New DIY car ramp to be launched (you read it here first)

[A Van]

(I do know the guy behind this AV)

Press Release 7 February 2012, Cambridge, UK

MR1 – the DIY friendly car lift

Manufacturers, sellers and users of automotive products will be interested to note that a patent application has been filed for a totally new and simple design of manually operated car lift. The MR1 is expected to become a ‘must have’ piece of automotive equipment for DIY car enthusiasts and professional mechanics.

The brain-child of Mike Dawes, a retired Cambridge UK research engineer and classic car enthusiast, the MR1 is designed to overcome the limitations of existing DIY car lifts, and is:

1. Safe and easily operated by one person in less than 2 minutes;
2. Easy to drive onto its shallow (6°) guided ramps (Photo 1);
3. At a convenient height for getting into and out of a car;
4. Designed to raise a car on all its wheels, thereby adding height to its ground clearance;
5. Operated with a single standard trolley jack to raise a car to a horizontal or other position, and lower it, as desired; 6. Able to provide a clear floor space for working underneath a car (Photo 2);
7. Useable with standard axle stands, car wheel jacks, car creepers, etc (Photo 3);
8. Excellent for car servicing, repairs, cleaning, display, and even storage when the space inside a garage is limited;
9. Adjustable to match the width of a car, so it may be used inside a garage that is barely wide enough for a car;
10. Portable, so it may be used inside, outside and in different locations;
11. Easy to manufacture using standard materials and section sizes;
12. Expected to cost £795 plus delivery and VAT.

The MR1 may be dimensioned for a range of car sizes and lift heights. For example, the present MR1 is designed for most classic cars weighing up to 1500kg (3300lb), and raises their ground clearance by an additional 350mm (14 inches). The total ground clearance is then a good compromise for work on both the underside and topside of a car.

While the present MR1 is designed for 4-wheeled cars having ground clearances greater than 75mm (3 inches), different versions of the MR1 may be used for lower ground clearances, 3 and 4-wheeled cars, and other wheeled vehicles such as mowers and boats on trailers.

Because the MR1 is designed to be used with a range of automotive tools, small changes in size or design can be used to make a totally integrated set. For example, the MR1 can be easily matched to particular sizes and designs of trolley jacks, axle stands, car creepers and inspection lamps.

About the designer - Mike Dawes completed an apprenticeship in mechanical engineering and then spent 40 years doing research (including a PhD) into the fatigue and fracture behaviour of welded structures. Having retired, he fulfilled a long held ambition to do a ‘nut and bolt’ restoration of his classic 1971 MG sports car. It was this experience and the difficulties involved that inspired Mike to design the MR1 and make life easier for all DIY car enthusiasts.

Mike commented: “My own MR1 has been in constant use for more than a year, and it works superbly. I have also confirmed that the MR1 is simple, quick and reliable to operate.”

Why MR1? - It is easy to remember, rolls off the tongue, gives good associations in internet searches, less OTT than “Mike’s Revolutionary One” and much less boring than the “Maintenance/Repair One”!

Companies interested in manufacture, distribution and sale of the MR1, and potential buyers, are invited to e-mail michael.dawes1@ntlworld.com or call 01223 843006 for more details. Prototypes and production batches of up to 100 MR1 lifts can be supplied at the present time.

[delorean12uk]

Thats brillant!!! what happens if you own a Reliant Robin???

[Dangermouse]

I like being able to sit at a stool and work on brakes. that would be good.

Where do you fit the "regular floor jack"? Under the centre support?

[A Van]

Well a picture of that would be nice Dermot I agree, will ask

[A Van]

Ok it turns out as the patent is pending, that no pictures can be released, anyone buying one has to sign an NDA, as do potential resellers.

[MikeWard]

Looks interesting, and not too dissimilar from these http://www.jtproducts.co.uk/content.php ... _equipment

[jamesrguk]

I'd be amazed if he managed to get a patent for that this surly can't be a 'new' design what's he going to patent? a jack? a drive on ramp, a pivot? nothing new there as far as I can see

http://www.levo-artis.com/11.html

http://www.restorationramps.co.uk/phdi/ ... ent&part=2

These are similar enough

James

[A Van]

Ah well it's had the patent search already and it's a unique design, which is how it's now a patent pending stage.
Did you see the DeLorean in your second link?
That looks like Stuart Nicholls place

[A Van]

New website is up regarding the lift

http://www.carlift-ramp-mr1.com/