A Brief History of the Marque
The Carpeviam was sold in England by Peacock
A Simple Three-wheeled Motorcar.
Small cars for two persons are in great demand by commercial and professional men, who can neither afford the price of a large motorcar, nor do they intend to carry much dead weight on their daily rounds. The little car illustrated has only three wheels instead of four ; it is called the "Carpeviam," and its constructor is a Hamburg engineer, Victor Gottwald. The rear wheel drives the car, and the two front wheels serve for steering. The car resembles to an extent the two-seated motorcycles patented by Jean Bolide, only the body construction is different. The framework is of seamless steel tubes. The engine lies in the centre of the frame and at the rear, which ends in a fork-like structure, and carries the driving wheels and a speed-changing mechanism. A 2¼ h.p. motor drives the car, and the cylinder is air cooled by means of a strong ventilator fan.
The vehicle has two speeds coupled by friction caused by moving the steering lever. The power is transmitted by chains; the ignition is either served by dry batteries or accumulators, and the carburetter is of the spray type. The special cycle wheels run on ball-bearings, and a powerful band brake can hold the car on a very steep grade. The cost of consumption of petrol amounts on the average to not more than a halfpenny per mile, and on level roads it is considerably less. The rear chain drive has proved to be very satisfactory on small cars, and the system has been adopted by many manufacturers. The three-wheel base is said to be secure, and a capsize as impossible as for a four-wheeled car, the carriage bed holding the balance perfectly, and the vibration has been reduced to a minimum. Starting and speed changing cannot be felt on the car, and there is no noise or smell during the running of the vehicle.
Source: Motor Cycling Magazine, November 5th, 1902. Page 304
