Greg Williams

Another clipping from my Pulp Non-Fiction columns, as they appear in the Antique Motorcycle Club of America magazine, The Antique Motorcycle. This one is about Ariel, and the brochures I referenced started in 1936.

In that year Ariel offered eight models – all of them four stroke motorcycles, and not one of them less than 250cc.

1936 Ariel front cover. Sex sells.

By 1936 Ariel had been producing motorcycles for 35 years, although the history of the company goes back further than 1901. It starts off in 1869 with James Starley, a talented engineer who was employed as a foreman with the Coventry Sewing Machine Company of Birmingham, England. According to the Ariel Motorcycle Club of North America, Starley thought there was a brighter future in wheeled transportation, namely high-wheel bicycles and their components. The company was re-branded – to use modern-day parlance – the Coventry Machinists Company.

In 1870 Starley found a partner in William Hillman and together they built the first Ariel high-wheeler. Ariel was a name borrowed from the pages of Shakespeare’s play The Tempest. In the 1610 play Ariel is a spirit who is at the service of Prospero, and becomes his master’s information gatherer. Ariel is invisible to all but Prospero, and is also able to fly. It’s Ariel’s ability to fly that gave the name credence when applied to a bicycle.

Ariel – along with many other manufactures, both American and British – soon latched onto the idea of the safety bicycle. These were so-called because both front and rear wheels were roughly the same size as opposed to the high wheeler bikes of the day. It’s hard to determine just who exactly can claim the invention of the chain rear drive, but some say it was Starley’s nephew, John Kemp Starley. His Rover safety bicycle was released in 1885, although he came up with the notion for a chain drive several years before.

Charles Sangster joined the Ariel company in 1897 as managing director of cycle components, and it wasn’t long before a gasoline engine was placed in a frame. However, for Ariel, their first motorized products were tricycles and quadricycles. These machines proved their reliability and speed during trials in England, and Ariel continued with their development. Their first motorcycle, fitted with a 2.5 horsepower Minerva engine, appeared in 1901 but the machine wasn’t available for purchase until 1902.

And it was in 1902 that Sangster took control of Ariel. He moved the company from strength to strength, and introduced several remarkable models of the day, many of them powered by Kerry, Minerva or White & Poppe engines. Sangster’s son, Jack, took control of Ariel in 1918 and he broadened the firm’s position in the motorcycle industry as he developed larger, increasingly more powerful machines with help from designer Val Page.

In 1928 young Edward Turner, a manager of a motorcycle shop in Peckham, England, conceived the idea for a square four motorcycle engine. He drew up plans and shopped them around the industry, but it was only Sangster at Ariel who was interested. Sangster hired Turner, and the Ariel Square Four was released in 1931.

When drawing his four-cylinder engine Turner was aware of large and heavy inline four engines such as those produced by American maker Henderson, but he envisioned something much more compact. His design featured geared flywheels on two separate crankshafts. Each crankshaft supported two pistons, and the two pairs made up the ‘square’ four design. The pistons were arranged in a single block, topped with a chain-driven overhead cam. At first a 498cc engine, the capacity was increased in 1932 to 601cc. The model continued little changed for the next four years, right up to the time or our 1936 Ariel brochure.

The 1936 OHC 600cc Square Four.

“For 1936 we offer from Ariel’s Modern Factory a range of machines unequalled for appearance, performance and design,” stated the foreword to the 1936 brochure. “No drastic alterations have been found necessary although many important improvements have been incorporated, and all models are now equipped with every feature demanded by the practical Motor Cyclist.”

Red Hunter, one of Ariel’s most popular models. Love the upswept exhaust on these singles.

For that mid-Depression year Ariel offered a complete range of ‘cycles, including the Square Four, Red Hunter and O.H.V. De Luxe series. Both the Red Hunter and O.H.V. De Luxe machines came in 250cc, 350cc and 500cc capacities. There was also a S.V. De Luxe of 600cc.

