I have been thinking about building a motorized trike out of a Schwinn Meridian or similar trike. I like the idea of being able to carry a half shopping cart load full of groceries home and the thought of rear mounting a 4-cycle engine so pedal crank clearance wouldn't be an issue. So, I decided to put an ad in the local paper offering up to $75 for any condition. The reason being that these are hard to find and the people that own them probably aren't young enough to want to use a computer to look at craigslist. My theory was correct. I got a couple of calls within hours of the paper delivery. The best one is an old steel frame Schwinn Meridian with the blue paint and the wire basket in back. The problem is one of the back wheels is bent beyond repair. I guess the guy bumped into it pretty good with the snow blower. However, the frame is supposedly in good condition.
So I guess my question is: where would I find a replacement rear wheel for this and is cost of repairing this old trike worth it compared to $250 to the new aluminum frame ones, granted I can't weld aluminum. If I need to make motor mounts it would be nice to have the option to weld them to the frame.
Finally, what do you think is a decent price for a trike in this age and condition?
So I guess my question is: where would I find a replacement rear wheel for this and is cost of repairing this old trike worth it compared to $250 to the new aluminum frame ones, granted I can't weld aluminum. If I need to make motor mounts it would be nice to have the option to weld them to the frame.
Finally, what do you think is a decent price for a trike in this age and condition?
