Gina the GN

what?

A cyclecar is a small, inexpensive car built in the 1910's/1920's in Europe mainly. They were a step between a motorcycle (difficult with 2+ people) and a motorcar (big and expensive).

They typically used motorcycle (or motorcycle derived engines), and had some form of rudimentary gearing system. Brakes were often only on the rear wheels, and there wasn't much in the way of wet weather gear.

history

I'm building a GN, which were built in London, England, between 1910 and 1923 by Archibold Frazer-Nash and H.R. Godfrey. Over 5,000 were originally manufactured, with not many surviving today.

Archibold Frazer-Nash went on to form a new car company bearing his name. Taking a similar setup as the GN, Frazer Nash cars had larger engines and went on to win some historic races. Take a look at the Frazer Nash Car Club, and the Frazer Nash Archives for more information on both GN and Frazer Nash cars.

H.R.Godfrey went on to do something similar, initially forming Godfrey and Proctor, and then the HRG Engineering Company, producing HRG cars. HRG is in fact the initials of the three founders, not just H.R.Godfrey's initials!

What makes the GN (and early Frazer Nash cars fairly unique), is the fact they're chain driven. 3 or 4 chains permanently run from a solid back axle (like a go-kart) to a cross-shaft. This cross-shaft runs through a crown-wheel and pinion to translate the rotation from the propshaft by 90 degrees, so it can power the wheels.

What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?

Vincent Van Gogh

"The gap between the motorcycle and even the cheapest four-wheeler had to be bridged somehow, and as a result the cycle-car was born about 1912. It consisted essentially of a moderately powerful two-cylinder engine of about 1100 cc. in a crude frame with transmission by belt or chain; but on looking back it seems that the public would buy virtually anything so long as it was cheap enough, and the variety of improbable layouts is astonishing. Few cyclecars were even moderately well made; and many of them combined grotesque features with phenomenal unreliability and frightening handling qualities.

Not surprisingly, few cycle cars survive today, so that it not often possible to savour their discomforts first hand. Although they had a brief revival after the war when anything could find a market, they were obviously a blind alley, and few were made after 1923."

Cecil Clutton writing, with John Stanford, in their 1954 volume "The Vintage Motor Car."

what is that?

Back in 2010 I bounced for a friend in his Model A Ford, brilliant fun, but they are big and heavy (a bit like my friends right foot). That didn't help us get up all that many hills, but then along came this loud, long, thin, light machine which just gobbled up whatever was in front of it...

US

THEM

interested?

I have some bad, influential friends who were kind enough to get me involved with events they were doing with their cars... and the bug bit, which is very difficult to shake off!

It takes time, and patience, but parts become available - mainly just when you don't need them to. I see them as an investment (he says with his fingers crossed!).

purchased!

Yes, it's a pile of bits!

Some days I look at it and think I have most of the bits and it's just a meccano set, other days I look at it, and wonder how it will ever all bolt together to make a car!

Well, that's what I have as a starting point. I've done a lot of talking to people, getting hold of drawings and pictures to understand the anatomy of the car, and work out what other parts I need to buy/make and in what order.

The engine is the obvious big lump, there are a few options:

V-twin - should really be a 90 degree GN engine. Controversially you could use a JAP, or even build something yourself
Aero engine - big, often air cooled, masses of torque, not many revs, often spin the wrong way
Model A Ford - big, heavy, decent power, good parts availability, not always a popular choice
Meadows - originally fitted to Frazer Nash's
AC - more Frazer Nash than GN

'radiator' cowl

These were originally cast in aluminium, but I can't find one right now. I had a cardboard pattern, so a friend and I set about fabricating one from sheet aluminium.

This is the results after a half day of effort (and a half day of chat, tea and biscuits).

I need to finish off grinding the weld to give a nice edge, then do some finishing to the aluminium so it looks aged, and not shiny!

Once a bit more the car is together, we'll work out how to attach it to the chassis. I'm also planning to put a single headlight nestled within the cowl, and some mesh as a badger-catcher. I'll also put small lights on the wings, partly so I can see a bit more in the dark, and partly so people realise I'm not a skinny motorbike.

I'm still hunting for a real one, in which case this will hang on the garage wall.

engine!

1500cc, 90 Degree, air cooled V-twin with Norton single-cylinder heads and AMAL carburettors - YES!

From some research (mostly looking at pictures), I think the cylinder heads are from a Norton 18 (the 1930's version). The head on the off-side (left in the picture) is on backwards, to allow the exhaust to be outboard of the car.

The engine isn't running at the moment, not sure why just yet. I've got it up on the bench now, so will start some investigations when I get a moment!

how many rpm's!?

Having a play with a chain calculator to look at sprocket ratios (even though I am way off that stage), and added a calculator to work out the differential speed between the bush and countershaft - 2,374! That is a lot of rpm's!

Check out the calculator here and tell me what your differential rpm's are! Also, hopefully it's useful for calculating your own ratios and chain lengths.

Nash and Godfrey hated cogs,

built a car with chains and dogs.

And it works but would it if

they had made it with a diff?

machining!

I'm fairly happy with my skills in woodworking, general DIY, concreting, blockwork, etc... but haven't really done that much metalwork. Time to change that!

Friends are amazing people, I hope I give back as much as I receive, though I'm not sure that's going to be possible!

Here I am 'helping' and learning to use a lathe and milling machine;

Making new kingpins to make sure they're strong enough
Taking a shaving out so the outer bearing race will fit, and putting in a circlip groove
Taking a bit off the rear radius arms, so the bearing carriers will fit

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