Red marquis at 11:44, 2 January 2010

2010-01-02T11:44:33Z

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'''Cyclecars''' were small, generally inexpensive cars manufactured mainly between 1910 and the late 1920s.

==General description==
Cyclecars were propelled by single cylinder, V-twin or more rarely four cylinder engines, often air cooled. Sometimes these had been originally used in motorcycles and other components from this source such as gearboxes were also employed. Cyclecars were half way between motorcycles and cars and were fitted with lightweight bodies, sometimes in a tandem two-seater configuration and could be primitive with minimal comfort and weather protection. They used various layouts and means of transmitting the engine power to the wheels, such as [[Belt (mechanical)|belt drive]] or [[chain drive]] often to one rear wheel only to avoid having to provide a [[differential (mechanical device)|differential]].

The rise of cyclecars was a direct result of reduced taxation both for registration and annual licences of lightweight small engined cars. In France, for example, a car was classed for reduced rates if it weighed less than 350 kg (772 lb).

On 14 December 1912, at a meeting of the Federation Internationale des Clubs Moto Cycliste, it was formally decided that there should be an international classification of cyclecars to be accepted by the United Kingdom, Canada, United States, France, Holland, Belgium, Italy, Austria and Germany. It was also decided to establish two classes of cyclecars, as follows;
*(i) Large class
**Maximum weight 350 kg (772 lb)
**Maximum engine capacity 1100 cc
**Minimum tyre section 60 mm (2.4 in).
*(ii) Small class
**Minimum weight 150 kg (331 lb)
**Maximum weight 300 kg (661 lb)
**Maximum engine capacity 750 cc
**Minimum tyre section 55 mm (2.2 in).

All cyclecars were to have clutches and change-speed gears. This requirement could be fulfilled by even the simplest devices such as provision for slipping the belt on the pulley to act as a clutch, and varying of the pulley diameter to change the gear ratio.

==The cyclecars appear==
From 1898 to 1910, [[automobile]] production quickly expanded. Light cars of that era were commonly known as [[voiturette]]s. The smaller cyclecars appeared around 1910 with a boom shortly before the outbreak of World War I.

The first successful cyclecars were [[Bédélia]] of France and [[G.N.]] from Britain.

==Sporting cars and cyclecar races==
Some cyclecars such as [[Amilcar]], [[Major]] or [[Salmson]] of France had good enough performance and handling to be regarded as sports cars.

Races dedicated for cyclecars were also run with the first event of this kind organised by the [[Automobile Club de France]] in 1913 and a Cyclecar GP at [[Le Mans]] in 1920.

==The decline of cyclecars==
By the early 1920s, the days of the cyclecar were numbered. Mass producers, such as [[Ford Motor Company|Ford]], were able to reduce their prices to undercut those of the usually small cyclecar makers. Similar affordable cars were offered in Europe such as the [[Citroën Type C|Citroën 5CV]], [[Austin 7]] or [[Morris Cowley]].

The cyclecar boom was over. The majority of cyclecar manufacturers closed down. Some companies such as [[Chater-Lea]] survived by returning to the manufacture of motorcycles.

After World War II, small, economic cars were again in demand and a new set of manufacturers appeared. The cyclecar name did not reappear however and the cars were called [[microcar]]s by enthusiasts and [[bubble car]]s by the general population.

==Cyclecars by countries==

===Argentina===
*[[Viglione]]

===Austria===
*[[Grofri]]

===Belgium===
*[[SCH]]

===Canada===
*[[Dart Cycle Car Co]]
*[[Glen Motor Company]]
*[[Gramm]]

===Czechoslovakia===
*[[Vaja]]

===France===
<div style="float:left; width:48%;">
*[[Able]]
*[[Ajams]]
*[[Alcyon]]
*[[Amilcar]]
*[[Ardex (car manufacturer)|Ardex]]
*[[Arzac]]
*[[Astatic]]
*[[Austral (cyclecar)]]
*[[Bédélia]]
*[[Benova]]
*[[Bignan]]
*[[Bucciali|Buc]]
*[[Causan]]
*[[Coadou et Fleury]]
*[[Contal]]
*D'Yrsan
*[[Grouesy]]
*[[Huffit]]
*[[Ipsi]]
*[[Jack Sport]]
*[[Janoir]]
*[[JG Sport]]
*[[Jouvie]]
</div><div style="float:right; width:48%;">
*[[Laetitia]]
*[[La Confortable]]
*[[Le Cabri]]
*[[Le Favori]]
*[[Le Roitelet]]
*[[Major]]
*[[Marr]]
*[[Molla]]
*[[Orial]]
*[[Quo Vadis]]
*[[Roll]]
*[[Salmson]]
*[[Sénéchal]]
*[[SIMA-Violet]]
*[[Sphinx]]
*[[Spidos]]
*[[Super (automobile)|Super]]
*[[Vaillant]]
*[[Villard]]
*[[Violet-Bogey]]
*[[Violette]]
*[[Viratelle]]
*[[Virus]]
*[[Weler]]
</div><br clear="all">

