Welcome back Vikash!

[vrg3]

Nah, I stuck a stock Ford Focus ATF cooler behind my grille. It fits almost perfectly, even if it's a bit small.

[evolutionmovement]

No, MA is the only state without a clear-cut classification for 3-wheelers. The front end has two wheels and the rear is the single, and it should easily be well under 1500 lbs. (easily a motorcycle in every other state I checked).

MA DMV had issues with the engine size (too big for a motorcycle even though it's a motorcycle engine!), side by side seating, doors, roof, and car controls.

The vehicle I've decided to pursue will resemble either a P-40 Tomahawk or F-4 Corsair (utilizing the NACA cowl to aid cooling for the A/C and radiator as well as reduce drag) sans wings and tail aft of the canopy, S2000-powered, Goldwing rear drive, and with custom wishbone front suspension. The canopy will be safety glass flat paneling so I can add the prerequisite wipers and washers. I'm going to try for a car classification to avoid some confused cop issues. It will be 1+1 tandem seating and the numbers for both performance and mileage look impressive, however, I've yet to find a decent mileage calculator. I'll post pics when I finish these models and it will look a lot better than it sounds. I hope I can build it and sell it to someone who wants to be different and has too much money they don't know what to do with. I want to rid myself of this second mortgage. I may have to sell a few of them.

It's good to have you back. I feel like the little kid who's uncle hasn't been around for a while and gets too excited to tell him what he's up to.

[vrg3]

Wow, Steve, that sounds really exciting. It seems like you could end up with really good aerodynamics, which is actually a lot of the reason cars like the Prius do well with fuel economy.

Your words are too kind. Like I said in another thread, it's the Coca-Cola Classic effect... They took away the Coke people liked, and then when they brought it back people celebrated.

But, I do love the way you come up with these ideas, Steve.

[Subtle]

Steve

Found the article on the Messerschmitt 3-wheeler. After producing 30,573 Bf 109s with some 45,000 engineers and craftsmen the plant at the end of WWII was in bad shape.

Eventually they started making the tandem-seated micro car with a 38 cc engine, and soon moved up to 100cc. Drive was to the single rear wheel and models included a convertible and a clear plastic "bubbletop"

I drove in one once and it was a lot of fun.

Displacement moved up to 200cc in 1956 with 10.2 hp(not at the wheel) at 5250 rpm. Curb weight was 506 lbs., with a wheeelbase of 79.9 inches. Top speed was 52 mph and the 0 to 40 mph took 30 seconds. This was the KR - 200.

Of interest, is that it had 4 speeds ahead----as well as in reverse

An article in Automobile Quarterly published in the second quarter of 1973 also included a picture of them racing. Generally, the name was "Kabinenroller", and production ended in about 1961.

Ultimately it was produced with 500 cc and 4 wheels

[evolutionmovement]

The 4-wheel was called the Tiger. They're actually worth pretty big money today. Yeah, for reverse, they just rotate the engine the opposite direction. I guess my vehicle idea would be something like a big bad version of the 3-wheeler with the engine in front... Nah, the only thing in common is the tandem seating, 3-wheels, and the canopy, but mine will slide back, not flip to the side (because I HATE doors and I think it would be nice to be able to drive around with the canopy slid back like an old fighter plane). I'm still exploring how I want to manage the high step-over to get inside.