Reliant Supervan III - Craftsman tricycle with charm
Summary
Three-wheeled motor vehicles had a large following, especially in England, as they attracted low taxes, affordable insurance premiums and low maintenance costs. In addition, Reliant vehicles with a centrally mounted front wheel could also be driven with a motorcycle license for a long time. The Reliant Regal, which was available as a saloon, convertible and station wagon, was produced between 1953 and 1973. A late Supervan III version was portrayed for this report. The article is supplemented with historical photos and brochures (9x).
This article contains the following chapters
- Tricycle tradition
- From aluminum to plastic
- More space and more car
- The economy advantage
- Over 100,000 Regals
- Minimalist
- Just don't tip over
- The Reliant Regal from 1953 to 1973
Estimated reading time: 5min
Preview (beginning of the article)
Riding on three wheels was popular before and after the Second World War, especially when fiscal or legal regulations favored it. England can be regarded as one of the countries that offered the most favorable conditions for the three-wheeler, which is why brands that laid their foundations with three wheels were repeatedly created there, including Morgan, Bond and Reliant. But other countries also saw advantages in omitting a wheel and so the Messerschmitt Kabinenroller, the Heinkel Kabine (partially) and the BMW Isetta (for export markets) were also developed with three wheels. The first Reliant three-wheeled car was delivered in 1935, the design was still based on the designs developed by the Raleigh company (also known for its bicycles). T. L. Williams and E. S. Thompson had taken their knowledge from Raleigh with them when their then employer decided to stop producing tricycles.
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