Indian Tadpole

GoldenMotor.com

fasteddy

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Feb 13, 2009
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The strange part is Rick that there is a sense of etiquette at the Ely Town Dump. The metal pile goes up and down as the local cottage owners replace items with new ones that they brought from home or had to replace when they got there to open up the cottage.

There may be six fellas circling the pile to see what they can use and if they see something useful but don't want it themselves they ask if anyone is looking for it. Need help loading your find? Everyone there offers to help. Silverbear said that they now require you to sign a form if you are going to pick over the metal pile to absolve the town from blame.

Heck, the Silverbear and I will help you load you finds and there is never any squabbling and it's understood that tasteful brass and copper accent pieces are automatically your if you want them.

Steve.
 

fasteddy

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Feb 13, 2009
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Thanks Silverbear. When I look at these Steam Punk vehicles I realize how much work goes into them. Just gathering up the parts must be a monumental task and then to design something that looks carelessly put together with such precision is fantastic.

I'll just admire what others have done. It's to much work for me. Then again a steam punk tri car????

Steve.
 

fasteddy

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Feb 13, 2009
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Hi Curt,

I was using a normal propane torch until my brother mentioned that he was going to Home Depot and I asked him to get me a 5 foot hose and a self igniting propane torch because as soon a you tip a normal torch on it's side or upside down it spews out more flame than you need and your constantly trying adjust it.

He didn't get the one that you can control the flame so you have to be careful but it is so much easier to use. I was pleasantly surprised how well the tanks came out and it wasn't nearly as hard as I thought it would be.

Steve.
 

curtisfox

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Dec 29, 2008
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minesota
KOOL. I already have a hose and torch setup, used to make lamps and burn the pine boards. When my dad retired he started it, then got so busy i stepped in to help. I did all the artwork. Keeped the hose, now know why. LOL

The tanks are sure looking good, look realy simple. But nothing is ever as simple as it looks. Nice job.................Curt
 

fasteddy

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Feb 13, 2009
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The tanks are simple Curt. I made three while I was taking the photos of them. Once the form is made and the metal cut out there isn't much to them. I left two of them as the top and sides so that they can be made to match the bikes seat stay angles that they are going on.

Getting the angles for the seat stay were the time consuming thing. Both the tank bottom and the end panel have a taper to them so the sides slide over the seat stays and meet in the middle tube. If I had to do it again I would have done a latter model bike where the the oil tank was a round cylinder on end just behind the seat stay and I wouldn't have had to make the small matching oil tank.

As my grandad would say, "It will look nice when your finished".

Steve.
 

indian22

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Dec 31, 2014
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Looking good Steve. That Ely dump sounds a great place of New World opportunity, much as some nations used to offer...perhaps political leaders could make it a destination for an economic summit; of course that would screw up what already exists at Ely & still cost the individual tax payers of each nation represented, so better they just have that meeting in the French Alps where they can collectively freeze their economic nuts & bolts off.... Rick C.
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fasteddy

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Feb 13, 2009
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Got the form out for the fender on the Monark's sidecar and made a new one. I didn't like it when I built it and my brother took the set up out for a ride when it was finished and bounced the fender off the front bumper of the camper.

I turned it around so the damage didn't show but it wasn't worth repairing. I've found that clamping the sides of what your building to the form cut down the metal warping or so it seems.

Now it's time to clean up and start back on the tri car it's self.

Steve.

http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/ab228/speedydick/Indian Tri-car Build/DSC_0004_zpsae1aujbv.jpg
 

fasteddy

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Feb 13, 2009
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British Columbia Canada
beautyyen,

I received the notice that you left a comment but I don't see it here. I'll answer it anyway.

The tri car does steer. Just like a regular motorcycle. It was a fair bit of work to do it because I made the spindles for the steering but it would been a whole lot less work if I had used premade go kart spindles and just welded them on the axle. Other than that it was fairly straight forward.

The steering arms on the spindles were aligned with the rear axle using the Akerman Principal for ease of handling. If you search through the photos you will see what I did and how I did it. If you need more information please ask.

Steve.
 

fasteddy

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Feb 13, 2009
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Sat staring creatively at the seat stays for some time today after I finished doing the oil tank photos trying to figure out how to get the seat stays spread out to clear the drive sprocket on the wheel. They need to come out at least 2 inches on the sprocket side and on the other side to balance them visually.

I cut the brace that holds the fender in place to let the stays move but I have a feeling that the bike will have to be taken apart and new seat stay tubes made to do it right.

Steve.
 

fasteddy

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Feb 13, 2009
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All I can hear is banjos. You know what that means. Will the motor be effected at all if I leave it in the frame when I'm welding it. I'm thinking of the magnetism of the fly wheel.

Steve.
 

curtisfox

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Dec 29, 2008
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Unless you touch it it will be ok, just wrap it with something. Plastic and wet rag on top, glad to here you are getting somewhere. Love the tank photos, thanks for posting ...........Curt
 

fasteddy

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Feb 13, 2009
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Thank Heavens someone shot the banjo player. While sitting there staring at the seat stay and looking around for divine intervention I saw a chain stay with the extension that was welded to the bottom bracket sticking out of a box of fender stays. It is U shaped.

Looked at the photos of the tri car that sold earlier this year at Mecum's Auction who took so many excellent photos of it and the original seat stays turned in at the top and are welded to the seat tube. Almost like someone had cut a U shaped piece of tubing in half and welded them on.

The chain stay was from a 24" bike that we took apart at Bike Camp a few years ago and Silverbear let me take home with me. Part of our on going part exchange system.

That would give me all the room I need and maybe a bit to spare. I'll have to make another slightly wider oil and gas tank to fit but that is not a problem. I know someone who has experience in doing that.

The game is back on.

Steve
 

indian22

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Dec 31, 2014
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Steve that U tube is something I will eventually have to build into a wide. rear suspension swing triangle for motorcycles! You are the man on Camel back tanks & that's a fact. Rick C.
 

fasteddy

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Feb 13, 2009
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British Columbia Canada
Thank Rick. I'm the tank guy by default but they are fun to make. I have some photos of just what I am doing but the first one blends into the back ground to much to be really good. I was going to go from up near the top of the seat stay down onto the drop outs but may wind up just joining the tubes coming up off the drop out as they are.

I'll just put a slug inside the tube and weld it up. Just how to get room for the sprocket and chain has been slowing the build up for a long time but hopefully this will get things back on track. Need a day between the week long monsoon rains we're having.

Steve.

http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/ab228/speedydick/Indian Tri-car Build/DSC_0009_zpszprhaooy.jpg