The vendor of right now’s Good Value or No Cube Tri-Hawk claims that it’s “In all probability extra enjoyable than is authorized in most states.” and warns “Individuals will both stare or wave whilst you’re driving.” Let’s see if all this illicit enjoyable comes at a good value.

The thriller mileage on final Friday’s 1988 Volkswagen Cabriolet—which was owed to an odometer that stopped working at 103K—proved to be the fly within the automotive’s ointment for a lot of of you. That unknown made the $13,200 asking value lower than tenable in consequence, incomes the Vee-Dub a 72 % no Cube loss. The automotive apparently offered whereas we have been ruminating its destiny, and it might be a pleasant near the story to see what it truly offered for.

It’s been averred that ‘birds of a feather flock collectively,’ nonetheless in relation to driving right now’s 1984 Tri-Hawk 304, there’s little or no probability of seeing one other one on the street, a lot much less any type of flock.

First off, although, let’s reply the query just about all of you who’re a minimum of one cup of espresso into the morning are asking: “Simply what the hell is a Tri-Hawk?” Let’s perform a little historical past.

That is one in every of about 100 FWD trikes constructed by the now defunct Design Lab Inc. firm out of Illinois, based by an entrepreneurial engineer named Lou Richards. Richards wished to create a light-weight sports activities automotive akin to the unique Lotus 7 however was stymied by the big volumes of laws required to get even so easy a automotive on the street. Richards then found that three-wheelers have been exempt from most laws as they have been thought of bikes (or shut sufficient) below the Federal and State pointers and so his two-seat tribute to the 7 was designed round a tricycle format.

The ensuing Tri-Hawk 304 (3 wheels, 4 cylinders) acquired loads of good press upon its debut, together with a Prime 10 award from Automobile and Driver for its skidpad efficiency. That didn’t assist a lot with gross sales, nonetheless, as the marketplace for vehicles so fundamental they lack a fourth wheel is fairly tiny. Inside a yr of launch, Design Lab, Inc. was renamed Hawk Autos, Inc. and operations have been moved to Dana Level, California.

The corporate’s poor funds coupled with Richards’ personal well being points compelled the sale of the enterprise in 1985, with Harley Davidson taking possession. The bike maker’s personal monetary struggles prevented it from doing something with the Tri-Hawk and it shuttered manufacturing shortly thereafter.

Now, you may suppose that the Harley connection would imply there’s a V-twin thumper below this Tri-Hawk’s hood, however that’s not the case. Not needing to satisfy automotive emission requirements opened the door for any variety of becoming powertrain choices and the one which Richards settled on was an air-cooled 1.3-liter flat-four from the Citroën GSA. That produces 67 horsepower and drives the entrance wheels by a four-speed handbook. Numerous Citroën and Renault components make up the steering, brakes, and suspension surrounding that. With its mild weight and extensive stance, this setup give the Tri-Hawk glorious dealing with.

That’s to not say that taking this trike to its limits wouldn’t be a terrifying expertise. In any case, one of many main causes the Tri-Hawk solely has three wheels was to sidestep most automotive security necessities. In a nod to a number of the fundamentals, although, the trike does have a fairly tall roll-over bar. Three-point belts are hooked up to that.

This one comes with a clear title, a reported 37,000 miles on the clock, and the vendor’s intimation that it’s a car that requires consideration to drive, warning towards acknowledging the gawkers and thumbs-uppers it’ll invariably encounter.

This bizarre little bit of automotive historical past comes at an asking value of $10,000. You now have to resolve whether or not that’s a good deal or a sham. What do you say, may this extraordinarily uncommon and succesful sports activities trike be value 5 figures? Or, does that value clip this Tri-Hawk’s wings?

You resolve!

San Francisco Bay Space, California, Craigslist, or go right here if the advert disappears.

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