Trashman Trike-new pic 10/10

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emanon

Joined
Apr 25, 2007
Messages
303
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Location
Ann Arbor/Detroit MI
Here goes nothin'...my first build off entry.

A few weekends ago, after logging 10 miles on my trusty Typhoon around town, I spied something w/3 wheels in my neighbors' trash.

trike1.jpg


He had trashpicked it himself, but found it needed a bit more work than he cared to do. It seems the previous owner had an interesting way of fixing broken welds.

trike2.jpg


More pictures of this handywork to follow. That frame is trashed! There's even a spot where it burst, like a frozen pipe. I guess it filled up w/rainwater & froze...but they kept on riding it!
I am not sure what this trike is but I know it's not a Schwinn or a Worksman. Any guesses? The only branded part on it, besides the Schwinn teardrop grips is the hub, a Komet.
Nonetheless, I am going to replace the frame. Enter this perfectly aged '48 Schwinn frame. The only thing it's gonna get sprayed with is WD-40 or as some call it "hot rod polish".

strtbar1.jpg


strtbar.jpg



I bought this in the spring for around $20 on ebay from a guy a mile from home. I've gathered some other parts for it, but so far the frame is the only thing that actually cost money. One man's trash is another man's...uhhh trike. I've begun mocking her up, but my PC is not so cooperative right now. Hopefully I can get a pic or 2 up here over the weekend. TTFN!
 
What is it about us Michiganders and our trikes? Does everyone in our state have a softside for 3 wheelers?
Yeah the frame looks a little rough! :shock:
This should be a great build! I love the sprocket on the bike. Anxiously looking forward to this build!
Chainsaw
 
:shock: Dont tell me ur gonna cut that schwinn frame! Haha cant wait to see that bad boy man!
 
I'm not so sure that your trike isn't a Worksman. They have used several frame designs over the years and the rear triangle is consistant with others I've seen. Also consistant is the breaking point and the cobbled factory fix. This info comes from around 30 Worksman trikes that came out of Steelcase that a guy not far from me has and has been trying to sell me for awhile now. Sorry no pictures...Kelly
 
nogoodnic42 said:
I'm not so sure that your trike isn't a Worksman. They have used several frame designs over the years and the rear triangle is consistant with others I've seen. Also consistant is the breaking point and the cobbled factory fix. This info comes from around 30 Worksman trikes that came out of Steelcase that a guy not far from me has and has been trying to sell me for awhile now. Sorry no pictures...Kelly
Click to expand...

I've seen my share of Worksmans at my job at Chrysler & there's a few variants, but I've never seen this frame design. That is a typical breaking point (right Ricky?), usually fixed w/a big sloppy weld. Alot of them have been reinforced w/ 1/2" steel plates along both sides of the cross bars making for a heavy, heavy bike. and I have noticed some have an identical fork to mine. So who knows...
 
Hey all you guys are missing ONE point! ShopRats ride ShopRatBikes! This could be a combo "worksman/little daughter Suzie's" bike! Kelly has seen my H*llBeast project (still in the making). The bike came out of Pontiac Motors or the Truck and Bus plant. It's hardcore rat, from it's schedule 40 frame, to its wheelchair rims. When I got it, it weighed over a hundred pounds and it was missing some of it's parts! :shock: Them shop guys will rat anything, given the oppurtunity! 8)

The bottom line is ....
It's a great story and a great build about a Michigan boy and the love of his trike. :oops: :mrgreen:

Keep on bringing it!
 
Chainsaw said:
Hey all you guys are missing ONE point! ShopRats ride ShopRatBikes! This could be a combo "worksman/little daughter Suzie's" bike! Kelly has seen my H*llBeast project (still in the making). The bike came out of Pontiac Motors or the Truck and Bus plant. It's hardcore rat, from it's schedule 40 frame, to its wheelchair rims. When I got it, it weighed over a hundred pounds and it was missing some of it's parts! :shock: Them shop guys will rat anything, given the oppurtunity! 8)

The bottom line is ....
It's a great story and a great build about a Michigan boy and the love of his trike. :oops: :mrgreen:

Keep on bringing it!
Click to expand...

I would like to see a pic of the trike from Pontiac Motors. I have one from Allis-Chalmers called a Mule that is very heavy and have been trying to find any pics (especially the baskets) so i could bring it back to life
 
would that be the Allis Chalmers in Indiana? Im suppose to be gettin a trike today from a factory in town....we'll see...
 
Here's your 1st glimpse of her as she sits right now...

trike4-2.jpg


I am going to continue to play w/the stance, till it looks right to me. She's sitting on 24x2's right now, but I plan on a 26 (I'll try bigger, if I can get it cheap) for the front along w/a different fork (I have a few around--blade, lowrider springer, etc.) Also, those black posts you see running from the rear axle to the seat need to be longer, how much I won't know 'till I've got rear end just where I want it. (On the donor trike, those posts bolt to the seat post clamp). I've got alot of other ideas & I'm just going to keep playing around w/them--it's not much more than a rusty, greasy Tinkertoy, is it?
Let's get another thread started elsewhere about factory rat trikes--I'd love to see pics of Chainsaw's You should see the POS I get to ride around the plant these days--it weighs a 1/2 a ton, has wobbly solid tires, crappy orange paint, the frame is crooked, the coaster brake barely works, it's reinforced w/big slabs of 1/2" steel and it's alot of fun to ride...
 
WOW!!! That looks great. IMO I like the stance as is, it has a very aggresive look to it right now. What about using 24X3 tires on it? it would give you the height you want and you have the wheels already, they also took realy cool on trikes...Kelly

Heres my industrial trike that has undergone several changes since this pic but this shows the 24X3s.
img0209ia1.jpg
 
Fer sure, the rear wheels are staying 24" I like the idea of a bigger wheel in front, but I have to try it out 1st. I'm pretty happy w/the stance, maybe I'll go even lower in the back as long as the pedals don't scrape--mainly it's the front fork that doesn't look right to me. Kelly, the 24x3's look sweet on your Atlas--you sold me on those, at least 4 the back--maybe a skinny 4 the front? Decisions, decisions....I want to get it riding 1st & do some serious burnouts on the old rubber. There's a fairly steep hill nearby where I could get some speed, 25mph at least, and lock 'em up!!!
BTW, did that Atlas come w/mags?
 
Bend the fork out a little and run 26x3s out back itd be sweet
 
Glad to be of assistance. Yes the Atlas gomes with 24" mags all around. I went with a 24X2.1 Skinny Cat from Choppers US, I think a 26" would look better but I didn't have a 26" mag. One thing I did find when putting the 24X3s on it was it raised the whole bike alot, I have ground clearance for days and would like to bring it back down, so your idea of lowering the rear is a good one. Looking forward to seeing more of this one...Kelly
 
Firewalker said:
If nothing...... how about a regular springer on the front and if you can aford one I would go for the good old Morgan for this build! :shock: :shock: :mrgreen:

the black one!

http://www.chainganglowrider.com/Part%2 ... Braces.htm

heck even chopper forks would look awsome!!!!!




v
Click to expand...

By Morgan you mean Monark? Those are sweet, but I am broke. :( But even if I struck gold tomorrow, I plan to keep this particular project
'no-budget' . One day I will make my own chopper "triple tree" fork w/a cheap old fork & 4' of conduit. (As seen in Make zine this issue). [/i]
 

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