NVP66S

I think a big difference is that most (maybe all) states define 3 wheels as a motorcycle. This gets you into the carpool lane in CA, and it gets the manufacturer out of proving crashworthiness. Emissions requirements are a lot easier to meet with a motorcycle than a car. 3-wheelers are not about handling. A lot of Can-Ams are bought because the wife refuses to travel on the back of a 2-wheeler. The 1-2 trike configuration is really bad if you get on the brakes in a corner. 2-1 'tadpole' is a lot more stable there.

Update: I got through the multi-step title, inspection, tax paying, and registration process in TX. Some of it was a new experience for me. I'm not used to Gummint employees saying "how can I help you?" and they actually MEAN it. The last stop was the county tax office who also issue plates. I showed my build log and was ready to explain all the purchases (2 paqges in a spreadsheet) and the answer I got was that they were only interested in my title to the drivetrain donor car and that was fully up to date in taxes and fees. Normally, they would have issued plates on the spot, but 'custom vehicle' requires special plates and they will be mailed to me at my Midland address. Trailered it back to Mojave and spent a day roaming around the windmills. Now I'm thinkin' it's more like a street legal kart than a recumbent motorcycle. Doesn't lean around corners. I need to tie the seat belt ends better. They flail and beat me about the face while grinning. Photos to follow in a few days.

Run away!!!

My point was that the Slingshot with 170 HP should straight-line outperform the Can-Am Spyder with its 100 HP 998 cc engine. On the other hand, the weight difference is similar. I've never driven a 3-wheeler, but I have seen a 3-wheel Morgan roll over at Willow Springs.

The Dyna-Cam has an interesting history. It actually got FAA type certificate but I understand the company imploded for business reasons rather than engine related reasons. I'm pretty sure the Doyle rotary would get a lot heavier when the outer shell is stress analyzed and sections sized accordingly. Oil scavenging would be an interesting system to design. I've seen a lot of alternative engine proposals and a lot of them claim to overcome the problems of valve actuation and balance. If cam follower friction steals 1% of the engine power, it doesn't make sense to develop a new set of unlearned problems with a different configuration. The Ecomotor is a current example. The concept is a WWII Junkers Jumo (that worked very well) and replaces one of the crankshafts with long con rods and a funny shaped head & cylinder to accommodate those rods. There's also the Gemini general aviation engine that is a scaled-down Jumo that I hope makes it to production. http://www.experimentalaircraft.info/homebuilt-aircraft/aircraft-engines-3.php

SHEP-a. Like shepherd. I heard it's Italian.

T-Rex performance at Can-Am price. I predict a lot of sales. The side-by-side seating is a plus in my opinion. Regardless of your preference, side-by-side eliminates the big CG shift between 1 and 2 occupants. You need a helmet and motorcycle license unless they negotiate with each state for an exclusion, like Elio is doing.

Great video. For front wheel drive, phasing the U-joints is not good enough because of the bigger angles. They usually use a Rzeppa joint, also called Constant Velocity, or CV joint. This video's not as good, but...

I bought the black toggle switches I used from SandParts. Also got some nice switches from CBS, Car Builders Supply. They're in the UK, but will ship anywhere. I got but didn't use one of their really nice illuminated Hazard switches. I can send photos in a few days as I'm traveling at the moment. If you're interested, I'll sell you the hazard switch at half price. There's a huge selection of all things electronic at Digi-Key. Make sure your switches are DC rated for the current you need. AC switches frequently have a low DC rating because with AC, the current goes through zero 120 times a second and it helps break the arc. Dan

Have you ever noticed the cars in the Stalker advert banner; the second from the right has a plate in the middle of the grille?

My Texas temp plate was issued front only. Don't have the real plates yet but plan to do what I did on my 1st gen MR2. I put the front plate in a sheet metal shear and trimmed it top and bottom, kinda like that folded CO plate. I drove like that for 9 years in CA and never got stopped. I'm toying with the idea of getting a vinyl stick-on copy of the front plate and sticking it on the nose above the grille. I just cannot turn off my brain thinking about speeding toddlers in their Big Wheels.

