Indian Tadpole

[fasteddy]

Hi Tom,

Thank you. Didn't get them installed today. The paint was still soft so I'll get them on the bike tomorrow and shorten up the chains some more. I thought I had it aced but evidently not.

No wine before it's time. We have a fine red wine here sold by the gallon. Comes with a seat belt so when the first jolt hits you don't leap out of your chair and do something foolish.

Steve.

 

[fasteddy]

Have one side done. Spent time trying to see if I could make the clutch cable better but just spent a lot of time and received nothing for it. I did get a cable adjuster installed so the clutch cable had a place to end up. It was just floating around on the cable stop and didn't look finished.

I'll get the other adjuster on tomorrow and then get the tensioner back on the drive chain. I may need to get one for the pedal chain as well. As Rick said no half links so if I can't get the slack out of the chain I'll get a second tensioner.

Once this is done I'll push it outside and see how it runs. The throttle still needs a return spring added but that should go quickly.

Steve.

 

[indian22]

Hi Rick,

No neighbours were harmed in the making of the adjusters. I do have a habit of talking to myself however which gives my brother great delight in pointing that out. All I can say is that there are times when I feel a need to consult with an expert.

This build has been in a state of constant evolution since I started building it and now it's time for the pay up for not staying with the original plan. Also evident things become even more evident as I go along.

You are a brave man taking on someone else's build. I can only imagine what your finding and the nightmare levels. In all my years of antique furniture restoration the one thing that scared me was getting something come into the shop where the owner had the job halfway done. They would get a little touchy when I explained that the job wouldn't be any cheaper since I had to go back to the start so I knew what was done and correct the damage they had done.

I'll paint them up and install them tomorrow and once I have the chains set up properly that should be it.

Steve.

I like the adjusters & how you designed around the drop plate issue. Rear stands are tried and true, but I've avoided their use to this point in an attempt to keep the axle plates free of extras, but the well designed stands are absolutely wonderful especially for roadside wheel removal both front and rear. Stationary startups as you are well aware of are another reason for the rear stand and they are after all vintage!

Steve, O.P.'s redo's are the pits and I doubt I'll do another. Stupid rather than brave would be my summation. Literally every bike frame component was replaced, but the little CG motor still runs & starts great just needed clutch reworked. New wheels tires, chains, bearings (head & bottom bracket) & converted from rag to sprocket hub adapter etc. too many side details to mention. I'll be glad to see it gone, but it's finished....

I'll ditto the video of the Tadpole's maiden voyage & lots of photos of smilin' Steve at the helm, captain of his destiny!

Rick C.

 

[Tom from Rubicon]

Steve, until you ramp the difference between your shop floor and driveway. .The last time your 77 yr. old carcass made that transition you were in a world of hurt.
Non of are kids any more.
Another day at work today on my feet building weld fixtures for John Deere. I can look at a project and complete not much.
Tom from Rubicon

 

[fasteddy]

Hi Rick,

Thank you. I was pleased with the adjusters too. The rear stand is just for the starting ability. With the three wheels the stand isn't necessary other than for that. I'll be using a drill to start it since my pedaling days have long gone by.

I'm still holding out for brave. The problem is so many of us only have to hear someone talking about a problem they are having and we are making a mental note of the tools we'll need to do the repairs. I feel that's good thing but like you say perhaps not a smart thing but that's the way we're wired.

When my son rode his motorcycle down to Brazil he stopped and helped everyone who was broken down. On the other hand he was met with nothing but kindness and generosity in every country he visited. A good person attracts good people as I always told him.

I will get video of the maiden voyage for sure and you can bet I'll be smiling all the way.

Steve.

 

[fasteddy]

Hi Tom,

I was looking around the shop for something earlier this week and moved the 2'x4' 3/4" piece of plywood that was sitting a foot away from the garage door. I felt like an idiot. The solution to the problem was an arms length away at the farthest.

I'm just not ready for this old age thing.

Steve.

