Kit Version

[Andy]

Why not just make a kit version of the original Carver so it can be "finished" here in the states? This allows an interested buyer to get around all the obstacles.

Keep the price point as low as possible to promote high sales numbers, increase awareness, generate revenues, and interest investors in the eventual "finished" product manufacturing.

There can be a "mechanic" or two here in the USA who can assemble and finish the vehicles (for a fee) so those who are not interested in building one themselves don't have to.

Andy

[WarpedOne]

The answer is "Van Der Brink is not interested"

[rickb]

I seriously doubt any of the parts that would make up a kit form Carver are even being manufactured with the company out of business after filing for bankruptcy. I understand it may even be difficult for Carver owner's to get replacement parts and service on their vehicles.

Is it even a possibility that there was a serious issue with the reliability of the DVC platform on which the CarverOne is based? If so is that why PM is stalled and silent about getting the Persu to market? Perhaps the rights to that technology has no value if there were serious Toyota-like recall issues that put Carver out of business. Just a thought after recalling a couple of FTRC posting Carver owners having service and maintenance issues.

[rickb]

By the way.......................Welcome to The FTRC Andy!

[leeschaumberg]

Rather than wait forever a vehicle like the Carver can be built. To make it easy a body must be made to sell , an engine and drive system , and all of the small parts.
The folks at Persu do not want to supply parts rather drivable vehicles.
I have built, certifyed , and FLOWN an experimental airplane! Comparitly speaking a vehicle like the Carver is very simple.

[rickb]

The folks at Persu have no parts to build a prototype only foam beadboard which I guess could be easily hand carved into various parts although handcarving an entire vehicle is expensive at around $6,000.0000.00 a pop. It would be light enough to hang on the garage wall saving valuable floor space for your real vehicles and cost little to insure.

[rickb]

Major brand auto makers have tried building a safe reliable tilting three wheel vehicle and failed: Mercedes Benz/LifeJet 300, BMW's C.L.E.V.E.R. & Simple. Then there were the small startup companies: Carver's CarverOne, Venture Vehicles' VentureOne, Persu Mobilities Persu Hybrid (There might not actually have been a Persu Mobility), and Revolution Motors' Dagne.........................it can't be simple.

[MVRacing]

Ohh, if it were only that easy!! You build the kits and there are probably 800 sales right here on this website!
Dagne speculated about building a kit, even had a photo of all the parts laid out in a driveway. Nothing.

[rickb]

I contacted the Narrow Car Company about the possibility of a kit version NARO. I think it's a great marketing concept for a startup company: Manufacture parts, crate and ship them globally from a parts only distribution center to be assembled either by individual owners or better yet by a network of certified dealership assembly/sales & service centers located in small towns worldwide. This would eliminate the need for large multimillion dollar manufacturing/production facilities. It's a marketing scheme that would provide jobs and boost the local economies while at the same time providing a fun to drive, tilting commuter vehicle that goes from 0-60 in 12 seconds, top speed 85 mph (fast enough) and get 100mpg. Just thinking outloud.

[Jack Willard]

I've been thinking kit car as well lately. Let's face it. There is nothing out there to buy! Loads of "concepts", some interesting and many just plain ugly. But you can't buy a concept!

Of the 3-wheel cars that are "in development", everything is a big secret. Well, you know what? I am more than fed up with all the big secrets! It's all BS. They have no money and they are not doing anything! I am tired of waiting for something that quite frankly is just so much BS.

If we want one of these exciting new 3-wheeled vehicles, we are going to have to build them ourselves. And it is not that easy. I have looked. Find me a kit for something worth building.

The XR3 is out there, just plain ugly, and you can't buy a body for it! Then there is the Vigillante (aka TriVette Two) which was really quite an exciting possibility and at not a bad price. But the owner died in like 2006 and the current contact person will not even reply, not by phone or even email. Shoot, I just wanted to know if there was even the possibility that someone was still making the parts to make a kit. Nothing, no reply!

