LOMAX 223 - slow max the right kinda trike

LOMAX 223 - slow max the right kinda trike

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Discussion

pthelazyjourno

1,848 posts

168 months

Monday 19th December 2011
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Steffan said:
The really bid advantages in this layout is the front wheel drive, all the weight over the front wheels and quite decent front suspension with soft loadings.

The rear wheel is almost a sinecure, tucked away at the back, trailing along.

IMO the best layout for three wheel drive. Good cabin space, inherently safe handling, ideal IMO

Bar none.
I was surprised at how well 3 wheelers can handle.

I had this for a day from Morgan, and loved it to bits. 400kg or so, 115bhp. Quick.
I'd imagine it's a lot bigger than Slomax - the front track is deceptively wide - but it's cracking fun.

Brilliant, incredibly lumpy engine, a silly amount of torque, and surprisingly forgiving chassis.

The ride was similar to my Elise, steering more direct with a much quicker ratio - nice but bugger all steering lock, and a lot heavier feeling than the Elise (the engine is obviously over the front wheels as well). In two minds about which I prefer, don't think I'll be getting a quick rack for the Lotus though.

Performance wise, it was a bit slower than I was expecting - was pretty much on par with my Elise, 160bhp, 720kg or so - was a bit worried the Elise would feel slow afterwards but seemed pretty evenly matched.

Can see the joys of mentalist 3 wheeling fun though! Sorry for the thread hijack!


slomax

Original Poster:

6,646 posts

191 months

Tuesday 27th December 2011
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hello,

A new Morgan dealer popped up near to where i live about 6 weeks ago. Last week they got the new 3 wheeler in and i went over in the Lomax to have a look at it.

As you say it is a lot bigger than my Lomax. I have seen many originals and thought the new one was just a re-creation from the old one... Far from it. The track on my Lomax is circa 4 ft, the new Morgan must be nearly 5ft 6".

The one they have in is a 2 litre S&S V-twin producing 130bhp. The stroke doesn't look that big so the bore must be huge, the cylinder heads are very very big. Aparently it can do 0-60 in about 4 seconds and it can deffinately do 120mph, but they don't want to try it's TOP speed.

Unfortunately the one they had was not registered yet, so we weren't allowed to have a go in it, however the dealer did let us sit in in and he fired it up and revved it a bit too. Because the compression is so much, the starter motor sounds lazy at first, but it soon fires into a very deep rumble and when revved is VERY loud and does actually sound like an aero engine.

The engine is linked to a short shift mazda MX5 gearbox and is shaft drive to the back where there is a final drive and then a belt to the rear wheel and a big fat tire. The shift feels incredibly short, can't be much more than 2 or 3 inches.

As far as the interior goes, VERY nice indeed. There isn't quite as much room as the Lomax, but i can fit in relatively well. The standard steering wheel is a bit ugly for the price but it is detatchable for getting in and out. General build quality is good too and they really are very well put together.

Apparently they have already had over 800 orders and they reckon they can build about 10 a week so there is already a nigh on 2 year waiting list.

The dealer said he is going to get it registered in January and we have been invited back for a test drive.



Slomax biggrin

pthelazyjourno

1,848 posts

168 months

Tuesday 27th December 2011
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Nice jacket!

I wanted to borrow something similar while I had the Mog, but forgot and ended up wearing a North Face jacket and woolly hat!! Not quite the right look really...

Still, designer chap at Morgan offered me a full-face helmet - goodness knows what that would have looked like! Made do with a pair of sunglasses in the end - do you normally wear anything for your face with Slomax? Does it have a heater?

The S&S engine is a cracker, it's stupidly flexible, and like you say it really does sound like an aeroplane!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTmRjLEtlrg&fea...

I just loved it. They've actually cut the width of the rear tyre - it was going to be even wider, but they've decided to make it narrower so the back is more playful.

Was particularly lively - I test drove it mid December, was sunny but greasy as anything, was just like a go-kart if drifting round empty roundabouts is your thing... They never mentioned the top speed to me, but I never ventured above 80mph as I couldn't feel my hands!!!

