Pay dearly and wait forever, eh? Thanks for asking about my tri-car. With winter coming soon to my part of the world, the tri-car has been put away until summer. I have a couple of little things I can do for it over the winter, but nothing much. I'll re-work the inside of the headlights to make them LED to run on 6 volts (what the original engine put out from the lighting coil in the magneto) and I'm in the middle of working out an air horn setup for the tri-car. On ebay I found a matching pair of early 1900's brass horns from an Austin Motor Car made in Wisconsin, USA. One didn't work and both were missing the squeeze bulbs, so they were a steal for the pair at less than $20.00 with shipping. I am going to use a small air tank to power them, having tested the idea today with my air compressor... an impressive sound, indeed! Not like a locomotive, but more like an early putt putt auto and just right for the tri-car. The brass is shining up nicely and it gives the old bear something to do in the evenings.
I have moved another bike indoors so that I can give some attention to it through the winter. It is a 1934 Elgin with a Villiars midget engine. Just yesterday I made up a hand crank starter for it which has worked out very well. I have lots of small and time consuming things to do to the build before it is roadworthy. It was begun three years ago and keeps getting put on the back burner so it is time to give the old girl some attention. It is my first experience with an SBP shift kit going to a Sturmey Archer internal hub. Getting excited about working on it again and have a few surprises along the way. No doubt it will get an air horn, too, and it is also getting a copper gas tank and copper head light. A long winter is coming, so it is best to have projects to pick from to pass the days more quickly.
Fasteddy is working on a couple of things in Vancouver for my tri-car and is making up the rear frame portion for a delta trike which also has a Villiars midget engine, this one with a foot start. Lots to look forward to next summer.
I love the old stuff and tinkering with it. Be patient with your Panther... it will be worth it!
SB