 

[indian22]

Steve I'm looking at eight bikes that run and ride just fine yet I don't consider any of them as truly completed. I always see something that's not quite to my liking, but I ride them and tinker on each as I use them and continue to take satisfaction from the small changes....perfection is a quest not a destination.

I think the drill starter a wonderful solution & perhaps an elegant tool storage box that can house it and a few assorted necessities for the road, also a wicker picnic basket for those Sunday lunches in the park. Period accessories can be added for years after any so called completion of the car itself. The fun is just different when it hits the road.

Tom is absolutely point on about age related strain; and thought that leads to effective action is time well spent. I however am going through a period where my thinking is quite distracting and the results are two "completed" e-bikes and a re-build bike for someone else. The sidecar for the Simplex just keeps getting kicked down the road....and still I'm planning a couple more bikes. It's all a bit frustrating at times but still fun!

Rick C.

 

[indian22]

Owner picked up his bike & was quite pleased which was really quite rewarding, but I'm not wishing for any additional bike jobs to come my way. I need a "not for hire" &" not for sale" sign out front and learn how to say no as well! Leasing for promotional work however is pretty sweet, once the bikes are safely back home.

A couple of movies have been filmed in my home town, neither works of art but the last one, "The killer inside me" starred Jessica Alba, Kate Hudson and Casey Affleck and the film crew leased local fifties and early sixties cars and trucks and my old F-1 Ford was one used along with two post war Chevy sedan's I owned. I tried out as an extra but they said Mr. Affleck didn't want anyone so pretty to steal his thunder or his leading ladies, lol....

Rick C.

 

[fasteddy]

I have been away for a while. Didn't realize it was that long and in that that amount of time not much happened.

Art stopped by for a few days. Gouty arthritis isn't something I would wish on anyone other than you would be amazed like I was at how much your foot can swell and not explode but hurt like it had.

Much of the time after that was over was spent on camper repairs getting ready for the trip to bike camp. Did seem to find the parasitic drain on the battery. Don't know what I did but it seems to be gone. Hopefully for good.

Spent a fair amount of time on the tri car. Went over what I had done and smartened some of it up both visually and functionally. Put locktite on everything I was sure was ready. Worked on the pedal chain trying to get it to a decent length so it wasn't hanging down to badly. Didn't work so then I changed the pedal sprocket out to a standard bicycle sprocket and bought chain for it and now it's looking good.
The drive side has a nice chain tensioner.

I had a twenty six tooth sprocket on the pedal crank and a twenty two tooth sprocket on the rear wheel. Even turning it over by hand was hard. With the larger sprocket on the crank the pedalling is easier. At least easier for someone else cause Fast Eddy don't pedal any more, no matter what.

He discovered battery operated drills and sockets.

I mounted a standard bicycle sprocket to the sprocket mount that came with the Sportsman Flyer crank assembly. Put a piece of 3/4" rod in the middle of the sprocket and slid the original sprocket on top of it and drilled the three mounting holes.

To add to the joy my old computer gave up. It was nine years old and had never given me any trouble. I had backed everything up but the photos stopped at 2014. I don't want to add any more until I can get that figured out.

Bought another Hewlett Packard lap top. Asked my computer wizard nephew to pick one out for me. He does have excellent taste. This one was only $810 Canadian.

I'll push it outside Monday and drop some gas in through the spark plug hole and see what we have. Then I'll fill the glass filter bowl and give it a longer run.

A report will follow.

Steve.

 

[Tom from Rubicon]

Hi Steve, health troubles are a bugger I would not wish on anyone.
A fellow Boston Whaler boater who uses one of my great Norway pines finally came today to retrieve his. boat.
Do you have a rendezvous date with Silver Bear?
Can't say at this time if I could be there. But that said, It would be a pleasure to make acquaintance with you and Silver Bear. We have relations just South of Superior,WI.
Tom from Rubicon

 

[fasteddy]

Hi Tom,

I have never in my life met someone I would wish gout on. I'd heard how bad it was but nothing prepared me for the moment.