All motorcycles featured a cradle-type tube frame. Steel girder forks were used across the range, as was a rubber-insulated tank-top instrument panel. Ignition and lighting was via Lucas 6-volt Magdyno equipment, and featured a large 8” headlamp. Every motorcycle in 1936 was finished in black enamel over a chrome base on the fuel tank with the exception of the Red Hunters; these were finished in red.

Ariel brought out a 1,000cc Square Four in 1937, and in that year marketed the larger machine together with the 600cc Square Four. In 1938, Ariel sold only the 1,000cc version. Ariel was sold to B.S.A. in the mid-1940s, and production of the Square Four continued together with the single-cylinder 350cc and 500cc machines and the 650cc Huntmaster and Hunter twins.

Ariel brochure cover for 1959, not quite as sexy as the one for 1936, but still a romantic piece of art.

In 1959 the Ariel range included the Square Four, 650cc Huntmaster twin, Red Hunters in 350cc and 500cc single-cylinder sizes, and the 200cc Colt. That same year Ariel unveiled the unique Leader model, powered by a twin-cylinder two-stroke engine suspended in a frame of pressed steel. In 1960, there were no four-stroke Ariel motorcycles, only the Leader and the new Arrow. The engine in the Leader was enclosed in pressed steel coverings, while the Arrow, with more of a sporting pretension, had its engine out in the open.

One of Ariel’s products for 1960, the Leader. To think the company that produced the lovely rigid-frame, high pipe Red Hunter with girder forks to this last machine — the Pixie. What progress?

Ariel built their last two-wheeled motorcycle in 1967, and the very last machine produced by this storied British company in 1970 was a 49cc trike, which turned out to be a commercial failure and the final nail in the coffin, as it were. However, the name Ariel does live on in the form of the Ariel Atom, a hot little bespoke sports car built by the Ariel Motor Company (U.K.). In 2001 this British engineering firm acquired the rights to the Ariel name.

Found recently at a local antique show and sale, a very clean, but unused (we don’t know who participated) hillclimb program for the 1952 Western Canada Championship — the 22nd annual. The hillclimb event was sponsored by the Calgary Motorcycle Club, a group that formed in 1926, and which still exists today.

What’s most interesting about these pages are the ads for the Calgary area motorcycle shops that were active in 1952.

Indian Motorcycle Sales is Walt Healy’s shop, and it’s interesting to note that he was advertising Triumph machines. Harley-Davidson Sales, which at the time was on 17th Ave. W. was being operated by Franz Pados — a Hungarian immigrant who was involved with engineering and racing Douglas motorcycles before moving to Calgary. Harley-Davidson Sales was purchased by Bob Kane in 1957, becoming Kane’s Harley-Davidson.

They say it’s easier to start with a complete bike, one that’s at least assembled. But even then, what previous sins of assembly might have taken place?

Basket cases, well, they are another story. I’ve been working on this Triumph bitsa bike for more than two years. It started life as a TR5 bottom end, discovered in a dusty box. No head, just cases and barrels. From there, parts and pieces have come from many different sources, and even though, for the most part, they’re all Triumph, some of the items haven’t wanted to play well together.

A rusty frame from Saskatchewan. A gearbox from Wes at Four Aces. A primary cover rescued from the trash heap (seriously!)

Wheels, forks, and clutches. All have given grief. But, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Here, after rigging up an oil bottle and dribbling some fuel in the float chamber, is proof. Friend John Whitby provided the boot. Click below to view.

Triumph Pre Unit Video

First published Calgary Herald Driving section Sept. 23, 2011. Photos courtesy Ted Dawson.

Fall is in the air, and that means the automobile show and shine season is just about finished.

However, before the cars, trucks and motorcycles are stored away for their winter slumber, there is one big show left on the calendar.

On Sunday, Sept. 25 the historic downtown core of the burgeoning community of High River plays host to the River City Classics Car Club ninth annual show and shine. High River is 37 km south of Calgary on Highway 2.

What started in 2003 with a show featuring 127 vehicles along three downtown streets has mushroomed to an event in 2010 that quite literally overtook High River with 1,240 antique, custom and special interest vehicles.

