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Joined: Mar 2005
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Wood work but can't!
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Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 9,930 Likes: 34
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One of my high school buddies had a 56 Morgan convertible he found buried in a garage and was trying to restore. There was a little back seat you could almost get 2 guys in. It was a fun car when it was running. Question:Why don't British cars have windshield wipers? Answer: They won't run in the rain 
Greg Fretwell
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Joined: Mar 2005
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Wood work but can't!
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Joined: Jul 2002
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LOL Alan,
I would have thought 3 wheels cars would never have made a come-back after the Reliant Robin version of them.
I'd hate to be driving one in a stiff side-wind.
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Joined: Jul 2004
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Greg Fretwell
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Joined: May 2005
Posts: 984 Likes: 1
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I want an Isetta.
With that miniscule engine they probably got incredible gas mileage.
Ghost307
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Joined: Mar 2005
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US readers may not be familiar with the much-loved Reliant Robin motor car, [also available as a light van]. This 'car' used to be very popular in the UK, because it was officially a motorcycle and thus attracted much lower road taxes and insurance costs. A one-piece rust-free molded fiberglass shell had 2 wheels lightly nailed on the back. A 600cc 4-cylinder engine drove the single front wheel, which was also rumored to 'steer' and enable the Robin to attempt modest curves. There were ..er.. slight stabilty issues, yes, but nothing that an average Brit would ever complain about. See how many Robins you can see here demonstating their versatility and aerobatics- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=130OVZcMEcAThe Morgan is a lot more stable and first hit the tarmac over 100 years ago. Its single wheel is at the rear. The c. of g. is thus in front of the center of drag, unlike the Robin, whose layout was all based on the cost of manufacture. Wind is no more a problem than with any car. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiZU6DvQb-gIt can be raced with verve! See one drifting through a bend at speed at 0.39: clap: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMHmT8SDnyI&feature=relatedOriginal engines were usually vee twins of about a liter, although a 4 cyl. side-valve E93A from the Ford Popular was used in the late 30's- http://morgan3w.de/engines/engine.htm
Wood work but can't!
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Joined: Jul 2004
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They used to sell 3 wheel golf carts here until the CPSC made them stop.
Greg Fretwell
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Correction. Sorry, I of course got the Robin mixed up with the Bond, of which the least said the better. The Robin was actually rear-wheel driven via a diff and had an uprated 750cc unit fitted quite early on. While Americans were cruisin' the fifties in splendidly finned giant V8's, us eccentric Brits toodled round in this front-drive, front-steer barking lunacy, reversed [I kid you not] by by running the engine backwards! To start it, you actually got INTO the engine bay to access the kick starter!  - all 197cc of 2 stroke lawn-mower engine provided the grunt direct to the front wheel - and the first ones had only 122cc!http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bond_CarsNeedless to say they rolled over with ease.
Wood work but can't!
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