The King

[w2amr]

My bosses son recently brought this into the shop for repair. It's a 1965 King Midget micro car. Powered by an air cooled Kohler 10 HP engine. I don't know how fast it will go, but the speedo goes up to 60 MPH. Pretty sure the low speed centrifugal clutch is bad. No instruction manual on this one. I'm on my own.
13334

[PA5COR]

Nice, and quite special ;)
Hope you can fix it though no manuals available?
We here have almost small mini cars weighing less as 350 kilo's with yanmar ship diesel engines doing max 30 miles per hour for people with just a moped license to drive.
A small change in the automatic gearbox and they do 60 miles per hour easy....
Come fully loaded with 2 seats airco etc.
http://www.waaijenberg.com/brommobiel
http://www.waaijenberg.com/brommobiel/aixam

[w2amr]

Nice, and quite special ;)
Hope you can fix it though no manuals available?
We here have almost small mini cars weighing less as 350 kilo's with yanmar ship diesel engines doing max 30 miles per hour for people with just a moped license to drive.
A small change in the automatic gearbox and they do 60 miles per hour easy....
Come fully loaded with 2 seats airco etc.
http://www.waaijenberg.com/brommobiel
http://www.waaijenberg.com/brommobiel/aixam


Cute, but I wouldn't want to be t boned by a truck while driving it.

[N8YX]

That would be a nice pit vehicle, George. How much do you figure it could tow?

[KK4AMI]

It kind of looks like a cross between a lawn tractor and a Volkswagon "Thing".

[KK4AMI]

Cute, but I wouldn't want to be t boned by a truck while driving it.

"T-Boned"? I think the word would be punted!

[KG4CGC]

Put up pictures of the front and rear pulleys. I'd like to compare them to a scooter clutch/tranny set up.
I might be able to help.

[w2amr]

Two clutches mounted on the crankshaft. The outside clutch is the low speed. When the engine reaches a certain RPM, the second clutch engages and changes the gear ratio of the trans. Basically like a two speed automatic. A control in the front allows you to shift the trans to forward, reverse , or neutral .
http://www.oldcarsweekly.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Midget-trans2.jpg

[w2amr]

That would be a nice pit vehicle, George. How much do you figure it could tow? I don't think I would use it for that. From what I've read it's worth about 7 grand in running condition.

[KG4CGC]

Two clutches mounted on the crankshaft. The outside clutch is the low speed. When the engine reaches a certain RPM, the second clutch engages and changes the gear ratio of the trans. Basically like a two speed automatic. A control in the front allows you to shift the trans to forward, reverse , or neutral .
http://www.oldcarsweekly.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Midget-trans2.jpg

What I want to see are weights and springs. If it's weights then the centrifugal force moves a pulley face closer to the center forcing the belt up. The weights could develop flat spots or cause wear inside the ramps in the pulley. If it's springs then they are pulling in (or holding) what is basically a couple of brake pads that sling out and make contact with a bell. The friction material can glaze over time or extreme load and cause slipping. Worn springs can cause the pads to engage too soon and bog the motor or cause extremely slow acceleration.
In either case, belt condition is a factor. I'd like to see more pictures when you get the chance. There are many different versions of this design but the principle is the same.

[N2NH]

There is a repair manual on this webpage for this car. Just scroll down it's near the bottom. Just FYI.

LINK HERE. (http://www.kingmidgetcarclub.org/index.html)

[NQ6U]

The King Midget made Time Magazine's list of The 50 Worst Cars of All Time.

http://content.time.com/time/specials/2007/article/0,28804,1658545_1657867_1657682,00.html

[NQ6U]

I like the way Americanisms have worked their way into so many other languages. From the website of that little micro-car to which Cor linked:


Of u hem nu gebruikt om naar het werk te gaan of voor uitstapjes in het weekend

[KG4NEL]

The King Midget made Time Magazine's list of The 50 Worst Cars of All Time.

http://content.time.com/time/specials/2007/article/0,28804,1658545_1657867_1657682,00.html


as a home-built, $500 kit, containing the frame, axles and sheetmetal patterns, so that the body panels could be fabricated by local tradesmen. Any single-cylinder engine would power it.

