Cy-Car TigerCat 3V2
Prototype construction
Chapter 1, Mile Post 1 & 2, Rev. A, 7-26-11
“Two guys, a dream and a machine”
Project Start Date 9-5-04
With all projects there is a beginning and mile posts along the way. So let us start with the very beginning and see where it takes us.
In Sept 2004 I sent a letter to my friend and long time associate Martin Waide and outlined an idea for a three wheeled car called the “Slingshot Cycle Car”. This design was to use standard motorcycle engines and simple running gear made from used motorcycle and automotive catalog purchase parts. This came aboutbecause I have always had an interest in motorcycles and vehicles three wheeled. Having been a Honda Dealer
twice, and knowing history of motorcycle manufacturing and after market sales I
thought there was an opening in the sports vehicle world for something fun to drive.
A three wheel design was chosen because all three wheeled cars are in fact motorcycles as far as the DMV is concerned. It would also allow for a car without air bags, seat belts, and a number of other long to develop and costly requirements. Designing around the idea of an open cockpit roadster and exposed engine would give the driver the enjoyment and fun of a large touring motorcycle while giving the safety and comfort for two passengers. The
stability and handling of a three wheeler has long been established in Europe and continues to sell well in England and other up scale markets. The introduction of high performance three wheelers such as the Raptor and T-Rex designs in the U.S.A. market shows that the sports driver is ready for some excitement in the boring day to day vehicle go to work world. We were ready for excitement but wanted to make “FUN DRIVING” the primary goal in the project.
I knew that Martin had a history in automotive design with Lotus Racecars and a long history with all things mechanical. So I thought he was the perfect friend to share this idea with. With great pride I sent along an outline and a few CAD drawings that I had completed showing my idea and market rational.
#1 Carl’s ruff “napkin” sketch for the first “Idea” using Honda 360cc twin as the power plant.
Carl’s 1st CAD drawing showing total layout. I thought is was great, but it had many difficult production problems. Still using a Honda 360 engine.
At first there was some discussion about creating a new modern design with all the latest technology and carbon fiber. On a quick vist martin and I went over some design concepts that were unique BUT, when we both thought about the design it became clear that thre were plenty of opf these kinds of project cars, smooth, aero, clean and modern. Even with the exposed “V” Twin we would not be that special. We had to find different path.
#2 Martin’s fist design “The Egg”, was rejected because it was not special or all that different. This side view shows that all the bases were covered in a nice package.
#3 The top view of Martin’s “Egg”. Clever but not for our first car prototype. Maybe we will visit this design down the road when we need a new design for the modern transportation market.
#1-3A Front and rear view of the “Egg”. 8-9-11
There was a long delay ingetting a reply from Martin and I thought that he had thought the project did not have much merit. Then one day, about two months later, a fat envelop arrived with a complete outline, drawings, and newspaper clippings showing a number of three wheel designs. Martin was delighted with the basic project concept. But, as in all shared projects he had his own ideas.
#4 Martin’s, 1st layout sketch using a Harley Davidson 80 cid power plant.
After careful reading and thinking about his suggestions I was convinced that he was more closely in tune with the car requirements than I. For one thing he held a strong view that the car should be designed around a series of systems that would give complete reliability and long life operation to the owner. We both agreed that the market was ready for a motorcycle engine based design and he suggested Harley Davidson as the start up selection. He wanted to combine this choice and incorporate the look of a traditional American Hot Rod and if you did, you could have a real winner.
#5 Concept #3, we were getting closer to the design goal
#6 Concept #3 front view, here was the basic look we had been searching for.
#7 Concept #4 concept drawings. Now we were on the right track. These designs have 4 wheels?? More about these designs later.
For over two years we worked on the basic outline of the project and one day Martin called and suggested that we call the car a “Tiger”. Not be out done, me the marketing genius suggested that we use the name “TigerCat”. After sometime and a number of calls Martin said OK. Now that I had him on the wagon with me I added to the name “3V2” to symbolize three wheels, “V” type engine and 2 passengers. We were off and running when we settled on a company name of Cy-Car. We had the basis of “TigerCat 3V2” and liked
the look and feeling of the total car.
Mile Post #1 was completed and it was time to move forward.