Odd thing about the gearbox - as I'm sure you'll notice when you try it - the engine is so flexible it wouldn't exactly matter if they'd used a dog of a box, you can genuinely just leave it in one gear.

Apparently they have a seat that's further back for people who are bigger. I didn't mind the steering wheel - nice enough quality, but I guess you're right - it's not exactly 'period'. A nice Moto-Lita wheel would have been good, considering the price.

Build quality - even on the much shagged pre-production car I had (which had apparently been mercilessly thrashed by the Top Gear lot!) was massively better than my Lotus. Particularly liked the started button.

I'll be interested to hear your opinion when you've driven one - and what it's like in comparison to yours.

I really really want one!!!! Wonder how much the originals go for.

Quick pic of the first customer cars. I'll stop derailing your thread then!! Nice to see you're also interested in the Mog too though - I did think of this thread when I was driving it!!

Philip




Edited by pthelazyjourno on Tuesday 27th December 03:25

slomax

Original Poster:

6,646 posts

191 months

Tuesday 27th December 2011
quotequote all
Thanks!

I have a matching sheepskin deerhunter hat. It's amazing how warm they are, and being leather it is wind proof and water proof too. In warm weather I tend not to wear a hat.

Eye protection is a must though. You simply cannot see without it. I have several pairs of sun glasses, safety specs and cycling glasses with interchangeable lenses in for all weathers and lights.

If I'm going on the motorway or a long way or it's drizzling then I have an open face helmet and some classic goggles usually mated with a fleecy buff pulled over my face.

You get the ocasional stone flick up and if it hits you at any sort of speed can hurt a lot. I have known some people say they have drawn blood from a cut lip. Kamakazi bees also really hurt. Fine drizzle really stings at anything over 30mph, it is very surprising.


slomax

Original Poster:

6,646 posts

191 months

Sunday 21st April 2013
quotequote all
slomax said:
hello,

A new Morgan dealer popped up near to where i live about 6 weeks ago. Last week they got the new 3 wheeler in and i went over in the Lomax to have a look at it.

Shortly after pic was taken the entire dealership (subaru, high end sports cars (f40's, SLS's, GT's etc), and morgan) went into administration. I never got to go back for a test drive. frown



My brother lent me is Go-Pro over Easter, so i fitted it to the Lomax and went for a drive around some twisties.

Here are the results!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sh7OpNw1iak&fea...

Steffan

10,362 posts

227 months

Sunday 21st April 2013
quotequote all
slomax said:
slomax said:
hello,

A new Morgan dealer popped up near to where i live about 6 weeks ago. Last week they got the new 3 wheeler in and i went over in the Lomax to have a look at it.

Shortly after pic was taken the entire dealership (subaru, high end sports cars (f40's, SLS's, GT's etc), and morgan) went into administration. I never got to go back for a test drive. frown



My brother lent me is Go-Pro over Easter, so i fitted it to the Lomax and went for a drive around some twisties.

Here are the results!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sh7OpNw1iak&fea...
And a good time was had by all judging from the video results. An excellent presentation of the degree of essential involvement in the road conditions, traffic movements, road surfaces etc, that driving a Three wheeler presents. Well done indeed most informative and please keep this up!

slomax

Original Poster:

6,646 posts

191 months

Sunday 21st April 2013
quotequote all
Steffan said:
And a good time was had by all judging from the video results. An excellent presentation of the degree of essential involvement in the road conditions, traffic movements, road surfaces etc, that driving a Three wheeler presents. Well done indeed most informative and please keep this up!
Thanks Steffan! it was a smashing day for a drive, it got a little colder as i ventured a bit further out with a foot of snow in the fields in some places.

YouTube have but some weird anti-shake filter on my vid so it's constantly warping, horrible. just in the process of removing it so it doesn't look like its on acid.

Thanks for the kind words! thumbup

ArtVandelay

6,689 posts

183 months

Sunday 21st April 2013
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Any plans for it? I no longer have a kit car, no space for one!

slomax

Original Poster:

6,646 posts

191 months

Sunday 21st April 2013
quotequote all
Not at the minute. Its running pretty much perfectly, just needs some new tyres up front. Might re-do the dash this summer in wine/maroon colour.