It appears to me that there really is nothing out there in kit form at all that is even worth the bother. I even thought about buying a trike or building a custom trike (motorcycle) with tilting, and then just designing and building a body for it.

Way too much. It would take way too long and cost way too much. As much as I would probably enjoy the challenge and have fun building the stuff in my shop building, it seems like a waste of time. I have plenty of other things to do on my list.

So, I have decided to forget about the whole idea for the next few years. What's the point? There is NOTHING out there!

Meanwhile, I will start looking for the next regular old car to buy sometime in the next year's time. My current car (Accord) is now at just less than 170K miles and will reach 200K in less than a year. If I am lucky, maybe I can squeaze 300K out of it. But I need to go decide on what car will be next, so I am ready when the need comes.

Maybe after the next car ownership cycle there will be some of the vehicles that we really want on the market.

[rickb]

Jack.............................I agree with you that it is going to be a very long wait after an already long wait to get a tilting three wheeler with timeless styling or for that matter goofy looking. So I'm looking at the Campagna V13R as a fun, performance rather stylish ride while I wait. If only it was fully enclosed with a pop off top. http://www.campagnamotors.com/V13R/211.html

[Jack Willard]

Look all you like... There isn't even a price on that funny looking thing. And yes, a top would be required. With their T-REX models priced over $50K, you must be loaded to consider their V13R as something to play with while you wait for what you really want.

For that kind of money, and no body at all, the Ariel Atom would be like riding a ROCKET! (no afterburner needed!)

To be fair, I should mention that I finally did get to talk to the contact person yesterday about my interest in whether or not a TriVette Two kit might be still obtainable. Unfortunately, the answer was no. The company is still there, owned by the widow now, and is not operating. So I can write that possibility off my list.

It still looks like there is nothing out there at all.

[rickb]

Actually they are all funny looking things................V13R, T-Rex, TriVette, Ariel Atom, Dagne, Elio Trikke, and even the Persu Hybrid along with a host of other three wheeler concepts. That is the reason these vehicles will probably remain concepts and/or in limited production and unaffordable. I have two wishes:
(1). That I was loaded (2). There was something out there.

[Derwin]

To be fair, I should mention that I finally did get to talk to the contact person yesterday about my interest in whether or not a TriVette Two kit might be still obtainable. Unfortunately, the answer was no. The company is still there, owned by the widow now, and is not operating. So I can write that possibility off my list.

It still looks like there is nothing out there at all.

Unfortunately, I have to agree with you, Jack. There seems to be nothing out there that fits our "FlyTheRoad" mantra.

All I can say is that we are here waiting patiently (not!) for the company that finally comes out with SOMETHING!

Will Persu be the first? Will it be Dagne? Somebody else? Nobody? wh;aa;aa;t1

[dr4]

[QUOTE=rickb;17219]Actually they are all funny looking things................V13R, T-Rex, TriVette, Ariel Atom, Dagne, Elio Trikke, and even the Persu Hybri1207d along with a host of other three wheeler concepts.

True, some are funny looking, but the T-Rex? I only wish I had the money.1206

[rickb]

[QUOTE=rickb;17219]Actually they are all funny looking things................V13R, T-Rex, TriVette, Ariel Atom, Dagne, Elio Trikke, and even the Persu Hybri1207d along with a host of other three wheeler concepts.

True, some are funny looking, but the T-Rex? I only wish I had the money.1206

I was just responding to Jack Willard's comment that the V13R was funny looking. I happen to personally like both the T-Rex and V13R but they are funny (not HaHa) looking in an odd non- traditional vehicle design that does not appeal to the masses which is necessary to produce the numbers of these types of vehicles to make them affordable. I think this holds true to all the Three Wheel Vehicles and or concepts. I'm an old geezer and the V13R styling is funny looking to most but brings back hot rod coupe memories from my past. A Harley Trike on steroids.

If I had the money I would by the Tango Electric Commuter (Clown Car with the heart of a Dragster) that would leave your T-Rex in the dust and would never need an oil change or a tune up. The Tango is ha ha funny looking until you know how it performs and get it's commuter concept. I forgot to check the T-Rex's zero to 60 sprint.

