed on attempting to convert the rest of the images into a form that publishes.
Switch F/C, lights and horn, seem common to other machines so there is a vague clue as to how that works.
Good Hurrah, but Wong car.
Mine has no decompressor, wiper motor (its hand motivated), or speedometer, and Has only a rightmost mounted indicator light for the ignition.
My centrally mounted steering wheel only makes obvious the choking assumption that this is more likely a 4wheeled model without a pull handle actuated up gear change or choke.
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Well that's interesting as this part of the booklet is clearly stamped Mini Comtesse. I do not speak French but have a mechanics vocabulary, just as I do in German. To me that is a bit of a clincher.
It is also most useful to folk like Barry as it contains a statement of conformity so I put it up first to show I have not forgotten him and his need for info towards registration too.
What is coming across is that there are several versions of these cars. A state confused by the Acoma sharing models as we get bigger. It is also clear that they used both Sachs and Motobicane engines. How you tell if you have the right engine in the right body I have no idea. Best answer is to find more documentation and prove this lot I have found so far is not the only set of models made. On the face of it the Steven car sounds very basic (early?). Did not look for a date on this book yet.
Did they make kit ones for self assembly?
Cleaned up and better copy of this doc now attached.
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Hurrah, I made it work! So this is the official answer from the book.
Running across from left to right we have.
E - Decompressor
B - Starter Motor
F - Horn
C - Lights - 3 position switch Top - Turn in a clockwise direction
Mid - Parking Lights
Bot - Dip
D - Indicators
K - Wiper motor
G - Speedo
H - Ignition/Charging light
A - Contact, so I assume ignition switch
S - Choke, Ah you see, you were making assumptions!
There are no mole grips or bits of string involved, though its all good fun.
No mention here of the one or two pull cords. Clearly one is a gear control. Would the other put the muscle power into drive mode? Perhaps it is to hang yourself while waiting to get to the top of a big hill. Maybe more will be revealed on attempting to convert the rest of the images into a form that publishes.
Switch F/C, lights and horn, seem common to other machines so there is a vague clue as to how that works.
Good Hurrah, but Wong car.
Mine has no decompressor, wiper motor (its hand motivated), or speedometer, and Has only a rightmost mounted indicator light for the ignition.
My centrally mounted steering wheel only makes obvious the choking assumption that this is more likely a 4wheeled model without a pull handle actuated up gear change or choke.
It does look a bit wrong as it appears to be right-hand drive. Pretty sure the Mini comtesse was always one seat in the middle, however, before the four-wheel Super comtesse there was a three wheel two seater which looked like the Super comtesse and had the steering on the right (see Denis site microcarfan). Lets call it a Comtesse for now.
http://www.microcarfan.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=13&Itemid=26
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Another bit of paper for Mini Comtesse.
So the info I have put up is therefore likely to be the two seat Comtesse or smallest Acoma. That might be so as there is a further picture of another car associated to these pages I found along with the above, Confusing 'innit? One of your sites pics clearly shows the one side of the dash controls on that version.
Improved version now put up.
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Another bit of paper for Mini Comtesse.
So the info I have put up is therefore likely to be the two seat Comtesse or smallest Acoma. That might be so as there is a further picture of another car associated to these pages I found along with the above, Confusing 'innit? One of your sites pics clearly shows the one side of the dash controls on that version.
Confusing but we will get there in the end. Need to see a nice complete Mini comtesse.
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Hold everything everyone, before we all end up going round in circles. It sounds like Steven's car may be the rarer, basic model of three-wheeled Mini Comtesse, (Model 730). Mine was the more common "De Luxe" Model 730E. Does yours actually have an electric starter Steven or does it start on a rip-cord? The lack of a speedo & non-electric windscreen wiper screams basic 730 to me, with the possibility that the rip-cord starting engine has been replaced with an electric start version.
Also, the later, more "upright" three & four wheeled versions (Model 770) were also called Mini Comtesse's, from about 1975-1979 later to become "Super Comtesse" from around 1979, but look totally different.
Then don't forget the badge-engineered Willam Cyclo 49, which was the original Model 730 Mini Comtesse built under Lambretta-Willam license into the 1980s in "narrow" single-seat form, and "wide" two seat form (the latter not to be confused with the aforementioned two-seat Model 770 Mini-Comtesse). Plus don't forget the CEDRE electric versions of model 730....
I think I'm going to have to do a spotters guide to the cars of Acoma, 1972-1984....
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A clean and reasonably original looking single seat Mini Comtesse. Is it me or is that a decompressor I can see running in behind the plug. Having looked I can confirm there is a basic model with a pull start as Stuart has said. There are images but they will not download. That same run of info has pics of the rear chain for the muscle power. Then the one with electric start.
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This is a look inside the two seater version that might well match the dash image for the booklet I found elsewhere.
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This is the inside of a four wheeled Acoma. So you have three out of a minium of four optional interiors, I suggest. The info is out there if you look for it.
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Here is a general pic of the pull start version. The pull start is on the engine inside the bonnet. I cannot see how it could operate through the bulkhead by rope with the engine turning so far.
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More of the booklet I found in reproducable form, I hope.
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And the rest of it plus a bit on the three wheeled cheese version with its model number, hopefully that will slide into Stuarts spoters guide with rest of this stuff.
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Noticed that the yellow car is probably a William Cyclo - a wide Mini Comtess built by licence by Willam with two seats - it is just a bit wider - see the headlight position.
The passenger seems to have two foot operated pedels for 'moped' law conformity (and for additional acceleration by pedal power perhaps)
There foot pedals are also found on the Super Comtess passenger side although the Driver is on the left.
