Fellow Likamobile builders;

By now I'm sure everyone knows about ModelWorks being under Administration/ Chapter 11. Our collective goal is to finish our cars and enjoy them. I am aware that some of you are missing parts. At this point we all need to share any information to obtain our goal. If any builders live close to the ModelWorks facility, maybe a knock on the door would help in trying to find out what they're next step is, or obtain some names of suppliers of components, so we can deal with the suppliers directly to purchase missing parts. At this time it seems phone calls go unanswered.

If anyone is able to get any type of answers, it would be appreciated if you would post on this forum.

As of now I underestand that some builders are without Wheels & Tires and the
Seat kit. The seat kit was produced for MW's by Barby Village Woodturning - www.woodturnings.co.uk The tires are Avon SpeedMaster MK II 3:00x21 made in England, I don't know the wheel manufacturer. If anyone can expand on this information, please post.

Thanks to all for your efforts. I will also keep my web site current as possible and pass on reports there as well.

Happy Building;

Rick
RicksKlassics@aol.com
MemoriesDreams.com

Rick and I have been working together on this kit since the very beginning. We've been able to locate seven other US builders and we've all been working together sharing our successes and failures. I've been up and running off and on for about two months. I've learned a considerable amount in that period of time. If you go to Rick's site, you will find his personal email address. Please send Rick an email if you haven't already. Rick and I have talked with each of the 7 other US builders and 3 UK builders, this means that there are another 60 or so other builders out there. If Rick has a list of all the builders, we can all help each other. One builder just recently posted a note on this site stating that he didn't get the electronics from MW. One of the US builders who happens to be an Elercrical Engineer has redesigned the circuits and would probably be willing to provide his design documents to anyone who needs them. This information is only known if we work together. I second Rick's request to pull together.

Dutch.

Thanks for the info re the seat woodwork. I returned a part which had a huge knot in it, never had the replacement!

As far as the wheels are concerned, I believe they came from Italy(?) I think this was mentioned in the instructions that came with the kit. A friend of mine who knows his bikes, said they looked like the sort of thing that would be supplied for replacements for vintage motor bikes. Not much help, but perhaps there are other suppliers for suitable wheels.

I've been contacted by the administrator and as far as Modelworks is concerned, they will be in complete lockdown. We can probably kiss goodbye to anything further from them!

There will of course, be quite a lot of stuff held in stock so I imagine this will be auctioned off?

I have also been contacted by Steve Baldock who with Dean (?) - both ex Modelworks designers are trying to form another company concentrating only on the road vehicles side. We'll see.

Just at present, I'm trying to work out what it is that's missing from mine. Quite a bit of fiddly but important bits, but nothing I can't get or make. Though it's always more difficult trying to work back to someone else's design.

I'm just thankful that I've got as far as I have!

Hi All,

It seems to me that if you all get together and get in touch with the

administrator you may be able to make him a joint offer for all the remaining

Likamobile stock, just a thought....


regards, Jeff.

Not only stock. What about electronic copy of drawings, any specialised manufacturing tooling (physical patterns, jigs?), and supplier details for bought in parts?

This seems a very different product from all other Modelworks products. I would be hopeful that someone wants to make a go of supplying their existing product range, but not the full size car. There's a lot of development work gone in to producing that. But the Likamobile is a bit of an orphan. It would be a shame to lose that.

Is there any escrow protection for the buyers?

Greg

Last year I was discussing the Escrow issue with the MW folks and they thought I was from a different planet. I'm hoping that we can contact the adminstortor and get access to the as-built design drawings. It would be nice to be able to have parts made based on the original dimensions rather than working off the broken part. I know Rick and I in the US are trying to secure the design drawings.

I've taken the little effort of starting a Yahoo group specifically for the Likamobile. Jeff has a great steam site here but I'm sure the owners of original cars don't want to hear about the Likamobile more than they would about a real Locomobile or Stanley. I hope we can share success stories and help each other out using the Likamobile Yahoo group. Go to Yahoo, select GROUPS and seach on Likamobile. Ask to join the group and I'll grant access. I'm planning on having all of the instruction manuals available on this site as soon as I can get them scanned in. To my knowledge, at this point, there are about 6 running cars which leave about 70 cars yet to be completed. For those of you with incomplete cars, please tap the minds of those of us who have completed their cars.

Dutch.

Hi Guys,

Not sure how many of you are aware, although everyone has been written to by snail mail, Steve Baldock and I (Dean Rogers) are hopefully in the process of trying to aquire the traction side of the ModelWorks business from the administrator. If successful we plan to continue with the traction engines, the steam lorry and most importantly to you guys, the Likamobile. The majority of Likamobile customers have received almost all parts but the questionaire we have sent out will determine who has what missing. We have set a website up to log our progress and keep customers informed of our progress. www.steamtractionworld.com.

If you have any questions please email me and i will do my best to answer.

Regards

Dean

Dean,

I wish you all the luck in your endeavor, Not an easy undertaking, I'm sure a lot of steam modelers and Likamobile builders are behind you.

Best Regards;

Rick Stoeber
68 White St. #332
Red Bank, NJ 07701

732-890-0084
RicksKlassics@aol.com
MemoriesDreams.com

Hi Dutch,

As you know I have been following the ModelWorks Likamobile kit being

constructed by Rick Stoeber, with many pages on this site dedicated to the

build, please do use this forum to keep other builders in touch with each

other, if you forward me info, I am more than willing to make up further

pages with all the drawings and information which will help those with

incomplete kits, all the best, Jeff.

Hi Jeff & Dutch,

Please be aware before publishing manuals etc on the Likamobile that the information is classed as intellectual property which is still currently owned by MW's and in the hands of the administrator. Potential purchasers of this property (including ourselves) could be put of trying to do anything if this property has no worth because it is accessable, then everyone not only the Likamobile customers could suffer.

The best advice i can give is to please be patient and wait and see what happens.

I know for a fact that of the 50 Likamobiles sold, the majority have had all outstanding parts with the minority still requiring some kits or items. Most of these kits are in stock with exception to the wheels, which we have already provisionally ordered so completing your cars should not be a major issue. There are also some, but not many, boilers in stock. Fortunately if we get going our boiler maker is one of the guys who wants to join us.

I also have a Likamobile which requires completing so you can be assured we are doing everything we can to get things going A.S.A.P.

Regards

Dean