Build your own Pick and Mix microcar!

[Bob Purton]

Heres a thought. If you could have a microcar that incorporated all your favorite features from all your favouite microcars what would they be? For instance what engine would you choose, what size wheels, brakes, suspension, seating layout, body style, body material, ect ect? Or is it only me who sits and dreams of these things?!

[Smart51]

I'm building a microcar at the moment, but not one made of other microcars.

The engine is from a 250cc Piaggio, the front 10" wheels and brakes from a mini.  It has a side by side seating arrangement like an isetta but with a flip top lid like a bond bug.

[Bob Purton]

That sounds great! Is It a three wheeler with rear wheel drive? Any chance of a picture or is it too early for that?

[Smart51]

It is a 3 wheeler with single rear drive.  The chassis is almost built and I'm experimenting with the positions of the pedals and steering at the moment.  Pics of the chassis will follow when it is complete.

[Jim Janecek]

well, whatever it is, it simply MUST have a Gyrostarter in it.

[Bob Purton]

Hi Jim. You too?  I am somewhat obsessed by gyrostarters although I wouldn't choose one as part of my ideal car, they are really quite weak and unreliable, I think a siba dynastart would be my starting device of choice. I have been thinking about all the microcar parts I like and the car I come up with has a Tourette Supreme body with ten inch wheels, heinkel brakes and suspension driven by a goggomobil 300 engine driving the front wheels! I wonder if it would be possible to build such a beast? You mentioned you were restoring something Jim, I meant to ask you what it was?

[Jim Janecek]

Hi Jim. You too? I am somewhat obsessed by gyrostarters although I wouldn't choose one as part of my ideal car, they are really quite weak and unreliable

true, but even if it didn't start you could still sit there and let it wind up and have fun with it!
Watching you start your Inter in 1998 was my first experience with the Gyrostarter and I have loved it ever since.

You mentioned you were restoring something Jim, I meant to ask you what it was?

uh...the blue thing in my avatar pic?

[marcus]

Smart 51...sounds great, look forward to seeing it take shape

[Bob Purton]

"watching you start your Inter in 1998 was my first experience with the Gyrostarter and I have loved it ever since."


Oh so we have met then! I didnt realize. I remember chatting to a few Americans whilst there, most I recall being dedicated Isetta men but didnt log any names. That car had a very lively gyrostarter, my present one is more sluggish even with a thumping great optima battery, its gets there eventualy and starts the car but would not make a very good getaway vehicle!


Im squinting to see your signiture picture, is it a Goggo van?

[Jim Janecek]

yes it is a Goggo Van and back in 1998 I was probably one of those "dedicated" to the Isetta men.

I have you on video someplace starting it for me and some others.  I have to find that...

[Bob Purton]

I would love to see that Jim. Thats 10 years ago now, where does the time go?!

[marcus]

OK fellows, pardon my ignorance, but what is a gyrostarter, how does it differ from a dynastart, and why are some people fond of them?

[Bob Purton]

Its a long story and I'm tired of telling it but for you Marcus "I will say this only once" as they say on Allo Allo! The gyrostarter is a device invented and built by Westinghouse the American electrical engineering giant. It predates the dynastart by a couple of years and was used when almost all of the cars and scooters it was designed to start were running on six volt systems. The six volt dyastart would not work , it would not be powerful enough to turn the engine when bolted directly onto the crankshaft. The six volt gyrostarter works like this, its like a dynastart but is connected and disconnected to the crankshaft by means of its own clutch. A lever is pulled that disengages the clutch and starts the starter in motion, its basically an electric motor with a heavy flywheel that slowly picks up speed with a whining noise that some say reminds them of a helicopter preparing to take off. Once the motor reaches top revs the lever is thrown down again and this engages the clutch thus transferring  the momentum to the crankshaft and in effect kickstarting the engine. If the engine fails to start the process has to be repeated, the original puny 6volt battery would give you about four attemps before you flattened it! Once the engine starts the gyrostarter switches into generator mode like a dynastart.Why do people like them? Most inter owner don't! They hate them because they are broken on almost all of the vehicle they are fitted to. The system is so week that Ydral motors sued Westinghouse because they spent a fortune on tooling up to enable gyrostarters to fit there engines only for westinghouse to scrap the idea.  The 12 volt siba dynastart came along later and swept the board. I love them because its all so very aircraft, I like the noise and also the mechanical complexity of the device. Jim loves them because he knows that because he doesnt own one he will never have the headache of having to repair one!! Fheeeewww! Can you see why I' not going to repeat it to often Marcus?

[marcus]

Oh, can you repeat that please, I did not quite catch it all. Seriously though, many thanks for such a full and interesting description. Have you ever seen a Pal dynastart, as fitted to Velorexes? Mine was blown, and even a specialist aternator re-wiring company could not fathom it, even though I showed them the wiring diagram AND blown unit. To cap it all, the windings wire was not round section, but rectangular, now that's really odd!

[Jim Janecek]

"Jim loves them because he knows that because he doesnt own one he will never have the headache of having to repair one!!"

you are correct Sir!