[WarpedOne]

Will Persu be the first? Will it be Dagne? Somebody else? Nobody?

Ahem, would anyone be interested in a scaled RC version of mine design v2.1?
I'm currently building one to to study its dynamics. Small mistakes are cheaper than big ones ...

Here is uncolored basis for the shell:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1441816/4.jpg

[dr4]

[QUOTE=dr4;17223]
I forgot to check the T-Rex's zero to 60 sprint.

0-60 in 3.9 sec, and 1.3g lateral acceleration (so they say). Try pulling 1.3g's in a Tango and see what happens. I bet you'd find there's more than one way to tilt!
BTW I'm so old, a 0-60 of 3.9 sec would pull my brow so far back I'd have smooth eyelids again!http://flytheroadclub.com/forums/images/icons/icon9.gif

[rickb]

[QUOTE=rickb;17224]

0-60 in 3.9 sec, and 1.3g lateral acceleration (so they say). Try pulling 1.3g's in a Tango and see what happens. I bet you'd find there's more than one way to tilt!
BTW I'm so old, a 0-60 of 3.9 sec would pull my brow so far back I'd have smooth eyelids again!http://flytheroadclub.com/forums/images/icons/icon9.gif

O.K. maybe I wouldn't leave you in the dust but the Tango's performance of 1/4 mile in 12 sec at over 120 mph and 0-60 in 4 sec with it's two motors each having more torque than a Dodge Viper V10 would give your T-Rex and good run. I have no idea what the g lateral acceleration would be but adequate fun and performance for this old geezer. A clown car with the heart and soul of a dragster.

[Derwin]

Ahem, would anyone be interested in a scaled RC version of mine design v2.1?


WOW! You've come a LONG way since the first drawings you posted a very long time ago. GREAT JOB! 2thumb:up

You had to use some kind of CAD drawing and put it into a 3D Printer??? However you created it, it looks really good.

Are you serious about the remote control version? As you recall, we bounced around this idea a couple years ago at the club, until we got the plug pulled right after Ian left the company.

Derwin

[WarpedOne]

<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8">I'm serious about at least one for myself. And after that probably another improved one. When there is one, its relatively easy to create another, that's why I'm asking.


This model was built on a CNC machine, I was considering 3D printing but found it too expensive (commercial offers). Now I'm considering buying a 3D printer myself.
(http://www.bitsfrombytes.com)

[Derwin]

I'm serious about at least one for myself. And after that probably another improved one. When there is one, its relatively easy to create another, that's why I'm asking
(http://www.bitsfrombytes.com)

That's great news! Will this tilt? I forgot the specifics of your project.

Hey, would you like to make this an "Open Project" for the club? We had the original club project going for the Persu Hybrid Remote Control vehicle, but then the plug was pulled on it by the company. I would love to begin another project like this, except use YOUR vehicle.

Whatever you decide, please keep us updated. Actually, I think it would be a good idea to create a special thread in the "club project" forum.

[WarpedOne]

Yes, it will tilt. The scaled RC model will have a simple mechanism to control the tilt angle derived from steering angle AND speed.

I have no problem with opening and sharing this project except with additional management as I want to focus on core development. I already shared most of ideas, thoughts and problems here (and at some other places too). Anyone interested is invited to raise his voice and is free to start helping out.

One of the things I've learned in this first year is that there are many fence sitters, some very opinionated, some very happy and fast to piss on your work, other interested in pictures but very few of them come close to real understanding of particular problems and even fewer that are willing to do actual work on solving them.

[chaster]

Not sure anyone is interested in this, as it's not a tilter, but I take a lot of inspiration from the general idea that BlueSky Design has put together for the BugEV:

www.bugev.net

It has it's flaws, but I find it to be ground breaking in several ways. Locally sourced. Simple to put together with nothing more than regular hand tools (No fabrication). Light & efficient. All electric. Customizable. Inexpensive.