Martin created Cy-Car Components LLC to do design, engineering and start up production. I started Cy-Car Sales and Marketing LLC to handle all things that were to be sales and information related. There was a need to establish two companies in the beginning because we lived in two different states. Martin resides in Wrightwood California and I live in Medford Oregon. At a future date we expect to have one more
division called Cy-Car International which would be the main production and International marketing effort.
Things moved slowly for the next year while Martin worked on the design of a couple helicopters and I developed my Internet Sales Company called www.panaviseonline.com, a seller of tools and things for hobby and CCTV (closed circuit television) world. When Martin called and said that he thought it was time to put our money and ideas where our mouths were. An action and development plan was hatched. Martin starting to design and produce the tooling for some of the major parts which made up the vehicle driveline. I began the sales and marketing outline.
The next time I was in Southern Cal, Martin and I presented our ideas to a couple of friends, Bruce Fisher (Acru-True, Harley Davison Service and Repair) and Lee Kiser, who is an engineer of airplanes (Predator RPV), and vehicles. These meetings were only to get opinions and ask for suggestions. Bruce thought it would be difficult to finish and Lee wanted a much more modern design with lots of carbon fiber and a wind cheating body design. Were we wrong in our concept? Did we mis-understand the Target Market. Should we move forward with our ideas and stop asking for other people to help make decisions that in the end could only be made by us?
Additional Chapter Story Notes, 7-25-11
By this time Martin had taken the idea a lot further than I had suspected when one day while I was in Southern California visiting my son and family, he called and ask to me to meet at his work shop. He said he had a surprise for me. With that kind of lead how could I refuse? I arrived at the shop in Garden Grove about an hour later. Martin was at the door to the shop with a big smile on his face, waving his arm for me to hurry up and get into the shop. Inside the shop was a purpose built work stand with the basic items to do a three wheel car layout. Sitting on a stand was a new Harley Davidson 80 c.i. engine, wheels and other basic parts. Coupled to the engine were a 4 speed Toyota transmission and a wooden mock-up of the Clutch Housing and oil tank (Power Coupling). I was surprised by his effort but listened with close attention to his presentation of how the design would go.
Here was my friend making a sales pitch to the sales department. He did a good job of explaining the various design challenges and the method he wanted to use to find a good solution to each and every question. I pulled out my pocket recorder and took down
all of his presentation for future reference. It was at this point we decided to write a story of the Cy-Car TigerCat project, and not leave out any details.
#8 What I saw when I first walked into the shop. From this day on we had a basic outline to work from.
#9 As we began to lay out some of the required parts the Story began
to become clear, we were on the right tract
#10 The front view, when complete will be a sight to behold
#11 Martin the “Gear Head” mad Genius with some of his toys.
#12 This is the first drawing Martin made for one of the front end parts
#13 / 13A The mold box for making the Clutch Housing ready for Production Casting by David Howel at the foundry (Alumalloy) and the first casting from the foundry
#14 “The Mold Maker”, Mike Fish, see the look in his eyes, what does he know? What
he knows is how to make some of the best mold tooling in California.
As part of that action plan it was decided to purchase a Toyota Pick-Up truck with a blown engine to use as a test vehicle. The truck would have an 80 c.i.d. Harley Engine installed and would allow for road testing of the entire drive line design. Luck helped us
find a 1985 Toyota truck that was just what we needed, for only $125.
NOTE … There will be more about theToyota test plan in later chapters.
A local race car fabricator, Glen Severson was contracted to make the conversion.
#15 985 Toyotaready for Harley Engine install.
#16 You can see the gravity fuel tank (red) cap (black) in the cowl
A number of clever changes and additions were made to the truck in anticipation of engine
installation. Remove the engine, remove all unneeded Toyota system parts that would not
help the “V” twin Harley, install a gravity fuel tank in the front cowl to feed the Harley carburetor, and cut away the floor board to allow for proper fitting of the Harley to Toyota
transmission adapter and clutch housing with oil tank. Our second Mile Post had been reached in record time.
This all went so fast that we knew we should take advantage of the open time proved by Glen to start the main building project of the complete TigerCat prototype #1.
So, beginning on 9-15-08, four years after my first letter to Martin about the Slingshot idea we began to build our dream machine. Cy-Car the company concept was born and from that came the TigerCat 3V2 Cycle Car project.
And that is where I will begin Chapter 2.
Carl L. Myers
