Impulse buy today

[davidc83]

Today the wife and myself stopped at Ridenow of Gainesville Florida.
We bought a new toy. I can't get her on 2 wheels, but 3 wheels, yes.

 

[670cc]

That is an interesting toy. What is it?

 

[davidc83]

Vanderhall Carmel GT. A 3 wheel autocycle. Similar to a slingshot but cooler looking.

 

[the Ferret]

Congrats. We have a Vanderhall/Ducati dealer about 20 miles from here. Place always looks closed lol.

 

[670cc]

Vanderhall Carmel GT. A 3 wheel autocycle. Similar to a slingshot but cooler looking.

Very interesting. I looked it up. I’m surprised I had never even heard of it before.

 

[davidc83]

Some specs:
• 23' VANDERHALL CARMEL GTS 3 WHEEL AUTOCYCLE Hand built 1.5 liter DOHC Turbocharged 4@194hp, 6 speed automatic transmission w/ F1 style paddleshifters and auto grade braking•Tilt and telescopic with three spoke stainless and woodsteering wheel•F1 tuned push rod fully IND suspension w/forgedaluminum unequal length control arms. The company is veteran owned and a veteran must touch it before it leaves the plant. Supposedly, every part is made in the USA. Per reports, the company is in the process of converting all their ICE vehicles to electric vehicles. We will actually drive it home Tuesday afternoon (they are not open tomorrow or Monday). I will take more pics after I get it home. The inside is retro looking, all leather, with toggle switches instead of buttons (except for the start/stop button). It has the same engine as the Chevy Malibu (same as the slingshot when they first came to market-polaris makes their own engine for the slingshots now). When the wife saw it in the show room, she said it looked like the Indy cars from the 60s....and it does. It even has roll bars behind the seats. She asked me if I can get in and out of it ok....In is no problem, out-little more difficult but I will make it work.
Last year she almost bought a slingshot; however, she had her eye on a Ford Maverick down the street from the Slingshot dealership and went and bought it instead.

 

[dduelin]

You are pretty much guaranteed not to be seen at a gas station when another one rolls up on the other side of the pump. That machine should be a fun thing for the two of you.

 

[670cc]

Some specs:
• 23' VANDERHALL CARMEL GTS 3 WHEEL AUTOCYCLE Hand built 1.5 liter DOHC Turbocharged 4@194hp, 6 speed automatic transmission w/ F1 style paddleshifters and auto grade braking•Tilt and telescopic with three spoke stainless and woodsteering wheel•F1 tuned push rod fully IND suspension w/forgedaluminum unequal length control arms. The company is veteran owned and a veteran must touch it before it leaves the plant. Supposedly, every part is made in the USA. Per reports, the company is in the process of converting all their ICE vehicles to electric vehicles. We will actually drive it home Tuesday afternoon (they are not open tomorrow or Monday). I will take more pics after I get it home. The inside is retro looking, all leather, with toggle switches instead of buttons (except for the start/stop button). It has the same engine as the Chevy Malibu (same as the slingshot when they first came to market-polaris makes their own engine for the slingshots now). When the wife saw it in the show room, she said it looked like the Indy cars from the 60s....and it does. It even has roll bars behind the seats. She asked me if I can get in and out of it ok....In is no problem, out-little more difficult but I will make it work.
Last year she almost bought a slingshot; however, she had her eye on a Ford Maverick down the street from the Slingshot dealership and went and bought it instead.

From photos, I’m guessing it is front wheel drive. Is that correct?

 

[davidc83]

From photos, I’m guessing it is front wheel drive. Is that correct?

Yes it is front wheel drive. The slingshots are rear wheel drive with belt drive.

 

[CamaroEric]

That's really cool. I did not realize they 'Made in USA' was a part of the deal, it makes me appreciate them much more now. I've seen quite a few but haven't driven one.

Always had my eye on Morgans but my Ural is a troublesome enough 3-wheeler that I sure don't need another. That Malibu engine should be a heck of a lot better than Polaris/Rotax/BRP etc.