I'm thinking that Silverbear and I will meet up in early August. They are still getting their new to them house into their house. Both Sue and Walt have family in the area in the summer so I figure that August would be a good time to build bikes and hope the summer rush has started to slow down.

Very much looking forward to seeing you. If we can't get something put together I'll slip down your way on the trip home.

Steve.

 

[Tom from Rubicon]

A visit from you Steve would be very welcome and I hope it works out that way.
Tom from Rubicon

 

[fasteddy]

Best laid plans didn't work again. The bicycle chain on the pedal side had a lot of slack in it as well. I did find a couple of chain support rollers in the odds and ends boxes. Probably a product of shipping from Asia. Buy 3 or 4 in case you need more than one and wait.

I'm just going to loop the chain under and over the rollers to take up the slack. It is just the pedal chain so no heavy use. More to activate the brake and be legal because it can be pedalled by some enthusiastic soul but not me.

Now on the fourth incarnation of what started out as a brilliant plan. Well all I can say is it was a dandy plan on paper.

Steve

 

[fasteddy]

Tom,

If you can get up to Ely to meet us that would be great. If not I will do my best to stop down to your place. Three older fella's sitting around a garage talking appeals to me. Three old fellas sitting around a garage reminiscing about when they were three young lads sitting around a garage is mandatory and darned hard to prevent.

Silverbear is going to see if we can use the garage to work in. Sue parks her car in it usually. Looks like just to keep things normal, the Hiawatha tri car is going back up on the trailer we usually use for builds. Working at chair height is kind of a must.

I did suggest that an engine hoist and suitable harness would be a good idea in case one of us has to lie down to do something since neither one of us has the strength to lift the other one up or ourselves. In case we both have to get down that low a call to Sue on the cell phone for assistance would be required given the cost of calling the local ambulance crew for assistance.
Silverbear is looking into it.

Certainly looking forward to the summer fun and meeting up with you..

Steve.

 

[Tom from Rubicon]

Steve, your harness and engine hoist idea about made me fall off my chair laughing.
A rendezvous how ever it happens sounds great.
I will have to talk to SWMBO and get her opinion.
We have shirt tail relatives South of Duluth we haven't seen for some time. Hmmm.
Tom from Rubicon

 

[fasteddy]

Plenty of time to make arrangements. We'll see how it goes indeed.

Steve.

 

[fasteddy]

The pedal chain tensioner is about done. Wee bit of welding tomorrow and a trip into the sand blaster and painting and it's done. Then maybe outside the day after to see how it runs.

Steve.

 

[indian22]

Life's too short to screw around with chains, at any age, especially ours, both side tensioners eliminate constant, ongoing fiddling with the nasty critters!

Steve I'm glad your feeling better and sound as though adventures are in store later this summer for all involved!

Rick C.

 

[fasteddy]

Feeling better than I have for a while Rick. Just going down to the garage to put the tensioner together and install it. Turned out well and it will get rid of messing with a necessary evil.

Looking forward to the summers adventures. Can't wait to see the Hiawatha tri car together at long last. That voyage has gone on as long as the Indian tri car has.

How are things on your end?

Steve.

 

[indian22]

Feeling better than I have for a while Rick. Just going down to the garage to put the tensioner together and install it. Turned out well and it will get rid of messing with a necessary evil.

Looking forward to the summers adventures. Can't wait to see the Hiawatha tri car together at long last. That voyage has gone on as long as the Indian tri car has.

How are things on your end?

Steve.

Health is good, weather starting to dry out a bit and I'm thinking progress will be made.

I keep bouncing between bikes on various projects, the 2 new electrics and also put a front electric hub on one of my 2 stroke bikes to make a three way powered, both wheel drive...waiting on lithium pack. Two of my 2 strokes decided not to start on the same day, so there's that, but know it's an electrical problem of some sort.

So the Simplex sidecar keeps getting pushed back, but I'm still having fun and riding every day.

I'm really excited to think you'll be firing her up soon...been a cool journey though. I'll bet Silver bear is feeling like a proud papa right now.

Rick C.