Sidecars?

[MEASURE TWICE]

It depends on how smart some dogs are, for here are 2 examples.

A friend had a surgery done on his hand. Another friends dog thought there was food in his hand. I said that in a way it could be considered a sandwich as his hand was in the cast.

Another time I had my RC model land yacht converted to an ice boat. I took it to a life size ice boat regatta where some of the dogs there took rides in the life size ice boats. This one dog barked at me profusely. It was said that the dog was not being defensive, but saw me walk by with a scale model ice boat and it wanted a ride in it.

Anyway that side car would be a good way to spoil your dog I think!

MT

 

[DaveM]

Hi again,

Nelly is very smart and yes she knows how to get her own way, if not she soon lets you know. She is very vocal when she wants to be.

Here are some more pictures, these are of a badge I am trying to re-purpose for the wicker basket. After I cut up the vintage Super Elliot frame for tubing that I needed I had the head tube with the lugs and a really nice gothic E in the center left over. It's not quite finished but you will get the idea.

Cheers,
Dave.

 

[DaveM]

More pictures -

And one of Nell fagged out after a big day!

 

[MEASURE TWICE]

That "E" transformation is really good.

Did the "E" come off easily or did it need a cut off wheel or something?

The way it is now attached to another piece of metal where did that other metal piece come from?

Is the "E" brazed or sweat soldered onto the other piece of metal?

Anyway the high lighting of the "E" with the bough relief curve accent is nice!

You must have blacksmithing experience as it shows.

MT

 

[DaveM]

Hi Measuretwice,

Thank you for your interest, the part I used is the left over head tube ( frame part where the headset goes ) from a bike I cut up for some tubing, in the 3rd picture the curved section with the E on it and part of the lugs, I flattened it in the vice, in the 4th picture you can see the felt pen marks where I ground it back to get a curve at the bottom and top. Then file finished the edges. I hope this makes sense?

I have no trade qualifications, I am self taught.

Cheers,
Dave.

 

[MEASURE TWICE]

Lugs terminology I guess is something I'm learning can take on a different meaning.

Lugs are something I usually think of when needing to rotate my truck tires, which I've been meaning to do as regular maintenance.

The felt tip ink in the photo on my computer screen looked like indents, but I got it now. Very tricky.

There is a place called American Steel Studios in Oakland California that I spent a little time using a rental space there. One artist makes images by corroding metal. Some have been used in Hollywood hit movies too. http://www.stephenbstudios.com/Portfolio.html

Various acids and I'm not sure but maybe alkalies too do the work. I have a pineapple that is getting ripe and might try it on some copper sheet myself. You mentioned patina and this accelerated way au-natural might be something you could do with the emblem.

Attached photo: I saw this emblem of the Mack Truck Dog at Pacific Coast Dream Machines last summer check it out.

MT

 

[fasteddy]

Dave,
Nice use of the head tube logo. It is going to look great on the sidecar basket. A lot of cutting and filing to get it to where it is now. What era was the bike from?

Looks like Nelly had a full day at the beach. Lucky dog.

Steve.

 

[DaveM]

I finished painting the head badge, it is now black with a red background. But something is just not right. Mostly I am not happy with the two bolts and tomorrow I am going to get some brass bolts in place of the zinc plated ones. What do you guys think? I am open to suggestions.

Steve, the bike may only be from the 70's not quite vintage? It is a well known Australian brand, Super Elliott, from Adelaide and they have made bikes from 1902.

Measure Twice, thank you for the badge photo, I am thinking of taking the paint off the head badge and going with the natural color and just painting the top and bottom curves and the E in black.

Cheers,
Dave.

 

[silverbear]

Brass bolts would look good. You could also paint the ones you have black and that would look good, too, I think.
SB

 

[freewheeling frank]

ive been looking for ideas for a sidehack but am most interested in mounting ideas also would like to see close ups.thanks,frank

 

[DaveM]

Hi again to everyone following my sidecar build, I have been thinking about the badge I am making and suddenly realized last night the scale is all wrong, it is too big. I may have to chop it down more.
The sidecar is finished and just need to get it outside for some more pictures, of course today it is raining. Here is a picture of it in my kitchen, can't wait to get it outside for a ride with my little mate, also should look better outside as well.

