Omega Owners Forum

Chat Area => General Discussion Area => Topic started by: Leomas on 30 January 2009, 11:04:40

Title: Any ideas?
Post by: Leomas on 30 January 2009, 11:04:40
Firstly I don't know if this is the right section so Admins feel free to move it.....

I have been wanting to build a trike for a looooong time now but after continually failing to find someone willing to build the chassis for me I am going to have to do it myself so...
I have been told that car chassis 'members' are only fairly low guage steel and I am using the front end of a Rover as it will be a 'tadpole' trike so a cradle for the engine and then a simple spine back to the rear wheel. Making it easy for myself I was planning to use simple box section with cut'n'weld webbed corners rather than bending.
How thin a wall do you think I can use for the box as the thinner it is, the lower rating I can get away with on the welding kit?

ps  Volunteer welders welcomed if only to show me what I will undoubtedly be doing wrong
Title: Re: Any ideas?
Post by: HolyCount on 30 January 2009, 12:33:41
If you are interested I have a set of trike plans / drawings I bought back in 2003 for a car engine powered trike ( m/cycle front end). Am happy to send them on as I will never get round to using them. LMK
Title: Re: Any ideas?
Post by: Leomas on 30 January 2009, 13:25:46
Thanks for that but I'm building "That's not a trike"....

Rover engine/complete front end/front wheel drive (yes folks, two wheels at the front)
Automatic transmission (OK so I'm lazy, anything to remove the need for foot pedals)
LPG

Seen a few car-engined trikes and they all seemed to have the same issue with the gear lever sticking up in the way and from there they just got ugly. If my concept works it will be stunning and suitable for anyone to ride (disabled capable, hand controls only...possibly even with wheelchair if I could rig the floor properly) and if it doesn't then it will never see the light of day and all evidence will be destroyed.
Title: Re: Any ideas?
Post by: stuart30 on 30 January 2009, 16:11:18
Quote
Thanks for that but I'm building "That's not a trike"....

Rover engine/complete front end/front wheel drive (yes folks, two wheels at the front)
Automatic transmission (OK so I'm lazy, anything to remove the need for foot pedals)
LPG

Seen a few car-engined trikes and they all seemed to have the same issue with the gear lever sticking up in the way and from there they just got ugly. If my concept works it will be stunning and suitable for anyone to ride (disabled capable, hand controls only...possibly even with wheelchair if I could rig the floor properly) and if it doesn't then it will never see the light of day and all evidence will be destroyed.


So it has 4 wheels then.....?

I do believe there called quads... ;D :y
Title: Re: Any ideas?
Post by: HolyCount on 30 January 2009, 16:15:00
Quote
Quote
Thanks for that but I'm building "That's not a trike"....

Rover engine/complete front end/front wheel drive (yes folks, two wheels at the front)
Automatic transmission (OK so I'm lazy, anything to remove the need for foot pedals)
LPG

Seen a few car-engined trikes and they all seemed to have the same issue with the gear lever sticking up in the way and from there they just got ugly. If my concept works it will be stunning and suitable for anyone to ride (disabled capable, hand controls only...possibly even with wheelchair if I could rig the floor properly) and if it doesn't then it will never see the light of day and all evidence will be destroyed.


So it has 4 wheels then.....?

I do believe there called quads... ;D :y


No -- what he is talking about is a reverse trike -- 2 driven wheels at the front and a trailing wheel at the back ... Lomax style
Title: Re: Any ideas?
Post by: Leomas on 30 January 2009, 17:36:08
Yup, also known as a tadpole....figured that if it was good enough for Morgan...
Also makes putting bodywork on for weather protection a lot easier, you don't have to have rubberised holes for forks etc. Was looking to steal styling for the front end from the supercar types with flaring over wheels etc and a false windscreen for directing airflow up and over. Will be buying the back-end of a traditional trike (Harley/Goldwing/BMW etc) for the luggage and to save having to demonstrate my lack of design skills.
Title: Re: Any ideas?
Post by: Vamps on 30 January 2009, 17:37:58
Quote
Thanks for that but I'm building "That's not a trike"....