Wait a second - why is it when Americans do that, it's in the worst cars of all time, and when British Leyland did it, it was called "Tuesday"?

[w2amr]

There is a repair manual on this webpage for this car. Just scroll down it's near the bottom. Just FYI.

LINK HERE. (http://www.kingmidgetcarclub.org/index.html)Tnx, I saw that yesterday. I'll see if the owner wants to shell out the money to get it. I know I'm not paying for it.

[w2amr]

What I want to see are weights and springs. If it's weights then the centrifugal force moves a pulley face closer to the center forcing the belt up. The weights could develop flat spots or cause wear inside the ramps in the pulley. If it's springs then they are pulling in (or holding) what is basically a couple of brake pads that sling out and make contact with a bell. The friction material can glaze over time or extreme load and cause slipping. Worn springs can cause the pads to engage too soon and bog the motor or cause extremely slow acceleration.
In either case, belt condition is a factor. I'd like to see more pictures when you get the chance. There are many different versions of this design but the principle is the same. . We won't know what we're dealing with until I get them off and taken apart. Looks like the big nut on the end of the crankshaft is holding everything on. Hopefully both clutches have keyways and will come off with a puller.

[PA5COR]

Anglicanism, probably " stolen" from the UK, by the way those small micro cars come with airbag and collision frame build in as well.... not that this will ensure me they are safe though.... ;)
Most is UV resistant PVC and aluminium....



I like the way Americanisms have worked their way into so many other languages. From the website of that little micro-car to which Cor linked:
Of u hem nu gebruikt om naar het werk te gaan of voor uitstapjes in het weekend

[w2amr]

The King Midget made Time Magazine's list of The 50 Worst Cars of All Time.

http://content.time.com/time/specials/2007/article/0,28804,1658545_1657867_1657682,00.html You mean it's on the same list as the Horsey Horesless?
http://content.time.com/time/specials/2007/article/0,28804,1658545_1657686_1657662,00.html

[K7SGJ]

The King Midget made Time Magazine's list of The 50 Worst Cars of All Time.

http://content.time.com/time/specials/2007/article/0,28804,1658545_1657867_1657682,00.html

Yugo hoped they could make a car that was up to the standards of the King.

[NQ6U]

You mean it's on the same list as the Horsey Horesless?
http://content.time.com/time/specials/2007/article/0,28804,1658545_1657686_1657662,00.html

Did you read the whole list? It was very nicely done. I particularly liked the line from the write-up of the '71 Chrysler Imperial: "The interior looked like a third-world casino."

[w2amr]

Did you read the whole list? It was very nicely done. I particularly liked the line from the write-up of the '71 Chrysler Imperial: "The interior looked like a third-world casino."Yeah, it was good.

[w2amr]

Last week another toy was dropped off for us to get running. It's called a Honda Gyro scooter.
http://www.motorscooterguide.net/Honda/Gyro/Gyro.html

[w2amr]

http://www.motorscooterguide.net/pictures/GyroBrochure1984.jpg

[HUGH]

If it's friction pads worn rather than glazed, I made some for an 8hp engine out of "Permali" which appears to be "synthetic resin bonded plywood". This was supplied by my Dad, one of it's uses was fish-plates for joining rail lines where they had to be electrically insulated. It worked well, seemed similar to the original but I suspect that was filled with asbestos fibre.

There is a version using fabric layers as well, goes under a different name.

[KG4CGC]

You can get parts for the Gyro. Just look it up via the model number through Partzilla.
http://www.partzilla.com/parts/search/Honda/Scooter/1984/NN50MD+A/parts.html

These pop up from time to time on the scooter sites in the larger metropolitan areas.

[N2NH]

Last week another toy was dropped off for us to get running. It's called a Honda Gyro scooter.
http://www.motorscooterguide.net/Honda/Gyro/Gyro.html

That's a great idea, but if you take a turn and hit a pothole, you'd probably spill.

