Number 5

[Oldbiscuit]

Well truth be told, my original intent was to build a three wheeled recumbent, to be pedal powered. But common sense took over and told me exercise is overblown ! I keep telling myself that the more one exercises, the more wear one puts on one’s body ! Kind of like a car, it’s only good for so many miles, but more miles if you don’t abuse it !!
Then I remembered I had this engine in my bone pile and pedal powered be dammed, gas bike here we come again!

 

[curtisfox]

LOL, I have a Sun cruiser my son got at a garage sale for $10 about 10 years ago. I get on it everyday and sometimes when I get overwhelmed or frustrated, I jump on it and take a quick ride, It's good for the legs and back, I don't go far just enough to limber up and break the cycle...........Curt
I am thinking the PO dumped it and decided to not get heart again.

 

[Mossy]

LOL, I have a Sun cruiser my son got at a garage sale for $10 about 10 years ago. I get on it everyday and sometimes when I get overwhelmed or frustrated, I jump on it and take a quick ride, It's good for the legs and back, I don't go far just enough to limber up and break the cycle...........Curt
I am thinking the PO dumped it and decided to not get heart again.
View attachment 113869

I ride everyday and the Electra cruiser hauls my groceries sometimes with 4 gallons of water on the bars... gets me to my appointments and a few pallets when I see them... The best is when I fill my gas jug for the lawnmower... I need 2gal. On the pump with the bike...

 

[Oldbiscuit]

Got the wheels all laced up and tires mounted, so now it’s time again to put it half way together again and start working on the pedals and belt drive. Gots lot to do, but what’s the hurry ? The fun is in the build

 

[Oldbiscuit]

Made my rear belt pulley out of a 24” rim. Made my mount brackets to bolt it to my 26” rear rim. Glued and riveted with copper rivets a leather belt to the inside for better grip on my belt.

 

[Oldbiscuit]

I built a couple of bump outs for the belt pulley to clear. Made them same outside diameter out of solid cold rolled round stock. Turned down the ends to fit into the frame tubes. Silver soldered them in, pretty solid.

 

[Tom from Rubicon]

Nice work OB!
This forum is kinda wonky, I have you followed and your new posts don't often show up in my Email. Using a 24" rim as a drive sheave is a detail that is missed by even advanced builders.
Thinking of those using Whizzer sheaves.
Using the copper rivets clinched to roves deserves a bit of how to this thread for all posterior.
You are way ahead of the average for using fastening methods like that.

Tom

 

[Oldbiscuit]

Thanks Tom. I did the same on Le Miserable, using a 24” rim and riveted leather belt. People told me it was unnecessary, but I didn’t want to leave a bunch of empty spoke holes, plus I was a little worried about belt slippage.

 

[curtisfox]

So KOOL! 90percent of the slippage was on the small driven pulley, (or was on my old Monark twin). The belt didn't rap around it enough, could be resolved by a idler fixed to make it rap around more. But when you are only 15 all you want to do is ride, and not think about it LOL just tighten it up and go..............Curt

 

[MEASURE TWICE]

The problem with my V-belt slipping in the past may not exactly correlate to your type of belt that you use. I do note that you made your own sheave and it from a bike rim that is far from a V-Belt sheave.

My replacing my washing machine V-belt from cast aluminum type to a clone of the Whizzer V-Belt sheave of stainless steel was initially a good idea. Though it did slip quite a bit till after a year I noticed why it slipped. A bump where the manufacturer butt welded the formed extruded metal was raising the belt up as it passed by the weld that was not smoothed out enough. It was like it would slip only when that bump was touching the belt as it rotated.

A little use of my die grinder and a Dremel tool and no more problem.

Just though I would mention this as all those little bumps of those rivets may or may not be a similar situation.

Just the idea that as much as you can build from scratch and not buy already made part is Commendable!

Sure to be watching this thread.

MT

 

[fasteddy]

The copper rivets are the touch of authenticity that take a build above the ordinary. As you said it also fills in the the spoke holes that would tell every one what you used as a sheave.

Steve.

 

[Oldbiscuit]

I’ve been playing out in the shop and still tinkering on number 5. I got the exhaust fabricated and installed. I had a chrome muffler off of one of my China girl 2 cycle engines that I decided to use, but I removed one inner pipe and opened up the outlet.

 

[Oldbiscuit]

I also decided to incorporate a exhaust cut out, so I took a 3/4 pipe t and fitted a flapper in it to direct the exhaust either through the muffler or with a flip of the lever, straight down. My plan is to use a pair of old Schwinn Varsity break levers on the bike. Right one will operate the front Sturmey Archer drum brake and the left will operate the exhaust cut out.

 

[Oldbiscuit]

While I was at it, I built my rear axle adjusters and installed them

 

[Oldbiscuit]

I wanted to build this with full fenders front and back and am still contemplating a rear period correct rack. With the rear wheel having to go straight back to remove, I decided to make the rear fender in two pieces. I still have to make the back fender stays, but I need to source some more scrap metal.

 

[Tom from Rubicon]

I also decided to incorporate a exhaust cut out, so I took a 3/4 pipe t and fitted a flapper in it to direct the exhaust either through the muffler or with a flip of the lever, straight down. My plan is to use a pair of old Schwinn Varsity break levers on the bike. Right one will operate the front Sturmey Archer drum brake and the left will operate the exhaust cut out.View attachment 114568View attachment 114569View attachment 114570View attachment 114571

Nothing like a set of classic Weinmann hand levers, they are kid proof.

 

[Oldbiscuit]

Well my plan is to take this modified fire extinguisher that I added a pump plunger to and mount it on the front down tube. I will run a copper line from the breather port on the valve cover to the bottom of the extinguisher to mimic a oil pump FDD or the engine but in reality it will act as a breather/oil trap for the crankcase.

 

[Oldbiscuit]

Well I spent a few evenings working on bits and pieces. I got the other rear fender bracket made and installed and I was able to mount my faux oil pump which is now my crank case breather, and run the copper tubing for it as well. While I was tinkering I went ahead and welded a tail pipe to the muffler. I think it looks better than just a plain hole in the end.

 

[curtisfox]

KOOOOOOL!! Maybe go to ACE and get some Button head bolts for the braces? Like it a lot.........Curt

 

[Oldbiscuit]

My thought as well on the bolts. This is all in the build mock up stage yet. I still want to build a fold down rear stand and will install a hold clip on the center bolt