Still getting forms filled out. Today was the ASE Certified Master Mechanic inspection. That hung up for several extra hours as he wanted a definitive answer to the question: "Did a 1962 Lotus need to have DOT etched in the headlight and tail light lenses?" We eventually got a "No" from a TXDOT person in Austin. I'm dealing with multiple state and county agencies and the mechanic, and I have to say that everyone is being courteous and helpful. This is a new thing for most of them and they are going slowly to touch all the bases. I got a new assigned VIN today and tomorrow will stamp it into the chassis. The fee for all this? $2.00 I'm gonna like Texas. AND IN THE MEANTIME. I HAVE 30-DAY TEMP TAGS. YEAH!! I think I've figured it out. It's not a car. It's a recumbent motorcycle with extra stability at the cost of ground clearance.

Not registered yet. It's a process and the next hurdle is to get an ASE certified master technician to fill out some State paperwork after safety inspection. The problem is that all the auto shops in Midland are booked up busy and it might take 4 days. I'm driving on 30-day temp plates. The police signed it off this morning stating no stolen parts found, and telling the Title and Registration District Office to assign a new VIN. The magic words in Texas are Assembled, Custom, Replica of a 1962 Lotus, and this tells the ASE technician to inspect for 1962 safety features. Keeping my fingers crossed. Dan

Thanks. So far, it's been 2 radiator hoses that needed the clamps to be tightened, and the steering wheel is about 10 degrees off center. But it tracks well. The idle needs to be set a bit higher. .... all small stuff so far. Of course, it rained when I first got the temp tags, but that didn't even slow me down. :hurray:

I loaded up my car in Mojave and trailered it to Midland, TX, a 1200 trip. The Pontiac Vibe GT was not really up to the task and I might have to replace the clutch. Other than that, an uneventful trip. You might notice the plywood ramplets under the rear wheels. Those are bolted to the trailer deck so that the oil sump doesn't hit the trailing edge of the trailer deck. While getting the title & registration for the Pontiac, I asked the nice lady at the Tax Office what was the possibility of getting temporary tags for the Custom Replica I was putting through the process. "Oh, I can do that" was her response. Just add $25. :hurray: So I got the car down off the trailer and am getting my first drives. Wow, just wow. Makes my Miata seem like a Suburban. A few minor squawks but nothing major (OK, I was dumb not securely fastening the carpets down, and the idle speed is too low). Definitely an audience participation ride.

Lots of little things to take care of before it's 'done'. The wiper blades are installed, as is the trim panel that blends the windshield to the scuttle. I used the WF provided shifter and handbrake boots but had to design and make the trim plates. They are .062 5052-H32 sheet that my Harbor Freight shear can handle. The WF supplied tonneau is really nice. It came with a bag of snap fasteners but I chose to install 1/4 turn fasteners instead. The new girl is sitting pretty on the trailer. With luck I'll have title and registration next week. Dan

Obviously, this is staged for the video camera, but a regular poster on another forum I frequent said he worked at an auto parts store and he saw this about once per year, including one that started a fire. :ack:

Rather than start a new thread, I thought I'd keep the title but change the direction: You May Be A Redneck Pilot If... ... your stall warning plays "Dixie." ... your cross-country flight plan uses flea markets as check points. ... you think sectionals charts should show trailer parks. ... you've ever used moonshine as avgas. ... you have mud flaps on your wheel pants. ... you think GPS stands for going perfectly straight. ... your toothpick keeps poking your mike. ... you constantly confuse Beechcraft with Beechnut. ... just before impact, you are heard saying, "Hey y'all, watch this!" ... you have a black airplane with a big #3 on the side. ... you've ever just taxied around the airport drinking beer. ... you use a Purina feed bag for a windsock. ... you fuel your wizzbang 140 from a Mason jar. ... you wouldn't be caught dead flyin' a Grumman "Yankee." ... you refer to flying in formation as "We got ourselves a convoy!" ... there is a sign on the side of your aircraft advertising your septic tank service. ... when you are the owner of Red Neck Airlines and pilot of Redneck One. ... you subscribe to The Southern Aviator because of the soft paper! ... you have ever incorporated sheetrock into the repair of your aircraft. ... you have ever responded to ATC with the phrase "That's a big 10-4!" ... you typically answer female controllers with titles like "sugar" or "little darlin'." ... she responds with the words "Honey" or "Big guy" then she may be a redneck. ... you have ever used a relief tube as a spittoon. ... you glance down at your belt buckle to help you remember your N-number. ... you have ever tried to impress your girlfriend by buzzing her doublewide. ... the preprinted portion of your weight and balance sheet contains "Case of Bud." ... your go/no-go checklist includes the words "Skoal" or "Redman."

