Indian Tadpole

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fasteddy

Well-Known Member
Feb 13, 2009
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The tip from BarelyAwake was a major time saver. Curtis came up with how much toe in that it should have so I'll do that tomorrow. The amazing part is that I remembered just where everything was and what it was.

Steve.
 
silverbear

silverbear

The Boy Who Never Grew Up
Jul 9, 2009
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It is so good to see this thread active with "the usual suspects" making contributions.

I have my own minor activity going with the "other" tri-car. Your box with the kindalikeawhizzer motor mount, alternate seat and the hubs for the Indian Hiawatha front end arrived last week. I've been under the weather with a flu bug and am feeling well enough to tinker some.

I tried lacing up the first wheel and think my spokes are too long, having first tried lacing in a three cross and last evening in a four cross. Still, too long by a bit, so I'll go back through my 12 gauge spokes for something shorter. If I have to I'll order spokes, but not without a thorough scrounge first.

Nice to think our tri-cars will be road worthy this coming summer. Vrooom!
SB
 
RicksRides

RicksRides

Member
Feb 22, 2012
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osceola IN
So is winter grinding things to a halt for you all too. Work is slowing down and Ill get some time for my stuff. Cant wait to see some new progress on this one
 
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fasteddy

Well-Known Member
Feb 13, 2009
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Silverbear,

The spokes that are in the front wheel of the tricar are 10-1/4" to 10-3/8". I'd say the 10-1/4" are closer to what's there. Hard to measure 100%.

Yep, two older gentlemen cruising the roadways of America on tricars. I just hope that the general population is ready for that much wow.

Steve.
 
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fasteddy

Well-Known Member
Feb 13, 2009
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Hi Rick,

It's 40F at the moment and having lived in the mountains of New Hampshire and New York I hesitate to call this winter but for here it is. Most of British Columbia isn't lucky enough to need to mow their lawn in January because it looks ragged.

Grouse mountain Ski Area which is in North Vancouver and can be seen from downtown Vancouver gets 71 days of snow on average and 28' of snow. Mount Fidelity in the Glacier National Park gets 45' of snow in 141 days of snow
The top 8 snowiest places in Canada are all in B.C.

Hope to have the tanks painted tomorrow and the build finished in the early part of the year. I may have to go to a #35 chain on the motor side since there isn't enough room for the #41 chain to clear the frame.

Have to go back out and double check it.

Steve.
 
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fasteddy

Well-Known Member
Feb 13, 2009
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Silverbear,

Just thought about the spokes the guys at the bike shop swapped out for the 15 gauge spokes rather than tell me that the guy in England didn't drill them out for 12 gauge like I asked. I measured one just now and they are 10-3/16" long to the underside of the bend in the spoke.

Hope this helps. I'd send you these but I'll need them when I have another bike shop rebuild them with the 12 gauge spokes.

Steve.
 
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fasteddy

Well-Known Member
Feb 13, 2009
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Yes I used the first set of hubs that I asked him to drill out and never thought to check. Told him I wanted the same thing again and this time he did it. Go figure.

Steve.
 
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fasteddy

Well-Known Member
Feb 13, 2009
7,475
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The tri car and I have returned. On the feel good days as rare as they have been I did get a little done.

I rounded out the bottom bracket a little so I could press in two sealed bearings with a 1" inside dia. and a 2" outside dia. Into the center of the bearings I pushed a 1" piece of tubing with a 1/8" wall to act as a jack shaft. I'll weld a pair of sprockets together and then to the 1" tubing. I have some welded up but they are the wrong tooth count and need to be replaced.

A slit collar will be fitted onto the opposite side of the drive sprockets to hold the jack shaft in place in the bottom bracket.

Inside the 1" tubing jack shaft there are two 3/4" outside dia. and 5/8" inside dia. flanged bronze bearings. These fit in each end of the 1" tubing and a solid 5/8" round bar is inside the bronze bearings.
This solid bar will be the crankshaft for the pedals. How to mount the chain ring is up in the air at the moment but I'll work on that when the time comes.

Tomorrow I'm going to get the front brake cables and take the motor up to a machine shop who seems willing to do the key way.

I bought a used exhaust pipe from a small engine repair shop for $10 that I removed a 90 degree elbow from so I can run the exhaust down to the muffler. Hoping that by the first week of March it will be on the road.

I would like to thank Goldie for explaining what he did on the Flying Merkle. I have adapted it to my build as best I can.

Please click on the photo and it will take you to Photobucket. I have typed explanations on the photo's.

Steve.

 
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silverbear

silverbear

The Boy Who Never Grew Up
Jul 9, 2009
8,325
670
113
northeastern Minnesota
Good to see such progress on the tri-car,Steve. May there be many more days that you are feeling good enough to tinker in the shop. It has been a long haul on this build and it is not done yet, but what a glory it will be to see it alive and running!
SB
 
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curtisfox

Well-Known Member
Dec 29, 2008
6,081
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minesota
Welcome back,good to see you are at it again. I know its tuff to be down and out
That is realy looking super.Goldie is a amazing clever guy and so are you,love the build............Curt
 
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fasteddy

Well-Known Member
Feb 13, 2009
7,475
4,962
113
British Columbia Canada
Thank you everyone. Nice to be finishing it at last and the really exciting part is that I remember where most of the parts go.

Went and got tubing for the exhaust and brake cables for the front brakes yesterday. I'll tackle that tomorrow. Today I'm discussing velocars with my 8 month old grand niece and her's in particular. We're talking electric at the moment but only to satisfy her rather anxious parents. A V twin may be in the future. :)

I went to a local used bike part business called Bent Bike because I heard that he made custom length brake cables. He had what I wanted already made up and when he asked what I needed 6" brake cables for I whipped out the pictures and he was surprised to say the least.

There is a motorcycle swap meet the end of April in a town north of us called Tsawwassen where the ferry terminal to Vancouver Island is. The owner of Bent Bikes was insisting that I bring the tri car to the meet since he had never seen anything like it and he was sure that it would be a hit.

Steve.
 
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curtisfox

Well-Known Member
Dec 29, 2008
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minesota
Thats going to be awesome Steve, now you almost have to get it done. That is going to be Kooool.............Curt
 
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