Three-Wheeler and Long DistanceTrials

[Paul]

Hi,

I’ve started a new topic in response to questions on another topic about the rear coil-over shock on my trials car. This post covers both technical and event topics, so hopefully I’ve loaded it into the most appropriate part of the forum.

My car was built in the early 1980s with parts from a Dyane by, I’m led to believe, a Roger Pole. If anyone has any further information, please let me know. The car has had several owners and I bought the car from a fellow member of The Motorcycling Club (MCC) in 2011.

I rebuilt the car, as time allowed, over a period of 15 months in my son’s back garden (no room at my place). The current specification is as follows:

1. New galvanised chassis from 2CV City (very helpful people).
2. Plywood floor.
3. Body - frame in 1 inch square section steel with an aluminium skin.
4. Custom made intermediate steering shaft (using standard Citroen parts).
5. Front suspension - standard 2CV cylinders, giving a ride height of 195 mm.
6. Rear suspension – single standard 2CV cylinder with a coil-over shock (Rover 200), giving a current ride height of 300 mm.
7. Electric fuel pump.
8. Headlamps – 7 inch sealed beam units.
9. Underguard, passenger compartment – 18 mm marine plywood with a galvanised steel sheet. (My theory being that the plywood will absorb the blows and the steel sheet will allow the car to slide over obstacles and protect the plywood. It seems to work.)
10. Underguard, engine and gearbox - 18 mm marine plywood (with a soon to be added steel sheet).
11. Air filter – Petter diesel (originally a useless pancake type that might as well not have been there).
12. Manifold heater - 50 W halogen bulb supplied from a switch on the instrument panel (got the idea from this forum and fitted only because some previous owner had removed the heater pipes from the inlet manifold).
13. Rear brake hose – braided stainless steel (advice from this forum and only because it was more expedient to fit than replace the original coiled steel pipe, which was functioning ok until I broke it while fitting the rear shock).
14. Custom control cables for clutch, handbrake and throttle.
15. Umbrella handbrake (origin unknown).
16. Floor-mounted gear change.
17. Custom windscreen (glass origin unknown).
18. Wipers and wiper motor (origin unknown, but looks a bit like something from a BMC model).
19. Exhaust system – standard headers and silencer; custom tail pipe and second silencer.
20. Leather seats ((origin unknown).[/list]

So onto long distance trials (LDT), what are they like? I can only speak about my experiences of the MCC trials of which there are three plus a one day Testing trial in the course of a year. They are one of the most enjoyable and least expensive sporting events you could enter. Typically, a LDT will start between 19:30 hr and midnight on a Friday, involve 100 to 300 miles of road following a route card, 13 to 18 observed sections, two to three special tests, a couple of mandatory rest points, then finish on the Saturday afternoon. You’ll find fellow competitors are very helpful and friendly. Should you break down, there’s usually more than one competitor that will stop to give assistance. There are a variety of classes for bikes, cars, three-wheelers, plus a class 0, which has some less demanding sections for frail machinery or drivers. For more details, see the MCC website http://www.themotorcyclingclub.org.uk/

If you want to see 2CVs in action off road, see the You Tube links as follows:

1. Lands End Trial 2011 Fastest 'Mole' on the hill (that’s my car with the previous owner and before the suspension was raised) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KtbeVtvpl8
2. Exeter Trial 2011, Simms Hill, Citroen 2CV - http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=vs_ ... =endscreen

So how did my car perform in the Exeter Trial on January 4th and 5th? Not bad and probably better than the driver’s natural inability. My daughter was navigating and we failed three sections primarily due to lack of grip on the muddy and slippery surfaces (that’s my excuse anyway). Surprisingly, we seemed to have enough power with only 602 cc. Perhaps if we’d had more grip, the engine might’ve stalled. Anyway, when the tyres start smoking, you realise that’s about as far as you going to get and it’s time for the recovery vehicle to tow you up and out of the section. We also missed one section through poor navigation, but we completed the event and each got a Finishers Certificate. Overall mileage from home and back, about 600 miles. Brilliant.

What modifications should you do to your car? Surprisingly few. As far as the sporting regulations are concerned, three-wheelers have a tyre in two camps. The first is the Auto Cycle Union (ACU), which is responsible for motor cycles. The second is the Motor Sport Association (ACU), which is responsible for cars. So back to the question; you’ll need the following:

1. Fire extinguisher – minimum requirement is a 1.75 litre, type AAF (MSA requirement). Cost about £50.
2. Reverse light – 25 W minimum (MSA requirement). If there is no reverse switch in the gearbox, you’ll need a switch and a telltale light on the instrument panel.
3. Oil spill kit (MSA requirement). Cost about £5.
4. Tow rope attached to two points on the front of the car (MCC requirement).
5. Protection for the engine sump and bottom of the gearbox by some form of underguard (not mandatory, but common sense).
6. Tyre types (MCC requirement) – I’m not clear on this point as the 2CV is restricted to 15 inch tyres, which to my knowledge are limited to a road tread pattern. For the cars, the trial regulations state no M&S or aggressive patterns. However, for the bikes, a trials pattern is allowed and for 17 inch rims, a more aggressive pattern is allowed because trial patterns are unavailable in 17 inch. The MCC has a list of approved tyres and you can always contact the club for clarification.
7. Spare wheel(s) and possibly spare inner tube (You could get a concussion puncture that can ruin a tube, but leave the tyre useable) (not mandatory, but common sense).
8. Set of tools and some spares (common sense).

