Wolseley ‘Maybug’ Hornet Special
A steering box was made using the crown wheel and pinion from a large hand drill.
The Inspiration Car
A 1934 Wolseley Hornet Special with coachwork by Keville-Davies & March (the March being the current Lord March of Goodwood’s Grandfather “Freddie”).
The Chassis
Made from 1”x3” box steel parallel at front allowing good lock opening up to further parallel square tubes over the rear axle. A steering box was made using the crown wheel and pinion from a large hand drill.
Running Gear & Engine choice
Cyclekart UK front axle and stub axles with Honda wheels giving 38.5”to centre line of tyres. A solid rear axle was originally fitted, later a peerless differential and twin rear disc brakes was substituted.
Cloned GX200 engine sans govenor, with cloned TAV using 9 toothed sprocket driving a 72 toothed axle sprocket.
The Body
Made mainly from plywood with fibre glass section where hump is in front of steering wheel, which was constructed by stretching a piece of polyester cloth over a steel tube frame, applying fibre glass resin once cured backed up with glass fibre. 12mm bulkheads were used which gave strength to the build. Flexiply was used for the wings and bonnet top.
What was the most challenging part of the build?
Someone suggested that I should try and get it road legal. I didn’t think it would stand a chance, but I made a few enquiries. It would be classed as a heavy quadricycle and would be required to have the following:
4 wheel brakes, Mudguards, Full lighting including indicators, hazard lights, dip & main beam headlamps, Independent handbrake on two wheels, immobiliser, no sharp edges as detailed in the DVLA 200 + page manual. As the unladen weight was below 250kg seat belts not mandatory. I attended the test centre on 7/6/2019 and after the inspection which the examiner had been allocated 4.5 hours to complete. It passed not as a kit car but a new vehicle which I had to prove with invoices etc.
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