Old Guys Simplex moto-peddle bike

[indian22]

Congratulations Rick. It's good to see someone outside the group appreciates your visions and fabrication skills as much as we do. Of course who wouldn't like the Pea Shooter. It doesn't get much better than that. Merry Christmas, Bob

Merry Christmas to you as well Bob. I'm hoping you had the opportunity to get out on your Simplex & enjoy the great weather we are experiencing in Indian Territory today, just glorious! I actually took 3 bikes out for rides today. The rear disc conversion I completed on the Simplex decided to squeal underway this morning in protest of the early cool air, but was a simple adjustment issue. The Harley and Excelsior were just fine though I'd not ridden either for several weeks. I'd started the Harley yesterday but didn't ride we were getting some 40 mph plus gusts and that's not a good inducement to ride.
Thanks for the kind words and encouragement as well. Hope we get to take that ride together in the coming year!

Rick C.

 

[indian22]

Thanks Curt and Steve you two are among the earliest of the forum members & I really respect you both.
Thinking about the promotional use of my bikes & I've only one real requirement for this loan arrangement to work out; that being the bikes are not to be ridden, they are to be displayed only. Still shots & video ok, but no action shots unless I'm riding. Liability is my main concern and no amount of insurance coverage will sway my position. I believe I was quite clear on this point and it seemed a non issue. We will see.

One positive that I see coming from this is that a few things that I've put off doing on the Pea shooter will need some attention: Taking some of the luster off a few aluminum parts, grips need to be wrapped in leather, hand shifter modified (for the third time) & a few minor additions to the faux head and push rod tubes etc....just detail work. The brass and steel have "weathered" to the point of looking aged I'll also need to mount some tires with period correct tread. These are things I didn't feel important for a bike built for riding, but for show it's a different deal.

I'd not started the Harley for a few weeks, but she fired right up yesterday and today when I went out for a ride it hit on the second kick. Both the Simplex and the Pea shooter initially had a bad habit of not wanting to re fire after they warmed up but over time they started to respond when hot. My adjustments never seemed to improve things, but after a couple of months they both cured themselves.

This week I hope to have the side car frame tacked & the wheel suspension in place so I can line up the dc motor & chain line. I've decided to mount the motor on the frame instead of on the extended suspension arm, just going with the simple solution of using a spring loaded chain tension idler to offset suspension axle travel.

I hope everyone had as beautiful a Christmas experience as my own!

Rick C.

 

[Ludwig II]

Two bottles of whisky and a bottle of Pinotage. Chrishmuss ish wunnerful!

 

[indian22]

Good on you Ludwig; sounds as though you've both the spirit's and the cheer! Perhaps in preparation for the new year's celebration as well? I'd say a bit of training shouldn't be too painful 'til the following day...there's always "hair of the dog" remedy even at that. Remember not to think while riding or driving.

Rick C.

 

[Ludwig II]

Me and my brother just visited a friend of mine who has a potentially life threatening condition, for 2 hours we took his mind away from a frightening future by giving him a surrealist double act. We don't do it as comedy, it's just us. We're none of us young bunnies here, most have stared the ultimate sleep in the face, I live from day to day and enjoy it; having had the hand up from other people, I will give as much time as I can for those I meet who might not have that second day.

On a brighter note, if you run across a Scotch called Aerstone, it's a lowland malt that can only be described as fruity. It's rather splendid. I'm opening the Ardmore when my brother's gone home. MINE!

 

[indian22]

Ultimately it's not about how much life we're given it's actually about how much life we've truly lived. Encouraging one another& just being there for others is a key component of a life well lived. Both the encouraged and the encouragers benefit from this quite basic human interaction. I find this to be a brighter side to what most would consider tragic circumstances.

As to the single malt, though it's been decades since my last, I've not encountered this particular label. When conversation turns to liquid refresher I'm always reminded of my dear 'ol da & the council he was given by his personal medical practitioner. The Doctor's advice was for a single finger of whiskey, to be taken nightly before bed. My father, who was in his late eighties at the time, considered the advice for a few moments before responding, and then replied, No doc I fear I might turn into one of those alcoholics"! I witnessed this, and have decided that if I'm ever offered the same professional advice, at some future point in my life; no questions I'm going for it, but only the good stuff! So I might eventually savoir that fruity taste...an intriguing thought indeed.

Rick C.

 

[indian22]

Yesterday was spent in the shop repairing, fixing and organizing (a bit). The results were under whelming on the organization efforts, but my repair efforts, especially with a small bench vise and a table top drill press were impressive. I also pressed into service an unused Drill Doctor I'd bought for a gift and subsequently learned he already owned one. I managed to collect more than half a hundred dull bits and brought them back to life. It's humbling to no longer have the vision required to sharpen tools at a traditional station, but testing a few of the bits on scraps of steel proved the Doctor was up to the job. As these were all quality tools for cutting hard metal the time spent more than covered the initial cost of the machine by a factor of two plus some. Of course the small bits under 3/16" can't be sharpened on this machine, but they aren't too pricy to replace either. Half inch is as large as can be sharpened on this particular model, but they sell a version that goes up to 3/4" and for the big tools sharpening ten quality bits would pay for such a machine.

Bottom line is I now have the tools required to drill the few holes required for the the sidecar project & a small vise to securely mount small parts in. It really doesn't take much to keep me quite happy!

