Would it be possible to build a trike using the engine and transaxle
out of a front wheel drive car. With the radiator and everythign
behine the seat?

I have seen trikes before that did this, but the engine was backwards.
(Radiator was at the rear end of trike.) Why would this be?

I would love to build a trike but most are vw based and those engines
are becomming scarce.

On Jul 10, 9:01*am, stryped wrote:
Would it be possible to build a trike using the engine and transaxle
out of a front wheel drive car. With the radiator and everythign
behine the seat?

I have seen trikes before that did this, but the engine was backwards.
(Radiator was at the rear end of trike.) Why would this be?

I would love to build a trike but most are vw based and those engines
are becomming scarce.

Perhaps the engine was not backwards (that'd be pretty tough to do
with a front-wheel-drive setup, I think, unless someone is making a
kit) but the engine was forwards, with just the radiator at the rear?

The radiator at the rear would get more airflow than just behind the
driver.


Dave

"stryped" wrote in message
...
Would it be possible to build a trike using the engine and transaxle
out of a front wheel drive car. With the radiator and everythign
behine the seat?

I have seen trikes before that did this, but the engine was backwards.
(Radiator was at the rear end of trike.) Why would this be?

I would love to build a trike but most are vw based and those engines
are becomming scarce.

It can be done... But you need sufficient air flow to keep the engine /
radiator cool.

Check out these groups for a start:

http://groups.yahoo.com/search?query=trike+builders

Maybe they have profile photos showing you how others got around the issue.

Regards,
Joe Agro, Jr.
(800) 871-5022
01.908.542.0244
Automatic / Pneumatic Drills: http://www.AutoDrill.com
Multiple Spindle Drills: http://www.Multi-Drill.com
Production Tapping: http://Production-Tapping-Equipment.com/
Flagship Site: http://www.Drill-N-Tap.com
VIDEOS: http://www.youtube.com/user/autodrill

V8013-R

On Jul 10, 8:12*am, "Joe AutoDrill" wrote:
"stryped" wrote in message

...

Would it be possible to build a trike using the engine and transaxle
out of a front wheel drive car. With the radiator and everythign
behine the seat?

I have seen trikes before that did this, but the engine was backwards.
(Radiator was at the rear end of trike.) Why would this be?

I would love to build a trike but most are vw based and those engines
are becomming scarce.

It can be done... *But you need sufficient air flow to keep the engine /
radiator cool.

Check out these groups for a start:

http://groups.yahoo.com/search?query=trike+builders

Maybe they have profile photos showing you how others got around the issue.

Regards,
Joe Agro, Jr.
(800) 871-5022
01.908.542.0244
Automatic / Pneumatic Drills:http://www.AutoDrill.com
Multiple Spindle Drills:http://www.Multi-Drill.com
Production Tapping:http://Production-Tapping-Equipment.com/
Flagship Site:http://www.Drill-N-Tap.com
VIDEOS:http://www.youtube.com/user/autodrill

V8013-R

I never thougth of that but you are right, the engine was probably
forward, just the radiator backward.

What would keep that set up from popping wheelies at 70mph????

stryped wrote:
Would it be possible to build a trike using the engine and transaxle
out of a front wheel drive car. With the radiator and everythign
behine the seat?

I have seen trikes before that did this, but the engine was backwards.
(Radiator was at the rear end of trike.) Why would this be?

I would love to build a trike but most are vw based and those engines
are becomming scarce.

I had a neighbor once who cut the frame rails of an Olds Tornado right
behind the rear torsion bar supports, leaving the cruise controls
intact, also the air cond. system, he added a set of front forks of
billet steel (instead of tubes) to have some weight to keep the front on
the ground but when complete, but not yet fully finished, he still could
"blip" the throttle lightly and raise the front wheel. I moved away
before it was totally complete but looked to be a really awesome trike
in the making. Where he finally put the radiator I don't really know, it
was still in the shaking out stage when I left.

I would look for a Pontiac Fiero if I was going to build one. The V-6
especially, can be dressed up and built to make decent power.
It was basically a front wheel drive drivetrain with the steering
"locked" straight and plunked in the back of the car.
I don't remember for sure, but I think the whole engine/transaxle
package came out on a sub-frame like the later Grand Prix.