Rover engine/complete front end/front wheel drive (yes folks, two wheels at the front)
Automatic transmission (OK so I'm lazy, anything to remove the need for foot pedals)
LPG

Seen a few car-engined trikes and they all seemed to have the same issue with the gear lever sticking up in the way and from there they just got ugly. If my concept works it will be stunning and suitable for anyone to ride (disabled capable, hand controls only...possibly even with wheelchair if I could rig the floor properly) and if it doesn't then it will never see the light of day and all evidence will be destroyed.

I have seen two driven (rode?) by wheelchair users, had bodywork on them to protect the person and a ramp for the rear, chair slotted intothe driving (riding??) position.  8-) 8-)

Good luck with your project..... :y
Title: Re: Any ideas?
Post by: HolyCount on 30 January 2009, 17:44:11
Quote
Quote
Thanks for that but I'm building "That's not a trike"....

Rover engine/complete front end/front wheel drive (yes folks, two wheels at the front)
Automatic transmission (OK so I'm lazy, anything to remove the need for foot pedals)
LPG

Seen a few car-engined trikes and they all seemed to have the same issue with the gear lever sticking up in the way and from there they just got ugly. If my concept works it will be stunning and suitable for anyone to ride (disabled capable, hand controls only...possibly even with wheelchair if I could rig the floor properly) and if it doesn't then it will never see the light of day and all evidence will be destroyed.

I have seen two driven (rode?) by wheelchair users, had bodywork on them to protect the person and a ramp for the rear, chair slotted intothe driving (riding??) position.  8-) 8-)

Good luck with your project..... :y


That'll be the Nippi
Title: Re: Any ideas?
Post by: Vamps on 30 January 2009, 17:51:06
Quote
Quote
Quote
Thanks for that but I'm building "That's not a trike"....

Rover engine/complete front end/front wheel drive (yes folks, two wheels at the front)
Automatic transmission (OK so I'm lazy, anything to remove the need for foot pedals)
LPG

Seen a few car-engined trikes and they all seemed to have the same issue with the gear lever sticking up in the way and from there they just got ugly. If my concept works it will be stunning and suitable for anyone to ride (disabled capable, hand controls only...possibly even with wheelchair if I could rig the floor properly) and if it doesn't then it will never see the light of day and all evidence will be destroyed.

I have seen two driven (rode?) by wheelchair users, had bodywork on them to protect the person and a ramp for the rear, chair slotted intothe driving (riding??) position.  8-) 8-)

Good luck with your project..... :y


That'll be the Nippi

Went and had a look, could be the middle / top one... :y
http://www.nippi.co.uk/Nippi.shtml

Title: Re: Any ideas?
Post by: nick v6 on 30 January 2009, 17:54:54
didn't they do a car with 2 wheels at the front 1 at the back
called a bubble car or sumat like that
and that german car messasmit i aint got a clue on how you spell it
someone on here will know
Title: Re: Any ideas?
Post by: HolyCount on 30 January 2009, 17:56:27
Yeah. a mate of mine had one in the 70's-- was basically a cockpit on wheels ---tandem 2 seater

(http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y271/maddogmulgrew/images-1.jpg)
Title: Re: Any ideas?
Post by: Vamps on 30 January 2009, 17:58:40
Quote
Yeah. a mate of mine had one in the 70's-- was basically a cockpit on wheels ---tandem 2 seater


They look great :y  they are worth a fortune now.... :)
Title: Re: Any ideas?
Post by: nick v6 on 30 January 2009, 17:59:33
there is a scooter that has been driven by mine that has 2 wheels at the front 1 at the back
corners well and goes pretty well
Title: Re: Any ideas?
Post by: doog on 30 January 2009, 18:00:43
Quote
Firstly I don't know if this is the right section so Admins feel free to move it.....

