Manky's Pop.

[triker_Chewie]

i like the rake

[poprodder]

looks like a farely easy fix.
how much more on the list?

[Manky Monkey]

Lots Chris, lots. 
Ben, I quite like the amount of rake too -very 1970s, but I'm going for more of a vintage truck look -50s style, so will drop it back down a bit. I don't want it to shout Hotrod, but to be a bit more subtle. I'm hoping to sneak it into a few vintage shows when it's done -sorta subversive hotrodding. 

Dropped the back axle out this afternoon to clean up the areas where the shock mounts used to be. While it's out, we'll also weld any chassis joints that need doing.

[terry t]

Its looking good Andy.
you want the back up a bit as it a pickup truck.when you put any weight in it .then it will sit straight and not sag down at the back

[Manky Monkey]

True Terry, but I doubt it'll really get used much as a proper load carrying pick-up. It'll be fun for doing the shopping in though!

[spanners]

i think it would have to be my daily driver

[terry t]

True Terry, but I doubt it'll really get used much as a proper load carrying pickup. It'll be fun for doing the shopping in though!

yea but it will look the part.
are you going to fit a tow bar.you never know when you will need it.taking trikes for there tests etc.
or a new project 
because i think some one here said you cant put one on after

[WAYNE999]

i think its ok to fit one after a sva just make sure the wiring has standard colours and are wired correctly and not just to suit your trailer or light board as it will soon be an mot fail

[kapri]

You can't fit a tow bar after SVA /BIVA as the only time you can be assigned a towing weight is during the test . There is also the issue that all new cars must have type approved tow bars .As you are the manufacturer it can only be type approved during the test.

[Manky Monkey]

Hiya Kev. 
Mike, I'm hoping it'll turn out to be useable as my daily, though just evenings & weekends -no point doing the 80 mile a day motorway commute in it when I've got my little Ford Fiesta for that.
A towbar would be handy for towing vehicles, but not really worth the time & effort for the few times it'd get used.

[Tony oily bike]

Hiya Kev. 
Mike, I'm hoping it'll turn out to be useable as my daily, though just evenings & weekends -no point doing the 80 mile a day motorway commute in it when I've got my little Ford Fiesta for that.
A towbar would be handy for towing vehicles, but not really worth the time & effort for the few times it'd get used.

Re the tow bar, are you sure you're sure?? 

[Manky Monkey]

  Nice combo!
So-o-o hot at the 'shop today. Where did all that sunshine suddenly come from?! I always wear a sweatshirt to the workshop cos I'm fed up with getting burnt by sparks from grinders & welders when I'm in T shirts. Boy was I suffering today. I'm just not built for hot weather.
So while Loony was busy painting a car bonnet, I was drenched in sweat, smoothing out welds on the axle & making up mounting tabs for the brake lines. We also beefed up the 4 bar linkage mounts a little. A quick squirt over with a can of satin black aerosol paint for now & it's ready to go back in. Once the truck's tested & roadworthy, we'll run it for what's left of the year in basic satin black, then strip it down again over the winter for proper paint & polish. The axle will eventually be smoothed with filler primer & sprayed in high gloss 2 pack black with maybe a little discreet pinstriping. 

[Manky Monkey]

We also welded some tapered lengths of flat strap down the back of the rear mudguard struts & made up extra bottom mounts to bolt them to the axle. That should cure the wobbly rear guards. The front guards have different shaped struts & don't flex in the same way. Lots of cleaning up to do on them, then I'll slap a heavy coat of smooth Hammerite on the struts for now. Eventually they'll be powder-coated gloss black. A couple of small jobs crossed off the list.

[Manky Monkey]

Not such a productive day today. I spent my meagre pennies this week on a big tin of smooth finish Hammerite paint, to paint the chassis & other components with. No idea why -I've never had any success with it. It's like trying to paint tar. 'Orrible stuff. I knew it'd turn out badly before I even bought it, but I need to get the chassis painted so I can get the back end back together. Predictably, when I coated the battery box & 4 bar suspension rods today, they ended up looking like a 4 year old had been given the job. Huge sags & runs, deep brush marks. Ick. Should've just sprayed everything in satin black.
So now I've got to wait long enough for it to harden so I can sand it off again & spray it. I've got a feeling other paints react badly when sprayed over it too. Bugger.
On a brighter note, I called in on Mr Dslam last night & picked up the new, longer front damper drop arms he'd machined for me. Nicely done in shiney stainless -many thanks Andy.
When we set the front suspension components up, we mistakenly fitted the lever arm dampers with the arms in the horizontal position. That meant they had lots of upwards travel but no downwards movement. The longer rods meant I could set them at the halfway, 45 degree point. Together with the new, thicker damper oil supplied by Phunkie Hiboy, the front suspension should be a bit smoother now. Thanks chaps.
Now, anyone want to buy a tin of Hammerite? (I just know everyone's gonna tell me they use it on everything with no problems at all).

[kapri]

I'm not sure about Smoothrite but you can't paint over Hammerite,  even with itself , for 6 weeks.

I've checked the manual , runs aren't a failure