"stryped" wrote in message
...
Would it be possible to build a trike using the engine and transaxle
out of a front wheel drive car. With the radiator and everythign
behine the seat?

I have seen trikes before that did this, but the engine was backwards.
(Radiator was at the rear end of trike.) Why would this be?

I would love to build a trike but most are vw based and those engines
are becomming scarce.

"David Courtney" wrote in message
...
I would look for a Pontiac Fiero if I was going to build one. The V-6
especially, can be dressed up and built to make decent power.
It was basically a front wheel drive drivetrain with the steering
"locked" straight and plunked in the back of the car.
I don't remember for sure, but I think the whole engine/transaxle
package came out on a sub-frame like the later Grand Prix.

I was thinking "unreliable" and then remembered I owned the inspiration for
the Fiero in the form of the Fiat X/19... Now that there is unreliable.

Went perfect with my Opel GT (first car) and Humber Super Snipe that never
ran.
--


Regards,
Joe Agro, Jr.
(800) 871-5022
01.908.542.0244
Automatic / Pneumatic Drills: http://www.AutoDrill.com
Multiple Spindle Drills: http://www.Multi-Drill.com
Production Tapping: http://Production-Tapping-Equipment.com/
Flagship Site: http://www.Drill-N-Tap.com
VIDEOS: http://www.youtube.com/user/autodrill

V8013-R

I always wondered if you got an old Ford 351 for marine use that rotated in
the opposite direction whether you could simply drop it in a car and have a
100 MPH "reverse" with a slow forward speed...

That would make for an interesting trike platform to begin with... Just
build it backwards...
--


Regards,
Joe Agro, Jr.
(800) 871-5022
01.908.542.0244
Automatic / Pneumatic Drills: http://www.AutoDrill.com
Multiple Spindle Drills: http://www.Multi-Drill.com
Production Tapping: http://Production-Tapping-Equipment.com/
Flagship Site: http://www.Drill-N-Tap.com
VIDEOS: http://www.youtube.com/user/autodrill

V8013-R

stryped wrote:
On Jul 10, 8:12 am, "Joe AutoDrill" wrote:
"stryped" wrote in message

...

Would it be possible to build a trike using the engine and transaxle
out of a front wheel drive car. With the radiator and everythign
behine the seat?

I have seen trikes before that did this, but the engine was
backwards. (Radiator was at the rear end of trike.) Why would this
be?

I would love to build a trike but most are vw based and those
engines are becomming scarce.

It can be done... But you need sufficient air flow to keep the
engine / radiator cool.

Check out these groups for a start:

http://groups.yahoo.com/search?query=trike+builders

Maybe they have profile photos showing you how others got around the
issue.

Regards,
Joe Agro, Jr.
(800) 871-5022
01.908.542.0244
Automatic / Pneumatic Drills:http://www.AutoDrill.com
Multiple Spindle Drills:http://www.Multi-Drill.com
Production Tapping:http://Production-Tapping-Equipment.com/
Flagship Site:http://www.Drill-N-Tap.com
VIDEOS:http://www.youtube.com/user/autodrill

V8013-R

I never thougth of that but you are right, the engine was probably
forward, just the radiator backward.

What would keep that set up from popping wheelies at 70mph????

A long heavy front end , and seating for the driver well ahead of the
motor/transaxle set-up . There's a guy lives near Memphis (Tn) that's built
more that a couple . Last one was pretty cool , used a fuel-injected Volvo
(IIRC) FWD power unit . It had wheelie bars ...

--
Snag
'90 Ultra "Strider"
'39 WLDD "Popcycle"
Buncha cars and a truck

On Fri, 10 Jul 2009 06:01:19 -0700 (PDT), stryped
wrote:

Would it be possible to build a trike using the engine and transaxle
out of a front wheel drive car. With the radiator and everythign
behine the seat?

I have seen trikes before that did this, but the engine was backwards.
(Radiator was at the rear end of trike.) Why would this be?

I would love to build a trike but most are vw based and those engines
are becomming scarce.

You can move the radiator just about anywhere it will get enough
airflow (scoops and ducts count), and if you use an electric fan
instead of an engine driven one it's easy.

For radiator hoses you make up hard lines out of mandrel bent heavy
wall steel tubing (think muffler shop) or brazed copper pipe. Then it
only takes a short chunk of straight radiator hose (Gates Green
Stripe) at each end to connect the hard line to the engine block and
the radiator.