[w2amr]

Thanks for the input guys.

[w2amr]

That's a great idea, but if you take a turn and hit a pothole, you'd probably spill.Yeah, I've had enough of that spilling shit.

[KK4AMI]

What's with all the Micro-machines, do you have a Shriners Convention in town?

[KG4NEL]

What's with all the Micro-machines, do you have a Shriners Convention in town?

$7K with the fez, $4K without.

[w2amr]

What's with all the Micro-machines, do you have a Shriners Convention in town?If there was , we could probably sell both of them for a hefty profit.

[K7SGJ]

$7K with the fez, $4K without.


Would he need a fez dispenser?

[NA4BH]

Don't make me do it without my fez on

[KG4CGC]

Don't make me do it without my fez on

Eddie stooled in your fez.

[NA4BH]

Bastid

[K7SGJ]

Bushtit

[K7SGJ]

Bastid


Are you near St. Paul yet?

[n2ize]

Nice acquisition George. Well, not quite an acquisition but it appears you inherited a project. And something I never heard of. If anyone can restore it and make it run I know you can. Please, keep us posted on the progress. BTW I hope that garage is heated because some cold wx is coming this way.

[w2amr]

Nice acquisition George. Well, not quite an acquisition but it appears you inherited a project. And something I never heard of. If anyone can restore it and make it run I know you can. Please, keep us posted on the progress. BTW I hope that garage is heated because some cold wx is coming this way.
These two are side projects , when we are caught up with services and repairs on our rental vehicles. Good news yesterday, we were able to order a shop/service manual from Honda for the scooter. We are still on our own with the little car. Yeah, we have plenty of heat in the garage John. If we didn't, I would have retired years ago.:mrgreen:

[K7SGJ]

These two are side projects , when we are caught up with services and repairs on our rental vehicles. Good news yesterday, we were able to order a shop/service manual from Honda for the scooter. We are still on our own with the little car. Yeah, we have plenty of heat in the garage John. If we didn't, I would have retired years ago.:mrgreen:

Well.............you can always start up some of the cars. The exhaust is nice and toasty.

[kd6nig]

Well.............you can always start up some of the cars. The exhaust is nice and toasty.

Yep, and once the CO2 overwhelms you, you won't care how warm or cold it is anyway.....

[w2amr]

We found a King Midget expert in Ohio, and he told me how to get the clutches, bearings, and drums off of the engine. First the outer clutch assembly is threaded onto the shaft. Then the outer bearing/drum is removed with a harmonic balancer puller, via two 1/4 20 threaded holes in the drum. Then a spacer. Then the inner clutch with the puller via two 1/4 28 holes. Since the inner bearing and drum are OK, I'm leaving them alone. He said he can rebuild both clutches for about $250. Sounds like a deal to me.

[w2amr]

Sent the clutches away to be rebuilt and have new bearings pressed in. I put it back together , did a little tweeking on the engine, and took it for a ride around the lot. Wheeeee!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTH-4cXc7WE&feature=youtu.be

[NQ6U]

What, no burnouts? No doughnuts??

[w2amr]

What, no burnouts? No doughnuts??Nope, not a one to be found.

[NQ6U]

How was it to drive?

[w2amr]

How was it to drive?Slow and rough riding. Like driving an oversized riding lawnmower. The owner took it out on the road and got it up to 35MPH, and said it still had more. And Nader thought the Corvair was unsafe at any speed.

[NQ6U]

Slow and rough riding. Like driving an oversized riding lawnmower. The owner took it out on the road and got it up to 35MPH, and said it still had more. And Nader thought the Corvair was unsafe at any speed.

Yeah, no kidding. I'd be terrified of being on the open highway in that thing, An 18-wheeler could run right over you and not even notice.

[K7SGJ]

Yeah, no kidding. I'd be terrified of being on the open highway in that thing, An 18-wheeler could run right over you and not even notice.

San Diego should make those available for Zonies on the I-5, I-8, 405, etc.