Office of Steam Forum for Model & Toy Steam Gas & Hot Air Engines

I think they look neat, but in general Mamod mobiles doesn´t impress much in terms of efficiency

I once had a Mamod limousine , I even put an exhaust system on it, but it was a dreadful performer and would hardly pull itself under the best of circumstances ,slightly downhill and steering dead straight, it has been gone awhile and not once missed. I think a bix burner would be a must ,chain & gear sprockets ,a bigger boiler ? (Just do your own thing to it Ben 😉👍)

Hi,

I have modified a couple of Mamod Roadsters. They have a few issues they are very heavy and the transmission poor driving through one rear wheel unless the floor is very flat the drive wheel can lift off the floor so loose traction.  The reversing system used isn't very good and doesn't allow the cylinders to use the steam as well as they could.

This video of the results of me playing with a Roadster might be found interesting.



I also made a three wheel version a 'Mamod/Morgan' which used plastic wheels and was a lot lighter and because of it three wheels solved the traction problem.  It performed better but still wouldn't manage much of an incline, both models would steam continuously and it was good fun converting them.

Take care Tony.

Hello Tony, I Very much enjoyed watching your Roadster self start smoothly and reversing, along with Steam clouds in the air it was a treat! Thank you for sharing! -Ben

Brilliant job on that roadster Tony .... Love It!!!

I've found that compounding makes for more power but less thirsty situation.

Perhaps if the 2nd cylinder was 12 mm bore and plumbed appropriately then it could be 180 out of phase for Woolf compounding.

On these engines they run best if the hot steam is allowed to build before starting off.


P.S. Tony did you get the binding chain issue resolved?

NEWS:

Well, much as I expected, ministeam did not have any "Roadster" kits. To (my eyes) the Roadster painted the right color is the best looking of the Mamod mobiles (ymmv)
  Susann informed me they did have (1) Limo kit, she would rather discount it to me than pay to have it shipped to the new warehouse....well shoot!
  The price was great (and has all the desired kit features)so I started staring at the limo pictures to see if anything could be done....I don't hate the limo, it is quite elegant road car but I always go for more sporty 2 passenger cars....or Trucks.
  In my head I removed the rear seat, the back floor looks sort of flat but may have a step up for rear footwell, this could be leveled!
  Next I thought to move the sun shade all the way forward to the front seat, more tin work (cut down short and folded new shape) but now we have the start of a little Very short box Pickup Truck!
  Maybe a wood stake rack sides and possibly bed floor might help sell it as a Truck. The spare tire could stay on the back or move up to a mount on the wood stake rack. So the New Plan is:

Stage 1: convert to truck and change color, Also reduce drag everywhere possible, possibly flange roller bearings on all axles and steam drive.
  Also improve drive belts and would like to add inline steam oiler to reduce friction and hopefully improve piston seal.

Stage 2: if not happy with stage 1 performance than fit BIX burner.

Stage 3: possibly fit big bore Cylinder if still not happy!

That is the plan anyway, I may start a build log thread if the Truck conversion looks half decent.

This is the "kit" photo.




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