WWII WLA tribute w/sidecar
- Thread starter RicksRides
- Start date
RicksRides
Member
Its a blast to ride, hence the 500 miles of test riding. Hes had two gents come to the door to ask if he would sell that OLE THING. He lets everyone know who built it. He said it is as much fun as hooker after 6 months at sea.
Im going to build myself one, Ill use a beefed up v-twin briggs and my Norton commando gearbox. Should prove to be a torquey mix
Im going to build myself one, Ill use a beefed up v-twin briggs and my Norton commando gearbox. Should prove to be a torquey mix
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I can imagine that it rode like a dream. I keep picturing your Dad quietly riding by all his pals so they get to see it without shoving it in their faces. Just the quiet motor past the coffee shop when he knows their all sitting there and can't miss him going past.
Then he comes back to join them after he's run the errand he was on. Of course as soon as he pulls in, the coffee shop empties to see the bike.
We old guys have learned how to get the most bang for the buck and look innocent while we do it. If you can brag about your son or daughter when you do it, it sure puts the icing to the cake.
Yes, I'll bet there will be a stream of hopeful buyers wanting that OLE THING. Wonder how long before the American Pickers get wind of it.
Steve
Then he comes back to join them after he's run the errand he was on. Of course as soon as he pulls in, the coffee shop empties to see the bike.
We old guys have learned how to get the most bang for the buck and look innocent while we do it. If you can brag about your son or daughter when you do it, it sure puts the icing to the cake.
Yes, I'll bet there will be a stream of hopeful buyers wanting that OLE THING. Wonder how long before the American Pickers get wind of it.
Steve
silverbear
The Boy Who Never Grew Up
Rick,
I've been looking over your build with new enthusiasm. As you know from PMs I've been thinking about a project way off in the future using the frame from a Harley Davidson Sprint. It is pictured below. I've thought about the big Gravely, a 9 hp cast iron flathead briggs, a 212 Preddy with torque converter and am thinking that what you have here may be the answer. The 420cc Preddy has electric start which I like a lot and has a lot of grunt for it's size. Considering that it is capable of highway speeds (55 is what I want... no more) and gets great gas mileage, it looks like a good candidate for my project.
Question: what torque converter did you use? The ones I've looked at say they are good up to a 7 hp engine. This one is 13.
Did you leave the governor in place or did you remove it?
What kind of hoops did you have to go through in order to get it licensed? I know states are different, so what I might be facing in Minnesota could be a whole different ballgame. I don't have a title for the Sprint. Was it a hassle for you?
Of course I'm picturing a sidecar for this... dog and groceries. I have a set of 18" light motorcycle wheels and figure I'd use a tractor seat and upholster it. Ideally I'd like for the final drive to be belt to a sheave in the spirit of the old Simplex, but maybe I can't do that.
I'm not interested in a speedster or going for some particular "look". I want alternative transportation in fair weather from where I live in the forest to town which means 12 miles each way on a 55mph highway. Not a major highway, but it can be busy in tourist season and I want to be able to keep up with traffic. Like you, I don't like to pay a bunch at the gas pump. And who knows what it will cost in another year or two. Thanks for looking over my pictures and considering my questions.
SB
Attachments
RicksRides
Member
heres the link to the cvt you ll want
http://gtcmanufacturing.com/GTC-Gokart-Torque-Converter.aspx (this link is for the 1003 the one next to it the 1004 is the one you want #41 chain not the #35)
I left the governer on in place. I only removed the stock exhaust and the air box took the motor from 12.8 hp to 15.1 had to install a larger set of jets in the carb, to stop the poppin (mild).
Here in Indiana, I had to supply receipts for the materials ; tubing, engine, and clutch. have a officer come and check my chassis for lack of vin # he signed the paperwork. I then sent the paperwork along with receipts and a picture of the bike to the BMV they then sent me vin # that I put on the bike. Had the officer come back out and check to make sure the vin# were proper, he signed again. took the paperwork to the liscense branch and plated it. There was an extra 11.50$ charge for a mvin ( manufactered vin)
For the most part it was effortless
If I were you I'd simply apply for an abandoned vehichle title for the harley, it'd be easier (here in Indiana)
http://gtcmanufacturing.com/GTC-Gokart-Torque-Converter.aspx (this link is for the 1003 the one next to it the 1004 is the one you want #41 chain not the #35)
I left the governer on in place. I only removed the stock exhaust and the air box took the motor from 12.8 hp to 15.1 had to install a larger set of jets in the carb, to stop the poppin (mild).