What about the driver and navigator (if fitted)? Navigators are not essential, but are very useful. They provide ballast for grip and if you do get stuck, you can throw them out to give you a push. Oh, they can navigate as well. You’ll both need the following:

1. An ACU trials licence (that’s because of the one tyre in the bike camp), available on-line from the ACU website, cost £10, see https://members.acu.org.uk/Secure/Login.aspx
2. MCC membership, from the membership secretary, see the MCC website for the contact details.
3. Warm and water-proof clothing. Depending on the time of year, you could experience temperatures below 0 deg C and copious quantities of rain.
4. Boots. You don’t want to be walking through some of the muddy approach roads in shoes.
5. A good night’s sleep on the night before.[/list]

If you decide to give it a go, entries for each event open about 3 months before an event. The Lands End Trial entry is open now and takes place at Easter. The Edinburgh Trial (it only goes round Derbyshire) takes place in October and the Exeter Trial takes place in January.

If you have doubts, ignore them. You’ll forever regret not doing it.

And finally, there is the ACU National Road Rally, aimed at motorcycles and three-wheelers. All tarmac roads and you choose your own route to take in as many checkpoints as possible in the mileage you opt for, from 200 to 540 miles if my memory serves me right, Details on the ACU website.

[Tom Rae]

Excellent, many thanks for such a comprehensive piece. Incidentally it is SACU in Scotland but still MSA though.

Tom

[Paul Narramore]

Well done Paul, an enjoyable read. So no M&S tyres then? Since modern bikes can climb a vertical wall almost, do the cars have to attempt the same sections? Are there many similar trials around the country, in the South East for instance?

[Paul]

Hi Paul,

For MCC trials, the cars and bikes do the same sections. I don't think either has an advantage; one foot down for a biker and it's a failure, whereas the cars just have to keep moving forward (as do the bikes).

With regards to the type of tyres that are permitted for three wheelers, I'm unclear on that and it could vary according to the event/organisers requirements (it does for bikes). You'd have to investigate that one.

My knowledge of other events for three wheelers is zero; all my competitions have been on trail and trials bikes. The best source for information on clubs and events is the Association of Classic Trials Clubs. They have a mine of information; see http://www.actc.org.uk/

I suspect you'd have to contact the event organisers to see if they're running a three wheeler class. Do have a go though; as a guy said on one of the LDT forums "its the most fun you can have with your clothes on".

Cheers Paul K

[Paul Narramore]

A few years ago I was in the Isle of Man during TT Week and whilst on Peel seafront watched a trials rider, possibly one of the Lampkins, riding in and around a builder's skip. Amazing bike control. I know that couldn't be done in a three-wheeler.

[Dave B]

IF YOU PROVIDE A SKIP IM SURE MY WIFE WOULD SHOW YOU HOW TO GET A THREE WHEELER IN IT ......NO SENSE OF HUMOR

[Paul]

And one more photo for encouragement.

Cheers Paul

[hutchii]

If you're impressed by riding in and out of skips on a trials bike, Google - Jason Finn, and prepare to be amazed! In the days that I had the bottle to ride a trials bike regularly, I was frequently lost for words watching Jason practicing at a local hillside/woodland. Sadly, the Gentry of said area put a stop to our fun because we upset the horse riding fraternity and I consequently lost touch with him, but as far as I know he's still performing the impossible on a bike.

[Paul]

The second outing on an MCC classic trial, in this case, the Edinburgh Trial 2013. Just a little tempter to encourage other three wheelers to have a go. As I stated previously, if you're not sure of your ability or the suitablity of your car, enter class 0, which has the easier sections.

2013 Edinburgh Trial New Litton Slack resize.jpg (195.22 KiB) Viewed 23149 times

Photograph copyright Charlie Wooding

The new alloy box and bumper on the front puts about 30 lb ballast (jack, tools, tyre levers) at the front. Grip was certainly improved, but most of that may have been due to overhauling the carburetter (thanks to Ken Hanna). We managed to ruin the left front tyre by putting a rock through the tyre wall, but that's all part of the experience. Looking at the photo, we could have lowered the tyre pressures even further for this section, but that's the benefit of hind sight.

Photos of the trial can be seen on http://charliewooding.co.uk/v/photos/49 ... C139046402

Regards Paul

[Paul]

A Blackjack Avion crewed by Roger & Tania Beaumont having a go on the MCC Exeter Trial in 2009 at the section Fingle Bridge.

MCC Exeter Trial 2009 Fingle Bridge.jpg (91.3 KiB) Viewed 23063 times

Judging from the smoking tyre, they've come to a halt.