In 2011 the car club is hoping to once again host that many vehicles, or perhaps even more.

Doug Montford, a High River resident since 1979 and lifelong automotive enthusiast, says in 2002 he and a small group of aficionados started the River City Classics club to keep an interest in the car hobby alive and well in the prairie town.

“We organized our first show in just a couple of weeks,” Montford says. “And each year since, the numbers have been growing. How does one account for that?

“We have a great setting in the downtown core and George Lane Memorial Park, and the atmosphere here is really laid back. And, we’re probably getting a reputation as being something of a fall closer for the car season.”

Montford also credits the 60 paid up members of the River City Classics club, and all of their volunteers who help pull the show together.

“Everyone in the club works hard at putting this show on, and a lot of people not even associated with us just arrive to help out,” Montford says.

The town of High River has stepped up to help host the weekend, and this year is organizing some special Saturday events in an attempt to encourage more enthusiasts to stay and discover the community.

Beginning at noon on Saturday — the day before the main event — downtown High River hosts opening celebrations, and according to the calendar on their website, is offering free beef on a bun, followed by numerous activities that celebrate transportation.

And at dusk on Saturday the town offers a drive-in movie with the screening of American Graffiti in the Highwood High School parking lot.

Then, as early as 4:30 a.m. on Sunday, the vehicles start arriving. That is a full half hour before the first volunteers are on the scene to help direct traffic.

Montford says their High River show and shine has drawn enthusiasts from all of the western provinces, and even some of the border states, including Montana and Idaho.

“We’ve had cars from as far away as Fort McMurray, Regina and Vancouver,” he says. “We’ve heard that some spectators and showgoers organize their holidays around our car show.”

The show is, of course, all about the iron, and there is a very diverse collection of vehicles on display. From drag race cars to family sedans and everything in between, there will be something for everyone.

For Montford, his collection includes a 1938 Nash hot rod he built many years ago, together with a customized 1967 Pontiac Acadian station wagon and a 1962 Chevrolet Impala convertible.

He is at work on a 1940 Ford truck – also a hot rod project.

Funds raised from the $10 vehicle registration fee and t-shirt sales go back into the community. In support of the Salvation Army at Christmas at least two families per year are provided everything from the turkey to the tree and the presents beneath it thanks to the River City Classics club.

River City Classics Car Club ninth annual show and shine in downtown High River runs Sept. 24 and 25. Activities begin at noon on Saturday, while show and shine registration starts on Sunday, running from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m., fee of $10 plus Food Bank donation per vehicle. All makes and models welcome, including motorcycles. Spectators welcome from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with a Food Bank donation. Call Doug at 403-652-4366 for info, or visit www.rivercityclassics.com.

Motorcycle enthusiasts won’t want to miss the 2011 Millarville Classic and Vintage Motorcycle Swap Meet — our Ninth Annual — on Sept. 11. Hosted by the Canadian Vintage Motorcycle Group — Rocky Mountain Section, this grassroots event takes place in the riding arena at Millarville Racetrack, a venue nestled in the rolling foothills of Southern Alberta. It’s a short 30 minute ride or drive south of Calgary, and the meet has become a destination for all gearheads.

Why? Millarville Swap Meet has become something of a legend, as most of the tables are filled with Real motorcycle parts — dirty and rusty, sometimes crusty — but good for something.

Table bookings are now being accepted, and cost to non-paid up members of the RMS section is $25 each. If you’re a paid up member of the RMS, good news. The cost of one table will be covered by the group. Contact Bobby Baum at 403-230-9269 to book, or email him at whopkin1@telus.net.

Doors are open from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m., and it’s $3 to enter the arena. Vendors welcome at 8 a.m.

Here’s one that has to be shared. Patrick Creery’s family lived across the street from us for many years. We just recently re-connected, and after seeing my review of the Canadian Military Motorcycle  in the last post, he emailed this:

“Here’s a picture of my Grandfather Kenneth Andrew Creery in Vancouver circa 1914 with his (Indian) motorcycle before he went off to Europe to fight in World War I as a test pilot.”

