Post by Deleted on Jan 25, 2020 11:52:48 GMT -5
I've been wanting to build a 3 wheeler for at least 38yrs. I remember drawing them in high school so, it's been a long time. I just happened upon this site while searching Pinterest at trikes. My first question is, why on earth is the proper configuration called a, "reverse" trike? Shouldn't the infamous Honda 3 wheeler, known for instability and death be considered the reverse trike? It obviously did not work and has forever put a stain on proper 3 wheelers.
I've recently acquired a 1998 Yamaha YZF600R for $200.00. I'm adding up the costs to build and while still significant, maybe I'll actually get started on this thing. I've got shop space, a hydraulic pipe bender, experience in all aspects needed for the construction and a pretty complete plan. I've built enough custom stuff over the years to know that it is one thing to build something custom that is simple. It is quite another to build something serving multiple functions and be required to travel down a highway. Only so much estimating is available to a single individual to create. Some of the success of a design is true genius and some of it is luck. This is the gamble with my time and money but that is okay. If I've put 38yrs into thinking about it, it's not going away.
For convenience of body construction my design is modeled after the F-117 Stealth Fighter. It has sharp edged, flat surfaces that I can print out on paper full size, use as templates, build a mockup out of 1/4" ply and look at without too much effort. I wanted this design to be aluminum unibody construction by I'm sticking with a fiberglass body and tubing chassis with tandem seating. It's fully drawn on SketchUp.
Tandem seating, yeah that's the big difference here. I'm not sure about this added length and the affects it will bring onto the overall design. I have no desire to build a single seater at this point. The body is only something like 32" wide and looks like a fighter jet. The side glass is expansive and acts as the door all on it's own. I'm thinking it can be driven without the doors in warm weather. The rear passengers legs, starting at about the knee, actually slide to either side of the drivers seat. The rear seat adds a bit more than 2' if I remember right. It's compact. When I've shown it to people, rotated it around and explained the idea, people think it's a death trap, super scary looking and that I'm crazy. The rear passenger enters through the side glass door with the drivers seat slide forward. Once in place and the drivers seat pushed back, they have nowhere to go. I have aviation experience, earned my private pilot license and there is definitely some aviation elements here that many people find extreme for autos. I want it to be extreme. Otherwise, what's the point? But, I also want it to work and be a high performance vehicle.
I look forward to exploring this site and checking out what others are doing.
I've recently acquired a 1998 Yamaha YZF600R for $200.00. I'm adding up the costs to build and while still significant, maybe I'll actually get started on this thing. I've got shop space, a hydraulic pipe bender, experience in all aspects needed for the construction and a pretty complete plan. I've built enough custom stuff over the years to know that it is one thing to build something custom that is simple. It is quite another to build something serving multiple functions and be required to travel down a highway. Only so much estimating is available to a single individual to create. Some of the success of a design is true genius and some of it is luck. This is the gamble with my time and money but that is okay. If I've put 38yrs into thinking about it, it's not going away.
For convenience of body construction my design is modeled after the F-117 Stealth Fighter. It has sharp edged, flat surfaces that I can print out on paper full size, use as templates, build a mockup out of 1/4" ply and look at without too much effort. I wanted this design to be aluminum unibody construction by I'm sticking with a fiberglass body and tubing chassis with tandem seating. It's fully drawn on SketchUp.
Tandem seating, yeah that's the big difference here. I'm not sure about this added length and the affects it will bring onto the overall design. I have no desire to build a single seater at this point. The body is only something like 32" wide and looks like a fighter jet. The side glass is expansive and acts as the door all on it's own. I'm thinking it can be driven without the doors in warm weather. The rear passengers legs, starting at about the knee, actually slide to either side of the drivers seat. The rear seat adds a bit more than 2' if I remember right. It's compact. When I've shown it to people, rotated it around and explained the idea, people think it's a death trap, super scary looking and that I'm crazy. The rear passenger enters through the side glass door with the drivers seat slide forward. Once in place and the drivers seat pushed back, they have nowhere to go. I have aviation experience, earned my private pilot license and there is definitely some aviation elements here that many people find extreme for autos. I want it to be extreme. Otherwise, what's the point? But, I also want it to work and be a high performance vehicle.
I look forward to exploring this site and checking out what others are doing.