Misc. Projects

[Captain]

I have not posted any build pictures for quite a while. I did not start any New Vehicles Projects since finishing the Mad Max Sammy in April.

Decided that I will FINISH all those Side Projects, and the Pride of Home Ownership
Things that I kept Pushing Off.

One was this Lawn Art item that has been
In the Works since 2012 !!
Mrs. Pease.
Slowly pecked away at it between Cutting down storm damaged trees, Car Shows, Summer Day Trips with the Grandkids,.....etc.
Finished her last week. (Still looking for a piece to finish her dress)
Just a finished picture.



Now won't be constantly moving or stumbling over all those pieces anymore.

[Captain]

Next is this Whizzer Engine Kit install on a bicycle sitting around since 2019 out in the Blue Barn.

This Craziness was for the Intentions of going to "Burning Man" in 2020 out in Nevada. Well COVID put a Squash on that Fun !!

So, same - same, tired of moving it around,
brought it into the shop Saturday.


And after washing off 4 plus years of Barn Dust and Cob Webs, on the Yard Sale Vintage AMF bicycle in the Original Fuggly Green, started on replacing the Front Fork with a "Springer Fork" I found at a Swap Meet in the Original Sealed Bag.



Washed out the Neck Bearings old grease that had turned into Wax.....



Using Marine Grease, repacked them, and installed the "Springer Front Fork".

[Captain]

Here is the Engine Kit.



Now, My Mistake !!
I didn't really check everything when this arrived in late 2019, other than for damage. Just retape the box up, and put it in a cabinet in the Blue Barn.

First, what I thought was the Assembly Instructions in a sealed bag is actually the Engine's Owner's Manual ONLY. Not a Bad Chiconees to English translation booklet.
This was cured by Looking on the Interwebs
and finding a fairly good Video on a step by step install.

Second, it is So Far Missing Two pieces.
A Exhaust Gasket and the Wider Pedal Crankshaft to miss the Engine.
For this Found Out that there is Plenty of Parts
Available for these, just Beware, they offered these kits with a 2 cycle and 4 cycle engine .
Found a exhaust gasket, but the least amount
I could buy was a 6 pack of exhaust Gaskets.
Still looking for the correct pedal crankshaft.
Might have to go to a
"Hip and Trendy Bike Shop" for this item.

[Captain]

Here's the Rear Drive Sprocket Installed.



Notice that two thick rubber washer type thingies sandwich the spokes right at the rear axle hub.

NOW to Save YOU from being mislead from the video:
First, you May NOT need to OPEN up the Sprocket Center Hole.
Check with the Rubber Washer Thingy under the Sprocket FIRST.
Video show him checking without. So did I, and Carefully Die Grinded the hole to Match Center.
Could of saved me a Hour of Setup and Grinding as the Rubber Washer Thingy raised it to clear with Plenty of Room. ALSO you can keep the Bearing Dust Cap On !

It True to Center and Runout just by tightening All the Bolts in a Cross Pattern and Equally.

Had to remove the Pedal Crank assembly
to get the Pedals to Clear the Motor, and a Smaller Diameter Sprocket to get Clearance for the Engine in the Frame .
I will be stopping at a Bike Shop Wednesday on my way to my Dad's house for Thanksgiving
to get that Missing Crank Cross Shaft.

So here's were we are leaving off until parts arrive and obtained. Tires and Exhaust Gaskets are to be here Saturday after Thanksgiving.

[Captain]

For your Entertainment,
Another Project was completed a month ago.

Still planning on Traveling out West in the High Dessert again. So hatched a plan for extra gas cans for the Jeep Cherokee.

Rounded up some Outboard Motor Gas Cans.
Disassembled both, and cleaned out with White Vinegar.



Replaced the Cork Floats on the Fuel Gauges with plastic ones found on OF ALL Places, a Aircraft Supply Shop in Illinois. Funny is Every Review, they are being Used for Something Else BUT For Aircraft Fuel Gauges.....LOL

Here's the Cleaned Up and Repainted Cans.



