Indian Tadpole

[Tom from Rubicon]

Thanks FOG, looks like a good read during self isolation.
Notified personnel today, waiting for doctors authorization as per Federal guidelines. Me? I'm going States Rights for once.
Tom

 

[Ralph hop]

I have heard some hypotheses that state these plagues occur during strong solar events, being solar flares, winds, disruptions in the upper magnetic layer protective field of the atmosphere, ect. The hypothesis says that these events are more of a radiation sickness because of the fact that even back during the Spanish flu some scientists injected study recipients with the live contagion and couldn't infect others who were healthy with the live germ.

 

[FOG]

I'm no viral infection expert, but from what I read in that book viruses are, excuse my language, some scary ****! The spikes you see on the virus are important in that they mechanically fit and attach to a human lung cell. Like velcro. It takes a day or two but once it penetrates the cell's wall it's on. The cell is doomed.

It immediately replicates in enormous numbers but because it's fairly low form of life only about 10% will be exact copies that will velcro on to another human lung cell. That's enough to be a problem, but it's the other 90% that gets scary. It's a mutant swarm that can morph into who knows what? That's how it jumps species. It can get more lethal. Or not.

In the 1918-19 flu the 3 waves were probably variations in lethality. Mother Nature does provide a check on this. If a virus ever became 100% lethal there'd be nothing left to infect! That's not much help.

There were weaker echoes as late as 1922 but it's reasonable to assume herd immunity may have been kicking in by then. When enough survivors have some immunity the virus has a harder time finding fresh victims.

But the govt didn't do anything back then. They weren't able to develop a vaccine. Social distancing did occur, but only when a population became so terrorized they were afraid to leave the house.

We're doing a lot better this time around, but we better keep our guard up.

 

[fasteddy]

The tri car is ready to put outside tomorrow and see if it runs. After so many false starts I'm hoping it does. Since this was a snow blower motor there is no provision for an air filter. I have some filter material to make one but I cunningly put it away so I could find it later.

Didn't find it but now the shop is cleaned up because of the search. It will turn up eventually and I'll add it to the carb. The bike won't be ridden much since it's illegal to have it on the road in Canada. Electric bikes only and not over 500W.

I'll try it up the street to see how it goes at least once. My luck usually runs where we haven't seen a cop on our street for 6 months until I'm up the street a couple of houses.

Steve.

 

[Tom from Rubicon]

As far as cops goes Steve, can't you get anyone to create a diversion?
And no air filter is period correct, so no worries Mate.
Tom

 

[fasteddy]

My nephew is an Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer. They patrol our area and he may sit in the front seat wearing his uniform but then he'd be in bigger do do than I would be for sitting in a vehicle he knew was illegal.

I'm on my own.

Steve.

 

[fasteddy]

A friend of my brothers works in a nursing home. The nursing home just bought one of these with a 250W motor. One of his new duties is to give rides to people around the nursing home grounds.

With taxes it was a mere $14,000 Canadian. They don't use it as much as they want because it keeps breaking down. The wheel chair in front is detachable.

Steve.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...duetfeat.php&usg=AOvVaw1rWWqqEEGjd_NrlEtMzkZL

 

[Tom from Rubicon]

$14K for that! Wow!
Tom

 

[PeteMcP]

Well Steve, by now I'm guessing you've either managed a covert debut run on the Indian Tri Car and are safely back home enjoying a celebratory tipple - or you've been pulled over and arrested for: a) breaking quarantine without a valid reason, or b) making an un-necessary journey during a pandemic, or c) riding an illegal vehicle on a public highway. or d) all of the above.
Here's hoping it's the former - 'cause a cold brew tastes a lot better than prison food!
We await the photographic evidence...

 

[Tom from Rubicon]

Good post Pete!
Hopefully all is well, there are a lot of details to that build yet to be proven.
I spent some time in my shop trying to improve my Brooks B190 seat post clamp. More in the Tavern post shortly.
Windy as blazes here in Rubicon 40 mph gusts kph equivalent I do not know, but it is windy.
Tom

 

[fasteddy]

Finally got to the tri car today. My old pal Art Ritis took a major round out of me for 3 days and made the ability to move impossible. Can't take the usual pain relievers with the blood thinners so it's off to the pill merchant's next week to see what's available.