===Germany===
*[[Arimofa]]
*[[Cyklon]]
*[[Koco]]
*[[Pluto]]
*[[Spinell]]
*[[Staiger]]

===Italy===
*[[Amilcar Italiana]]
*[[Anzani]]

===Spain===
*[[Alvarez (automobile)|Alvarez]]
*[[David (car)|David]]
*[[Izaro]]
*[[JBR]]
*[[Salvador (automobile)|Salvador]]

===Sweden===
*[[Mascot (car)|Mascot]]
*[[Self (car)|Self]]

===United Kingdom===
<div style="float:left; width:48%;">
*[[Adamson]]
*[[Aero Car (1919 automobile)|Aerocar]]
*[[Allwyn]]
*[[Alvechurch (automobile)|Alvechurch]]
*[[Amazon (automobile)|Amazon]]
*[[Archer (automobile)|Archer]]
*[[Armstrong (cyclecar)|Armstrong]]
*[[Athmac]]
*[[Atomette]]
*[[Autotrix]]
*[[AV (cyclecar)|AV]]
*[[Baby Blake]]
*[[Baker & Dale]]
*[[Bantam (car)|Bantam]]
*[[Barnard (cyclecar)|Barnard]]
*[[Baughan]]
*[[Bell (cyclecar)|Bell]]
*[[Black Prince (car)|Black Prince]]
*[[Blériot-Whippet]]
*[[Bound (car)|Bound]]
*[[Bow-V-Car]]
*[[BPD (car)|BPD]]
*[[Bradwell (car)|Bradwell]]
*[[Britannia (cyclecar)|Britannia]]
*[[Broadway (cyclecar)|Broadway]]
*[[Buckingham (automobile)|Buckingham]]
*[[Cambro (cyclecar)|Cambro]]
*[[Campion Cycle Company|Campion]]
*[[C & H]]
*[[Carden (cyclecar)|Carden]]
*[[Carlette]]
*[[Carter (automobile)|Carter]]
*[[Castle Three]]
*[[CFB (car)|CFB]]
*[[CFL (automobile)|CFL]]
*[[Chater-Lea]]
*[[Chota (automobile)|Chota]]
*[[Coventry Premier]]
*[[Coventry-Victor]]
*[[Crescent (automobile)|Crescent]]
*[[Cripps (car)|Cripps]]
*[[Crompton (car)|Crompton]]
*[[CWS (car)|CWS]]
*[[Dallison]]
*[[Dennis (car)|Dennis]]
*[[Dewcar]]
*[[Douglas (motorcycles)|Douglas]]
*[[Dewcar|D.Ultra]]
*[[Duo (car)|Duo]]
*[[Dursley-Pedersen]]
*[[Economic (Cyclecar)|Economic]]
*[[Edmond (car)|Edmond]]
*[[Edmund (cyclecar)|Edmund]]
*[[Edwards (automobile)|Edwards]]
*[[EYME]]
*[[GB (car)|GB]]
*[[Gerald Cyclecar Company|Gerald]]
*[[Gibbons (automobile)|Gibbons]]
</div><div style="float:right; width:48%;">
*[[Gillyard]]
*[[Glover (cyclecar)|Glover]]
*[[GN (car)|GN]]
*[[Gnome(automobile)|Gnome]]
*[[Graham-White]]
*[[Guildford (car)|Guildford]]
*[[GWK (car)|GWK]]
*[[Hampton (car)|Hampton]]
*[[HCE (car)|HCE]]
*[[Heybourn]]
*[[Hill & Stanier]]
*[[HMC (cyclecar)|HMC]]
*[[Howard (car)|Howard]]
*[[Howett]]
*[[HP (car)|HP]]
*[[Imperial (car)|Imperial]]
*[[Invicta (cyclecar)|Invicta]]
*[[Jappic]]
*[[JBS (car)|JBS]]
*[[Jewel (cyclecar)|Jewel]]
*[[Jones (cyclecar)|Jones]]
*[[Kendall (cyclecar)|Kendall]]
*[[LAD (car)|LAD]]
*[[La Rapide]]
*[[Lambert (cyclecar)|Lambert]]
*[[LEC (cyclecar)|LEC]]
*[[Lecoy]]
*[[Lester Solus]]
*[[Lington]]
*[[Little Midland|LM]]
*[[Matchless (car)|Matchless]]
*[[Marcus (automobile)|Marcus]]
*[[Menley (cyclecar)|Menley]]
*[[Morgan_Motor_Company |Morgan]]
*[[Norma (cyclecar)|Norma]]
*[[Perry (car)|Perry]]
*[[Princess (cyclecar)|Princess]]
*[[Richardson (cyclecar)|Richardson]]
*[[Simplic]]
*[[Skeoch]]
*[[Sterling (automobile)|Sterling]]
*[[Tamplin]]
*[[Tiny]]
*[[Truner]]
*[[VAL (automobile)|VAL]]
*[[Vee Gee]]
*[[Dewcar|Victor]]
*[[Warne (car)|Warne]]
*[[Westall (cyclecar)|Westall]]
*[[Wherwell]]
*[[Wilbrook]]
*[[Willis (cyclecar)|Willis]]
*[[Winson (cyclecar|Winson]]
*[[Winter (automobile)|Winter]]
*[[Woodrow (automobile)|Woodrow]]
*[[Xtra (automobile)|Xtra]]
</div><br clear="all">

===United States===
<div style="float:left; width:48%;">
*[[American (1914 automobile)|American]]
*[[Asheville (cyclecar)|Asheville]]
*[[Car-Nation]]
*[[Coey]]
*[[Comet (cyclecar)|Comet]]
*[[Cycle-Car]]
*[[Cyclops (cyclecar)]]
*[[Dayton (cyclecar)|Dayton]]
*[[Delco (cyclecar)|Delco]]
*[[Dodo (cyclecar)|Dodo]]
*[[Dudly Bug]]
*[[EIM (Cyclecar)|EIM]]
*[[Falcon (cyclecar)|Falcon]]
*[[Fenton (cyclecar)|Fenton]]
*[[Geneva (cyclecar)|Geneva]]
*[[Greyhound (cyclecar)|Greyhound]]
*[[Hanover(automobile)|Hanover]]
*[[Hawk (cyclecar)|Hawk]]
*[[Hawkins (cyclecar)|Hawkins]]
*[[Hoosier Scout (cyclecar)|Hoosier Scout]]
*[[IMP (cyclecar)|IMP]]
*[[JPL (cyclecar)|JPL]]
*[[Kearns LuLu]]
*[[Keller (cyclecar)|Keller]]
</div><div style="float:right; width:48%;">
*[[La Vigne]]
*[[Limit (cyclecar)|Limit]]
*[[Malcolm Jones (automobile)|Malcolm Jones]]
*[[Merz (cyclecar)|Merz]]
*[[Michaelson]]
*[[Mecca (cyclecar)|Mecca]]
*[[Mercury (cyclecar)|Mercury]]
*[[Motor Bob]]
*[[O-We-Go]]
*[[Pioneer (cyclecar)|Pioneer]]
*[[Post (cyclecar)|Post]]
*[[Prigg (cyclecar)|Prigg]]
*[[Pacific (automobile)|Pacific]]
*[[Real (cyclecar)|Real]]
*[[Scripps-Booth]]
*[[Smith Flyer]]
*[[Trumbull (cyclecar)|Trumbull]]
*[[Twombly (cyclecar)|Twombly]]
*[[Vixen (cyclecar)|Vixen]]
*[[Winthur (cyclecar)|Winthur]]
*[[Wizzard (cyclecar)|Wizzard]]
*[[Woods Mobilette]]
*[[Xenia (automobile)|Xenia]]
</div><br clear="all">

==See also==

* [[Kei car]]
* [[Microcar]]

==Books==
*'From Cyclecar to Microcar - The Story of the Cyclecar Movement'. Author - Michael Worthington-Williams. Publisher Beaulieu Books 1981.
*'Minimal Motoring - From Cyclecar to Microcar'. Author - David Thirlby. Publisher Tempus Publishing Ltd ISBN 0-7524-2367-3, 2002.

==External links==

*[http://canadiandriver.com/articles/bv/cyclecars.htm North American Cyclecars]
*[http://morgan3w.de/rivals/rivals.htm Cyclecar rivals to the Morgan 3 wheeler]
*[http://www.orphanbabycars.com Orphan Babies Volume 1 book on cyclecars]

[[Category:Car classifications]]

Cyclecar - Revision history

Red marquis at 11:44, 2 January 2010