Good for you, blindcars! Groan, sigh, groan. I am impatiently waiting for my first drive on actual roads. I made a big commitment both in labor hours and dollars without ever having driven or even ridden in a 7, and still haven't driven one. I'm trying to set up appointments to get my car titled and registered on the 21st and 22nd of this month. BTW, I thought WCM was in San Angelo?

That's a 4.5 hour drive for me, which is a bit too far for me to volunteer. You might try the California Caterham Club.

I'm on this site to discuss cars and get away from political crap, but I can't resist this thread any longer. I'll start with a quote from Robert Heinlein: "Throughout history, poverty is the normal condition of man. Advances which permit this norm to be exceeded - here and there - now and then - are the work of an extremely small minority, frequently despised, often condemned, and almost always opposed by right-thinking people. Whenever this tiny majority is kept from creating or (as sometimes happens) is driven out of society, the people then slip back into abject poverty. This is known as "bad luck" " I'll add an observation of my own: Capitalism is an economic system concerned with the creation of wealth. Socialism is a government system concerned with the distribution of wealth. Rich nations are rich because they allow capitalism to create wealth and poor nations are poor because their governments do not allow capitalism to create wealth. And I'll throw in: "You don't help the poor by hurting the rich" I've been around the block several times, more professionally than socially, but I know folks from all walks of life. I have the acquaintance of a few billionaires and got to know pretty well a direct descendent of Commodore Vanderbilt, to whom a lot of "I hate the rich" invective is directed. Let me say this: I have never, never heard anyone discussing how to keep the poor down. If that really is the case It's most likely from politicians or professors. Not capaitalists.

Got the all-important cup holder in.

I'll second that about progressive throttle linkage. I had a Lotus Elan that was difficult to drive smoothly. One motoring journalist of the era complained about the throttle making the veins in his forehead stand out. But, duh, the problem was caused by the linear-to-rotary link on the carbs being nearly over center. It took me about 1 hour to design/make/install a machined plastic disc that solved the problem. Instantly easy to drive and far safer.

My wife seriously wants one but won't put any cash down until test driving one. I think their financing plan is brilliant, but they have to raise more money to fund it. Well, OK, there are a few holes in the idea, but if they can pull it off, they win big.

Three engineers and three accountants are traveling by train to a conference. At the station, the three accountants each buy tickets and watch as the three engineers buy only a single ticket. "How are three people going to travel on only one ticket?" asks an accountant. "Watch and you'll see," answers an engineer. They all board the train. The accountants take their respective seats but all three engineers cram into a restroom and close the door behind them. Shortly after the train has departed, the conductor comes around collecting tickets. He knocks on the restroom door and says, "Ticket, please." The door opens just a crack and a single arm emerges with a ticket in hand. The conductor takes it and moves on. The accountants saw this and agreed it was quite a clever idea. So after the conference, the accountants decide to copy the engineers on the return trip and save some money (being clever with money, and all). When they get to the station they buy a single ticket for the return trip. To their astonishment, the engineers don't buy a ticket at all. "How are you going to travel without a ticket?" asked one perplexed accountant. "Watch and you'll see," answered an engineer. When they board the train the three accountants cram into a restroom and the three engineers cram into another one nearby. The train departs. Shortly afterward, one of the engineers leaves his restroom and walks over to the restroom where the accountants are hiding. He knocks on the door and says, "Ticket, please."