Posted by Chris Becker on Monday, September 18, 2006 at 1:23AM :
In Reply to: Chris, What is that on the trailer ? ntxt posted by Paul (in NY) on Sunday, September 17, 2006 at 12:30PM :
Hey Paul,
That would be our 1920 C.W. Flyer, which is a replica of the above machine built by Briggs and Stratton for college kids to use as cheap transportation to colleges in the mid west. The Briggs and Stratton flyer could scoot along between 2-25 m.p.h. and could go up to 80 miles on 1/2 gallon of gas. Basically it is a buck board go-cart with a small 2 horsepower pusher motorwheel mounted on the back. The Motorwheel was origionally intended to be mounted on the side of a bicyle as simple power them.
It a very simple set-up there is no transmission so once you start the motorwheel the drive tire is always turning. The hand lever hold the motorwheel off the ground about 2 inches until you push it forward, there by dropping the motorwheel on the ground and pushing you forward.
My father was a buyer for Harrah's auto collection back in the 1960's and '70's and he showed me the above picture and told me abouth flyer that is still in the collection in Reno Nevada (The National Automobile Museum). I fell in love with it and with help of my wife Melissa we built a replica from this photograph and some more detailed shots we took of the original on our Honeymoon in 2000.
This was my first major project that I leaned a lot of skills on before I even touched my Power Wagon (Believe it or not I was aculally scared I could screw up a PW!). We worked on it for two years building everything ourselves including a steambox to bend the oak boards for the seat backs.
I'll Post a pisture of ours below this post Paul, so look further.
Chris Becker
Follow Ups: