V8 trike build.

[RWD3M]

Fitting up the flywheel and mini-starter, no shimming required, but I did manage to knock some bark off a couple of knuckles on the razor sharp machined edges on the starter. Five minutes with a file will sort that out.

Sort what out, your knuckles?

 

[Morrisman]

Sort what out, your knuckles?

Yep, blended the wounds in, cauterised by fire, job done.

 

[dobbslc]

Don't forget a slosh of iodine...

 

[Morrisman]

Don't forget a slosh of iodine...

I only had some wd40, seems to have worked.

 

[Morrisman]

And the flex plate has a balance weight on it, for external balancing, which I thought was just for the 400 SBC, not the 350?

A bit of googling and it turns out that one piece rear main seal cranks have some weight removal internally, so a balanced flex plate is required.

I wonder how much the engine would leap around if the wrong flex plate was inadvertently fitted?

 

[RWD3M]

A bit of googling and it turns out that one piece rear main seal cranks have some weight removal internally, so a balanced flex plate is required.

I wonder how much the engine would leap around if the wrong flex plate was inadvertently fitted?

Only one way to find out!

 

[Morrisman]

Only one way to find out!

Should be ready to test it in 5 or 6 years, at current rate of progress. Long piece of string to the throttle, crash helmet and cricket box on etc…..

 

[Blobber]

Should be ready to test it in 5 or 6 years, at current rate of progress. Long piece of string to the throttle, crash helmet and cricket box on etc…..

I might even pay to see that!

 

[Morrisman]

So, torque convertor installed, tranny bolted up, and I slipped it quickly back into the frame. It only took, like, 3 hours……
The frame is about 1/8” too narrow to simply lower it down over the engine, and a gadget I made to spring it open, like a mini Acro prop, wasn’t too successful. But it’s in now.

 

[Morrisman]

I’ve been worried about finding a front tyre that is rated to take whatever weight ends up on the front. So, with engine sitting in the frame I very slowly lowered the front tyre onto my bathroom scales, using the engine hoist. I watched it climb slowly to 170kg, then a bit more, and the scales tripped off as they’re only rated to 180kg.
But by that point the lifting rope was totally slack, so I’d say it’s around the 180kg mark at this stage. There is still stuff to go on, water and oil, front lights, handlebars, carburettor etc so it’ll go up. The radiator is right out back, so the weight will counteract things a touch. Fuel tank is way back there too.

I’d bet that full fat 1800 Goldwings have as much weight on the front wheel as this.

 

[colnerov]

From what I understand, front wheel lifting on enthusiastic take off could be more of a problem.

 

[Morrisman]

From what I understand, front wheel lifting on enthusiastic take off could be more of a problem.

Wheelie bars may be added at a later date, if that problem rears its head.
Getting up would be easy, but coming down with a bang would worry me.

 

[Morrisman]

Another stumbling block, I had planned on using the Edelbrock carb that came with the motor, but stupidly I used an old Holley to build around when I designed the frame.
So the Edelbrock won’t fit.

Anyway, I thought I could make an adaptor and drop a 38dgas carb on it, which will be more than enough carb for my needs, to begin with. They’ll run to 150hp on Essex motors etc.

Ebay seem to sell them dirt cheap, brand new Chinese copies for a guess.

Anyone have an experience with this sort of thing? Will it just be chinesium junk, or are they usable?




And a genuine Weber carb…..

 

[dave h 2]

You may find it only revs to 2000rpm with only one of them.
Saw a lad back in 72 /73 at Santa Pod with a similar Chevy trike only without the gear box, no suspension and shorter and without an orange box on the back to make things worse. It popped wheelies with very little throttle, tamed by semi elliptical leaf spring wheelie bars.

 

[jsf55]

Look for someone swapping out an old 2 barrel set up for a 4 barrel, the cast iron manifold isn't going to give you any weight issues
Put a wanted ad on the nsra and unusual car bits on FB

 

[Popcorn]

I know there was a test in one of the car mags (CCC probably) in the nineties, Holley, Weber and another possibly a Edelbrock.
The Weber came out on top and easily out performed the others, both performance wise and for economy.
My mate fitted one to his V8 Mini Van and it ran great.

 

[Morrisman]

I know there was a test in one of the car mags (CCC probably) in the nineties, Holley, Weber and another possibly a Edelbrock.
The Weber came out on top and easily out performed the others, both performance wise and for economy.
My mate fitted one to his V8 Mini Van and it ran great.

I’ve used a couple over the years, with good results, I’m just wondering if the chinesium copies are any good. They might be cheap, very cheap, but if they don’t work properly they’re just a paper weight.

 

[8ob]

You could shove one of those crossover weber adaptor plates on it and run dcoe's

 

[Morrisman]

You could shove one of those crossover weber adaptor plates on it and run dcoe's

That would look pretty trick, but I’m looking at economy at the moment.

 

[colnerov]

That would look pretty trick, but I’m looking at economy at the moment.

Of course you are.