David Bradley Hood

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MazdaFlyer

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I finally popped on this old David Bradley garden tractor hood. I’ve been watching it in a flea market shop for over a year. I finally made an offer and it was accepted.
I’ve been imagining it as the front cowling for a rat bike or rat wagon. I don’t really need another project but Dr says I’ve got to keep active.
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A few concept photos. I just sat the cowling over the bike. It would require some cutting and trimming along with a support structure. It might work better with a bicycle truck.
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Restricted turning radius an issue to deal with. The stem has a convenient a hole already. Just a crazy idea for the future...maybe BO#14.
 
How about turned around and put on the back and over the frame?:39:
Hadn’t thought of it that way...your idea is coloring outside the lines, thinking outside the box. One way or another the plan has to be thought out before hand, once you start cutting there’s no going back. Thanks.
With turning it 180 degrees there would be pedal interference.

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Looks like it would look cool on a trike with nose pointed back. It would be cool if you could put a piece of sheet metal on the bottom and use as storage.


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it kinda looks like a REALLY big chainguard.
I can see that, we have an old Roadmaster with a two sided wrap around chainguard.
Looks like it would look cool on a trike with nose pointed back. It would be cool if you could put a piece of sheet metal on the bottom and use as storage.
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I don’t have a trike, but per your suggestion I think I’ll rotate it and sit it over the rear of the test bike. Hood hole looks like it might line up with seatpost.



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Rear fender and rack combination? Not wanting to cut this up at present but maybe a future sacrifice is in order. Still like the front concept better.
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As much as both versions appeal to me, I'm with @FreddyS on that trike idea. It was the first idea, that popped in my mind, when I saw the hood....
And I think it should go really low, the angled edge parallel to the floor maybe... but it's your project and your decisions!:agree:
(but I'm really jealous over your find..):20:
 
That is a great piece!

It would look amazing with a recumbent tadpole trike, but I like it as a bicycle cowling, as well. Maybe the front piece above the grille could be cut at the seam and hinged with a compartment floor and walls underneath for storage?

If you face it rearwards, I think it would look cool if some kind of seat could be placed right on the cowling itself, but I imagine having the seat end up that low might make for some knee stress when pedaling.

Front facing would probably hold more stuff. Maybe back light the grille or LED headlights to shine through the cracks?
 
I'll keep hoping that one of those type of tractor hoods will end up as a bicycle inspired by this...

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...the lower one here shows the potential coolness of the tadpole trike mentioned...

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Its going to make for high impact coolness whatever you do with it :thumbsup:

Jason
 
That is a pretty unique piece, and trike was the first thing that came to mind, since I'm sure it gets top-heavy. Have you considered a smaller front wheel to minimize the steering interference?

That would be my approach...a small front and two four-inch-wide fatties in the rear.
 
I have one of those hoods if anyone is interested!
If I had already one, I would buy a second one for sure and make them rear wheel mudguards for a trike.... :wink1:
 
Revisted this post to review pics...as May 1st approaches. I have an old Model T style steering wheel to add to the mix. I’d forgotten about the trike suggestions.


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Picked up a second hood today.
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It is in better shape as far as dents and dings go. It’s just rusty crusty.
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