I’m sure KAC would have had many great tales to tell of early aircraft and motorcycle engineering. I’m hoping he kept a diary or journals, and that they’re still with the family. Stay tuned.

First published in Inside Motorcycles August 2010.

During the Second World War the Canadian military trained thousands of dispatch riders and motorcycle mechanics. Most of those trainees are now no longer with us. But in 1993 Max Burns and Ken Messenger penned the Winged Wheel Patch – an important book that shone a spotlight on the men who rode two-wheelers in the Second World War.

The Winged Wheel Patch is long out of print, but now there is a new major work for Canadian military/motor history buffs. Author Clive M. Law has written The Canadian Military Motorcycle, a book that focuses solely on the machines themselves. Law logically starts at the beginning, with ‘the first recorded use of a motorcycle as an item of military utility’. This happened in 1908 when a quartermaster-sergeant in Winnipeg showed up at camp with a Harley-Davidson and sidecar, equipped with a machine gun.

From his First World War chapter Law moves on to document the motorcycles used by the Canadian military, and delves deeply into not only the various makes and models, but also the requisite markings, regiments, clothing and training schools. Law’s writing is clear and concise. The 196-page hardbound book is packed with more than 450 photos, and each one is accompanied by a written comment. The photos and other documents throughout the book are fantastic testaments to the military motorcycle, and even though Law doesn’t focus on the men, it’s impossible to view such images without remembering the motorcyclists as well.

At $59.95 this history (ISBN: 978-1-894581-57-8) is available direct from the publisher at www.servicepub.com.

After seeing the recent Throttle Yard posting for an octet of Cottons for sale, I thought this might prove of interest. I wrote this short Cotton history as my Winter 2009 Pulp Non Fiction column in the Antique Motorcycle Club of America’s magazine — the Antique Motorcycle.

Say the word ‘cotton’ and most people would think of the material used to produce Levi jeans or Hanes T-shirts.

But say the word ‘cotton’ around a few motorcycle cognoscenti and another image entirely might emerge – that of a storied British marque famous for winning Isle of Man TT races and other competitions.

In 1913 Frank Willoughby Cotton of Gloucester, England designed a unique triangulated motorcycle frame and patented the idea in 1914. Cotton’s frame was stronger than the spindly ‘bicycle’ diamond-type chassis that was in vogue at the time. Cotton enlisted the help of Levis — another British motorcycle maker — to build two samples of his new frame but the First World War intervened and hampered his plans to bring a complete machine to market. It wasn’t until 1919 that the Cotton Motorcycle Company came into existence, and the first Cotton appeared in 1920.

Purported to have an extremely low center of gravity Cotton motorcycles became a popular mount for racing, and this did not escape F.W. Cotton’s attention. He saddled Stanley Woods on a 350cc Blackburne-powered Cotton in the 1922 Isle of Man Junior TT, and Woods managed a respectable fifth-place finish. (During his 1922 outing on the 350cc Cotton, just about everything that could go wrong, did. He botched the start, having to stop to retrieve some fallen spark plugs. The machine caught fire in the pits. Not long after putting out the flames and back on the circuit, Woods had to stop and wrestle with the valves thanks to a broken push rod.)

In 1923 Woods won the TT aboard a Cotton, and a bit of a sales boom occurred in 1924 after the factory swept the first three spots in the Junior TT. Cotton used a variety of engines in his triangulated frame, including side valve and overhead valve Blackburne, OHV JAP and Villiers two stroke units.

In this 1938 brochure Cotton offered ‘14 Superlative Models’, and advertised that ‘Cotton Stability Makes Speed Safe’. Of the 14 models available there were three 350cc machines, the Model 9/38, 350/38 and 9/Special. These all had OHV JAP powerplants, but the Special was fitted with a high camshaft JAP engine. There were three 500cc motorcycles, the 500/38, 5/Special and 25/Special. A 500cc JAP five-horsepower single was specified for each; the 5/Special was an S-Sports engine while the 25/Special employed a high camshaft unit. The largest Cotton was the Model 600/38 with a 600cc OHV JAP.

