Sidecars?

Fenders and such look good. Is that a springer front fork? It should be a really nice ride. This is going to be so cool. Man, it's getting closer and closer, isn't it! Chrome next week and paint is in process. How many volt is that wheel? The cover looks good for the mount to the bike. And hockey pucks will go around the frame... center drilled out and split into two halves with U bolts running through? Do I have that right? Years from now people are going to be studying your plans and photos, both admiring your work and mining it for information on how to build their own. You're doing a good thing, my friend.
SB

Image hosting, free photo sharing & video sharing at Photobucket

Got some of the chrome back today and it is fantastic. I didn't get any before pictures but if you look back over the photos here you will see the bike and I think there are some there that show what it was like.

The cost was $650 for what I had done. I'm taking the rims, hubs and the pedal frames in next. The pedals have Monark pressed into them. Springer parts have to go also..

I'm putting Worksman brake drum hub wheels on it but I'm having all the original parts redone so that I can return the bike to original restored and keep the sidecar if I want and use it on another bike. The bike was 100% complete and original when I bought it.

Steve.

Heya fasteddy, hope ya don't mind, but again I find yer work to be so ossum as to feel the need to post some of your pics for all the world to see lol

What a groovy ol' Monark, well worthy of the new shiny!

Ah man, that stuff is eye candy. Fantastic! Boy, there's nothing like the real thing. I know the original chrome was not of as high a grade (I believe that's the case), but how amazing it was when new. These are the bikes boys dreamed of a long, long time ago. It is a time machine, Steve, and an amazing thing. I want to tell you to hurry up on that paint so that I can see the bike whole, but I know better. Take your time. We can wait if you can.
SB

BarelyAWake, thank you again for the photos. Yep, starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Just hope it isn't the 8:14 out of Topeka! 0.0 -.-

Steve.

Silver Bear, I guess all those years of antique furniture restoration are paying off in the wait and see department. I think every builder on here can see thier bike as it will look when they are finished and I'm no different.
We all build to that picture. With me it always , why take a picture when you can paint a portrait. After the sidecar was built my real talents ended.
I'm a wood worker and a helper {read, Steve sand this, tape that] in a body shop the odd time.

I am reaching into an unknown realm when I get into metal work. Watching how everyone else is doing it and going to school on them. Nice thing about "how did that happen" in wood is that you can burn the evidence. Metal is harder to get rid of.

Said I would only do this one and that was it. It's the old story, sure I can quit but why.
Colsun Crippler is on paper and I'm looking for parts and the next 6 or 8 projects are rattling around in my mind like marbles in a cake tin. Lots of noise but thats it.

It's sunny today so I better drag the dreams out into the sunlight and get going.

Steve.

Bike is in acid etch primer. Amazing how the dents you missed the first time pop up. Know where I'll be tonight.

You may have seen me say here and there, that it doesn't always pay to be Canadian but it always costs. Here is a prime example.

Called Worksman and after they found out I was "God forbid" Canadian and had to call thier Canadian rep. I'm picturing a big spread of a warehouse parts on hand but nooooooooooo. Dickie the dip sh8t has no idea what I'm talking about. Have to explain what I need. He is stunned to find out that Worksman sells rear wheels with drum brakes. Thorn proof tubes and kevlar tires???? Way past his ability to understand.

Fax him the info and he will have a price for me on Monday? Then he tells me to include the numbers I THINK are from Worksman. So now I have to fax him and find out Monday what it is going to cost, then call him back, give him the credit card # so he can call Worksmen and order the parts.

Steve.

I know what you mean about the dents magically appearing with primer. When you have them taken care of and give it a final coat more new ones will appear all over again. It is some kind of conspiracy.
The Worksman rep did not know about the rear drum brake or have parts numbers or prices? I want that man's job where incompetence is rewarded. Maybe it is somebody big's relative. Yes, it is amazing when there are people in line wanting work who will actually do it to find people like that drawing a paycheck. I hate to think what that wheel is going to cost. That's for the back of the Monark? That is becoming one pricey bicycle... on the other hand it will all be top of the line and something you've dreamed about. I think I'd get insurance for that one.
SB

I am going to ask about insurance. When this bike is finished it will stand me over $4,000, due mostly to it being electric. That's about 1/2 the cost. The rest is an old mans vanity. I built this thing so my kids can fight over it. Be the only time they think of the old man.

Checked out the company,. It's big! They manufacture and distribute world wide. I just hit the cog in the wheel that is a little short. I'm probably one of five people every year who ask for parts. Still no excuse. When the order is in and on the way the e-mails will go out to the owner of Worksman and Genisis. It will not be flattering but it will be informative.

