This find is one of the more bodacious vehicles to ever grace our pages! With three seats, a VW Beetle engine, and a 17-foot long shadow, this custom creation would ensure you would be riding a truly unique vehicle! It’s listed for sale here on Facebook Marketplace and is located in Van Buren, Arkansas. The asking price for this level of exclusivity is a mere $5,850!
The seller doesn’t go into the origin of this trike, and some internet sleuthing found nothing quite like this three-seat inline configuration. There are many — okay, at least a couple of hundred — VW-based trikes out there, with a relatively high percentage of those having a two-across second seat, but I only found one other three-in-line configured trike, and it was nowhere near as long and spectacular as this one.
It appears that the trike has been “shelved” for a while, with this picture depicting its current state. The seller reports damage to the lower left front and that the carpet has been pulled out for replacement. Despite being stored for the past five years, the VW engine is said to start right away, although the clutch actuation needs some work.
While the seats look comfortable enough, I have two questions. First, take another look at the top picture in this post. How exactly does the rider/driver reach those front handlebars? Perhaps with the wingspan of an NBA player? Secondly, the seller reports seeing over 115 miles per hour on the speedometer before the cable seized. Who in their right mind (or wrong one?) would be a passenger at that speed? How would you stay in the seat without a seat belt? Inquiring minds want to know these things!
The power plant looks pretty nice for a Beetle and the decor — well, let’s just call it appropriate for a vehicle like this. It’s not as if you’re not going to get a lot of attention! The seller reports the build year as 1978 and I can certainly believe it. The metal flake paint and gold striping are very period. If you look closely at the side view, the striping resembles half of the Wonder Woman or What A Burger classic logos — was it just a dip in the stripe, or was there a deeper meaning to the “V”? Does anyone have any memories of seeing this unique and truly bodacious bike on the highway? And if you would be willing to be a rider at 100 mph plus, tell us why in the comments!
Turning radius of a bus, 3 seats? As far as 115 mph I am with Jamie speedo does some crazy stuff before the core is twisted in two. No thanks.
Maybe it has individual rear brakes, like a farm tractor,, :) I think it would be hard to steer as well. Probably could use wheelie bars too. I don’t think speed is what they had in mind here.
Only in Arkansas.
They had good drugs back then.
I’ve never liked these home made jobs that were ridiculous in proportion….Can you imagine a truck passing by you and you get caught in the tail wind! No f—in way! They say speed kills, what kind? The drug or the trike????
Put it back in the barn.
I think that those pictures were taken in
Oceanside,Arkansas.
Modified Rupp Centaur, and poorly. That’s a shame, Centaurs are getting very hard to find.
Can we say “Deathtrap” boys and girls?
Based on the lower license plate my guess this was a promotional build and not for road use. ( don’t really want to know what was being promoted) Regardless, not road worthy. Heaven help the person caught on a yellow in the middle of an intersection trying to make a left.
A biker bar in Eurika Springs.
https://cathouselounge.com/
Eureka Springs
This trike was built in Paris Illinois by my grandpa and my dad when I was a kid around 30 years ago. I was thinking about it this morning so I searched stretched vw trike on Google and it was the first image that popped up. That’s awesome I actually found it… wouldn’t be my color of choice and it took a football field to turn around but I loved going for rides on it. He used to take it to local car shows all the time
Outstanding among its piers.
It should be “Outstanding in its field” I do like Seat#3, the “Mother-In-Law” seat though.
Best over priced pile of spare parts.
Best Deathtrap.
The Put down the JB Weld and The crack pipe award.
I believe a very good reason this “Hillbilly Horror” was put away in a barn! And, exactly where it should stay.
You know you are a redneck if……..
Hey DJ Griffiths
I just spit my coffee across the room when I read your comment!
I’m betting that the 2 rear seats have the auto ejection option…..
Dumbest thing I’ve seen in a long time. Best thing here is to give the seller as few dollars as possible then cut out the two rear seats and have a real VW-powered trike. This thing as-is looks like a death trap to me.
Am I the only guy saying I want to take this for a ride? I am 6′ and don’t think I could reach the handle bars tho.
what it needs is a 359 chevy engine
Oh ye of little imagination….A 6-71 Detroit diesel would make this bike complete.
Definitely a Centaur body that has been stretched. Centaurs were only made in 74 and 75. I have 3 of them. Fun but scary at 60 mph.
The perfect bullpen cart when the manager wants to make the double-switch. Hello Arkansas Travelers, I’m talking to you.
This would have been perfect for the Tommy Lasorda era Los Angeles Dodgers. Imagine reliever Terry Forster and Tommy’s good friend Tony Danza zooming in from the Dodger Stadium bullpen in the top of the 9th to face Jack Clark and shut down a budding San Francisco Giants rally. (Clark would park a hanging 2-2 fastball in the right field pavilion to give John Montefusco the win in relief, but that’s another story.)