Cheers,
Dave.

 

[Intrepid Wheelwoman]

Very very nice Dave, that is a lovely lightweight outfit. Rain (roll eyes), isn't it always the way. Looking forward to seeing more pictures once you can get your bike and sidecar outside.

 

[DaveM]

Thank you for your kind words Intrepid Wheelwoman, it is a very simple lightweight design but it works.
Here is a picture of the day I tested it to make sure it worked, this is before I added the brace to the seat tube. Don't worry I tested it for quite a while before I made the first test run with Nelly on board.
I won't get to far ahead of myself but next project a Velocar? I have been following your thread and I just love the idea of building one.

Cheers,
Dave.

 

[fasteddy]

Dave,
The bike looks wonderful. Nelly looks like she is ready to roll or you just got back and she's looking to go again.
It is a great idea with the basket as a sidecar. It's light and useable for a lot of things.
How many of your mates are looking for chairs on the side of the road to make one?

Steve.

 

[DaveM]

Hi Steve,
The wicker basket hopefully gives the sidecar a vintage look, you are right it is very light. I reinforced the bottom of the basket with three ply, so frame then 3 ply then basket sandwiched together, trying to keep everything as light as possible but still strong. I am interested in weighing the whole sidecar and will let you know the final weight.
As far as my friends go I am very much by myself when it comes to building MB's.
It is raining on and off today and Nelly looked a bit tired yesterday so a nice long sleep in today. My friend is bringing his dog over for our normal Thursday afternoon walk, Nelly is 9 in March so I have to monitor how much exercise she gets as she tends to always tends to overdo things.

Cheers,
Dave.

 

[Intrepid Wheelwoman]

Yes Dave wicker just plain looks nice on an older styled bike. My Hercules trike has carried a variety of different large wicker picnic hampers on the back over the years I've been riding it and they always look good. I'm working on giving my Hercules a general tidy up at the moment and one of the things I need to do is make a better mounting for the wicker hamper. I'll post photos once I get further along with it.

So you're thinking of a Velocar next? I'm itching to get back to work on my own project, but so far I've been thwarted by not being well. Today I've got the jolly old 'non-specific joint and muscle pain' back again, but I'm still going to try and get something done before the day is over.

 

[DaveM]

Hi again to everyone following my sidecar build, I weighed my sidecar today and I had to come and post straight away as I could not believe the final weight.
8.8 kgs or 19.4 lbs. Wow I am really happy with that.

Cheers,
Dave.

 

[captzuzu]

Hi Dave very nice I really like the wicker gives it a vintage look I bet that tunes some heads I'm new at this but your design is close to what im thinking of two things having the sidecar on the lift side like that do you feel more comfortable when cars pass you ?
And my main question is did you make that gas tank or are there remakes of a cylinder tank ? Im thinking of getting two side by side cylinder tanks I wish I could find half gallon copper ones that would look so 1900's .

Like this its a oil tank for a chopper But I still would like copper or brass coating my be that would work

 

[DaveM]

Captzuzu,

In Australia we drive on the left hand side of the road so that puts the sidecar against the kerb, so in the U.S.A you would run the sidecar on the right hand side of your bike.
The fuel tank with some help, I made from some 4 inch exhaust pipe $10 for about 1 foot long length, I paid a guy who repairs motorcycle exhausts $20 to cap both ends, I removed the fill tube and cap and also the fuel tap bung from the original peanut tank and the same guy welded them into the tank another $20.
Also to weld on the mounting tabs $10, I have about $60 invested into it, I don't know if you can make one any cheaper than that.

Cheers,
Dave

 

[silverbear]

Yes, sidecar goes on the curb side.
The wicker sidecar body looks so good. This has been a nice project. More pictures of Nelly! She will be photographed time and time again by anonymous cell phones from people you will never know. I've ha people drive on past on the road, get out and are ready with their cameras when my dog Aaniimoosh and I pass by. I know they're taking pictures of her, not the old rider. Our dogs will be famous celebrities! Ha! How cool is that? Go, Nelly!
SB