I don't post much... I seldom think I have anything worth posting. I got an e-mail from a guy at the local bike shop tonight, he can get my new transmission/jackshaft hub... 
So, now I'm fired up about my ticycle but I'm too lazy to actually go work on it. I'm going to scratch my "bicycle itch" by posting up the history of my build and then bring this up every now-and-then when I make updates.
Here's the trike when I first got it at a car parts swap meet here in Glendale, AZ. It was a Columbia tricycle with a 3 speed and a "true" rear end. When I say "true" I mean that it actually has spider gears and allows the outside tire to turn faster than the inside tire.
I bought an OCC chopper and cut the front triangle from that, then I put the back half of the tricycle on to see how it would look.
I decided the project was going to work out and welded it together.
And a picture with the trunk down on the car...
I initially thought that the chainline would be close enough to use a few washers and get everything aligned. I soon figured out that was not the case. The OCC bottom bracket width was turning into an issue. I even posted on here for some help. I was off by about an inch, that was too much in my mind to make up with washers.
I was sitting there, just eye balling the rear end... then I noticed that axle was shorter on one side than it was the other, by about an inch. I then noticed that the "pumpkin" of the rear end was the same on both sides so that the sprocket could be flipped to the other side. I flipped the axle and then flipped the sprocket to the correct side and it nearly lined right up!
With the chainline ironed out I could finally ride the trike. Wow, that OCC seat was brutal. I found a seat post that would fit, put a leftover seat and leftover handlebars on the bike. It rode pretty well and sat pretty low. I liked it, but the OCC fork are terrible and really made the bike look cheap.
Here's where the budget gets thrown out the window. I decided to get the US Choppers springer fork.
I also decided to get some wide rims for it. Rim availability and my budget mandated a 2.5 inch rim width... boy am I glad I only went that wide. I have to let the air out of the front tire to get the Thick Brick and 2.5 rim in the springer fork. I painted the rims with red paint custom matched to my 55 Chevy. My local bike shop gave me a suitable 36 hole front hub and I had them lace all three wheels with stainless spokes and gold nipples. I've added some gold here and there, sparingly. The 55 has gold here and there... so I thought it works.
As all projects go, I was behind schedule - and wanted the tricycle painted so I could ride it at a local bike event (Tour De Fat in Tempe, AZ) Here's a pic the night before the event:
I slapped some paint on the bike and used "Belair" script for a 55 Chevy dash on each side of the frame. The ivory paint I used reacted with the red, I didn't clean the slag off of the frame gussets... Oh well, it looks ok and it will keep the frame free of rust while I do other stuff.
Next is the new 5 speed hub with reverse (so both of my Belair's will have 5 speeds!). I'm also working on an experiment - my experiment is some headlights that used to be car fog lights that look pretty good. I removed the 12v lights and replaced them with flash light reflectors and bulbs. The lights are wired and work, now I gotta figure out where the batteries are going to go. My current idea is a fake Harley Davidson style oil tank in the triangle behind the seat post.
So, now I'm fired up about my ticycle but I'm too lazy to actually go work on it. I'm going to scratch my "bicycle itch" by posting up the history of my build and then bring this up every now-and-then when I make updates.Here's the trike when I first got it at a car parts swap meet here in Glendale, AZ. It was a Columbia tricycle with a 3 speed and a "true" rear end. When I say "true" I mean that it actually has spider gears and allows the outside tire to turn faster than the inside tire.
I bought an OCC chopper and cut the front triangle from that, then I put the back half of the tricycle on to see how it would look.
I decided the project was going to work out and welded it together.
And a picture with the trunk down on the car...
I initially thought that the chainline would be close enough to use a few washers and get everything aligned. I soon figured out that was not the case. The OCC bottom bracket width was turning into an issue. I even posted on here for some help. I was off by about an inch, that was too much in my mind to make up with washers.
I was sitting there, just eye balling the rear end... then I noticed that axle was shorter on one side than it was the other, by about an inch. I then noticed that the "pumpkin" of the rear end was the same on both sides so that the sprocket could be flipped to the other side. I flipped the axle and then flipped the sprocket to the correct side and it nearly lined right up!
With the chainline ironed out I could finally ride the trike. Wow, that OCC seat was brutal. I found a seat post that would fit, put a leftover seat and leftover handlebars on the bike. It rode pretty well and sat pretty low. I liked it, but the OCC fork are terrible and really made the bike look cheap.
Here's where the budget gets thrown out the window. I decided to get the US Choppers springer fork.
I also decided to get some wide rims for it. Rim availability and my budget mandated a 2.5 inch rim width... boy am I glad I only went that wide. I have to let the air out of the front tire to get the Thick Brick and 2.5 rim in the springer fork. I painted the rims with red paint custom matched to my 55 Chevy. My local bike shop gave me a suitable 36 hole front hub and I had them lace all three wheels with stainless spokes and gold nipples. I've added some gold here and there, sparingly. The 55 has gold here and there... so I thought it works.
As all projects go, I was behind schedule - and wanted the tricycle painted so I could ride it at a local bike event (Tour De Fat in Tempe, AZ) Here's a pic the night before the event:
I slapped some paint on the bike and used "Belair" script for a 55 Chevy dash on each side of the frame. The ivory paint I used reacted with the red, I didn't clean the slag off of the frame gussets... Oh well, it looks ok and it will keep the frame free of rust while I do other stuff.
Next is the new 5 speed hub with reverse (so both of my Belair's will have 5 speeds!). I'm also working on an experiment - my experiment is some headlights that used to be car fog lights that look pretty good. I removed the 12v lights and replaced them with flash light reflectors and bulbs. The lights are wired and work, now I gotta figure out where the batteries are going to go. My current idea is a fake Harley Davidson style oil tank in the triangle behind the seat post.
