Narrow windshield?

[Shaneajanderson]

Have you considered a Geo Metro. I'm your size and I've thought a few times that if I straddled the center console if would be about the right size in there for me. As is I'm squished in pretty tight in the driver's seat.

[kach22i]

Originally Posted by Shaneajanderson

Wouldn't you be concerned about PC getting scratched, yellow, or hazy in the elements?

Yes, glass has much better longevity..............until that gravel truck finds you.

Originally Posted by Shaneajanderson

Have you considered a Geo Metro. I'm your size and I've thought a few times that if I straddled the center console if would be about the right size in there for me. As is I'm squished in pretty tight in the driver's seat.

That's a good one, my wife had two Geo Metro's.

Another windshield out there that's caught my attention is the Juke's.

https://www.jukeforums.com/forum/nis...tection-5.html



There might be something out there for the Japanese Kei class micro trucks, I doubt they are very curvy but narrow, small and lighter than cars windshields one would imagine.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kei_truck

[freebeard]

That one's got possibilities.

3 Wheel, standard big twin trans 5sp. Electric reverse ad on. Belt from engine to trans as normal primary set up with clutch. Final drive to diff from small car in bearings. Differential enclosed by metal housing. Sprocket in place of ring gear. Half shafts out to front wheels.

Still don't get it. Is the engine/trans ahead of the front axle? Is it behind the passenger compartment? How do you get the sprocket into the differential?

If I were going to build a reverse trike, I'd use this (Lexus) drivetrain. 98lb and 68hp. 10K RPM single-speed.

[Vman455]

Originally Posted by freebeard

If I were going to build a reverse trike, I'd use this (Lexus) drivetrain. 98lb and 68hp. 10K RPM single-speed.

Wow, what vehicle is that from?

[freebeard]

https://ecomodder.com/forum/showthre...mgr-29878.html

Toyota Hybrid Synergy Drive. The Highlander and Lexus LX400h used them for an electric rear axle for a six year run. I chose it because the cutaway shows the spur gear differential. Here's the one I have compared to a 36hp engine case:



Truthfully, these have a single motor and an open diff. A better choice would be a later RAV4. It uses a similar unit with twin motors and limited slip/torque vectoring.

And here for reference is the R.Q.Riley X-3

[kach22i]

Originally Posted by freebeard

Still don't get it. Is the engine/trans ahead of the front axle? Is it behind the passenger compartment? How do you get the sprocket into the differential?

Never mind that, the handling issues associated with putting a majority of the weight on a single rear wheel should probably come first.

As much of a fan of rear wheel drive and rear engine vehicles that I am, I have to surrender that a reverse trike with two wheels up front as FWD makes more sense.

Excellent post on the Hybrid engine by the way.

[Shaneajanderson]

So have you thought about just getting a Metro as a base and buildling/modifying the body to suit? That way you could maybe avoid the hassle of registering a homemade car. I have a pipe dream of doing that with my 92 metro, and I would probably end up making it a center seat rig if I did.

If only I had a garage...

[kach22i]

Originally Posted by Shaneajanderson

So have you thought about just getting a Metro as a base and buildling/modifying the body to suit? That way you could maybe avoid the hassle of registering a homemade car. I have a pipe dream of doing that with my 92 metro, and I would probably end up making it a center seat rig if I did.

If only I had a garage...

A very practice approach, just don't stop half way.

2013
Geo-trike, again!
https://mechanicscorner.net/2014/06/14/geo-trike-again/



......................or go a bit too far?

https://www.stanceiseverything.com/2...ay-triked-out/



EDIT

Can't leave this one out.

2012
WTF Friday: More Questions Than Answers
https://www.stanceiseverything.com/2...-than-answers/




EDIT-2

No comment.

https://www.autoblog.com/photos/1989.../#slide-395758



Interesting front wheel enhancement, and good quality.

[Shaneajanderson]

Interesting build. though my plan was to more or less leave the front end alone (other than the usual aero improvements we all seem to do), chop the back off, rebuild the back end to the aero template, tear dropping down from the top, and in from the sides. I would relocate the seat to the center, move the parking brake lever to the side of the seat, move the throttle and brake pedals to the 'passenger' side, leave the clutch where it is, and build some decent sized armrests/consoles on either side of the seat. The shifter would stay between my legs (I've tried this straddling the seat, it's easy enough to shift.

The reason for this is it would leave the structural part of the cabin where I would be sitting intact, and as cheap as these cars are they still must have passed some sort of structural safety tests right? I had considered adding a cage just for my own comfort, but I'm not sure if it's necessary.

The only part I don't have a solution for yet is the steering wheel, and that might be as simple as extending the center steering shaft depending on how the column is setup, haven't looked into it yet.

[Shaneajanderson]

I'll add I planned to stick with 4 wheels, though the rear ones would get narrowed in some. This is mainly because I have to drive on snow 6+ months a year and I'd like to have as much rubber on the road as I can for stopping in that.

I still have to scrape my windshield of ice in the morning, the joys of North Dakota.