Can anyone make sense of this??

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I got this old trike off craigslist for 15 bucks and thought it might be an olde Trailmate. I contacted Trailmate.com to find out more about it and this is their response:

It’s not a Trailmate.
Looks like a combination of manufacturers parts.
Rear frame looks like a Miami Sun or conversion rear frame section with the one piece axle.
Support struts from seat post to rear frame look like Alco Villager parts with the sliding adjustment. ( 1970’s – 1980’s
The wheels only being 28 spoke indicate cost saving wheels. ( mostly not used after mid 1980’s )
Rear fender braces appear to be Trailmate early model fender kit with the muffler clamp. ( late 1970’s)
Looks like Shimano 3 speed coasterbrake, but unusual model with bell crank on brake arm side of hub.
Might want to see if you can find out when that model hub was produced.
Reflectors looks like something from 1970’s.
Number of Wald parts stem, crank, pedals, front sprocket.
Seat looks like English saddle.
Front fork appears to be Imported lugged style, possibly English but likely Taiwanese.
The rear fixed sprocket on rear axle looks like it has more that 22 teeth, rather unique if it does.
Deep rear basket looks like Miami Sun style.
Frame may be something made by Alco Cycle ( LargoFL ) but can’t be sure.
The frame part holding the 3 speed hub looks like what they used to make but they had their own rear frame
which is different than what is in picture.
Mr Al Cook was very innovative and this may have
been of limited production. He was active 1960’s- early 1980’s.

Me talking now. :eek:) Just not sure why there were so many trike parts involved in putting this thing together. I mean, how many people on earth have multiple, multiple trikes laying around, lol. Plus, I am looking for 3 24" rims and tires if anybody has some for sale. Sandblasting starts tonight. Is this worth restoring? Your thoughs/concerns/opinions welcome! I will most likely keep it and not resell it. Thanks in advance...



 
I like trikes but storage is the big issue. Do you have a huge garage and an understanding wife? Gary
 
After getting most of the paint off, we found a "Matthews" head badge. Can't find out much about these online, anyone ever heard of them?
 
70s trike , Alco Villager, and the Trailmate Trikes were both made in Florida.... A lot of the parts were interchangeable.
Both made on the Gulf Coast...Bradenton, and Largo.
I just read a pretty cool article on them...made by a bunch of self proclaimed 'hippies' in Florida during the 70s...eventually badged out under different names all over the country....they built approx. 10 per day. bought their one piece cranks usually by gross from Wald, pedals and brake arms wherever they could get them at.
"That frame of yours looks more like a Trailmate
EDIT: Especially because the Trailmates used 24" tires almost exclusively."


I've got an early 70s Trailmate. Identifying it was tough coz. it's all houspainted..(had some great help identifying it from member Falstaff) here ya go.....compare.
Franco
TRIKE 3.jpg
 
I like trikes but storage is the big issue.

Aint that the truth, Especially the older ones which are heavy as tanks. I currently have mine taken apart and spread out in different storage areas..ha. so it's out of sight.
Don't really want to put it back together until I'm ready to sell it.
takes up half of the driveway.
TrikeApart.jpg
 
Looks a lot like a Sears but the bb shell is in a different location. Perhaps a model year change to raise/lower the center of gravity. The rear hub support and single seat stay are the same. Sears outsourced everything so their bicycles came from a variety of factories in different countries. Any company making stuff for Sears was usually making/selling very similar products under other names for other retailers or chain stores. If that sprocket is original, the pattern can be linked to a particular manufacturer. The spiral tear drops is similar to AMF/Roadmaster/CWC.

Some Sears products have manufacture codes included in the serial numbers.
$_1.JPG
 

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