Long term (3-5 years) i hope to get a Grinnall scorpion if finances allow. I think my dad is hankering after a three wheeler now so i could always sell him the Lomax, but i think he is really after a Guzzi JZR or Triking.

Steffan

10,362 posts

227 months

Sunday 21st April 2013
quotequote all
slomax said:
Not at the minute. Its running pretty much perfectly, just needs some new tyres up front. Might re-do the dash this summer in wine/maroon colour.

Long term (3-5 years) i hope to get a Grinnall scorpion if finances allow. I think my dad is hankering after a three wheeler now so i could always sell him the Lomax, but i think he is really after a Guzzi JZR or Triking.
Nice choice to have to make. I am looking for a Berkeley three wheeler which I can rebuild and fit a 1,4 lightweight alloy (K series??) engine in. I do NOT want a cast iron A series making far too front heavy handling! I will find one just a matter of time. The 1.8 K series would be undrivable in an 10cwt car and I do not want another 1.8 K series I currently own five in various cars!!

The Motor Guzzi type of twin cylinder front mounted drive unit does make an excellent car. But I have to say slomax, your excellent Lomax acquits itself very well in the video and seems a well balance well finished car to me. All credit too you.

I am still running behind myself with kit cars I own fourteen but many are projects. My V8 Dutton was the worst kit car I have ever bought as a project the car literally snapped sharp right when full throttle was used it had the original escort rear drive complete mated (well stuck onto) the Rover box and the handling was pathetic and was unsafe at every speed. Been rebuilding it on an off for four years now (illness delayed the build) and you never now it could be on here shortly. However I am completing a Quantum RS Turbo currently and a Robin Hood and a Rat Road so it might be a while yet! I just love Kit Cars have done since mt first Typhoon build in 1959. I am getting very very old!

Quhet

2,409 posts

145 months

Sunday 21st April 2013
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I love these! In the Isle of Man a couple of years ago we came across a meet for these at the bungalow on Snaefel, don't think I saw anyone under about 65 there!
On the ferry on the way back we were parked next to a Morgan 3 wheeler too, must have been one of the first ones about driving

slomax

Original Poster:

6,646 posts

191 months

Sunday 21st April 2013
quotequote all
Steffan said:
The Motor Guzzi type of twin cylinder front mounted drive unit does make an excellent car. But I have to say slomax, your excellent Lomax acquits itself very well in the video and seems a well balance well finished car to me. All credit too you.
I thought about going up to something like the BMW R80 or Guzzi, but its a lot of work and to be honest, with the chassis and suspension design, i don't think it would be worth the effort. Sure, it'd pick up speed better and be a better cruiser, but around the corners and under braking it would be largely the same. The guy i bought the Lomax off back in 2009 also had a Blackjack Avion and he always said that this drove better. He couldn't work out why because the engine, gearbox and carb were identical and yet this one just ran a lot sweeter. Other than fitting a new breather/oil filler/valve, changing the rocker covers, adjusting the floats and fitting new jets and retuning the carb i haven't done anything mechanical on it (apart from the usual upkeep), so i must just be lucky tongue out

Quhet said:
I love these! In the Isle of Man a couple of years ago we came across a meet for these at the bungalow on Snaefel, don't think I saw anyone under about 65 there!

I'm one of the younger ones in the Club, although not the youngest. But yes, you're right, the average age is probably around 60 hehe


slomax

Original Poster:

6,646 posts

191 months

Sunday 17th May 2015
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UPDATES!

instalment one:
in 2013 I finished my degree and during my degree show was invited down to Princess yachts in Plymouth for an interview. I got the job and moved down here in July 2013. We do pretty cool luxury motor yachts from 40ft to 40m. Check out the website if your interested - www.princessyachts.com



I left the poor old girl in Cheshire in the care of my father, who probably only took her out about half a dozen times in 18 months. I kept putting off bringing the LOMAX down for a few reasons, but mostly because I didn't fancy 6hours on the motorway.

