Indian Tadpole

[fasteddy]

Here are the photos. Took some photos of the seat before we put it in the trailer to make room and the motor I put in the frame with zip ties to try and figure out a way to make a false crankcase and a motor mount. No closer with that but at least I was able to get pictures of it.

I'll be working on the seat tomorrow and if there is a lot of progress I'll post some pictures but I would imagine there will be a lot of head scratching and Googling going on to see how it's done again. I haven't done a seat like that in 40 years and only then because there was a young lady involved.

There are captions under some of the photos if you scroll down far enough

Steve.

 

[silverbear]

Steve,
The seat looks terrific even without the upholstery. You're a real artisan. Wow.

The engine looks real good and fits into the frame very nicely. Wouldn't it have been great if the factory mounts had been on the opposite side of the engine! Nothing is ever simple, is it? I just did some creative staring at the photos and no light bulb went off in me head. Give it time and you'll come up with something good.

I forgot how you will start that engine. Something to do with the pedal crank? Even trimmed down, that's one chunk of motor. Rick did a nice job on it for sure.
SB

 

[fasteddy]

Thanks Silverbear. Glad you like it. Looking at it today I'm happier with it. When it's stuck in your face for weeks on end the enthusiasm wanes I find only to pick up again when you haven't seen it for a short period.

Spent a large part of last night looking for the best way to tackle the upholstery when it's curved. Seems that the only thing done with a button tuck are head boards. Not just a few head boards mind you but enough head boards to supply North America with at least 3 in every house.
The worst part is that every head board button tucker has felt a need to repeat the same video on YouTube to vividly and carefully explain the same things that all the other tuckers told you.
They have left me no choice but to tuck off in a new direction.

I was looking at the engine photos this morning myself. I see a slight chance of getting everything lined up using the original mount but that won't happen until the seat is done. I'm tuckered just thinking about it.

Rick is diligently working on a design for the clutch but it is fighting him every step of the way. What else is new? If it doesn't work it will be the old favorite. A leather strap wrapped around the flywheel and pulled upwards vigorously with the proper amount of muttered incantation about the motors expected lifespan in the scrap yard if it dares not to start.
I have found that taping a business card from Big Bob's Scrap Car Retrieval and Aluminum Can Depot complete with a photo of Big Bob himself usually cause's the most stubborn engine to start willingly. It's also effective getting teenagers out of bed when they are shown it and given the careful explanation that this will be their place of employment if they don't remove themselves from the cocoon. They never seem to ask if your kidding. Big Bob has that effect on people.

Off to plot and plan. If I don't report in, in a couple of days you'll find Big Bob and I fishing down by the bridge on Rte 10. He hates to see a good day wasted too.

Steve.

 

["the prussian" Shop Dogs]

Kirk ... Im guessing that you didnt get my pm thru the forum?! This is the second time i tried to send pm to people from my phone and they dont go thru...! Anyway sorry to have missed you guys . Ill post the whole story on olds thread asap .

Steve and silver ,my roommates uncle works for harley and on the trip john expressed an intrest in going to museum aswell. So ill try and set up a visit for a group and if were lucky maybe a factory tour ?
So glad to hear the tricar is comeing together ,i cant wait to see this baby someday ...

 

[fasteddy]

Hope you guys had a great time. Maybe it will come together next year. A chance to visit the Harley Museum! That's tall bragging rights in my area. Add a tour and I'm stopping people on the street to tell them about it.

The upholstery is coming along well. I'm shaping the seat board that the bottom cushion is going onto and then I'll tack the backer board to it so it takes the curved shape of the seat. My thinking is that if it's upholstered flat and then put into the seat it will pucker up as it's bent so it's got to be upholstered bent around the seat board. Guess time will tell if I'm correct.

I'll get photos on the thread tonight. May not be much to see but at least you'll have an idea what I'm trying to do.

Steve.

 

[Mr.B.]

Kirk ... Im guessing that you didnt get my pm thru the forum?! This is the second time i tried to send pm to people from my phone and they dont go thru...! Anyway sorry to have missed you guys . Ill post the whole story on olds thread asap .

Dang, no PM’s here, what a shame.

Let’s definitely try it again next year. I like to doodle, if you give me enough up front time I’ll make a little E-Poster!

Steve,

The seat frame looks great painted up, Thanks for the pics!

I’ve never cheated a peak at a Christmas present, but I may of overly handled the packages on occasion... “-)

-Kirk

 

[RicksRides]

Oh no not Big Bob!

Steve the jacobsen looks good in there. I modifed another clutch with bigger pins and will try to test it this weekend. I managed to fall off a ladder ( real rookie move) and my knee is wrapped up at the moment.

As far as starting the engine by hand. Close the choke and pull the strap slowly to load the carb with fuel then open choke and give her a descent yank and she'll fire right up. However We'll get you pedal starting it.

You might look at making a short curved intake manifold and using an old Bing carb

I was looking at your pictures. I would mount it from the top bar to the head bolts and from the bottom tube up to the front mount bolts.

