build no.2 the wifes beach trike

thegnu · Mar 23, 2012

Heres the start of the wifes beach trike , she has got the reins on me preety tight so I dont get carried away an build her some crazy low custom , any way the new front wheel arrived sturmey with drum brakes , an almost all of the trike conversion parts are here fenders an struts, rear brakes , taillamp turn sigs for the rear, axel adaptors . couldnt handle it any longer an had to build the front wheel an get it installed. cant wait for the motor an jack shaft an a crap load of other stuff to get here ! so we can go ridin !
Gary

rustycase · Mar 23, 2012

That's very shiney and clean, Gnu!

Glad to hear your wife is excited about her project.

Mine... NOT interested much.
Had trubble getting her to ride a bicycle for a few minutes today...
and she's always happy when she comes back!

Maybe I should try building a nice pretty one like you are???

rc

thegnu · Mar 24, 2012

RC she had told me as a child she loved to ride , an when the 2 of us have time we both love going to car shows / an bike shows . with this build SHE has the vision I have the skills . maybe on monday I will head over to valley steel an get some 16 gauge an start wheeling out her tank. where she also mentioned (that means do to me ) it should look like a fat boy harleys with dual fillers been a while since I wheeled something like that so the tanks gonna be my biggest challenge

rustycase · Mar 24, 2012

Sounds like great fun, Gnu!

lol... that's among my regrets... lol

Wish I would have bought one of the english wheel rigs from HF when they were cheep... and I still had munny! lol

I also wanted to buy their slip roll brake shear... it was a 36" and was abt $300.

Probably both the wheel and slip roll are everything we can expect of chinametal quality, but they would probably be useful for anyone on small scale projects... and quality domestic equivalents are way, way beyond my price range!

#1 almost bought the planishing hammer rig... He was wanting to build a suit of armor, for fun and profit. That would be a kick, wouldn't it? lol

I'd like to learn how to build a tank and fenders... noisy fun!
...and now I'm trying to figger how they fab the indian chief girder fork...

Best
rc

thegnu · Mar 29, 2012

I would love a brake , been wanting a slip roll but old hammer an dolly still work well for me , rolled out the sides of the wifes tanks tonight , dont think I did too bad at making mirror images gottem all tacked up, tomorrow weld em shut open holes for petcocks an filler necks fab some mounting tabs an hang em , tonight I just hung em up with masking tape to get a feel for their look .
I had an idea to surprise her I think I will build a simple dashboard from some oak to mount the speedo an stuff to keep her bars reeeeeeal clean looking .
Heres a few pics
Gary

rustycase · Mar 29, 2012

You did the compound curves with your wheel?
Wow!
That is beautiful!

I gotta learn about that!

I've done a very little bit with a hammer and sandbag, but never anything as pretty as what you have done!

Always something I gotta learn!

Tnx for posting the nice pics!
rc

RatRod_Douglas · Mar 30, 2012

i have the same exact bike but a flat black one and im actually going to convert mine in a 3 speed trike.. i love your tank thing can you make me one for me ill pay you ..

thegnu · Mar 30, 2012

RC yes I started the compound curves with the wheel an finished them with a old peice of a broken leafspring that I shaped up an made into a dolly that I can clamp into my bench vise the tighter corners I had to dog an bend around the ball end of a ballpeen hammer . in my shop if its usefull or could be made usefull I make it happen .
hey when you use that sand bag have you ever dampened the sand ? I do an ya get a better result .
Doug I got 8 hours in those tanks an would consider making another pair .
Gary

killercanuck · Mar 30, 2012

That's going to be one gorgeous trike. Love the tank(s)!

Better add "three wheels keeps the wife happy" to your siggy

thegnu · Mar 30, 2012

killercanuck said:
That's going to be one gorgeous trike. Love the tank(s)!

Better add "three wheels keeps the wife happy" to your siggy

lmao nah maybe add this to my sig " a happy wife equals a happy life "
I fitted them up today between customers an other assorted crap . heres pics sorry I dunno why their so dark .
Gary

fugit · Mar 31, 2012

Id like to order one of those gas tanks please

How Much! and when can you ship? =P

I am going to start on the same bike soon and gunna enjoy watching you build this one!

rustycase · Mar 31, 2012

Wet sandbag... I'm gonna try that!

I got a buncha flak just the other day when I started working on a little jewelry project... tapping away at my anvil, so I gave it up rather than upset someone...
I can't go bangin away at things except when everyone else leaves...
Yes. A happy woman is a good thing!

I am certain an un-happy one will make it known.
rc

Ibedayank · Mar 31, 2012

rustycase said:
Wet sandbag... I'm gonna try that!

I got a buncha flak just the other day when I started working on a little jewelry project... tapping away at my anvil, so I gave it up rather than upset someone...
I can't go bangin away at things except when everyone else leaves...
Yes. A happy woman is a good thing!

I am certain an un-happy one will make it known.
rc

just get a big power hammer...
last time there will be complaints on working with the anvil

thegnu · Apr 2, 2012

My motor arrived a few days ago , so sunday I opened it up for a look see an honestly I think I got it dirtier just by opeing the cases an cylinder jug, I was so surprised by the night an day difference from my first one to this one so I cleaned out 1 peice of blue lint most likely from my shirt , lightly oiled a few things an degreased the outside , wife wants it flat black like the harley motors with brushed cases.
Gary

DFlanagan · Apr 2, 2012

thegnu said:
I would love a brake , been wanting a slip roll but old hammer an dolly still work well for me , rolled out the sides of the wifes tanks tonight , dont think I did too bad at making mirror images gottem all tacked up, tomorrow weld em shut open holes for petcocks an filler necks fab some mounting tabs an hang em , tonight I just hung em up with masking tape to get a feel for their look .
I had an idea to surprise her I think I will build a simple dashboard from some oak to mount the speedo an stuff to keep her bars reeeeeeal clean looking .
Heres a few pics
Gary

Nice work on that tank.

KCvale · Apr 2, 2012

Beautiful work thegnu, and ya, a happy wife makes for a happy life ;-}

thegnu · Apr 2, 2012

Mounted the motor tonight after about 2 hours of figuring out the right angles an how the mounts should look , still got 1 more idea for them.
I was thinkin bout trimming the cooling fins around the rear pair of head bolts an making a bolt in top mount similar to the ones on my old triumph ,it just seems to me the more firmly your motor is mounted you get fewer crazy vibes , only thing that concerns me even a bit is possibly creating a huge hot spot on the top of the head an what that could do to the motor . any opinions guys?
Gary

silverbear · Apr 2, 2012

Very nice tank, Gary. I think it's pretty cool that your wife has an interest and you're going to have a riding buddy. Looking forward to the rear end makeover.
SB

thegnu · Apr 3, 2012

Well fitted up the rear tonight , didnt bother to hang the fenders an onther assorted stuff , but made darn sure the 3 spd rear fit before I welded it in place , also measured it out like we do for cars that rear is only 2 mm out of perfect square .
I also scrapped the dash after 3 failed attempts , next time I build a tank with the dash planned in first , not as an after thought. tomorrow I modify the stock chaingaurd an maybe take a day off the fab work an go home early.
Gary
almost forgot to ask any one know where I could find hub caps for the rear ?

thegnu · Apr 4, 2012

2 things left to do fit up the rear brakes an fab mount brackets, an build the exhaust after that paint an build. then all the gingerbread stuff I plan on making toung an groove bed with stake sides , oh an I found hub caps in a hardware store you will have to see them when done . I also managed to get the stock chaingaurd to fit without big changes .

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