Slow progress but progress (DIY two seater tadpole trike, 9hp Honda diesel)

[user removed]

A picture of me on my GZ250 next to the 3 wheeler. No I don't ride a bike in those clothes.

regards
Mech

[benphyr]

I am sure I would get a raise or promotion if I could keep my office as neat as your garage is perpetually.

(I can never remember if it is Cd or CdA) Do you figure the total drag of the two seater will be greater or less than the bike + shorts + flip-flops + leg, foot, and toe hair?

-benphyr

[user removed]

LOL, its the only way I can find anything these days.

Twice the frontal area, 1/4 the CD is my guess right now. Hopefully top speed higher (I'll probably never see it) and better mileage than the bike, with member "sendler" pulling mid 90s with his.

regards
Mech

[HydroJim]

Honestly I'd say frontal area is closer to three times as much. Just based on the picture. Still, I'm guessing 100 mpg at 60 mph? I don't feel like running through the calculations right now. I know you wish to install your propulsion system one day, but I think the thing would be amazing with an electric motor.

[user removed]

The propulsion system does not exclude an battery-electric motor, but it would eliminate the motor controller, since it would either charge the accumulator or do nothing.

regards
Mech

[user removed]

Working on the covering for the rear end, using the same stainless as the sides. Cut it to fit then hand curve it lengthwise. After that you start tapping it with a ball peen hammer with the outside sitting on the rug on the floor. Keep tapping lenghtwise and you stretch the metal in the middle, which makes the metal sheet curve lengthwise. This also makes it a very slight "bowl" which adds strength and makes it surve lengthwise and you have a compound curve.

Hard to explain but the pics of it on rightside up and upside down show the amount of curvature accomplished.


regards
Mech

[Xist]

That is a nice curve! How well can you work out the dents?

[user removed]

You can work out the dents on an English Wheel which I don't have but my buddy has at his machine shop. I'm not sure how much effort I will put into that since almost all of it will be covered with some graphics. It can also be done with a hammer and dolly. At this point I might leave it as is, but that is not a "set in stone decision". It might be better to cover the head of the hammer with something slightly flexible to reduce the distortion, but the distortion is what you need to get the compound curve. This is somewhat new ground. In my old body man days I used a hammer a dolly on VW fenders and then a body file to finish the metal without bondo. Thicker aluminum would be much easier to file smooth and use a urethane primer then block sand to finish, but that ain't happening this time.

regards
Mech

[freebeard]

Stainless isn't going to take planishing very well, is it? I think it would be worth doing, if only to minimize the distortion, since you have the wheel available.

I watched a Youtube video on paintless dent removal. It suggested every low spot has a ring shaped high spot around it. Would you agree?

[HHOTDI]

Coming along nicely O.M.....we're all excited to see the first drive! :{)