This coming week I am picking up my first three wheeler.It is a Free Spirit three speed with twist grip shifting. It is a basket case. I have looked at all the pieces and believe that it is all there. All the small parts are bagged and labeled. There are three chains, one long and two short ones.Reassembling it will be a new experience for me .Anybody else on here got one ? 8)
my first three wheeler
- Thread starter thom
- Start date
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I still don't have the three-wheeler home , but I did look at it again.There is a small electric motor included with it.A tag on the motor reads General Engines EPD. I thought that was odd as it is a motor, not an engine.An engine is gas or diesel but a motor is electric , right? I believe that it is some kind of industrial motor.The drive end has a wheel about 2 inches in diameter and made of material that looks like a course wheel for a bench grinder.I don't think I would mount in on a bike myself.The seller of the bike has another three-wheeler that the motor was mounted on.The front fender was cut off just in front of the forks to mount it to run against the front tire. He has no interest in bikes and only had the two because his wife wanted one to ride.The one she wants to keep is a Royal Enfield. I am going to try to convince them to sell it to me also.I will post photos when I can. 8)
Those "stone" rollers are common friction wheels for driving bicycle tires. They work. Sounds like it was in fact built as a bicycle motor. You are right, a motor is technically an electric unit and an engine is normally internal combustion, but the two terms get used interchangeably.
There were many suppliers that came and went quickly during the gas shortages of the 1970s... this is probably from one of those. Any more info on the tag on the motor? Sounds like it could make a cool little electric trike drivetrain with a proper battery pack. The technology available now for motor controllers was pie in the sky when that motor was built- maybe an updated system would get that back on the road as a powered trike again.
A friend on here just parted out one of these Sears trikes... Mad Scientist. Email me at [email protected] and I'll put you in touch with him. He has most of the parts, only took the trike rear end off it I think.
--Rob
There were many suppliers that came and went quickly during the gas shortages of the 1970s... this is probably from one of those. Any more info on the tag on the motor? Sounds like it could make a cool little electric trike drivetrain with a proper battery pack. The technology available now for motor controllers was pie in the sky when that motor was built- maybe an updated system would get that back on the road as a powered trike again.
A friend on here just parted out one of these Sears trikes... Mad Scientist. Email me at [email protected] and I'll put you in touch with him. He has most of the parts, only took the trike rear end off it I think.
--Rob
thom said:
A pic or two of the Free Spirit three wheeler, I hope...
The three chains...
I'm still trying to get the Royal Enfield trike from the lady owner that I got this one from.The paint on this one is not so good that I will have reservations about a repaint .The chrome wheels were pretty rusty but I tried a brass wire brush on my drill on one and it cleaned up suprisingly well.Thanks
The three chains...
I'm still trying to get the Royal Enfield trike from the lady owner that I got this one from.The paint on this one is not so good that I will have reservations about a repaint .The chrome wheels were pretty rusty but I tried a brass wire brush on my drill on one and it cleaned up suprisingly well.Thanks
