Indian Tadpole

[fasteddy]

The Colonels wife told the story about when he was attached to an American embassy during the cold war. Eastern European country that I've forgotten now but he wasn't allowed to travel any more than 7 miles from the embassy. There was a map with a circle drawn around the embassy and he couldn't travel on any streets past the circle but he did make use of what he had.

They were driving on a street and he stopped the car and they got out. He took out a note book and a pen and asked her to walk into a field and write down what a small sign said. When she got back to the car he looked at what she had written and said, I thought it was a mine field.

Steve.

 

[Ralph hop]

The only mine fields I trek are the ones from the neighbors dogs..

 

[Ludwig II]

A lighter note.

A story about journalist in the old days in Poland, accompanied everywhere by an "interpreter". He became tired of the window dressing and smell of fresh paint everywhere he went, so he decided to use an old journo trick to find out the real truth of what life was like.

Took the young "interpreter" to a bar, and poured vodka down his neck until he relaxed. Then, quietly, he asked what did the ordinary Poles really think of Stalin? The man went absolutely milk white and the bar went silent as the grave! "Interpreter" grabs him by the arm, drags him out to the official car and driver, gives orders to drive. They sat in silence until they were out of town and the car stopped by a field. They got out, walked half a mile across the fields, not a soul around. "Interpreter" says, "Ask me that question again." He did, what do the ordinary Poles think of Stalin?

"Well, personally, I quite like him."

 

[fasteddy]

Saw this on face book. One comment said it was a Mark 3 People Mincer

Steve.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...Mgvzgt8FKR-rm8reGbjJpi7OZApv-4zxaT8ZixKj7dDQO

 

[fasteddy]

I've been doing really well on our local Craigslist. I just sold my homing pigeon...............again.

 

[Tom from Rubicon]

 

[fasteddy]

Finally have the lever to hold the clutch lever open when I start the bike. Just used a strip of 16 gauge steel and cut a slot from the top down to the middle of the strip and bent the top section over in the vise to form the thumb rest part of the lever.

Drilled a hole in top of the front half so the handle would pivot then rounded the thumb rest part of the lever and shaped the rest of it with the 1" table top belt vertical sander. Drilled two holes in the clutch lever it self. One for the lock out lever to rest on to hold the clutch open and the other one as a pivot point for the lever.

Got a little loose with the belt sander and had to spot weld a piece on the end of the lever and reshape it so it held the clutch open. As my shop auto teacher would have said," Wonderful, now you've gotten yourself into it, you get to devise a plan how to get out." I tell myself that every time there is a foul up.

January was a splendid month. There was one day it didn't rain in the complete month though some days did have a few hours of sunshine before or after the rain. From mid February on we should get more sunny days. Today it was sunny and 50F and I spent it cleaning up the work bench so I could move it outside with the tri car on it.

The gas filter needs to be moved up two or three inches so it's above the carb some more and before I take it off the work bench I need to figure out a carb filter. It's a snow blower motor and never had an air filter.

I have a few photos of what I did and tomorrow I'll paint it and reinstall it and finish up the clean up and wait for a sunny day to test it all.

Steve.

 

[indian22]

Check it off Steve! Closer still!

Rick C.

 

[fasteddy]

Closer still indeed, Rick. I plan to have everything done this weekend ready to try it out when the weather clears again.

Want to get going on the electric tri car. It will be legal here with the electric motor. I'm thinking that the faux motor will be a single cylinder for simplicity.
The tri car cured me of trying to copy another bike that has been built.

A trip to our local metal merchant as soon as the weather improves a little or I get restless and need to get at it.

Steve.

 

[Tom from Rubicon]

Well it's mid February, Cardinals will soon call out their territories and your clutch lever lock looks fine Steve.

Days getting longer is good too! I imagine January gave you a fine case of cabin fever Steve. Precip. here in SE Wisconsin has been light until these last three weeks.
Tom

 

[indian22]

Single cylinder would be killer on a tri-car early Indian seat post single comes to my mind in a V frame or any number of singles in a loop frame of course you might get inspiration from the European marques. Just have fun with it and mix and match to suit your fancy.

Rick C.

 

[fasteddy]

Tom, this part of the world is not the place to be if you suffer from Seasonally Affected Syndrome. Dark, wet and dreary don't do it full justice but on the other hand the crocus are coming up nicely and the snow drops are in bloom and the early camellia bush is full of soon to be blossoms.
Trees are starting to bud as well.

Almost 46F and yes the cabin fever is there. Between a week before Christmas until February 5th I didn't use the van once. Did do a whole lot of planning for the electric tri car and worked around the Indian tri car and made up a couple of models for side cars bodies out of paper. May make one just to make a sidecar. Need a front chair for the electric tri car as well.

Forecast says some sunny days coming with cold nights so we pay for them. We'll see who's correct. Weather forecasters or Mother Nature.

Looked at Facebook and this temptation showed up. Perhaps the electric tri car needs a little changing around. I like the starter crank

Steve.

https://scontent.fyvr2-1.fna.fbcdn....=2e893ae2a62bd532dfb13da33b785349&oe=5EBCFA58

 

[fasteddy]

I thought of another Indian tri car Rick with a faux motor for the electric motor to sit in. I do happen to have a couple of spare gas tanks and I know where I can get more of them.