I have been wanting to build a trike for a looooong time now but after continually failing to find someone willing to build the chassis for me I am going to have to do it myself so...
I have been told that car chassis 'members' are only fairly low guage steel and I am using the front end of a Rover as it will be a 'tadpole' trike so a cradle for the engine and then a simple spine back to the rear wheel. Making it easy for myself I was planning to use simple box section with cut'n'weld webbed corners rather than bending.
How thin a wall do you think I can use for the box as the thinner it is, the lower rating I can get away with on the welding kit?

ps  Volunteer welders welcomed if only to show me what I will undoubtedly be doing wrong


1800vvc or 2.5 kv6?
if your gonna be stupid you may as well be really stupid   :y (i would)

Doug
Title: Re: Any ideas?
Post by: nick v6 on 30 January 2009, 18:02:50
http://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk/heinkel.htm

thats the bubble car thing
i think
im not old enough to remember it properly
Title: Re: Any ideas?
Post by: HolyCount on 30 January 2009, 18:04:45
Quote
Quote
Yeah. a mate of mine had one in the 70's-- was basically a cockpit on wheels ---tandem 2 seater


They look great :y  they are worth a fortune now.... :)

Yeah -- I bet he wished he still had it !!!  He also had the isetta bubble car, iirc, three forward gears and no reverse.  He once drove it into his garage, tight up against the back wall --- then realised he couldn't open the front hinging door. With no reverse he was trapped !!!!!  Took a few hours before he was missed  --- he had tried the horn  -- do you remember the pathetic little squeak they made ??????
Title: Re: Any ideas?
Post by: HolyCount on 30 January 2009, 18:06:08
Quote
http://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk/heinkel.htm

thats the bubble car thing
i think
im not old enough to remember it properly

Different thing -- but same concept ---

(http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y271/maddogmulgrew/images-1.jpg)
Title: Re: Any ideas?
Post by: Leomas on 30 January 2009, 18:24:11
Quote
Quote
Firstly I don't know if this is the right section so Admins feel free to move it.....

I have been wanting to build a trike for a looooong time now but after continually failing to find someone willing to build the chassis for me I am going to have to do it myself so...
I have been told that car chassis 'members' are only fairly low guage steel and I am using the front end of a Rover as it will be a 'tadpole' trike so a cradle for the engine and then a simple spine back to the rear wheel. Making it easy for myself I was planning to use simple box section with cut'n'weld webbed corners rather than bending.
How thin a wall do you think I can use for the box as the thinner it is, the lower rating I can get away with on the welding kit?

ps  Volunteer welders welcomed if only to show me what I will undoubtedly be doing wrong


1800vvc or 2.5 kv6?
if your gonna be stupid you may as well be really stupid   :y (i would)

Doug


Sadly it's just a 1.6 that I had converted some time back for LPG. Bodywork is rotted to whatsit but the engine/running gear still seem fine.
Title: Re: Any ideas?
Post by: stuart30 on 30 January 2009, 18:28:50
Quote
Quote
Quote
Thanks for that but I'm building "That's not a trike"....

Rover engine/complete front end/front wheel drive (yes folks, two wheels at the front)
Automatic transmission (OK so I'm lazy, anything to remove the need for foot pedals)
LPG

Seen a few car-engined trikes and they all seemed to have the same issue with the gear lever sticking up in the way and from there they just got ugly. If my concept works it will be stunning and suitable for anyone to ride (disabled capable, hand controls only...possibly even with wheelchair if I could rig the floor properly) and if it doesn't then it will never see the light of day and all evidence will be destroyed.


So it has 4 wheels then.....?

I do believe there called quads... ;D :y


No -- what he is talking about is a reverse trike -- 2 driven wheels at the front and a trailing wheel at the back ... Lomax style

Oh right with ya now... :y

Butt ugly things....go for a trike, ;D
Title: Re: Any ideas?
Post by: dbug on 30 January 2009, 22:51:43
Quote
http://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk/heinkel.htm

thats the bubble car thing
i think
im not old enough to remember it properly

Very early 60s waiting for a bus - saw one of those fall over as it came round a slight bend! ;D ;D ;D