The big problem on a trike is keeping the center of gravity in front -
it's hard. You have to put all the weight you can toward the front -
the battery, fuel tank, etc.

Put wheelie bars on it to make sure you stay out of the hospital,
at least temporary ones till you are darned sure they are not needed.

And you can reverse the power train, but a reverse ring and pinion
gear or other dodges have to be available from a parts source.

-- Bruce --

On Fri, 10 Jul 2009 06:01:19 -0700, stryped wrote:

Would it be possible to build a trike using the engine and transaxle out
of a front wheel drive car. With the radiator and everythign behine the
seat?

I have seen trikes before that did this, but the engine was backwards.
(Radiator was at the rear end of trike.) Why would this be?

I would love to build a trike but most are vw based and those engines
are becomming scarce.

Build a Morgan-style trike instead. http://thekneeslider.com/
archives/2007/03/23/1933-morgan-trike-for-sale/. They corner (I was
going to say 'better', but then I changed my mind).

And when you find a shaft-drive motorcycle that's economical to adapt and
has a nice looking engine to hang out the front of a car, let me know, eh?

--
www.wescottdesign.com

"Tim Wescott" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 10 Jul 2009 06:01:19 -0700, stryped wrote:

Would it be possible to build a trike using the engine and transaxle out
of a front wheel drive car. With the radiator and everythign behine the
seat?

I have seen trikes before that did this, but the engine was backwards.
(Radiator was at the rear end of trike.) Why would this be?

I would love to build a trike but most are vw based and those engines
are becomming scarce.

Build a Morgan-style trike instead. http://thekneeslider.com/
archives/2007/03/23/1933-morgan-trike-for-sale/. They corner (I was
going to say 'better', but then I changed my mind).

And when you find a shaft-drive motorcycle that's economical to adapt and
has a nice looking engine to hang out the front of a car, let me know, eh?

--

if you want a "morgan style" trike, why not just buy an old morgan? then
you get the "really really cool" factor plus you get your trike...

I have a morgan +4 (a 4 wheeled variant), and I assure you it brings all the
misery that a true sports car should bring, while allowing you to drag your
knuckles on the ground at freeway speeds. It's the only car I've ever
driven home with a broken crank shaft - on the other hand, it's the only car
I've had that broke a crank shaft.

On Sat, 11 Jul 2009 22:18:22 -0700, "Bill Noble"
wrote:


"Tim Wescott" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 10 Jul 2009 06:01:19 -0700, stryped wrote:

Would it be possible to build a trike using the engine and transaxle out
of a front wheel drive car. With the radiator and everythign behine the
seat?

I have seen trikes before that did this, but the engine was backwards.
(Radiator was at the rear end of trike.) Why would this be?

I would love to build a trike but most are vw based and those engines
are becomming scarce.

Build a Morgan-style trike instead. http://thekneeslider.com/
archives/2007/03/23/1933-morgan-trike-for-sale/. They corner (I was
going to say 'better', but then I changed my mind).

And when you find a shaft-drive motorcycle that's economical to adapt and
has a nice looking engine to hang out the front of a car, let me know, eh?

--

if you want a "morgan style" trike, why not just buy an old morgan? then
you get the "really really cool" factor plus you get your trike...

I have a morgan +4 (a 4 wheeled variant), and I assure you it brings all the
misery that a true sports car should bring, while allowing you to drag your
knuckles on the ground at freeway speeds. It's the only car I've ever
driven home with a broken crank shaft - on the other hand, it's the only car
I've had that broke a crank shaft.


Then there is the OTHER way of making a trike.....

http://www.gizmag.com/go/6823/gallery/

then there are the 1 wheel motorcycles.......

http://www.ecoshopper.net/wp-content...motorcycle.jpg


"Lenin called them "useful idiots," those people living in
liberal democracies who by giving moral and material support
to a totalitarian ideology in effect were braiding the rope that
would hang them. Why people who enjoyed freedom and prosperity worked
passionately to destroy both is a fascinating question, one still with us
today. Now the useful idiots can be found in the chorus of appeasement,
reflexive anti-Americanism, and sentimental idealism trying to inhibit
the necessary responses to another freedom-hating ideology, radical Islam"

Bruce C. Thornton, a professor of Classics at American University of Cal State Fresno