novice builder with his first trike needs suggestions!!

[LazarusHawthorn]

hello,

so i bought a VW frame off a guy for $360 bucks with wheels and front end, i can post pictures if people are interested. so now i'm mainly looking for suggestions on engine and trans-axle to put on it. my budget is flexible, but more towards the lower end of things. i'm not looking for anything more then a reliable engine with enough power to comfortably ride down the highway.

in terms of my mechanic ability i'd say i'm roughly at "beginner back yard mechanic." i can do most repairs on my car except welding. I've got an arch welder i just need to learn how to use it (and get a face shield that isn't busted). but, i'm pretty good at figuring things out from manuals and YouTube videos.

any all suggestions are deeply appreciated!

[rhino 2]

Vince.........Welcome to Trike-Talk...............

[stacebg]

welcome

one suggestion...this is not a good project to "learn to weld on"

this is your life and anyone who ride with you or near you

perhaps tack stuff and have some with experience do the welding..

stace

[Sidecarbill]

Just keep in mind that old Volkswagens are gutless, problematic, and have by now been worked on by nobody that knows what they're doing. Add to that poor fuel mileage, and the fact they're hard pressed to see 70 mph with a tailwind down a mine shaft. You'll have unique vehicle that's for sure. Do your research for parts, good ones are rare.good luck and have fun. This will keep you busy for awhile.

[rhino 2]

hello,

so i bought a VW frame off a guy for $360 bucks with wheels and front end, i can post pictures if people are interested. so now i'm mainly looking for suggestions on engine and trans-axle to put on it. my budget is flexible, but more towards the lower end of things. i'm not looking for anything more then a reliable engine with enough power to comfortably ride down the highway.

in terms of my mechanic ability i'd say i'm roughly at "beginner back yard mechanic." i can do most repairs on my car except welding. I've got an arch welder i just need to learn how to use it (and get a face shield that isn't busted). but, i'm pretty good at figuring things out from manuals and YouTube videos.

any all suggestions are deeply appreciated!

When you look for a new welding helmet get one that darkens Automatically/Instantly..

Thats all i ever use......

[DeathBySnuSnu]

You betcha.....we wanna see pics......and a build thread. Everyone here will help as much as we can with a keyboard.

Go read the tech tech tech thread.

Then measure you frame geometry and know that it is right before you build on it. Lots of unknowing folks just weld together whatever to make it look cool (rake, ECT). But never do the math to know it it will work.

So you say wheels and no drive train.

That probably means an IRS VW rear clip....which is a good thing but is a little more complex.

So......VW stuff is now old old.....no such thing as buying a good used engine.

Hook up with any local VW clubs or even car clubs in the area.

If you have nothing...then I would be looking for some of the last generation of parts made.

A single side cover IRS trans.

And a dual relief, dual port, dog house engine.

[Gorilla]

welcome vince im sure you will get help

[Dgrason]

Just keep in mind that old Volkswagens are gutless, problematic, and have by now been worked on by nobody that knows what they're doing. Add to that poor fuel mileage, and the fact they're hard pressed to see 70 mph with a tailwind down a mine shaft. You'll have unique vehicle that's for sure. Do your research for parts, good ones are rare.good luck and have fun. This will keep you busy for awhile.

I'm only just now planning on a trike. A series of heart attacks, edema and surgeries has left me unable to keep my Harley upright. I need the third wheel and I just don't want to stop riding. So, the Harley has been sold and now I'm moving forward.

While I haven't had much experience with VW trikes, I've had tons of experience with VWs including campaigning a Beetle drag car back in the 80s. In the above quote, Sidecarbill states that "...old Volkswagens are gutless, problematic and have by now been worked on by nobody that knows that they're doing. ....hard pressed to see 70mph..."

Sidecarbill is NOT wrong here. But the key word is "old." VW made so many of these cars and so many of them fell into the hands of people who had no clue. These people have really given the venerable VW a bad rap that it does not deserve but buyer beware. The real facts are that the VW aftermarket is very alive and well and everything VW that is desirable is readily available if you simply know where to look. And I can state with personal experience that it is not difficult to build a hot VW engine that will easily see over 100,000 miles with care and will peel your eyeballs back when accelerating into traffic. I've had full bodied air-cooled VW sedans that easily cruise at 80mph all day long with plenty of pedal left to pass long lines of tractor/trailer trucks in a single bound. I will say that the shape of the VW body begins to create considerable lift at 100mph and above. But no one should be going that fast in a VW anyway.

The bottom line is that, if you want to build anything around a VW platform, you're missing a bet if you don't simply educate yourself all about VWs. In my honest and experienced opinion, the VW is one of the all out best platforms for a trike, including the engine, and that's what I'm in the process of building.