Next was the Mounting Boards to fit inside the Luggage Rack. You will need 3 boards to fit between the Tubes of the Rack.
Cut One Board like this. 12"x16



Then Two at 12"x12" and Notch to Fit Luggage Rack Mounting Hardware. (System is wonky again !! Sorry it won't let this picture thru even Dumbed Down 60%)

Then on the Left Side Board mount to the bottom side your Electric Fuel Pump, and Hoses. (You can see the two board cutouts here)

[Captain]

Next building the Fuel Pump Wiring Harness.
Using a RV Trailer Plug, tap the "Keyed Hot" that charges the Camper Battery.
I used a old Starter Remote Button Switch, and two pin Directional Plug for the Pump.



Using a Fuel Grade Disconnect Fitting, made the Delivery Hose. Made it a Little Long in case you have to Help A Buddy Out on the Trail.



Here's the system set up on the Rack.



It is LOW Profile, You DO NOT Have to Remove the Cans to Refill them, Stand on the Bumper to Gas Up.
And you can Switch the Outboard Quick Connector between cans. (See in previous picture a Dummy Connector to keep Fitting Clean)
Each holds 6 Gallons.
And Outboard Cans are moisture sealed and have a Pressure Release Valve. So you should not really have any Gassy Smells permiating your camping gear on the rack.

[Captain]

With Thanksgiving Over, and Deer Hunting was a Bust ......
I tackled the Whizzer Project again.
Here's several partial days of work.

ATTENTION!
26 inch Bicycle Tires ARE NOT All the Same
Rim Size !! Old School bikes yes, New Bikes,
There are 2 important numbers in some foreign
code and the Rim Size is the Ladder of the 2 Numbers. An ISO number.

So the New Tires I ordered were NOT Even Close to a 26 x 1 3/8 tire for rim size !

The Exhaust Gaskets came and are the Correct Ones.

Trip to a Bicycle Store on the way to my Dad's for Thanksgiving.
I bought the last two 26 x 1 3/8
Tires in stock, and 26 x 2.25's were on Backorder and are getting harder to get.

AND was schooled on the cross shaft for the pedal cranks. That AMF bike from the 70's
Is Not Compatible to the Pedal Assembly with the Kit !! New Bikes have a Threaded Cross Tube, so my Vintage Bike Bearings, Cones, and Pedal Assembly will have to do.
I picked through his Bicycle Junk Boxes and got a Pedal assembly with s Smaller Sprocket, and pedal throw, just in case I need room below the engine. Also picked up a Front Brake Assembly.

[Captain]

First was to get the tires on so we can stand the bike upright





Now to mount the Engine Support Plate....
This also is not going as easy as in the Video.
The plate will mount up, but the holes for the engine are Not Even Close to get it in the frame!

Shop Modifications are required.
Marked and Drilled 8 holes.

[Captain]

Then with a Die Grinder, opened up to make 4 New Slotted Mounting Holes.



Then because we moved the plate forward also, had to weld on some support pieces of scrap angle Iron. Notched the front of the plate for clearance of the front down tube.



Had to Drill and Die Grind the Side Holes also.
Snug Fitted the Engine Mounting Bolts, using a level, got the engine finally in the bike.

[Loren]

This is killin' me, it's heroic. Don't hurt yourself on that thing, my old a$$ lost it for balance at 60, previous to that I was an often-avid mountain biker who could ride wheelies one-handed, last time I rode I had to get off and walk over tough parts. Glad you were able to find a useable crank.

[Captain]

This is killin' me, it's heroic. Don't hurt yourself on that thing, my old a$$ lost it for balance at 60, previous to that I was an often-avid mountain biker who could ride wheelies one-handed, last time I rode I had to get off and walk over tough parts. Glad you were able to find a useable crank.

LOL,
At 67 Year Old, by the end of the day my body
is TELLING ME that I am Not 27 years old!

But like I said, this was to Help a Old Man get around at "Burning Man" which is a Testament to the "Flat Earth" Worshipers as being As Level as you can get.
The design plan was for a NASA Landing in a Foreign place, seek out, witness, experience it, and ABANDON (Hand Off) the "Tundra Rover" for the Next Burner who Arrives and can use it.
(Actually I figured that that Alkali Dust would have done it in)

[Captain]

Then drive chain install went fairly well. Had to modify the chain Tension Idler Bracket with a twist visa the Bench Vise and Large Monkey Wrench.
With the motor mount bolts only snug, alignment was completed with some light
"12 oz Persuader" taps and tightened to field torque spec's.....1/4 turn from stripping.



