this is what I've got so far - okay, still one wheel too many ...
but plans and my freshly inherited toolbox are ready and waiting
---------------------------------------------------here's the beginning---------------------------------------------------
here's another Phigment of Phil's Phantasy,
a seed that's been growing continuously
...
...
venturing through the vast virtual expanses of vintage motor travel imagery on the world wide web,
the interesting history of the 1930s handmade, homebuilt Shotwell three-wheeler got entangled in my net
(Philbert, the Puddle Jumper, created by Bob Shotwell, now part of the Jay Leno collection)
all of a sudden, an unknown craving buoyed to the surface of my senses
and I had THE IDEA!
...
see, for years I've been toying with the idea of cost effective,
minimal footprint commuter transportation with a touch of individuality
I figured I could easily butcher together a simple steel tube frame covered by a slick teardrop rod design,
paint the lot in rust effect paint and off I'd buzz between all these boring beamers of this posh poser town!
...
why on earth a three-wheeler, I hear you sigh
well, that's easy because this type of ride doesn't need any environment zone sticker
on the chopped windscreen - three-wheelers don't count as cars! - and with a small
bike engine and an aerodynamic teardrop shape body fuel efficiency might even be GOOD
...
anyway, here's the plan!
a couple of quick school sketches and there is a convincingly simple concept
triangulated steel frame connects Transit front axle to motorcycle main frame
and zooooooooooooooom here we go 3-D in scale 1:10 with plywood and styrofoam
any super-cycle mill oughta give enough punch to let this shape fly down the road
phat super size mags for that hip look or maybe skinny motocross rubber?
...
a year passed by but lots of research has provided further inspiration
I am not at all alone in this...
the crude styrofoam model was eventually trashed and replaced
by a slightly more complex one, now based on a Yamaha XS 400
the aluminium body is shaped around a would-be '32 Ford repro grille shell
riveted aluminium panels aiming for a sinister rat rod fighter plane look
aerodynamics, so I understand, are a lot more about airflow along the rear
so a slightly angular, hot rod front end shouldn't spoil too much
...
it's November 2015 and against all odds
I've kept planning and designing and here's the latest state of development (rollover)
based on a € 200 Yamaha XS 400 from a collegue
more Airfix inspiration from a dieselpunk site
and here's the style we're aimin' for
and here's the Jules Verne-style contraption that really
captures the spirit of DIY three-wheelin'
...
a set of 18 inch wire wheels is waiting for adapters to go on Transit axle
more very soon!
February 2016 - here are the custom-made alloy adapters
mating the Morris 8/10 wire spoke wheels to the Transit I-beam looks so cool
to calculate the required amount of steel I built a balso wood model
I built the model because I could never draw the tringualted space frame properly
2 B cont'd
see a slightly awkward movie version here
cool? well... shotwell!