Im patiently waiting to see the machine assembled. Its possible youl have the coolest sno blower in the neighborhood
Rick

 

[fasteddy]

Mr.B,
Thank you. Overly handled a few. Never heard it put better.

My mother was great for locking the hall closet about the middle of November. If they needed anything in there, there was great looking left and right before they darted in and got it. Years later we found out that every thing Christmas was in my parents closet in their bedroom and in plain sight but we fixated on the hall closet and speculated what was in there.

Steve.

 

[fasteddy]

Hi Rick,

Hope your OK after your fall. My brother is the household champ here for ladder falling and it doesn't take far to get hurt badly.

Ya Big Bob himself. We were down at the Wander Inn for happy hour today and he said that he's putting the good blankets on sale this weekend. Not the cheap ones that he keeps up front for the tourists but the better ones that he keeps down back. One of the ladies said the the Goodwill has some nice cushions in, so if this upholstery thing goes bad we're covered for comfort.

I'm certain that it will be a pedal start. That's why I asked if you would mind handling that part. I know my strengths and that kind of thing isn't one of them.

Any model of Bing or any application? I think the original carb will be fine but nice to have a back up just in case it doesn't.

I looked at the way you had mounted the other Jacobson and was going to work off your idea for a mounting. I may work some sort of fake crank case to fill it in. First it has to be mounted though.

Neighbour across the street is going nuts trying to figure out just what I'm building. He saw the Monark and side car as well as the trike when I put together before it was put away. He slows down to see whats going on as he drives by.

Won't be long now and it will be on the road.

Steve.

 

[fasteddy]

Well I was correct. That didn't take long to go bad at all. Seem that I spent entirely to much time worrying about laying out the buttons and not enough time attending to the details. If I had, I would have noticed that if you take 3" off both sides and the back you have enough space left over for a 4 year old child and then they would have to be under weight.

I needed 1" or at best 1-1/2" foam, NOT 3". I stuffed that slab of foam in there just as pleased as punch that every thing was working and then realized what I'd done. Sat there for a while trying to figure a way that this was my brothers fault but nothing came up.

Here are a few photos of where it sits. No photos of the foam stuffed in to it because some things are just to embarrassing to be shown. Plan B is in the works though.

The holes in the board are where the thread for the buttons pull through.

Steve.

 

[RicksRides]

Hi Rick,



Any model of Bing or any application? I think the original carb will be fine but nice to have a back up just in case it doesn't.



Steve.

If I remember correctly some of the older scooters and small dirt bikes used bings I just menetioned them cause they would look a little more correct

 

[fasteddy]

Put the upholstery aside for a while. All ready to put on but I now have to have some buttons covered with the material I'm using. Hard to find buttons that I can cover by hand so I'll have an upholstery shop use their machine to cover some.

I have been working on the motor mounts the last couple of days. This is what I came up with. They're not welded in as yet. Thought about cutting a slot in the fins at the rear of the motor and moving the motor back against the seat post.
Not sure how that would affect the cooling though.

Going to make a faux crank case. Just looks nicer I think. Added a piece of tin to get an idea how that would work.

Steve.

 

[Mr.B.]

It gets better and better...

-Kirk

 

[RicksRides]

will the carb clear the front mount?
Looking good, Rick

 

[silverbear]

Well, you figured that out. It does look close for the carb. Are you going to give it some kind of air filter?

I wouldn't worry about carving out the fins to get the engine right up against the seat post. It already suggests very strongly the position of the original Indian engine. Good enough, I'd say.

And good thinking on the upholstery shop. Let them do it and spare your arthritic hands the trouble. I remember trying to cover buttons with elk hide and finally gave up... too thick.

It is so good to see that engine sitting there... great progress, my friend!
SB

 

[fasteddy]

Thanks Mr.B,

Getting there. This week will make a lot of difference I hope.

Steve.

 

[fasteddy]

Hi Rick,
Yes the carb fits fine thanks. Just looks tight in the photo. I put it on and measured everything up and then took it off so it didn't get damaged. Everything can be reached easily even with my sausage fingers.
I'll get a shot of in there tomorrow night.

Steve.

 

[fasteddy]

Hey Silverbear,

Fin trimming didn't sound like such a stroke of genius the next morning so I let it go. This is a suggestion of an Indian Tricar, not the fact that it is.

Yes, the buttons are best left to the pros. There is a reason they use machines to cover the buttons.

Hope to have the crank case made by tomorrow night. I'll hide an air filter in it as well with the vent out the bottom so it can't be seen. Not to sure just what I'm going to use yet.

Steve.

 

[RicksRides]

Hey Silverbear,



I'll hide an air filter in it as well with the vent out the bottom so it can't be seen. Not to sure just what I'm going to use yet.

Steve.

May I suggest a piece of copper brillo pad, since it cant be seen and works great and its cleanable
Rick

 

[fasteddy]

Hi Rick,
Copper Brillo pad it is. Just checked the kitchen Draw and we're covered. Have to make a holder this weekend for it.

Steve.