The story goes like this: in post Second World War Czechoslovakia, it was hard for people to purchase a vehicle. Not only because of the lack of raw materials, but also because the communist regime wasn't able to provide a sufficient number of vehicles for its citizens.
The Stránský brothers, František and Mojmír, saw a gap in the market and completed a tube framed, three-wheeled vehicle in 1943, that used bicycle parts. They christened it "Oskar."
Engines for the early Oskar models were from very small motorcycle engines, with about six horsepower. The car cost a mere 1/4 of conventional cars, so the top speed of 30 km/h (downhill, likely) and cloth sides in the winter didn't seem to bother owners much.
As the car evolved and was upgraded over time, the endearing Oskar name was dropped in favour of Velorex. Power was increased, and a four-wheeled version was introduced.
Production stopped in 1973, after a total of about 16,000 models were produced.
What inspired this post? Well, other than its brief appearence on Top Gear a few years ago, I stumbled across this video of a Velorex that was upgraded with a Honda CBR600 motorcycle engine.
Now that...that's crazy. Take a look:
Read on (links open in a new window):
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Velorex
- http://www.velorexr66.tym.cz/index_e.htm (Five Velorex models drive Route 66 in California)
- http://www.velorex.com/mainframeset.htm (in Czech)
- http://www.zpravodaj.ceskatrebova.cz/7_04web/Stransky_zivotopis.htm (in Czech)
- http://www.velorexy.cz/index.php?loc1=84&loc2=&rubrika_id=&article_id= (some English)
