On July 20 Daniel Thompson wrote:
> I have a few questions since I would be interested in acquiring a
>three-wheeler for restoration, fun, and vintage racing:
>
> - is $9850 a reasonable price for such a project?
> - how difficult would it be to find parts (we all know that "basket case"
>means "missing critical parts")
> - has anyone seen this particular car? (it is located in Carrboro, North
>Carolina)
> - is there any majot disadvantage to the 1931 models as opposed to the later
>(engined) models?
>
Hey Daniel,
Boy, this is a deeeep subject. The kind of stuff that can kindle hours
of argu... "discussion" down at the local. To dispose of the easy
stuff first:
< is $9850 a reasonable price? >
That is almost certainly too much money for what will turn out to be a
pile o' parts. For that kind of money the car should be fully
assembled though in need of restoration and not necessarily running .
The fully restored, really nice car will only fetch about 20-25K
though prices are higher in England. Bear in mind that you are taking
on a 6 to 10 year restoration project. I know of Trikes that have been
"under restoration" for 50 years!
In short, unless you are a young man with deep pockets you would be
better off to buy an already together and running Trike and then
restore it to perfection.
< how difficult would it be to find parts? >
Many parts are available from the Morgan Three-Wheeler Club in Olde
Blighty but the parts you need will not be available from anywhere.
Parts are very scarce on this side of the pond but some are around.
< has anyone seen this particular car? >
I have not seen this particular car.
< is there any major disadvantage to the 1931 models? >
Now this is an interesting question! We have to start with the
assumption that this vehicle is "as represented"... a BIG assumption.
It may well be a "Bitza," a Trike assembled from the bits and pieces
of several Trikes.
The Super Sport Aero is a "beetle backed" model introduced in 1927 and
the last one was made in 1934 when it was succeeded by the "barrel
back" model. The car has motorcycle-type fenders and makes no
provision for carrying a spare tire. Actually, the lack of a spare may
be a non-issue as you would probably call for help if you had a flat
since the Dunlop Magna ("EZ Change Wheels") weren't introduced
until... 1932.
On the brighter side, the three-speed tranny was introduced in...
1931! So, you should be getting 3 forward speeds PLUS a reverse gear,
vice the previous two forward speeds and three innocent bystanders. On
the darker side, for V-Twin competition purposes, the two speeders
always seem to be faster than the three speed models. (Go figger...)
As a 1931 model this car would almost undoubtedly come equipped with a
J.A.P. V-Twin engine, most likely water cooled (it is remotely
possible it could have had a Blackburne V-Twin, arguably the best and
fastest engine for a Morgan V-Twin). God alone knows what engines may
have been fitted in the last 67 years.
It seems to me that in '31 the car had brakes (drums) on all three
wheels but the brakes were "backwards." That is to say that the rear
brake was operated by a foot pedal and the front brakes were on a hand
lever while later cars had the front brakes on the pedal and the rear
brake on the lever, a much safer--if one can seriously say "safe" and
"Trike" in the same sentence--and more effective arrangement. (All
three brakes on the pedal was only tried by the factory for a very
brief period before a factory bulletin instructed owners to change
them.) The brakes are cable unless they have been converted to juice,
a popular mod and arguably a must for competition, at least for
husbands and fathers as well as those with major credit card debt.
To go Trike racing I would want an F-Type, preferably a 1952 F Super,
the last one made. To go V-Twin Trike racing I would want a 1947 Super
Sports, also the last one made. Why the last ones made? To take
advantage of technological advances--if one can seriously say
"technological advances" and Trike in the same sentence.
All the above, IMHO, of course. I should also point out that fellow
lister Bert Varady of St. Louis just competed a six-year restoration
of a similar Trike and wound up with a work of art (I will post a
photo soon). He liked the process so much he bought two more basket
cases!
‹Colin Cobb, Trikeless in Las Cruces, NM
'66 Plus 4 & '65 Sunbeam Tiger
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