Fast forward to Easter 2015 and I embarked on a plan to bring the LOMAX down. We did it over 4 days avoiding as much motorway as I could. From Cheshire I went across to Shrewsbury where the other halfs parents live, then down through Wales to Abergavenny, across Bristol and down to Taunton, then down to Plymouth.

Here she is on one of the coastal roads:


Jakarta

566 posts

141 months

Sunday 17th May 2015
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Great read and good to hear you've got it to the South coast.
I may be in and around Plymouth in July, if you hear a toot-toot from either a 2007 DB7 or a rented 3 series, it could well be me.

slomax

Original Poster:

6,646 posts

191 months

Sunday 17th May 2015
quotequote all
Instalment two:

So now the LOMAX was down in Plymouth I used it for a few weeks whilst I made a list longer than my arm of 'things to do'.

Heres a gratuitous pic from the coast!



First thing was wiring and dash switches....

Before:


After:


Its worth noting at this point that I added no wiring, only changed the lights, switches and connections. I managed to strip all this from the loom! Shocking the amount of excess/useless wires!




Next up was the dash/Speedo back light. This was given as an advisory at the last mot. The original builder had bought a European Speedo and sprayed the whole lot black internally. Then swapped out the glass for UK spec. I stripped out the Speedo and replaced the useless bulb with a bank of LEDs across the bottom....






Then I met up with a fellow PHer. Along came a spider!


slomax

Original Poster:

6,646 posts

191 months

Sunday 17th May 2015
quotequote all
Instalment three:

The last 10 days or so I have started re-trimming the interior. I didn't like the green vinyl so ripped it all out in favour for maroon/wine colour which goes nicely with the black. It also means I no longer have to deal with the patch-work dash!






TooMany2cvs

29,008 posts

125 months

Sunday 17th May 2015
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That's really nice... And, rare for a Lomax, tasteful...

How's the rear suspension set up on yours? From both spring cans, or just one?

slomax

Original Poster:

6,646 posts

191 months

Sunday 17th May 2015
quotequote all
Its running both rear springs. One would sit seriously tail down, although there are a few with this set up, I believe most owners convert to both.

Also have the LOMAX optional front ARB end plates. Don't know what the ARB is actually off though. I have heard people using Morris marina, visa and all sorts.

I think the doors add a bit more class than the boggo ones... also the rimbellishers and chrome details add a bit more bling.

There aren't many black ones around either 😊

TooMany2cvs

29,008 posts

125 months

Sunday 17th May 2015
quotequote all
slomax said:
One would sit seriously tail down
Depends on how you adjust the height, of course. Plus there are uprated springs available, off the back of the racing boys.

slomax said:
Also have the LOMAX optional front ARB end plates. Don't know what the ARB is actually off though. I have heard people using Morris marina, visa and all sorts.
It'll be Ami 8, probably. Straight bolt-on in place of the original front arm end/damper-mount plates.

Edited by TooMany2cvs on Sunday 17th May 15:08

Steffan

10,362 posts

227 months

Sunday 17th May 2015
quotequote all
TooMany2cvs said:
slomax said:
One would sit seriously tail down
Depends on how you adjust the height, of course. Plus there are uprated springs available, off the back of the racing boys.

[quote]Also have the LOMAX optional front ARB end plates. Don't know what the ARB is actually off though. I have heard people using Morris marina, visa and all sorts.
It'll be Ami 8, probably. Straight bolt-on in place of the original front arm end/damper-mount plates.
The original Lomax with was followed with the plethora of modified ones as time went along was a brilliant concept. I have driven some Ami based examples with the bigger twin engines which were real powerhouses given the lightweight structure of these cars.

Nice to see enthusiasts are still enjoying all these cars which is just as it should be. I suspect the bigger engined Cars could show a clean pair of heels to many three wheelers about today. Great concept still IMO. Simple to build and generally safe and roadworthy and immese fun. Good luck to the stalwarts still enjoying these cars.