Little Red Express Trike

[pvwacko]

Had a different bike build come it so progress has slowed... 6 weeks away for work won't help progress either... maybe I'll build the wheels while I'm away for work! those shouldn't be too bad to fly! There is now a pile of project parts that need attention.

This is what I spent the last week on! Almost done and a very excited owner. it's not rat rod but if you think it's cool check out my site... http://www.wackosgarage.com

see you all in June when the building can start again!

 

[ifitsfreeitsforme]

...oh ya, that's sweet.

 

[bikebum1975]

Cool road bike can't wait to see the trike I am normally not a Dodge fan but who doesn't love those lil trucks?

 

[white trash]

it did run... before I started swapping in a 1.6 Turbo Diesel to replace the 1.7 Gas motor. It will live again soon! to many projects!

I WANT THIS TRUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :mrgreen:

 

[Chris Stapley]

Want an Iltis really bad, come to Canada the Army has been trying to get rid of them ever since they bought them! Too light, many soldiers

have been fatalities due to the high center of gravity. These heaps have been more dangerous than the war overseas for the Canadian soldiers.

Sort of the equivalent of buying a Chinese moped when you were wanting a Harley.

 

[pvwacko]

Want an Iltis really bad, come to Canada the Army has been trying to get rid of them ever since they bought them! Too light, many soldiers

have been fatalities due to the high center of gravity. These heaps have been more dangerous than the war overseas for the Canadian soldiers.

Sort of the equivalent of buying a Chinese moped when you were wanting a Harley.

driver error can make any vehicle unsafe... add to that the stress of a war and it doesn't surprise me that there were so many deaths do to rollovers. I do wonder if seat belts were used though... I've rolled mine already and all I had to replace was the wind screen. the canadians are replacing the iltis with the G-Wagen mostly for the G-Wagens enormous upgrade in armour.

At anyrate, if you are interested in an Iltis get connected with the yahoo group for Iltis owners.

 

[datrod]

Guess I don't have to tell ya I'm loving this build. Here is a shot of my radio flyer.

This one on the hood I just finished lowering last week.

 

[pvwacko]

finally moved into my new garage! I've got tomorrow off too so it's back to work on the trike. I'm not sure if I want to use the Jesse James tank yet or not.

 

[Skipton]

Cool! can't wait to see this one done!

 

[pvwacko]

It's been a long time but I finally ordered a wheelset and some 24x3 slicks. We're back in business! Still have to get the disc sorted and find a source for my bearings. I have a seat post donor bike and a seat post... I think I need a small tractor seat! Two of my classes are ending at the end of the month and the bike shop should be slowing down so I hope to get to working on this (and my klunker, my murray sportsman 3 speed, my second swing bike...) Wow projects can stack up pretty fast! Hope to have enough custom builds done to put on a show for a first friday art walk here in flagstaff this spring.

 

[CCR]

i was wondering where this bike(trike) went to, but due to my frequently overwhelming pile of incomplete projects .... i think i understand :lol: , glad to see this thread moving again

 

[pvwacko]

Picked up a few more items for the trike... Got some tail lights from a friend who said I could put them to better use. Headlight is nice and compact but I will have to wire it. I think I'll put a battery pack under the "bed" to run all three lights. I also pulled out an antenna that I was going to put on my truck before it broke down... maybe I'll put it on here for now. also another chrome piece that may turn into the bumper instead of the big weight lifting piece. But I'm getting ahead of myself!

 

[dpbrown3000]

Dude - that thing is sick. Let me know when you get it done. I like all the salvaged detailing. Nice work!

 

[pvwacko]

Got a few little things done today between chapters in my homework. I cut the steer tube down to size and also got my headlight mounted on the forks. I wanted to keep it low and away from the spring so I oversized the hole that normally slides under the top nut on the steer tube so that it would slide down to the race seat. I pulled the race off the fork and pressed it back on with the light bracket under it. I like the look and it should be just higher than the tire when the wheels finally get here later this week or early next. I also picked up a heat shield from an old harley that I'll use to make a chain guard. I was trying to think of a way to pull in the look of the stacks that were on the Little Red Express Trucks.

 

[KJV]

headlite looks great.
me like the chaingaurd idea.
looking forward to more progress photos.

 

[pvwacko]

I got my 24" trike wheelset in today from J&B importers! The bearings are too small for my axle but I can just buy the correct bearings and press them in. Still cheeper than building a set of wheels I really wanted to see how the front end looked so I threw on a 24" x 3" fattie O I had. The matching tires are still on their way. I really like the way this sits. now I have to figure out a seat and where I want to mount the seat post. Hopefully more progress this weekend!

 

[Markm]

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=32211

 

[pvwacko]

are you suggesting I run those tires?

http://www.ratrodbikes.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=32211

I think nice and wide is the ticket for this build. maybe for another trike with a different look. my trike is more hot rod than muscle.

 

[OCD]

I agree, 24" x 3" is the way to go, especially on a trike! You've got a great idea for a build going on here. If you want to add a disc brake to that springer, check out my air ride build. :mrgreen:

 

[pvwacko]

I agree, 24" x 3" is the way to go, especially on a trike! You've got a great idea for a build going on here. If you want to add a disc brake to that springer, check out my air ride build. :mrgreen:

I'm going to run a disc on the rear axle, I just have to buy the converter and that's kind of low on the list right now with so many other projects going. Disc would be kind of cool up front but I don't want to build another wheel to use a disc hub. I think the rear disc will work out alright. It will want to pull slightly to the side because it only drives on one side while the other is free. I suppose if I got really fancy I could do a dual disc in the rear. make some adapters for the trike hubs to hold a disc and use a bmx gyro to pull both at once from one lever... I'm going to have to think on this one now! Thanks for the idea OCD