Frame isn't right for it though since it's a 1950's Monark. As you suggested perhaps something with European styling. So many possibilities and so little time. Did see a tri car with a side car body on the front of it while I was travelling around the net. Talk about butt sore ugly. I didn't save it because once seen was more than enough.

Steve.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url...ved=0CAIQjRxqFwoTCKDPytHp1OcCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAD

 

[Tom from Rubicon]

Tom, this part of the world is not the place to be if you suffer from Seasonally Affected Syndrome. Dark, wet and dreary don't do it full justice but on the other hand the crocus are coming up nicely and the snow drops are in bloom and the early camellia bush is full of soon to be blossoms.
Trees are starting to bud as well.

Almost 46F and yes the cabin fever is there. Between a week before Christmas until February 5th I didn't use the van once. Did do a whole lot of planning for the electric tri car and worked around the Indian tri car and made up a couple of models for side cars bodies out of paper. May make one just to make a sidecar. Need a front chair for the electric tri car as well.

Forecast says some sunny days coming with cold nights so we pay for them. We'll see who's correct. Weather forecasters or Mother Nature.

Looked at Facebook and this temptation showed up. Perhaps the electric tri car needs a little changing around. I like the starter crank

Steve.

https://scontent.fyvr2-1.fna.fbcdn....=2e893ae2a62bd532dfb13da33b785349&oe=5EBCFA58

How did you find this link Steve? It kinda looks like a Taylar build but....
Tom

 

[indian22]

Steve two things I'll start with this. What the h#@& were they thinking side car, box car, cycle thing? Second is that's a lovely cargo tri-car. With two cents thrown in I'd think one chair build is perfect with a cargo style electric for the second and yes the fuel tanks are a great addition. I know your staying away from a replica this time around so mix and match to hearts content!

The cargo box is such a natural for batteries and controller etc. concealment...keeps things looking vintage. The tri-car weight just cries out for many amp hours of power. Voltage not so much I'd think 48v. plenty of speed with 60 amp current to power it.

You know I started all this electric stuff to learn how to reverse my sidecar/Simplex rig...yet to be completed though not forgotten lol.

Rick C.

 

[fasteddy]

Tom, here is a link to the maker. I'll look for the link where I saw the photo I posted.

Steve.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...minneapolis/&usg=AOvVaw3HMkPCk1LuOCnIXSO0qJBn

 

[fasteddy]

Tom,

I found a bunch of photos of it. Apparently it sold at auction as part of the Otis Chandler Collection for $137,000. It's a 1911 Minneapolis Model N Tri Car. You better off to google it I think so you can see all information available.

It's the only one known to still exist.

Steve.

 

[indian22]

Tom,

I found a bunch of photos of it. Apparently it sold at auction as part of the Otis Chandler Collection for $137,000. It's a 1911 Minneapolis Model N Tri Car. You better off to google it I think so you can see all information available.

It's the only one known to still exist.

Steve.

Great read Steve!

Rick C.

 

[fasteddy]

Steve two things I'll start with this. What the h#@& were they thinking side car, box car, cycle thing? Second is that's a lovely cargo tri-car. With two cents thrown in I'd think one chair build is perfect with a cargo style electric for the second and yes the fuel tanks are a great addition. I know your staying away from a replica this time around so mix and match to hearts content!

The cargo box is such a natural for batteries and controller etc. concealment...keeps things looking vintage. The tri-car weight just cries out for many amp hours of power. Voltage not so much I'd think 48v. plenty of speed with 60 amp current to power it.

You know I started all this electric stuff to learn how to reverse my sidecar/Simplex rig...yet to be completed though not forgotten lol.

Rick C.

Electric bikes, Rick. You started down the slippery slope and your picking up speed as you go. All we can do is hope there is a soft 72v volt landing at the end.

I'm thinking 52v. Squeeze a little more out of the motor. I have the Sick Bike parts motor sitting on the shelf from at least 5 years ago.

Your absolutely correct about the delivery tri car being next. Indian called it a Delivery Van. Mr. B posted some wonderful photos of one he saw at the Black Hawk gathering a couple of years ago. I have them filed away of course. It was based on a Camel Back Indian.

A delivery van it is. I have the tri car and the 1953 Monark with a side car that is in the side car thread here on the forum. The Minneapolis will make an interesting base to build on. Won't require springs being built for the box although it's a possibility. I still have the form that I used for the tri car seat springs.

I have to go down to the garage and put the bike and front end together so I can measure to make sure it will work but I'm certain it will. I'll have a sheet metal shop bend up the panels for the box to speed things up.

The brass rails on top look a whole lot like brass bar rail parts. The fenders will require the purchase of a bead roller. Just another sacrifice to authenticity and the tool collection. Probably a good thing I've been looking to see how to add an electric motor to them recently.

But first the Indian tri car has to be finished. Better weather and a new build should be a motivator. As an old boss of mine always said when he saw someone sitting down,"Don't let that seat get your job." For what they pay around here the seat can have my job.

Steve.

 

[fasteddy]

Here's one of the photos Mr. B posted of the Indian Quick Delivery Van. It was 2016 when he posted them.

Steve.

http://i.imgur.com/8NtEIee.jpg