PULSE AUTOCYCLE NETWORK

[Steve Schmidt]

Pulse Club members Leo-&-Jan Doyle collect Corbin Sparrows. Here is Sparrow #1.



Check out their other cars:

https://signup.mw.net/cars.php

[philipl]

[elden simons]

Link up with lite9dave in Washington for any details on powering a Pulse electricly.
As for building an autocycle from the ground up, look up Steve Schmidt's MSN forum that shows that very thing happening. It is practicly step by step (photo wise) of an autocycle being hand built without plaster body forms or original factory jigs.

[pulse220]

I am fortunate to own both a Corbin Sparrow (Lime Green #158) and a Pulse (My brother also owns a Pulse). Neither of them are daily drivers and are only part of my hobby/desease. Having owned the Sparrow for several years, I can tell you an electric vehicle has alot of limitations. The most obvious is range. Another major limitation is the time it takes to recharge. (Sparrows take up to 6 hours for a full recharge, although most reach 80% in about 1.5 hours). The main problem is battery development. If battery development had reached its full potential, all the big car makers would be utilizing it.

The concept of an electric vehicle is great, when they perfect the range and safety issues. But right now, they have not achieved that. Batteries that most people can afford ( such as Optima yellow Tops in the Sparrow) were not created for powering vehicles. There are other systems out there, but it would be extremely expensive to replace a batery pack. Current cost of a new Sparrow pack is roughly $2275.

I would not reccommend anyone converting to electric, unless they want to severely limit where they go. Battery placement, as well as additional weight may also create problems. I , personally, would not build one from scratch as electric either.

Don't get me wrong, I love the Sparrow for what it is and have no plans of ever selling it (took me years to find one too), but I much prefer an ICE vehicle without the limitations. If you want to learn more about the Sparrow, I have a website devoted to them at WWW.CORBINSPARROW.COM or you can also go to the Sparrow Yahoo website at :http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/sparrow_ev/
It is a searchable website with a TON of Sparrow info.

[elden simons]

Bob Hichborn just pointed out to me that Steve's old site is not readily available to view.

HEY STEVE!

Do those wonderful photos still exist for to view?
The ones where the fella is building an autocycle from scratch?

[Steve Schmidt]

http://www.autocycles.org/009ol.html

From the old message boards....

http://autocycle.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=86&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=electric&start=15

[elden simons]

Sorry, I'm confusing you, Steve.

On the MSN site, there was practicly a whole page of thumbnail photos of a fella who built his own 'breezy' pulse and then got as far as setting up plywood body forms like what Walsh had done in the early '80s with the BD-200.

I hope that is 'transferable' to the autocycle archive's site.

[elden simons]

Steve wrote me and provided an Archived address that shows three photos. There used to be more on his MSN club site, but at least these were found!

Thanks Steve!

http://www.autocycles.org/miltautocycle.html

The photos are dated from around 2001.

[lite9dave]

I have to agree with Pulse220 that electric is wonderful in many ways but the battery weight and range limitations create serious problems. After going through my first set of batteries I accepted slightly reduced range on my already limited range machine in order to reduce weight. If battery technology would improve this would be the most wonderful way imaginable to drive the vehicle (virtually zero maintenance, free reverse, no overheat, transmission optional, amazing MTBF) but given the current state of things if I had it to do over again I would have stayed with internal combustion.

The guy building the custom Pulse was Milt. He's in the Seattle area and dropped by a few times to measure my electric pulse in preparation for building his fiberglass skin. I should have his contact info on one of my other laptops. I'll see if I can dig it up.

[elden simons]

lite9dave, so glad you have acquaintance with 'Milt'.

That is sooo cool!

I know that Steve Schmidt could use new photos (and everyone would like to see them too!).

As for better ICE's for the autocycle (Internal Combustion Engine), one can find something that is more fuel efficient. Yet there is always that trade off where it lacks on something else. Like: quick giddy-up or something.

Someone out there is still thinking of trying to shoehorn a small block Hundai or Honda into one of these.

[lite9dave]

My last communication from Milt was September 2004 indicating that he was about ready to start the fiberglass. Haven't heard from him since. His email at that time was:

milfort.c.banks@boeing.com

I have a couple of pictures of Milt's open frame custom Pulse that Steve S may or may not have posted somewhere but I can send them to anyone interested.

-Dave-

[Steve Schmidt]

Hi,

Please email me the pics of Milts new autocycle

steveschmidt@hotmail.com

[lite9dave]

Done

[RFly2Dive]

If anyone is interested there is a "promotional video for the Corbin Sparrow" being auctioned off on eBay. I just typed 'corbin sparrow' in under search engine....and it came up.

I also bid $15.01 just so there would be a chance if one of the interested parties in this forum wanted it.

I was the first bidder and right now there are only 9 hrs. left in the auction.
I personally could not care less about it but just wanted to help out a fellow Pulser if they didn't catch my post soon enough to bid themselves.
_________________
Life Begins With A PULSE!!!

[VA Husker]

I bought a used Myers NMG in December of 2006. Since then I had it wrapped with advertising and I have put about 1,500 miles on it without any problems.

I was on the pulse site long before I got interested in ev's, but I have to tell you that it would be interesting to go that route with a pulse. Some of the better battery technologies might make the weight reasonable.

I am dealing fine with a 30 mile range. Myers is running a car with 70 mile range using lithiums. That is likely to be my next set of batts.

http://www.austinev.org/evalbum/imgm.php?n=1067c.jpg&w=196&h=147

[lite9dave]

Didn't think there were any lithium's cheap enough to consider for an EV. Are there? If so I'll replace my lead acids. I love electric for the pulse/litestar except for the weight.

[VA Husker]