I was thinking about using a Worksman trike in a build but it won't be happening unless I open a shipping box in Washington State and have things shipped there.
I'm 20 min from the border and have 3 cross over points available.

People take in parcels and charge you a monthly fee plus so much a a parcel. When you add the Big Brown border broker rip off plus the over the border shipping, it's worth the time in the line up at the border. A lot faster too, since it doesn't sit in a warehouse until they can check it out. Well time to go out to the work shop and create good enough. I've given up on perfection>

My thoughts are that with a sidecar frame you can change the look just by changing the
sidecar. One bike, 4 different looks, one lot of money.

To think they said nobody could ride that horse.

Steve.

The Heavens opened up and the Angels sang. The bike is painted at long last.

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I have to go over it and wet sand and buff the "inclusions" that either flew or drifted in. Not a problem. About 2 hours work.

What I used to paint it was acrylic enamel from Western Auto Finishes through a Sherwin Williams dealer. It has a wet look hardner in it. The colours should cross reference through other paint companies. Forgotten what white I used but it is a GM colour. Ford Wimbleton White is very close.
Clean up is with laquer thinner. The first can shown is the black. Second is the white.
I used a high build, laquer based primer to help with some of the minor nicks and scatches. It will not work in place of bondo.

The high end spray gun I used, isn't.
High Volume Low Pressure, runs off a Sears 5hp cheapo compressor with a water trap. The gun is many years old and I used it when I restored antique furniture. I paid $50 at least 8 years ago. The cup was an addition. It came with a plastic cup but they tend to get out of shape as the chemicals attack them so I replaced it with an all aluminum cup with an aluminum screw cap. A lot of them have plastic caps so the problem doesn't go away.

I bought a cheap HVLP gun with a 1.7 tip to spray the primer. The other gun has a 1.4 tip which is standard. It won't spray the thicker primer very well, if at all.

Was it worth it? Probably not but the bear ran by and I just had to poke it in the backside with the sharp stick I was holding, just to see if I could get away with it.

Will I do it on the next build? Yes just to use up what I have otherwise I'd rattle can it with good paint.

Back in a few days. I'm going to mount the sidecar and figure out a fender. I'll post some more photos then.
Tried the old brother on being the first to take a ride. Trouble is he still remembers the last time. That was more than 55 years ago. Guess he doesn't heal as fast as he did then.

Steve

Ah but those efforts paid off well - that's a great sheen on there FTW!

Wow.
That is a great look. You tend to be modest and self deprecating, but obviously know very well what you're doing. In my mind I can picture that high gloss chrome against the high gloss paint... the fantastic sidecar next to it. My friend, that is a thing of beauty you are creating.
SB

Side car album at Photobucket

Well the hot breath of success is on the back of my neck. Got the side car on the frame and put some photos on photo bucket. Have to get a 20 inch fender for it but I'll go up to the bike store tomorrow and see what they have.

I think that by the time I put the battery in the back I will have hit a pretty good balance with the sidecar so it's not heavy on one end.

Tomorrow I'll start sanding and buffing all the bumps and insects out of the paint and polishing it. Mabe by the end of the week it will be done. I may have to swap the spare front wheel I have to the back to get the right height to hook up the sidecar. Have to get in touch with Worksmans Canadian rep. tomorrow to try and get a wheel. Replacement springer chrome is coming from Crossbow.
The original was badly rusted though I may use it to put the bike together.

Steve.

Boy, does that look good! It must feel great to stand back and look at that knowing you made that from scratches on a piece of paper and an idea. I wish your shop teacher from back in the dark ages of your youth could see what that kid Steve made. You'd get an A+ and extra credit my friend. In fact, now you can teach the class. Keep those photos coming...
SB

Wow! Man that thing is beautiful!

Silver Bear, Thank you. Does feel funny to walk into the shop and it's not on the work bench.
What fun it has been to build this and now as I look at it on the frame it all seems real.

The most fun is to tell my brother the next one will be faster. Oh the look that comes over his face.

More photos as I get further along.

Steve.

Spicy McHaggis, so glad you like it. Started building it to see if I could do it and I need a sidecar to ride.
As usual,it got out of hand. 0.0

Steve.

BarelyAWake, as always thank you for putting the picture up for me once again. You are more than generous.

Steve.

Steve,
Sent a PM about a Worksman trike I found, did you get it? I believe you mentioned looking for one. There are several fasteddys now and I may have sent it to a clone by mistake.
SB