Manky Monkey Motors

Thought I'd put up some pictures of my trike build.

Originally got the trike in 99, when it looked like this
(http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c53/strangely-made/Image2-1.jpg)

Bought it off Bowser, who is an old mate of my wife. Had a 1300tp beetle engine on it and was pretty nippy. Rode it around like that for a while until the engine broke. So sourced a new engine, this time a 1600TP VW. Unfortunately just before I was going to put the engine in I was diagnosed with epilepsy and put on medication. Also had to surrender my license  :(.

So it sat in the garage for a couple of years while I got used to the medication, but as things do, plans changed and it went from a engine swap to a full rebuild.
So in these are a few of the build pictures, you might notice that ideas change as the build goes along.

New engine in, and a roll cage sitting on the frame
(http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c53/strangely-made/trike2.jpg)

An idea I tried out for the front end
(http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c53/strangely-made/trike4.jpg)

Rear view with the roll cage partly fitted
(http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c53/strangely-made/trikeframe.jpg)

I'd also joined the Baja club, so decided to modify the trike so I could play with the club at our permanent play ground at Santa Pod

Raising the rear
(http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c53/strangely-made/trikeduring.jpg)

Bought some new forks, came from a chop and the guy told me they were from a KTM, turns out they are actually off a 91 Cr250 so even better.
(http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c53/strangely-made/aaaaaaaaatrikeforks.jpg)

And fitted to the trike
(http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c53/strangely-made/Trikey3.jpg)

Fitted some 24" apes, just because  ;D
(http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c53/strangely-made/Trikey4.jpg)

And a stock airbox
(http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c53/strangely-made/Trikey5.jpg)

The rear wheels were a bit small,
(http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c53/strangely-made/trikewheel1.jpg)




So bough a pair of 15" weller 8 spokes off a club member. Much better, and give me about 14" ground clearance
(http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c53/strangely-made/trikewheel3.jpg)

Tried out a headlight mount I made, not pretty, but was bloody strong, could lift the whole trike with it.
(http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c53/strangely-made/mudguard4.jpg)

It's not staying though, got some smart new lights custom made by a mate, but they'll be the last things to go on.
That's about it, still it's a start, and things will change, as I carry on with the build. Got till Jan 7th 2011 to complete it, because that's when I get my license back this time, had to take another year off driving because of another medication change due to the tablets not working anymore.

Oh my gawd fancy bumping into you again  :D some nice pics there fella , keep 'em coming.

Nice little build up your wheels are a bit of camber try shifting it by turning the rear arms a couple of splineshad to do that on my Albar beach buggy

You started building it in black & white then.
I don't think we've had a proper off-road trike here before. Interesting.
Is there a course at the Pod then? Only been there a couple of times, but never strayed far from the drag track.

Yep, bit of camber there, partly because I've put about an extra 16° 20' (roughly) in by turning the spring plates round two outer splines, standard practise in Baja's. It'll even out enough with the engine, seats and fuel tank in.



Not sure I've seen another one in the UK either, one if the States I know but more of a toy that one. This will be my daily.
Yep, the Baja club has got one permanently there now, also building one at the site for the Bristol VW shows, and always do loads of Green Lanes when we get together.

I've been talking to the organisers of the Elephant at the Nurburgring and they're letting me play on the off road track there in 2012 :)

it's going to get better, but have to get it on the road again first, then the fun modifications can start. You know, IRS, 3X3's, secondary torsion bars, that sort of thing.

Hi S/M YES THAT SOUNDS ABOUT RIGHT BY SAYING MINE WAS A ALBAR BUGGY WAS NOT THE SAME AS THE BAJA. MINE WAS A SWISS MADE ONE I BELIVE HAD ALBAR EMBROSSED IN THE FIBERGLASS JUST UNDER THE WINDSCREEN AND HAD A TYPE OF PERISCOPE AT THE REAR ABOVE THE CARBS THY WERE EXPORTED TO THE SAND DUNIE OF THE ARABS A FEW CAME BACKOR NEVER WENT TWO YEARS OF SHOWS AND TILL 4 YEARS AGO SINCE I STOPED SHOWING MY KITCARS IV NEVER SEEN ANOUTHER LIKE IT

You probably should sort out the exhaust  if you need to carry a gas mask  .....   ;D


  ..  Hagar  ..   ;D

The trike exhaust is fine, my exhaust on the other hand..............makes my eyes bleed sometimes ;D

Look what I got today
(http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c53/strangely-made/th_plastics2.jpg) (http://s25.photobucket.com/albums/c53/strangely-made/?action=view&current=plastics2.jpg)

Not very exciting, but they are from a cr ten years newer than the cr that the forks are from, so will need a fair bit of modding to make fit. Plonked them on the forks today, just to see how they look and there is a good weekends work there to sort them out.
(http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c53/strangely-made/th_plastics.jpg) (http://s25.photobucket.com/albums/c53/strangely-made/?action=view&current=plastics.jpg)
(http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c53/strangely-made/th_plastics1.jpg) (http://s25.photobucket.com/albums/c53/strangely-made/?action=view&current=plastics1.jpg)

Hopefully should help protect the forks and seals a bit green laning and playing off road.

HaHa, look what I bought today (http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c53/strangely-made/th_tyres2.jpg) (http://s25.photobucket.com/albums/c53/strangely-made/?action=view&current=tyres2.jpg)

31x10.50x15 MTs, should be fun watched Colin round the garage squeeze them onto 7" wide rims :) Then, I'll have to paint the wheels. And now that the harvest is almost over, I'll actually be able to get out to the shed and do some more bodgeing building.

Nice one Mr Strangely.

What are you going to do about uprating the Brakes?  I suspect with those wheels/Tyres you will need too increase the stopping power a wee bit due to the leverage increase

I'm going to change the slave cylinders in the drums from the stock rear ones to front ones. They're larger so should work fine, or at least that's the theory.

I put 67 type 3 (I think) on the pheonix (22mm) as no mods are required and the bleed screw end up above the pipe like it should. Worked ok but those tyres look a tad bigger.  ;)

Hadn't thought about using them, but late model type 1 front cylinder are 22mm as well (I think) and should bolt straight on as well. Have to actually check inside my drums, just to check what year insides are inside.

Not much has been going on with the build lately, got a suspected peptic ulcer (I hope that's all it is, could possibly be an alien) and got to go for a cat scan and camera down the throat coz I'm in a fair bit of pain and it's not getting better. So managed to almost complete two brackets in two weeks  :o (No pictures yet, not until they are finished).

But have managed to get a seriously nice 4 into 1 high level exhaust and get the MT tyres fitted to the rims (Mate said they were a total bugger to fit  ;D ) and basically be collecting stuff (well getting it delivered ) and working out gussets, tank, and were to fit the luggage box.

Hopefully in four to six weeks I'll know what's in my stomach and it'll be back to bodging as normal.

Take it easy mate. Our best wishes to whoever has to put up with you while you're ill.  :)

LOL, my partner Karen says "thank you so so much"  :)

At least if it's an ulcer they can get rid of them with antibiotics nowadays - friend of mine had one, she's fine now!