Rick C.

 

[indian22]

Yesterday was spent modifying a small 220v. welder to suit my preferences and today I'll attempt to dial it in. I'm not supposed to weld, but I'll attempt to use this just for tacking parts into position for others to complete. Doctor's orders slightly modified to suit my requirements.

That accomplished and actual fabrication on the side car frame can begin.

Rick C.

 

[Tom from Rubicon]

Pacemaker? Mig welder doesn't bother mine. Stick welder is another story.
Tom from Rubicon

 

[indian22]

Tom I had to laugh though your point is a serious issue with some medical implants. I've a strange sense of humor. My problem deals with my vision or lack thereof. Just fine tuning some troubling lack of QC on an inexpensive 200 amp mig. Ran pretty well before coming in for lunch.

Rick C.

 

[Ludwig II]

#a thrid bopple of whipsy arivved yeshday. Not opnneed it yet. Gimme 5 minsutes.

Happy New Year, lads.

 

[indian22]

Think I'll celebrate with you lot Ludwig as I'll have been under the covers for a couple of hours when the big ball drops in Times square. A Happy & prosperous New Years to all & mind your head tomorrow morning!

I did tack weld my spring plates and motor mount in place & mounted the torsion spring on it's mount plate. I've a number of plates and gussets to cut and tack in place before the frame is fully stabilized for mounting more of the heavy components.

Rick C.. .

 

[indian22]

Side car frame

 

[fasteddy]

Happy New Year to everyone.

I too will in bed before the New Year creeps in confident that even if I'm not there to welcome it will be here when I awake.

It's a delight watching your sidecar come together knowing it will one for everyone to envy.

Steve.

 

[indian22]

Thanks Steve we closed out the old year here with a beautiful afternoon, so I tinkered on the side car and actually accomplished more than I'd planned. Today I awoke with the thought of continuing where I'd left off yet -4 degrees wind chill has me procrastinating on my start. New year's resolution number one is already at some risk of being broken. My garage however, is well insulated and lighting quite good so I'll tackle some tasks today that don't require full outdoor exposure for ventilation. Remaining on task seems to be an increasing problem for me these days and not just when it comes to working on the bikes.

I should be able to make a start on the axle extension today it's to be formed from a bar of 3/4" x 3" x 11" aluminum that will be bolted to the steel axle lever of the torsion spring at an angle still to be determined. This component has to be rigid & remain that way. I'll press fit steel bushings in the aluminum at each bolt up location. This particular grade of aluminum & it's dimensions was used in rock lift applications involving many tons of the crushed material so it should fare well for my small project also.

There's also the leaf springs to be mounted. Most everything I'm doing at this stage is temporary in nature, though, as far as I'm concerned, all in the correct position and stable for assembly of other components. As things prove out I'll secure for actual use. Cutting tack welds loose isn't something I want to spend time doing, but better a tack than the real drudgery of finished weld elimination.

The use of the electric motor on the sidecar has already created some problems in my frame design so I'm really just feeling my way through this stage as best I can...how hard can it be? Right?

Rick C.

 

[indian22]

Snow day but it's dry in the garage, so I'm to work a bit after brunch. The rear carrier tube frame arrived for the fat bike, but don't plan on spending time with that project today. Side car axle attachment to the torsion spring lever is my current interest. Several problems involved, but they will shake out along the way.

It would've been nice to have had the hub motor installed on the fat bike to test in the snow, but we'll have another white day quite soon I'm sure.

Rick C.

 

[indian22]

This is some of the ugly that goes on, a lot, during one off builds (bespoke) just a part of the process

Sidecar frame, torsion shock & a 3/4" thick x 3"wide bar of aluminum that extends the shock axle lever that will allow the wheel axle to ride 8" higher. This in order to keep the overall height of the sidecar to a minimum. You probably guessed that the 22" long bar of aluminum has yet to be cut to length. The single bolt holding the bar to the axle lever is only 3/8" this will eventually be replaced with a 1/2" fastener along with three 3/8" bolts to complete that end of the mechanical attachment.

The opposite end of the bar will eventually be doubled in thickness to 2 1/2" for the wheel axle connection. No wobble is the goal. A tube hoop for a fender may be added as well. There's a lot of work left to complete on this suspension, drive and brake design.

Rick C.

 

[indian22]

Fat tire e bike was a runner for a short bit but one of the tubes gave it up and I've not a 4" spare on hand, but two on order. Quick as expected & think it will be great fun. I mounted both brake levers on the handle bars but think the 160mm up front and the coaster on the back will doo it for now.

Rick C.

 

[indian22]

Working on sidecar fabrication today. I really need the axle extension developed to the point of locating the caliper mounts.

Great mid 60's weather forecast so I need to accomplish something today.

 

[indian22]

I now have a working torsion spring axle & axle extension mounted. The extension is formed using 3/4"x 3"x10" aluminum bar stock with the thickness doubled at axle location point to 11/2". At the connection point of spring lever to the extension it measures 11/4" thick (3/4" aluminum plus 1/2" steel. Multiple 3/8" grade 8 bolts are used to make both connections. This setup allows 3" of ground clearance with the suspension at rest or when compressed, though that sounds a contradiction it is a fact with the torsion spring setup.

I've shaped the bar stock some to lend a more pleasant profile to the suspension lever and will complete that cosmetic process along the way.

Rick C.