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great thread!
very informative....trike builders pay attention..snu..you are the first one to mention offset variations and their uses. no one seemed to want to talk about offset other than making rake changes...I didn't know what to do...so measured off a Harley wide glide front 2.25in.and started drilling my trees..anyhow thanks so much for this thread! larry
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So we covered some possible gear ratio changes.
So for a trike we want tall gearing or tall tires.
Myself I am not fond the the super wide tires.
They certainly look cool and make you think it has the 1000hp that tires like that are for.
But in the end they are just a power suck. I am more interested in performance and only run as much tire as a have too.
As long as you do not run slicks and are reasonable with it the stock trans will handle around 100hp before breaking.
At this point it will start shearing drive keys on the straight shafts. Spinning the press on syncro rings. And case flex will chew up ring and pinions.
Billet side covers, hardened keys and welding the syncros on will help keep it together to approaching 200hp (no slicks and drag racing).
After that is splined shafts instead of keyed and 4 spider super-diffs plus the big ribbed "rhino" case.
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So you find an old beetle and strip it down.
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Then cut the back end off.
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This gives you all the suspension and the engine/trans mounting. All the major mechanical in one peice. All you have to do is start building off of this.
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All you have to do is weld it in square and with the neck centered and correct trail planned out.
And....you have a trike.
So what kinda trike do you want?
Body
No body.
Styers style?
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Frame is a single large beam.
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How about a tube frame and no body.
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I know of at least one place that makes frame kits or complete welded units.
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Ok....checked with admin, so I am gonnna name drop.
Steve at Wild Man Trikes makes some knock down kits and full weld frames.
Back in the day there were several vw trike makers, but not anymore. Steve "cut his teeth" on the VW, but now a days he does a lot of exotic stuff. But he does still make the vw stuff and has some new repop stuff out too.
Such as single beam styers style necks and tie ins.
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And the repop body to go with it.
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He also does a no body frame a lot like the pic above out of tubing. Also does a mid engine frame (not swedish style)
Yall look Steve up.
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Adjusting the rear torsion springs.
Down
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Up
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Here is a welded on syncro hub.
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So what yall wanna talk about?
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A few things to think about while considering building a vw trike.
Like said above.....nothing can match how simple it is mechanically. They were plentiful and cheap to get used back in the day.
But.
The last usa imported model was in 79.
So if you were to find the very last beetle imported it would be 38 yrs old.
Most have been crushed now so not plentiful anymore. Then even if you find something complete, it will still need major rebuilding.
They were still made and sold in other countries untill 2004. It could be possible to go to Brazil and buy a running driving beetle. Pay the import duties and ship it here.
On the plus side there is a collector market and a full aftermarket supply of parts available here. But that also means they are not so cheap anymore.
So unless you fancy yourself as a vw guy or just want a retro trike....there are other choices at the local junk yard. None will be as easy to frame up and all will have more stuff to make fit. Radiator and electrical to name a couple. Most any front wheel drive car would be a good donor.