See how some of the controls of the Willam cyclo are on the left and the steering on the right - strange in France with left hand drive roads
There is only room for one foot either side of the bulkhead on a Mini Comtesse so I doubt it has pedals like the later cars.
The Three wheel, two seat Acoma Comtesse (orange) looks like the four wheel Super Comtesse.
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As with two seat cheese flavored Acoma Comtesse to Super Comtesse we have Flipper to Flipper 2. More stable plus minor enhancements. Is there a Norsja Tiger lurking out there?
What to say about wrong side steering. Marketing for 'Madam La Poste' so she gets out onto the footpath? Right sort of colour. Not a commercial though. Do not know enough about French postal services to know if they ran a first class/telegram type service in the '70's. Another strange hole in the law concerning pedal power?
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There is only room for one foot either side of the bulkhead on a Mini Comtesse so I doubt it has pedals like the later cars.
My Minicomtesse shows no signs of being non original except for the singular extra pedal on the left that passes backwards under the floorboards and connects to nothing. I believe that the only reasonable explanation for this was that it was a single push pedal attached to a now missing gear and chain mechanism of some sort.
any one got pics of this?
Didn't Stewart mention that he also had a choke at the other end of a rubber gripped dash mounted pull handle also?
If so, mine is an early example of an entirely original car missing its pedal powertrain and needing a new clutch and a "castelated" piece that retains the clutch to the crankshaft.
Anyone know a good parts source for these please?
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My Super comtesse has two pedals on the passenger side.
Each uses a bicycle chain and a freewheeling cog (from the back wheel of a bicycle)
The chain goes over the cog and back on itself to a long spring attached to the chassis.
Pressing your foot down pulls the cog round and moves the back wheel - against the long spring.
Taking your foot off of the pedal allows it to return vi the spring force. The cog freewheels in the return direction.
This would work OK with one Pedal but obviously better with two (and a passenger operating them).
I will take a few photos of the car I have at home but the chains have been removed.
The freewheeling cog would be a good place to connect an electric motor for a bit of a boost when required.
The Flipper has a similar set-up
Sachs Engine should be fairly easy for spares they are used in loads of vehicles.
The very early version of the Mini Comtesse is thought to be extinct! no castor wheels for the inevitable roll during cornering and only one access door.
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So everyone seems reasonably happy with what the have got, save for any obvious issues and broken parts. It remains to be seen exactly how many versions of this car there actually are, a lot. Unless someone is to be devoted to tracking down all leads, its going to be a group affair over time to jostle all the facts in place, but there is at least some logic coming in now. I think my work is done here for a bit. Much easier with the new computer and the Mint suite of programs. Like getting images etc.
As to Sachs 50 parts I have not looked further than Harry Timmerman, as he seemed to offer the clutch you wanted NOS. I know I found one other supplier who was asking around Euro 68 for a new clutch. www.raketsport.com? The gear is harder and really needs to be found in a parts book for accuracy or part number. A good used one would do. I am not tempted to invest in the books as it looks likely the Norsja will be moving on shortly, but the new owner might. All part of moving out of the smaller cars I am afraid. Crayford has a suitor too, except it is buried behind 40 ft of everything else! Might be hand over at the National, Barry. Any good?
Did the Flipper 2 booklet I passed over ever get reproduced?
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Always interested Al but you drive a hard bargain. I am always looking for a half decent Invacar 70 body of course. Good to see a little stir of interest in the French collection of oddities.
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Always interested Al but you drive a hard bargain. I am always looking for a half decent Invacar 70 body of course. Good to see a little stir of interest in the French collection of oddities.
Ah, not well put, reading my comment back. I was thinking of your chance to actually see it, as it looks to go to pastures new. Trouble is this National is a bit of a trek from yours.
Nothing has turned up on the Type 70 front for a while has it? Stuart not being as proactive is one reason but there are only the limited number of survivors. My feeling is several more caches of unscrapped cars are out there but as is the way with all these things the easy stuff gets found first. Buying the Lanark stock was always going to have an element of the long term about it. That is why I hung back as I was, and still am not, able to make that commitment to a load of new stock unless it is due to be chucked and/or very cheap. Come the end of this year that will finally change, but my interests are elsewhere now. I think folk get confused about what I traded, and still, part time trade in to clear, and what is a case of intervention purchase just to be sure stuff gets saved. I tried to get this across so as to back Stuart up on his Hobby and ICR but it seems not to have fallen on fertile ground elsewhere. The idea was to provide a central storage to stockpile parts and cars then, while they were cheap and available. It was not for me to profiteer out of it as the ICR would have controlled the stock and I would have covered my costs. Then Peels happened in Witney, so I got the IC cars outright. All the later negativity has seen Stuart step back from what was a very promising position. He is now more interested in puddle jumpers again. So its for someone else to protect IC cars interests as clearly I am an ineffective ally, in this instance. Not sure where that leaves the ICs. Stuart is disappointed I have not gone after the Harper, but it no longer fits in with what I shall be doing. All I know is I shall keep the best Type 70 and enjoy it abilities and its continuing uplift while I look to place the other one as a going concern, possibly as soon as August. Be sure if I find any dead IC Stuart will get to know first and then the existing safe havens from there.
I think these small French cars represent an excellent area to collect as they are not yet overpriced. If I was in France I would be seriously after them. Its a whole subsection of Microcar bringing things into the modern era. A class of car of which Britain has little to offer. Bamby and Cursor really. I am surprised it has not spun its own club off actually.
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Or you could have one of these.
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How could I have one of these?
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A wider fiberglass nose piece and a quart of blue paint on your signature vehicle should do it.
If you want to go all out you can give it an Hispanic pet name also. ;)
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Ren Hoek? Go with a Tiger called Stimpy.
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Ren Hoek? Go with a Tiger called Stimpy.
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