poco rata - Updated - 1/11/09

[bean]

I'm in. I wasn't going to to build anything for this, as I have a lot of work to do on my Ford Zephyr and a new kitchen to build.
I picked up a Huffy Big Wheel Slider and a set of wheels off a jogging stroller for 10 bucks from the dump shop this morning.
I've got a few ideas - some tubes from an old muscle bike frame and a 24" front wheel - maybe bare metal with some hand beaten copper parts?

[Tommy Atoms]

This should be real cool. Ford Zephyr huhhh, They had em here in the 80's. What year is yours? got any pics?

[bean]

Tommy, my Zephyr (British/Aussie) is a 59 model. Originally they had either a 4cyl or 155 cube straight 6, but mine has been fitted with a 250 cube 6, Toyota 5 speed and a narrowed rear end. It's had a lot of suspension work done as well, and sits real low. The engine is out in these pics, so it's sitting a little higher than normal.

[bean]

I was thinking of using a 24" front wheel, but it looked too big for the rears. The original front wheel was shot, so I pulled the axle out to check sizes. I also had another 20" coaster brake wheel which was pretty good except for a non-working brake.......Bingo!!.......everything fits. I fitted the axle to the wheel without bearings and cranked it up real tight. If anything looks like coming loose, I'll use a couple of spots of "MIGLock" .
I also fabbed a new rear axle and clamped it on for a mock-up shot. The seat is going to be a bit higher than the original placement. The front tire is a 20 x 3 and the rears are 10 x 2.125.

Axle


Axle fitted to wheel


Mock-up

[deorman]

[bean]

Did a little bit today. I removed the cantilever tubes from an old frame and brazed them onto the trike frame.





Might add this bar and make a tank

[bean]

I was going to make a copper tank for this trike, so I made a paper template, then transferred the pattern to a piece of timber to make a forming block. When I test fitted the timber block to the frame, I thought it looked pretty good, so..........a timber tank it is! Just gotta do some more sanding and give it a clear coat. I'll have to find a nice piece of timber for a rear step as well.

[theVULTURE]

looking good!
that piece of wood fits up in there nicely
a wood platform in the back (like a wakeboard boat) would be cool too
it's coming along!!

[Gdcast]

I gotta be honest, at first I had my reserves, now I´m hooked, looking good! love that piece of timber, please keep it simple, looks great like that!!!

[CYRUS]

The wood looks sweet, maybe a slab of oak for the rear step, sounds very kewl...

[bean]

I got a bit more done today. Worked out a saddle mount for the vintage "leather" saddle I'm using (it's hard plastic) and bent and welded a couple of rear axle braces from some 12mm round I had.
I found a nice plank of Queensland Silky Oak for the rear step, and I'll probably laminate some and make a new tank.

The only money I plan on spending on this build (apart from the 10 buck purchase price) is for paint. Everything used so far has been dug out of parts/scrap metal bins.

[stretch]

you might wanna fix the toe and camber on the rear wheels. it appears to be pretty bad.

[bean]

you might wanna fix the toe and camber on the rear wheels. it appears to be pretty bad.

The toe is fine, but looks a bit out in the pic cause I've built camber into the axle.

[stretch]

more stability?

[jezusjonz]

You know they have about outlawed the sliders like the huffy and mongoose and the adult size big wheels. They been drifting the hills in CA with them. THe last one I saw was going for over 350 bucks.
Cool trike cant wait to see it finished.
Terry