In the 250cc range there were three motorcycles, including Model 6/B, 250/38 and 30/Special. The 6/B ran a 250cc OHV Blackburne engine, while the last two used 250cc OHV JAP engines.

All of the machines listed above featured “The famous Cotton Patent Triangulated (frame) – by common consent the Masterpiece of modern design – giving perfect riding position with magnificent stability and controllability. Originated the phrase ‘Speed with Utter Safety.’ Front and rear wheel stands fitted.” Forks were specially-constructed Cotton-Druid girders.

Further specifications include a Burman three-speed gearbox, with a four-speed Burman listed as an option. Carburetion is via Amal TT or Bowden, and ‘silencing’ is carried out “By imposing large bore chromium plated exhaust pipe, leading to a sports cylindrical silencer. These modern upswept pipes remain immaculate, and improve appearance.”

So far, we’ve covered 10 Cotton models. The remaining four are the Model 1/V, fitted with a 150cc Villiers two stroke, Model 1/B with a 150cc OHV Blackburne, Model 2/JC and 2/J, both powered by a 250cc sidevalve JAP – for a total of 14 motorcycles.

Cotton suspended the manufacture of motorcycles during the World War II period, with the factory turned over to the manufacture of war goods. Post-war, Cotton did not immediately return to the production of motorcycles.

By 1953 Cotton’s triangulated frame was of course obsolete, given the rear swinging-arm suspension systems that were coming into widespread use. F.W. Cotton himself retired in 1953, and the concern was branded E. Cotton (Motorcycles) Ltd. Several models were produced, with Cotton making frames only and most every other component bought in.

A letter dated 23 June 1961, addressed to the Nicholson Bros. of Nicholson Bros. Motorcycles in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan enquired after overseas dealers.

“After a quiescent period covering many years the Company has been re-organized during the past year or so, and has once again been obtaining striking results in trials and competitions during the past two years. Production has now reached a point where we are in a position to extend to overseas markets, and we are, therefore, seeking distribution arrangements in Saskatchewan.”

Nicholsons did not take on Cotton, but for 1961 the range included eight models such as the Vulcan 4-speed 197cc Road or Sports and the 250cc Scrambler and the Continental Duplex Frame 250cc. Two-stroke Villiers engines powered all models.

Cotton soldiered on in the late 1960s after Villiers quit supplying engines, building primarily competition machines around Italian-made Minarelli engines and even a 250cc Rotax powerplant.

Cotton lasted until 1980, much longer than many other British ‘cycle builders.

First published 8 April 2011 in the Calgary Herald Driving section. Cover image courtesy Motorbooks.

We often get caught in the rush of the modern world, and the pace of developments and technology can make it easy to forget the past.

Switching off the computer and turning to the printed page offers a brief respite.

And for those interested in the history of the automobile, and in particular a certain era of Ford, a notable new book by author Joseph P. Calabas, ’40 Ford: Evolution, Design, Racing, Hot Rodding is recommended reading.

Cabadas is well suited to the task of writing about pre-War Ford developments.

Born in Detroit, Cabadas has spent some 15 years as an automotive reporter. He has written two award-winning auto books, including River Rouge: Ford’s Industrial Colossus and The American Auto Factory.

His latest title is published by Motorbooks (ISBN: 9780760337615, $35 CAN). The book ’40 Ford offers a comprehensive look at the auto manufacturing giant, and specifically how Ford evolved beyond the heady days of the Model T.

Cabadas notes that the Model T, one of the best-selling cars of all time with more than 15 million units trundling off of Ford’s assembly line by May 26, 1927, was not much more than a horseless carriage with a four cylinder engine. Ford updated the vehicle, and in 1928 introduced the Model A, another four-cylinder car.

By the late 1920s Ford’s rivals Chevrolet and Plymouth offered more powerful six-cylinder cars, but Henry Ford refused to build a six.