And back to my old pal the tri car. Didn't start but for once the cause and the cure may have been self evident. After the second round of gas down the spark plug hole and a spin over with the drill the gas spayed out from around rear of the head.

The cause is the top engine mount I made that mounts to the head and as careful as I tried to be to make sure the mount was absolutely flat, it isn't. This kept the mount from landing on the head evenly when it was torqued down and holding the head to the engine.. I think a thick washer between the mount and the head will work and that's tomorrows planned job.

Next sunny day will be Friday and I'll try and be ready for it. Once the washers are in and everything is torqued down I'll turn it over with a compression gauge to make sure everything is O.K. and there is compression.

That is if Art doesn't mind.

Steve.

 

[Tom from Rubicon]

Hang in there Steve, tell you pal Art to piss-off
Tom

 

[fasteddy]

Tom, Art wasn't impressed with his telling off but I did recover enough to get out to the garage today. Put the compression gauge on the engine and spun it over and it read 120 pounds but the gauge dropped as soon as it stopped turning over.

Made a soap and water mixture and sprayed it around the head gasket and turned the motor over with the drill and there were a number of leaks. The machinist that cut the key way in the crankshaft made a copper gasket for the head.

I'll do the sand paper on glass to see if the head is warped. I removed the head gasket from the parts engine and may use that for a temporary test to see if it works. I can get a new head gasket for it but it will be a couple of weeks before it gets here. I do have a couple of spare heads that are going to be used on the electric tri car so I may see if one of them is flat to cut the down time.

The top motor mount is spot on so it was the head gasket or warped head causing the trouble.

Steve.

 

[fasteddy]

Sanded the head a little and there were no high or low spots. Put the glass and sandpaper over the block and it was flat as well. I could see where the copper gasket wasn't sealing for whatever reason.

Put the gasket from the spare motor in and torqued it down and then my enthusiasm ran off with my interest and I followed them to see where they were going and sure enough they were sitting in my chair right beside a cup of hot tea so I joined them.

Tomorrow I turn the motor over and check with some soapy water to see if the compression leaks around the head gasket are gone. The next sunny day is supposed to be next Friday but that's the weather folks best hunch. Being next to the Pacific Ocean the weather changes really quickly so you take it hour by hour.

If the weather is nasty I'll work on cutting the tubing for the cylinders for the electric tri car faux motor and getting the crank case mounting plates ready.

Steve.

 

[MEASURE TWICE]

I was going to try out my RC Sailboat as there was wind, but maybe too gusty. And it has been less than 2 days since the county has re-opend some parks. Supposed to be less than 20 miles drive as was before walk or bike. Wear a mask and 6 foot rule has though not been lifted. I sort of thought if there is a large beach I would want to not wear mask continuously. If I were to go in the water, I guess scuba would only be right? I thought give it a few days or a week and then maybe see what it looks like besides just essential travel stuff.

 

[indian22]

MT Indian Territory has opened up a little. Elective surgery is now permitted and tattoo parlors, beauty salons and spas are permitted to offer services...ponder the significance of these "essential services" as a logical set..

Rick C.

 

[fasteddy]

Tried the old gasket and the copper gasket and received a face full of soapy water each time that I had sprayed on the gasket to see if it leaked. Put another head on and used the copper gasket and there was just a little seepage around the gasket but still was not sealing. Compression was a lot better with the replaced head.

I've ordered another original head gasket for it but that will be a ten day to two week wait.

Lots of clean up in the shop and work on the electric tri car to do until the gasket gets here.

Steve.

 

[fasteddy]

While I'm waiting on parts for the tri car I'm building an electric version. I'll leave a link to that below.

I started it in late October 2017 because even then I was waiting for parts. Health slowed it down but now it is back in action.

Steve.

https://motorbicycling.com/threads/the-epic-an-electric-tri-car.63517/

 

[fasteddy]

eBay just sent me a notice that the head gasket will be here between May 11th and May 19th.

Steve.

 

[fasteddy]

Bonus day today. The head gasket for the motor came today and the bicycle seat that Pete McP sent me from the U.K. arrived as well. It is the same seat I purchased but in a much nicer deep brown colour with a sweet aged look that can only be gained from age and previous experience.

I'll try and get photos up tomorrow.

Steve.