The Stray Cat Maytag build

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Banjoben

New Member
Aug 12, 2012
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N.Y.
Hello all,
You may remember me from a while back , right about the same time as Whozawhat started his Maytag build, I was collecting parts to do a similar build. I'm glad he got going first. He actually started posting pictures of almost the exact thing I was going to do. a lot of the ideas I had in my head were showing up in the pictures he posted, and were done exceedingly well. So that sent me off in a different direction.
I still had the Model 72 Maytag engine that I wanted to use, and I came up with a pre-war Western flyer boys bike for super cheap at a rummage sale last summer. Since then I mulled over all kinds of ideas to make my Maytag bike unique, and decided on mounting the engine like an old BMW motorcycle, with the cylinders hanging out the sides, and trying to come up with a shaft drive system.
Here's where I'm at. I was able to scavange a mid 70s Yamaha moped with a beautiful compact shaft final drive, and it gave me a set of drum brake hubs to use. I also was given a mid 80s Shwinn girls 10-speed to cannabilize for frame tubing.
I have the "blueprints" laid out on my workbench, in full scale, showing a 7 1/2" stretch to the frame, and a rather custom setup where the engine will mount using some 1/4 inch plate and gussets.
I'll explain more as I can post pics of the progress. I hope to cut , stretch, and tack the frame together this weekend to get an idea of what it will look like.
My inspiration has been the old BMWs, and a bike built by "ABC" that was the same company that built the Sopwith Camel bi-plane of WWI It also used a 2 cylinder opposed.
Lots more details to come. Stay tuned.
I have to go upload the pics. I'll have them posted by the end of today.
 
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Banjoben

New Member
Aug 12, 2012
26
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N.Y.
Just got home, so I'll try again to post the pics I have. I drew the 1:1 print on a roll of green masking paper with pencil. It doesn't photograph for beans, so I'll have to come up with something else to render the drawing on. I'd like to see it done up myself.
 
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Banjoben

New Member
Aug 12, 2012
26
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N.Y.
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This is the motor plate and the front plate where the front drop tube will come down
You can kind of make out the print in the background. the different color paper is where I cut the original tracing of the frame, and stretched it to fit the paper mockup of the engine.

Here is the ABC "sopwith " bike I used for inspiration
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Here is the Yamaha final Drive unit and front wheel
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Banjoben

New Member
Aug 12, 2012
26
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N.Y.
here are all my parts laid out on the shop floor. including the Schwinn frame that will soon be cut up..
In the back are the original 24" rims that I'll be lacing on the Yamaha hubs. that way I can use the original fenders.
By the rear wheel is the already altered rear sprocket from the 10 speed. I plan on using it attached to the yamaha hub to retain the ability to pedal.
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wheelbender6

wheelbender6

Well-Known Member
Sep 4, 2008
4,059
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TX
I can't wait to see how you tie all those parts together. I have only seen the Maytag mills mounted with the jugs mounted fore and aft.
 
RAT ROD

RAT ROD

Member
Feb 7, 2013
81
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6
RIVERSIDE CA
Thanks for the fast pics and part of a drawing looks great. Know nothing on that motor can u loose the fly wheel w/ built in coolin fan? Just sayin my observation it looks some what too large for tthe motor kool build go for it man..... dave
 
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Banjoben

New Member
Aug 12, 2012
26
0
0
N.Y.
There have been a lot of decisions and concepts rolled around already, and I haven't even really started the actual build yet. I'll try to let you in on why I decide on things as I come to them, and I'm always open to ideas. A lot of my design is purely asthetic, like the orientation of the motor. I just think it looks a lot cooler sitting that way. Another good portion of this build is trying to be a little different. I've seen a lot of awesome builds on here, and I hope to add to the pool of what can be done.
One thing to keep in mind is the purpose of this bike. Here in NY state it's illegal to ride a non-registered motorized vehicle on a public road, so this bike will really be just for tooling around at shows With the motor originally rated around 1 hp, and only intended to maintain one constsnt speed, I don't expect any fantastic performance. If I can pedal it up to speed, pop the clutch, and tool around at between 10-15mph on the flat, I'll consider it a success.
As for the flywheel, that was one of my decisions I had to make. That is the original flywheel for that engine. It is big, it will cause the engine to change speeds more slowly, but I have a plan for how it will nest nicely into the frame, and I think it will look pretty neat sitting at the front of the engine. I think I could loose it if I wanted to, because the engine will now be moving through the air while it's running, I think it would still stay cool, but I want to keep it. That also simplifies the ignition timing, and magneto by letting me keep the original setup. I will have to make a provision to adjust the timing but I believe that will be fairly simple by rigging a mechanism to be able to adjust the points plate.
 
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Banjoben

New Member
Aug 12, 2012
26
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0
N.Y.
Here we go! I spent the dy out in the shop, chopping, fitting, welding, and setting things together to see how they look. I can finally show you guys what has been in my head all this time.
I hacked the frame, did the 7 1/2" stretch, then worked on the motor plate and the front drop tubes.
The pic of it all together is everything just sitting on there to get a good visual.
All the welds are just tacks. I want to be able to make changes if I need to. Once I really like it, I'll weld it up solid.
I think this thing is looking pretty cool with the stretch. So far it's fitting the vision I have.

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RAT ROD

RAT ROD

Member
Feb 7, 2013
81
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6
RIVERSIDE CA
Dam Now I want a flywheel too, just jokin but that sure does look good. MY previous post was premature, guess I couldnt see it as you did... BRAVO
 
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Banjoben

New Member
Aug 12, 2012
26
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0
N.Y.
Ahhh. I like that little gearbox. The way I have things set up right now I won't be using a 90degree box. The shaft drive final unit is the 90 degree box.everything else is in-line, and I can transfer the power through a set of pullies that will be mounted inside the "toolbox" behind the seat post. A compact inline 2 or 3 speed transmission would be awesome, but I don't expect to find one in my budget (which is zilch) .
 
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msrfan

Well-Known Member
Sep 17, 2010
1,808
120
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Southern California
Great idea placing the motor in that position. I'm thinking of the same mounting for one of my Maytag twins. I have several and I also have some Peerless gearboxes that could be mounted up on it's end under the engine connected by a clutch/chain/sprocket setup to the the trans and the sprocket out the side with three or five speeds to the rear wheel. The trans also has a little disc brake opposite the output sprocket. I also wanted to use a damaged flywheel I have with the outer rim and fins broken off. I would place two little fans at each cylinder driven off a belt on what's left of the flywheel. I used one of these transmissions on my "Four Wheel Project'' in the Tavern category. They are packed with grease and can be positioned however you want. I would obviously disable the reverse gear.

Anyway, great start on your project. Always glad to see someone using antique motors and bikes for special builds. After all Maytag motors aren't called multimotors for no reason, they were used on everything from washing machines to lawnmowers to generators, water pumps, compressors, etc.

Excellent find on the shaft drive. How many spokes do the wheels have? I'll have to keep an eye out for a future build.

I've been collecting old motors for 45 years or so. Let me know if I can help.



http://www.ebay.com/itm/Peerless-Tr...674?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a2a430102
 
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