"GarageWoolery" (GarageWoolery)
02/05/2014 at 17:50 • Filed to: None
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"GarageWoolery" (GarageWoolery)
02/05/2014 at 17:50 • Filed to: None | 22
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A couple of weeks ago I found myself making the hilariously stupid & impulsive decision to buy a microcar from a guy who owns a wheelie-popping van.
The microcar in question was a Corbin Sparrow. The Corbin Sparrow is a three wheeled, single occupant, electric microcar that kind of looks like a clown shoe (no, not the attractive and awesome BMW Z3 Coupe, but an *actual* clown shoe). It's powered by 13 Optima Yellowtop automotive batteries, crammed unobtrusively inside the car, utilizing the same mind boggling "bigger on the inside than out" technology used by Doctor Who's TARDIS. These batteries yield anywhere between 10-40 miles of range, depending on how unrealistic you want to claim the range is with this car. Regardless of how silly and limiting the Sparrow is to others, I have to admit that I'd always wanted one and was actually interested in buying one new back before the company that made them went bankrupt in 2003.
So, here's the car in question. A car that you can't help but make you smile or laugh in its presence. I know this to be true, because laughter was the dominant noise I heard over the nearly nonexistent motor noises the car made as I drove it around my city.
When some friends came over to look at the Sparrow, the question came up about the wheels. The front wheels used motorcycle tires, but looked like they might share a bolt pattern with some of my other cars. Lo and behold, the bolt pattern was 4x100, a common bolt pattern. I also just happened to have a pair of 15in by 10in wide track wheels with Toyo R888's from my Miata laying about (what a co-inkydink)! Inspiration struck, so we decided to make a track variant of the little Sparrow:
Stupid can be fun!
One coincidence deserves another, which we learned when we parked the "Track Sparrow" next to the Porsche 993. Colors seemed to match, and the curves, too...
....Inspiration struck again:
And we came up with a RAUH-Welt Sparrow. Porsche lovers, rejoice! LEAF lovers, Rejoice!
It's a "Porch-uh"
> GarageWoolery
02/05/2014 at 17:54 |
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The RWB windshield banner was a nice touch.
You mentioned "pair" of wheels. Nothing for the back? Would one of those even fit?
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It's a "Porch-uh"
> GarageWoolery
02/05/2014 at 17:54 |
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Darth Vader hangs out at your place?
dogisbadob
> GarageWoolery
02/05/2014 at 17:55 |
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I wonder what the ChumpCar MPV would be :p
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GarageWoolery
> It's a "Porch-uh"
02/05/2014 at 17:56 |
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Yep...yet ANOTHER coinkydink! Small world, eh?
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GarageWoolery
> It's a "Porch-uh"
02/05/2014 at 17:57 |
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No F*CKING way would they fit in back, LOL
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It's a "Porch-uh"
> GarageWoolery
02/05/2014 at 17:58 |
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Seriously, is that somebody hanging out in a Vader helmet, or is it just a hat and/or hair?
Wacko
> GarageWoolery
02/05/2014 at 17:58 |
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That would be the perfect car to put a motor bike engine in it.
Please do it
Brian Silvestro
> GarageWoolery
02/05/2014 at 17:58 |
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Badass right here.
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GarageWoolery
> It's a "Porch-uh"
02/05/2014 at 17:59 |
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We're weird around here...someone probably wore the helmet (seriously).
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It's a "Porch-uh"
> GarageWoolery
02/05/2014 at 18:00 |
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Is it on a single-sided swing arm? Just cut out the bodywork! Who cares if the offset is wrong and the wheel isn't centered any more. GRIP!
Squid
> GarageWoolery
02/05/2014 at 18:01 |
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This is pretty sweet. Those 10 inch wide wheels look at home on that little car.
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It's a "Porch-uh"
> GarageWoolery
02/05/2014 at 18:04 |
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I want video of the first autocross.
Do it.
JACU - I've got bonifides.
> GarageWoolery
02/05/2014 at 18:11 |
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You'll need a cage, or at least a good hoop, and... geez what am I going on about?
A3R0
> GarageWoolery
02/05/2014 at 18:21 |
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That looks awesome! Seriously so cool looking. Are you done doing mods to it or will it slowly become a racecar?
VanSam
> Brian Silvestro
02/05/2014 at 18:21 |
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Don't hate me.
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It's a "Porch-uh"
> It's a "Porch-uh"
02/05/2014 at 18:23 |
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I'll just leave this here....
http://www.flyinmiata.com/groupbuy/index…
D
> GarageWoolery
02/05/2014 at 18:51 |
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You are... the coolest guy int the world. You took a Sparrow and put racing meat and a RWB banner on it.
When I was young, a guy in my neighborhood used to have one of these. Once in a while when we were just playing in the streets he'd roll around and stop and let us check out the car.
Stef Schrader
> GarageWoolery
02/06/2014 at 02:44 |
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Mmmmmmmmmmm.
{ bites lower lip }
Half-Caulked Jack
> GarageWoolery
02/13/2014 at 10:31 |
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This is awesome! Have you guys thought about adding more batteries, or modifying/upgrading the motor? I would love to see video of this thing tearing silently around a track.
Professor-Lavahot
> Wacko
02/13/2014 at 10:41 |
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Corbin did take a V-twin powered "Roadster" to the concept stage, but the company went bankrupt before it could go into production. Not the prettiest thing, but damn interesting. Think of a 90's version of the awesome Morgan 3-wheeler.
NotUnlessRoundIsFunny
> JACU - I've got bonifides.
02/13/2014 at 11:37 |
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No no, keep going—I love where you're going with this. :-)