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New UK AFV on show.


andym

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  • 3 weeks later...
Yes its the same thing.

Robin Reliant.

With wheels = Mr Bean OPFOR.

Replace back wheels with tracks = What you see here.

On Rocket = Top Gear spaceship.

Interesting. What's the rational behind the center-wheel steer? It would see to be unstable in certain circumstances (as exhibited in "Mr. Bean", which I realize is probably purposely exagerated to cause the tip-over.)

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I think it was primarily:

cheaper to make (along with the plastic body) and

cheaper to run (since it wasn't classed as a motor vehicle in the UK because it didn't have 4 wheels and so attracted the registration fee for a motorcycle - far less than that charged to a car).

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I see. I guess that does make sense. The Robin Reliant in "Mr. Bean" is the only one I have ever seen before.

In the very popular British TV series 'Only Fools and Horses' the lead character 'Del Boy' drove the van version. They were a common sight on British roads in the 1960 and '70s. The incredibly poor design seems to be a challenge to some people. I know that one was built with a small block Chevy in the back. :shocked:

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In the very popular British TV series 'Only Fools and Horses' the lead character 'Del Boy' drove the van version. They were a common sight on British roads in the 1960 and '70s. The incredibly poor design seems to be a challenge to some people. I know that one was built with a small block Chevy in the back. :shocked:

I know one that donated it's engine to a gokart :)

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I see. I guess that does make sense. The Robin Reliant in "Mr. Bean" is the only one I have ever seen before.

Well there is/was a company called Morgan that used to make three wheelers with two wheels at the front. (front steer) Powered by a JAP 2cyl engine they used to use on range target trolleys, before these new computer type gunnery trainers :)

We've got one at amberley (target trolley) with an "M60" in 2D (Bit of plywood with a bit of pipe) supposed to be 3D targets.....

Anyway he Morgan cars are supposed to be quite rapid.

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Now you have seen more :)

Damn! LOL! Talk about "unsafe at any speed." How did Her Royal Majesty's government ever let such a rolling hazard on the road?

You folks sure did make some funny cars. :D If the opportunity ever presents itself, I'll be sure never to take a lift in one.

I've only ever ridden in one British designed car, back in the 1970s. A co-worker had a Mini Cooper and took me out for a spin after work one night. It was like sitting on the ground and the ground was moving at 40 mph. It was an interesting ride. When he wasn't driving it to work, he would race it.

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Well there is/was a company called Morgan that used to make three wheelers with two wheels at the front. (front steer) Powered by a JAP 2cyl engine they used to use on range target trolleys, before these new computer type gunnery trainers :)

We've got one at amberley (target trolley) with an "M60" in 2D (Bit of plywood with a bit of pipe) supposed to be 3D targets.....

Anyway he Morgan cars are supposed to be quite rapid.

The name "Morgan" does stirke a bell, but I can't remember much about them.

There were a lot of strange cars coming out back it the 60s and 70s in the UK and US. I know of at least one 3-wheel design that never got off the ground production-wise. It was made in the US and I believe it was called the "Dale". It had one wheel at the rear instead of the front and was a front steer as well.

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BMW 300 Isetta was a ugly little car from the 1950s. The front door was the entire frontend and windshield. It was a 4-wheeled model, but I see that a UK licensed firm eventually built a 3-wheeled version for that market while making 4-wheelers for Australia and New Zealand.

UK built 3-wheeled version (left) and standard 4-wheeled version (right):

220px-Isetta.jpg250px-BMW_Isetta_300.jpg

The 3-wheeled version was prone to tip over too. :)

Like I said there were some crazy cars back then.

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