Richard D
New member
I joined the forum some time ago and asked a bunch of questions. Now I finally have some progress to show. A little introduction:
I have an old Shovelhead with a butchered weld-on hardtail, I figured it would be the perfect candidate for a trike. If any of you old-timers remember the trikes Art Himsl built over 50 years ago, you may find my project interesting. Here's a couple old pictures from '69-'70:
I found someone, Chip Quinn, in Arizona who found the original molds and he sent me a body. Here's my pile of parts:
These bodies were designed to fit a Servi-Car with a flathead engine. I will need to change things up a bit to make it work. Servi-Car rear axles are getting scarce, expensive, and take a lot of effort to work behind a Shovelhead, and aren't really strong enough anyway.
The DNA axle is available, but it's two grand and the exposed disk brakes would ruin the period look. Then there is the Franken Trike axles, they are awesome but this is a budget build and $5K is not in the budget. So I am making my own chain drive differential using the diff from an MX5.
If it's strong enough for a 2,000 lb car with 100 H.P., should be fine on a 1,000 lb trike with 50 H.P. Using dual inboard disks and calipers from a Polaris RZR. Custom sprocket from Rebel Gears. I drew up all the pieces I need to make this work in CAD. I cut them out of plywood for mock-up; they will be laser cut in 3/8" steel plate once I finalize the design. I will need to make "outrigger" framerails to hold the bearings at the wheels.
I have an old Shovelhead with a butchered weld-on hardtail, I figured it would be the perfect candidate for a trike. If any of you old-timers remember the trikes Art Himsl built over 50 years ago, you may find my project interesting. Here's a couple old pictures from '69-'70:
I found someone, Chip Quinn, in Arizona who found the original molds and he sent me a body. Here's my pile of parts:
These bodies were designed to fit a Servi-Car with a flathead engine. I will need to change things up a bit to make it work. Servi-Car rear axles are getting scarce, expensive, and take a lot of effort to work behind a Shovelhead, and aren't really strong enough anyway.
The DNA axle is available, but it's two grand and the exposed disk brakes would ruin the period look. Then there is the Franken Trike axles, they are awesome but this is a budget build and $5K is not in the budget. So I am making my own chain drive differential using the diff from an MX5.
If it's strong enough for a 2,000 lb car with 100 H.P., should be fine on a 1,000 lb trike with 50 H.P. Using dual inboard disks and calipers from a Polaris RZR. Custom sprocket from Rebel Gears. I drew up all the pieces I need to make this work in CAD. I cut them out of plywood for mock-up; they will be laser cut in 3/8" steel plate once I finalize the design. I will need to make "outrigger" framerails to hold the bearings at the wheels.
