My new goal in life is to make a street legal pedal power VW bus which I can live in. I realize that this is not the easiest thing in the world seeing as how I will be trying to move a little over a 1000lbs with leg power, however I know that it is possible. I do not want to have any electricity involved with the powering of this vehicle. I have come to this forum to ask for your help. I need knowledge resources. Websites where I can get the proper gears or information to make this idea work. Anything really, I'm not entirely sure where to start, everything I have come across so far is done to a much smaller scale. Possibly a mechanism similar to what the Seattle based "HumanCar" company has come up with. Please help me with whatever input you may have.
sorry for the late reply, but i just loved the concept :)
First off; you could do much better by building your own vehicle. In most countries, a bike can look pretty much like anything with some demands regarding lights/reflective areas and possibly slow vehicle signs.
By building your own you will cut down all the extra weight needed for a combustion motor drivetrain and so on. I would estimate that you could get a livable bike for about 50-100 kg, probably less if you go for fibre composite construction.
Looking at it from your project guideline, ripping out the drivetrain from a vw bus will still leave you a few hundred kg vehicle.
In any regard, it is doable but i would suggest you install a tandem seat and a partner with strong leg muscles.. :)
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Posted - 02/24/2011 : 16:28:57