Instead, Ford wanted to design an economical eight-cylinder powerplant. Engines of this size were nothing new – but they were almost exclusively the domain of more expensive, luxury automobiles.

Henry Ford wanted a V-8 engine with a cast iron block, and he planned to sell it in a car that would cost less than $600. Other vehicles equipped with a V-8 engine, such as a Cadillac or a LaSalle, sold for more than $1,000.

Cabadas writes: “The V-8s owed their existence to Henry Ford’s decision to replace the Model A in 1932. With falling car sales and declining revenues exacerbated by the onset of the Great Depression, Ford faced a slide into insignificance if it brought out the wrong product at the wrong time.”

The product? Ford’s flathead V-8.  Cabadas goes behind the scenes as he details how this famous engine was designed, and a series of black and white photographs helps illustrate the subject matter. There are 163 black and white images in ’40 Ford, and many show foundry and machining processes used by Ford in the early 1930s. Dozens of these photos were sourced from The Henry Ford museum in Dearborn, Mich., and alone are worth the price of the book.

First offered in 1932 in the Model B, “With its 16 valves located inside the V-8 block, the engine had a flat cylinder head bolted on with 21 studs, hence the nickname ‘flathead’. Ford’s V-8 had a compression ratio of 5.5:1 with 65 horsepower at 3,400 rpm and a 221-cubic-inch displacement, offering as much or more power than competitors,” Cabadas notes. For 1933, horsepower increased to 75 at 3,800 rpm.

By the mid-1930s aerodynamic shapes such as those found on new airplanes, trains and Zeppelins were beginning to inform automobile design, and Ford’s Lincoln division came up with the Zephyr – a super streamlined vehicle. Although originally envisioned by John Tjaarda, it was Ford’s Bob Gregorie who dreamed up the distinctive wedge-shaped front end, essentially altering new vehicle design from 1936 forward.

And it was Gregorie who borrowed cues from the Lincoln Zephyr and applied them to the less-expensive Fords – the result being the ‘radically streamlined’ 1937 cars, featuring, as Cabadas notes: “…all-steel ‘teardrop’ bodies, including an all-steel top, an alligator hood, and a sharp-nosed and rakish front with a radiator grille that curved deeply into the hoods’ sides. The headlights were molded into the crowned fenders, an exceptional design feature because most cars had torpedo-shaped lights mounted on the radiator shell or the fenders.”

These features ultimately culminated in the 1940 Ford, a vehicle considered by many to be the pinnacle of pre-War automobile design – powered, of course, by the flathead V-8.

In ’40 Ford Cabadas also delves deeply into the influence of organized labour movements on the auto industry, and how Ford resisted their efforts.

The final chapter of the book recognizes the labours of individuals devoted to finding out just how fast the Fords of the late 1930s could go in organized racing competitions or hopped up and on the streets.

Cabadas’ book ’40 Ford is a welcome diversion from the computer screen, and it serves as a poignant reminder of past developments in the North American automobile industry.

First published in the Calgary Herald Driving section, 15 April 2011. Photos courtesy Steam Whistle Brewing.

This week I get to write about two of my favourite topics — old trucks and beer. Now, I’m not a six-pack a day kind of guy, but I do occasionally enjoy a good cold Pilsner or lager. As for old trucks, what’s not to like?

Especially when the truck in question has been brought straight into the 21 st century. Witness Retro Electro, a 1958 Chevy Apache half-ton truck.

No gas-guzzling V-8 engine lurks under the hood. Instead, there’s a high-efficiency AC motor capable of generating 465 foot-pounds of torque.

That is enough power to lay strips of rubber, and the truck’s creator, Vancouver-based Mike Kiraly, enjoys doing nothing more than just that.

Well, he also enjoys talking about beer, and doing his job as a B.C. sales rep for Steam Whistle Brewing.

Located in the historic John St. Roundhouse in Toronto, Steam Whistle Brewing is an independent player in Canada’s beer making industry. Their product is marketed in Alberta, B.C. and Ontario. The company is arguably one of the greenest producers in the country, from the power they consume to the equipment they use.