 

[davidc83]

That's really cool. I did not realize they 'Made in USA' was a part of the deal, it makes me appreciate them much more now. I've seen quite a few but haven't driven one.

Always had my eye on Morgans but my Ural is a troublesome enough 3-wheeler that I sure don't need another. That Malibu engine should be a heck of a lot better than Polaris/Rotax/BRP etc.

Yea, the slingshot owners like the malibu engine but they are not so keen on the Polaris engine they started putting in the slingshot. The Vanderhall 1.5 turbocharged engine puts out 198hp (with a special tune, up to 240hp). Same liter size (1.5L) as my little Prius C (only 98hp) and weighs less than my Prius C. The best part, my wife said she will ride in it (she will not get on a motorcycle or typical 3-wheelers).

 

[davidc83]

Well, the purchase of the Vanderhall didnt pan out. They went to start it and it had a bad battery. They were able to jump start it and it sounded good, but we wanted a new battery. Since it was close to closing time on Saturday, we agreed to pick it up on Tuesday (they are closed on Sunday/Monday). They finally got a new battery put in on Wednesday (instead of Tuesday) and it had check engine lights. During a 5 week waiting period, they ordered/replaced the O2 sensors, the ECU, the main wiring harness and still check engine light so we declined in purchasing it.
However, we found just a good deal on a new 2023 Slingshot SLR and it is now in the driveway (it was over 2 hours drive from the house in Pasco County Florida).
I had to relearn driving a manual but no big deal....zoom zoom.
Now the wife has to relearn to drive a manual, she hasn't driven a manual since 1997.
Oh, and greyhound approved.

 

[davidc83]

Sharing the garage with the NC700x and the lawn tractor.

 

[670cc]

Sharing the garage with the NC700x and the lawn tractor.
View attachment 117414

Let the farkling begin. https://www.slingmods.com/

 

[the Ferret]

Sharing the garage with the NC700x and the lawn tractor.
View attachment 117414

Those must be Indiana bucks. They'd be boomers for Fla!

 

[davidc83]

Those must be Indiana bucks. They'd be boomers for Fla!

Yes they are....One of the things I miss about my old property in Indiana. All those taken within 200 yards from my house back door. In fact, I could see my backdoor from my ladder stand. I was not an actual trophy hunter...I would shoot the first thing which walked thru to fill the freezer. Those years, those were the first ones thru. The one on the left is a 10 pointer, the middle is a 11 pointer with crab claw points on both antlers, and the right one is a very proportional 8 pointer. All those taken with a bow or cross bow.

 

[davidc83]

Let the farkling begin. https://www.slingmods.com/

Yep, already got some ideas. I need a phone holder, a camera mount. Thinking about a rear mirror but I will have to get a sun shade and the cross bars to hang the rear view mirror from. The windshield is made from same material and same thickness as motorcycle windshields and I dont think it would hold the weight of a rear view mirror for very long. The side mirrors are very good and it does have a backup camera but rather use a rear view mirror. I drove it home as the wife was behind me in the Superduty (we also bought a tandem kayak while we were down there). I got home and told the wife I have never driven something as quick as that thing. 5 speed manual with a ton of torque. I was cruising at 65mph and only doing 2800 rpms. It weighs less than my Prius C and has over 2x the HP (207 HP).

 

[jknight611]

That is going to be fun! Any baggage space aft of the cockpit?

 

[the Ferret]

Yes they are....One of the things I miss about my old property in Indiana. All those taken within 200 yards from my house back door. In fact, I could see my backdoor from my ladder stand. I was not an actual trophy hunter...I would shoot the first thing which walked thru to fill the freezer. Those years, those were the first ones thru. The one on the left is a 10 pointer, the middle is a 11 pointer with crab claw points on both antlers, and the right one is a very proportional 8 pointer. All those taken with a bow or cross bow.

I loved bowhunting almost as much as motorcycle riding.

 

[davidc83]

That is going to be fun! Any baggage space aft of the cockpit?

Behind both seats there are approx. 30 L storage spaces (with locks). The storage spaces are larger than the frunk on the Honda.