Tightened up all the mount fasteners,
Now install the Front Brake, fender, and Speedometer Drive/Cable.
(Wisconsin Registration Reg's, E-bikes, OR MOTORIZED bicycles do Not to be registered as a Moped IF .... engine is under 50cc, only travels at under 20 mph when powered, and under 28 mph if pedal with power assist! So, if an encounter with a "LEO", keep it under 35 and you should be fine!)





Next after a little Customizing with a Racing Stripe Decal from our NOS Parts Supply, mounted the Fuel Tank which was so far the ONLY thing that went like the Video !!



Installed the exhaust pipe and Muffler Assembly, Speedometer Head.
Left it for the trimming the Kill Switch wire to length, building a Muffler bottom bracket and adding engine oil.
That Test Drive is only a Day Away?




Oh, The Pedals !!
Found some "Classic" Pedals in those Junk Boxes at the Bike Store.
I will add some "Pedal Extenders" which we are going to search for online, or call the Bike Shop.

[dave.g.in.gansevoort]

Pee-wee strikes again! Another Big Adventure

[Captain]

Still have to make a nice looking bracket for the exhaust muffler pipe.

But here it is pretty much done.
And a Before Picture before the Test Rides......
Just in case there are "In Hospital"
pictures to follow .......

[dave.g.in.gansevoort]

No in between photos, please! Bad time to end up in the hospital. So make sure that it's got a good functioning kill switch.

Years ago, 1969 I think, I had a town dump mini bike. Originally had a 3.5 hp Briggs and Stratton on it, and a scrubber brake on the rear tire only. But it was bent a little bit, and occasionally if you were not careful letting off the brake, it would miss the stop, flipping over to the rear, making it totally nonfunctional. Keep that part in mind.

Now being a little bit of a tinkerer even then, and started already on that long path to collecting stuff, I had acquired a Honda 150 cc 2 cylinder motorcycle engine/transmission unit, from an early or mid 60s Homda. 4 speed transmission system, about 12 to 15 hp. It was from one of those cycles that had a stamped steel frame, and the engine hung below the frame. The foot pegs bolted to the bottom of the engine, conveniently having 3 of the 4 studs almost perfectly aligning with the original slots for the Briggs engine. I only had one slot to drill a couple of holes and file a slot. The chain was wider on the Honda but had the same pitch as the mini bikes original sprockets.

6 volt battery electrical system, no problem, a lantern battery fired the ignition, and it had a kick starter so no problems there. I used a gas tank off of an old lawnmower that looked like a bean can, and just hose clamped it above the carburetor in front of the seat. I was able to scavenge a throttle cable from a snowmobile and rig up a way to connect with the slide carburetor. And now for the rest of the story...

That thing was scary fast! Unlike the song, it had 4 gears, 6in high gear, WOW! Knowing that the brake was dodgy at bezt, I was careful to ensure that I was gentle on the release. My brother's friend Skip was lucky nothing bad happened. He went out on the highway about a 2 mile round trip. And 4th gear, wide open. Passed a couple of cars in a 45 zone. And then it was my older brother's turn.

He started out relatively slowly, rode around the fields, came back to the driveway, 1/4 mile long, with a right turn to in front of the garage, another 100 yards to in front of the house, heading for a tree and a marble hitching post in the front yard. And went for the brake. And had nothing!

Now, to shut the engine off I had just wrapped the wires around the screw terminals of the battery, so killing the engine was out. And the Rube Goldberg throttle lashup stuck, not wide open but probably 1/2 throttle or so. And beyond the tree and hitching post was a steep drop off thru some hedges, down a 12 to 15 foot drop onto the rocky bottom of the brook running thru our land. BTW, the path he took, he shouldn't have been able to clear the tree or the hitching post. But he weaved through somehow.

He then careened thru the hedges, where we lost sight of him from over by the garage. Skip and I went running, expecting to see him at the bottom, bloody and unconscious wrapped up in the mini bike. Fortunately for him it had run out of gas just before the tree, helping to slow it down on the grass. And he ducked going thru the hedge row, grabbing whatever he could as he went thru. We found him holding onto the hedge with one hand, and the mini bike with the other. Dangling down over the edge.

He yelled "pull me up." We yelled down, between laughing fits, "had us up the bike". A few scratches and a bruise or two, otherwise he was fine. I took the engine off after that and put another Briggs on instead.