Likamobile steam car

A "Lyka 2" steam car. Built from a Steam Traction World kit, the Lyka 2 is an evolution of their original, well-proven "Lykamobile" design.

First registered at the end of 2023, this one-owner car is in excellent condition, it's arrived with us direct from the builder.

We've had ten Lykamobiles over the years (as well as one freelance steam car and a fabulous 1906 Stanley as well) so like to think we know our way around road steam when it comes to the rapid, pneumatic-tyred, fast-steaming, high pressure variety.

Our first time driving a Lyka 2, in truth there's little difference in performance compared to the original. Still makes steam from cold in under ten minutes, still the best way to experience full size steam if you don't want to get dirty hands!

The bodywork has been copied from the original kit panels, but made in a superior grade of plywood (the builder having a friend in that line of business) - the original body panels, along with a set of MDF patterns are included.

"Audible means of warning of approach" are provided by a vintage horn mounted on the tiller, as well as a fabulous mechanical two-tone bell, mounted at the front of the car and operated by a foot pedal.

Engine is the well-proven twin cylinder job from the original design, with overhung crank and chain drive to the rear axle. There are a pair of mechanical lubricators, and twin water pumps, driven from the crossheads.

The boiler is the biggest departure from the original design. Formerly a Winslow-type water tube unit, we have no idea how difficult it was to manufacture but, with its all welded "spaghetti junction" arrangement of tubes, it looked pretty much impossible to repair should a tube fail.

The Lyka 2 features a conventional multitube vertical boiler, with a relatively small water capacity and large number of expanded tubes. Still a fast-steaming unit, but eminently repairable by conventional methods. An improvement, we feel.

It's fired by a standard central heating boiler burner, designed to run on domestic heating oil. It can be jetted to run on diesel, although that will cost you 50% more than heating oil; from past experience (we've had one Lykamobile which ran on diesel), it's a foul-smelling, inferior fuel!

Another improvement is the elimination of the electronic dashboard showing water level in the boiler, relying instead on a good old-fashioned Klinger water gauge. Easy to read, foolproof and next to indestructible - everything the previous system wasn't.

Road-registered, with V5 document, original assembly manual and manufacturer's boiler documentation.