Here in Indiana, I had to supply receipts for the materials ; tubing, engine, and clutch. have a officer come and check my chassis for lack of vin # he signed the paperwork. I then sent the paperwork along with receipts and a picture of the bike to the BMV they then sent me vin # that I put on the bike. Had the officer come back out and check to make sure the vin# were proper, he signed again. took the paperwork to the liscense branch and plated it. There was an extra 11.50$ charge for a mvin ( manufactered vin)
For the most part it was effortless
If I were you I'd simply apply for an abandoned vehichle title for the harley, it'd be easier (here in Indiana)
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RicksRides
Member
@ wot she only gets 70-75 mpg it gets its best milage in town while running @2750rpm's or so
silverbear
The Boy Who Never Grew Up
Thank you for responding, Rick. I have plenty of time to consider all of this, but what you have done gives me a model of what I know will work. With the torque converter and 420cc Predator I'd be looking at around $600.00 for the drive train. In the mean time I will explore less costly options. On the other hand rebuilding an old Briggs and finding a snowmobile CVT that will work can add up, too. New is nice.
If a stock 212 Preddy would work then the cost drops to about half that. (That's with using the 102 converter.) But would it be enough power...
Thanks!
SB
If a stock 212 Preddy would work then the cost drops to about half that. (That's with using the 102 converter.) But would it be enough power...
Thanks!
SB
RicksRides
Member
on the 212cc engine if you open it up and let it breathe, remove the gov. you'll end up with close to 10hp. That would be enough if you matched it up to a transmission. Highway speeds would be easy and fuel efficient. The tranny could be used from that little harley or any small cc MC with some work.
Intrepid Wheelwoman
New Member
For some years I used a Honda 350 twin powered outfit as my everyday transport and before that I owned a Jawa outfit with an all alloy competition engine. Even though I sold my outfits over 20 years ago I have a huge soft spot for a good looking sidecar outfit and your WLA tribute bike and sidecar would be about the nicest I've seen for a long time.
Thanks for sharing your build with us and thanks for all the great pictures too.
Thanks for sharing your build with us and thanks for all the great pictures too.
silverbear
The Boy Who Never Grew Up
Rick, is there any reason the jackshaft couldn't be longer so that an additional pulley could be attached to power an alterator or generator?Thinking about the 420cc engine with torque converter for a velocar, but would need juice for lights, windshield wiper, fuel pump maybe and defroster and heater units. A lot of juice in other words.
SB
SB
RicksRides
Member
what Im thinking here is cut ouf everything but the tranny out of a bike motor re seal the cases and wa la tranny
silverbear
The Boy Who Never Grew Up
That's a good idea using the bikes tranny and it is all set up for he fianl drive already. Unclear about how to run it off the motor, but once things are apart to stare at the asnwer might announce itself as an "aha"!
Regarding the 212 engine, from what I've read opening up the engine to higher RPMs and removing the governor then leads to internal upgrades to keep it from imploding. I took a look on the AGK site and it adds up to where the hundred dollar 212 is no longer even close to a hundred. Since space is less an issue with a cycle-car I think the 420cc is a better option for me. No need to remove the governor, just help it breathe better as you have done, change a jet accordingly and the engine is good to go. Electric start is a real plus. Powering an alternator or generator by a pulley at the jack shaft would give plenty of juice for wiper motor, lights, etc. Rick, thanks so much for sharing your thoughts on this. It really helps!
SB
Regarding the 212 engine, from what I've read opening up the engine to higher RPMs and removing the governor then leads to internal upgrades to keep it from imploding. I took a look on the AGK site and it adds up to where the hundred dollar 212 is no longer even close to a hundred. Since space is less an issue with a cycle-car I think the 420cc is a better option for me. No need to remove the governor, just help it breathe better as you have done, change a jet accordingly and the engine is good to go. Electric start is a real plus. Powering an alternator or generator by a pulley at the jack shaft would give plenty of juice for wiper motor, lights, etc. Rick, thanks so much for sharing your thoughts on this. It really helps!
SB
RicksRides
Member
Blew the driven clutch and shaft on this one. Ill be biulding a new one for Dad this Weekend
RicksRides
Member
shaft defective from the factory in CHINA. shaft snapped and destroyed the driven clutch. Although it had over 5000 miles on it. so I machined a new shaft and put a Comet replacement on it. On the road again