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Old 11-28-2012, 05:34 PM   #38 (permalink)
Grant-53
Master EcoModder
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Elmira, NY
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I've considered a tadpole trike over the years but other projects and the family size have put it on the back burner. I know of one person who built a Ridley Trike with the VW torsion bar front end. You will likely have a bulkhead to attach the motorcycle section and it would be easy to make it strong enough to sustain a roll over. Use 3/4" plywood sandwiched between honeycomb aluminum panels. The tub and floor pan could be made from the aluminum panels. I got mine from Testori Interiors Inc. They are now located in Champlain, NY. They also build the subfloor pans for rail cars from plywood and sheet stainless steel. Keith Noakes has some good books on composite construction of race cars, the cut and fold methods are used for the tubs or monocoque chassis. When NY state and Australia mandated seat belt use both saw a 20% reduction in fatalities and injuries. Its cheap insurance.
It might be easier to use the electric motor in the rear drive as 1st gear and reverse. Putting the electric motors on the steering wheels would require some speed controls that allow for the different turning radii. I do understand the desire for all wheel drive in the winter around Syracuse, my in-laws live in the Buffalo south towns. They have big self propelled snow blowers.
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