“We have 12 major initiatives,” says Steam Whistle Brewing communications director Sybil Taylor. “And those initiatives begin with the beer itself. We’ve chosen to make a simple Pilsner using four natural, non-GMO ingredients.”

There are plenty of other examples of how green-minded Steam Whistle is, and another could include the fact they keep some old vehicles out of the scrap yard. The company uses a fleet of highly visible, green painted vintage vehicles to deliver its brew in cities including Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver.

“I was talking to someone about our green fleet, and he said to me they weren’t really green,” Kiraly says. “My rebuttal was that we helped keep the same vehicle on the road for more than 50 or 60 years.”

After that exchange, Kiraly got to thinking about really being green, and he saw an opportunity to create a project that kept a vintage vehicle on the road, and completely updated that ride with zero tailpipe emissions. Something that was completely in line with Steam Whistle’s green initiatives.

Kiraly had to sell the project to Steam Whistle’s top brass, but that wasn’t hard to do as he says he simply ‘oozed passion’ about building an electric-powered vintage pickup truck.

Kiraly, 33, is based in Vancouver, and has been working with Steam Whistle for two years. His background, if you can believe it, is as a scientist – a molecular biologist specializing in endocrinology and diabetes research.

“I went through a major career change, from scientist to beer guy,” Kiraly says, and laughs, “I’m the first doctor beer rep that we know of.”

After getting the go-ahead Kiraly began looking for a suitable truck to modify. He had been driving a 1957 Chevy truck around Vancouver, and one day found a note tucked under the windshield wiper blade. The writer of the note was offering a 1958 Chevy Apache, and in November 2009 Kiraly bought the truck.

“I wanted to build an electric hot rod truck, one that would do a burnout, and travel 150 km on a chage,” Kiraly says. To do this, Kiraly worked with a group of people, including his father, as they designed an electric drivetrain and restored the truck.

Joe Mizsak did much of the metal fabrication and restoration, while Lloyd Wagner was enlisted for bodywork and paint. Kiraly’s friend Trevor Stoker is the lead engineer at Azure Dynamics, a hybrid vehicle company in Vancouver, and he helped design the running gear, while his company supplied the motor and controller. Randy Holmquist from Vancouver Island’s Canadian Electric Vehicles supplied battery management hardware.

Everything to do with the gas engine was pulled, and the group put in an AC motor with a driveshaft direct to the rebuilt rear end. Under the hood went a controller – about the size of a boom box – and electrically powered hydraulic pumps were installed to handle power steering and brakes. The truck is fitted with a Camaro front end.

Twenty-four lithium batteries fit into the bed of the truck, and this power supply offers a 150km driving range with an 8-hour recharge period using a 220V/30A service. The truck is geared low so that it has a tremendous amount of grunt, and has a top speed of about 90 km/h – which will be just fine for its duties around Vancouver. Green energy company Bullfrog Power provides electricity for the truck, and 100 per cent of the juice is wind generated.

“The one concern I had was safety,” Kiraly says. “I needed to build a truck that is idiot proof. There are inertia control switches, so the truck shuts down (and the high voltage power) is disconnected should the truck ever be in an accident.”

It took a year and a half to build, and Kiraly first drove Retro Electro earlier this year. “Like any other old vehicle there’s always something to tweak,” he says.

Without the gasoline engine, Kiraly says the truck is extremely quiet. “But when you’re driving it, you hear all kinds of other noises you would usually never hear in the cab, and you’re constantly wondering where they’re coming from.”

Vintage-style hand lettering Retro Electro and Steam Whistle graphics top off the Chevy, and was done by Stefanie Goodrick of Sign Me Up Designs.

Now, Retro Electro has been shipped by rail to Toronto to visit the brewery, and returns to B.C. this summer as Kiraly tours with it around cities such as Vancouver, Kelowna and Kamloops. There are also plans to ship it to Alberta.

“The whole point is to get people talking about alternate energy solutions, and Retro Electro doesn’t do anyone any good sitting in a parking garage.”