Vintage Thing No.6 - The Giles three wheeler

As soon as I knew the Giles I was intrigued by it

This oddity is mentioned in Peter Tuthill's book Cornwall's Motor Industry. As he expected, its publication is flushing out more information on the vehicles featured, many of which are very shadowy creations. This is the only one with which I could help and even then to a very limited extent.

Mysterious back in 1984, the Giles 3 wheeler has since gone to ground again

It turned up on an old caravan chassis at a "Superdo", a Vintage Things Show, at Penstraze near Truro in 1984, and that's where I took these photos. It was a very intriguing three wheeler with an air-cooled 350cc flat-twin Douglas engine mounted at the front. It must have just been discovered and acquired for preservation.

Somebody removed the bonnet and lo! there was a Douglas engine

It wasn't a bad job although a little under powered for my tastes. Douglas did some 500s and 600s. There was even a conversion that stretched them to 750 but this was not intended for use in motorcycles but for the Flying Flea. This was a very early microlight aircraft that found favour among DIYers before the Second World war. Flying Fleas established the sort of accident record that you don't want and were banned in some countries.

The ultimate Douglas powerplant was a one off built by Don Brown and fitted into a Dragonfly frame. It consisted literally of two 350 engines mounted one on top of the other. This certainly filled the gap under the tank that exists on most Duggies. A similar "Dragonfour" engine would really make this little thing shift.

But even as it is, it has a certain charm and I quite like its skinny little wheels and the dead ivy in its nostrils.

The front suspension must give a clue to this car's origins

It had transverse leaf spring independent front suspension and aluminium bodywork featuring some compound curves so somebody knew what they were doing and given it a modicum of aesthetic respectability. I have no idea what frame or chassis was involved and don't appear to have taken a rear view.

Peter's research suggests that it was built in Cornwall although its registration BPA 50 was issued by Surrey County Council, probably in February 1964. It had a BSA gearbox and as restoration got under way a name plate was found proclaiming it to be a Giles.

Nobody knows who Giles was or where he built his three wheeler - Cornwall seems as likely as anywhere.