I wonder if the parking brake (2×4) comes with the sale of this 1983 Trimuter? You’ll have to get in touch with the seller about that. It’s listed on Craigslist, or here on the CL archive, and it’s located in beautiful Portsmouth, Virginia. The seller is asking $1,500 or best offer, or they’ll trade for “Man toys, generator, small trailer etc.” Thanks to Ian C. for sending this one in!
There are only three photos (!) and barely more than three words given about this listing. If I live to be 100, which I won’t, I’ll never understand that. But, it is what it is, as they say in Portsmouth. Ok, there are actually four photos but the fourth one is a photo of a couple of magazines showing the Trimuter. The seller says: “1983 three wheel electric car.” They also give a hint at what they will trade for which I listed above. That’s literally it, other than “E – mail for details”. The Trimuter was a kit that was shown on the cover of Mechanix Illustrated in 1980 and they became the magazine’s all-time favorite project for do-it-yourselfers. They came with two different propulsion systems, either a Kohler 16 hp 2-cylinder gas motor or an electric, or battery, version such as this one. That consisted of ten six-volt batteries giving this tri-wheeler a weight of almost twice that of the gas-powered version at around 1,500 pounds. It had a 60 mph top speed and a 60 mile range which was great for that era. The Robert Q. Riley Enterprises still sells Trimuter kits, the new ones have quite a bit more range, 100 miles in fact!
They are pretty out-of-this-world designs. In fact, they were used in the background of the movie Total Recall. Our own Jamie Palmer showed us a 1972 Trimuter back in October of 2016 and that example was quite a bit nicer than this one is. Who knows what the condition of the drivetrain or anything else is on this example. With three iffy photos and none of the interior at all this will take a creative mind to put it back on the road again. So, the question for this one is: gas or electric?
Total Recall car, at least one of them, had 4 wheels and is being restored here https://www.facebook.com/pg/ForgottenFiberglass/posts/?ref=page_internal look for the Jan 28 post.
Not a bad starting price, but I’d probably add a fourth wheel as well. A very high center of gravity for the gas powered ones; electric should have the batteries low on a center spine.
Thanks for posting, Scotty, although I’m surprised that you haven’t already snapped it up! (cheeky grin)
It would make a fun family project for someone; any takers here?
I would graft a 4″ inch drop axle on the front with some wacky 60’s style ‘glass on the front. Along with a bubble top, so I could cook my self like an egg. Come on now. Can you dig it daddy-O?
I’ve been looking for something like that around here, Chicago area. Used to see stuff all the time growing up but it all but disappeared.
I remember there were 2 separate accidents here in NY state where both drivers were killed. Squirrelly and Dangerous.Better for wall hanger or lawn art.
I see a Ford 3 cylinder Eco Boost and a Roth paint job.
Needs a Hemi.
Seems only slightly excessive. A simple Hayabusa swap should get your killin’ done! Exhaust would have to be super quiet though.
People would think it was the fastest suppository they have ever seen!!