Manky Monkey Motors

I really like the pick-up bed.

Me too - and it made me chuckle cos now I understand the name - clever!

Real Cool little trike that ,, are you going to put a bottom in the back bit some nice cedar wood would look nice and go silver after time

Short lever's to engage reverse.

Nice work Dave. That'll should take about a week to fill the engine vis the dipstick tube shouldn't it?!
I wish I knew how to operate a lathe -how do you make the knurly knob thingy? I don't understand how you get that uniform wavy edge when the piece is spinning in a lathe.

Cheers andy so how do you engage reverse then is it a push down or lift up I've never driven a reliant it's my first so looking at options on what I can do

Normal Reliant reverse position is lift the lever, then across to either the left or the right, & back. On some boxes it's to the left & others to the right, though I don't know why they changed. You can tell which you've got though -if you look down on the gearbox from above, there's a bump in the side of the casing below the stick. If it's on the left of the box, your gearstick goes to the right to engage reverse. If it's on the right, it goes to the left. Might determine the shape of your gearstick as it'll need to clear the frame etc whe you select reverse.

On a normal Reliant box you lift up. On this one as MM said it has a seperate reverse lever so neither.

So you push down on the short leaver to force the gear stick up to put in reverse cleaver is ita rod in the stainless shower hose to and from the leaver to the box sorry for all the questions but it does look good

Nicely done Dave. I'd like to see that in place.
Bearing in mind the MSVA registration test is done with the rider sat on the trike, & they test for external projections with a large foam roller rolled down the side of the vehicle, I wonder if the fan belt needs a shroud?
On my own trike the bottom radiator hose curved around to form a sort of natural guard around the front of the alternator. Would that be enough to satisfy the testers?  
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Are serious about that andy or are you kidding

About the foam roller? No, that's what they do. It's jokingly called the kebab -a big cylinder of foam on a wheeled stand, like a carwash roller. Yes, they test the trike with you sat on it -so stick your knees & elbows out & wear the biggest boots you've got. They roll it down both sides, but not across the back for some reason. Anything it touches must have a radiused edge.

you can buy a tin of liquid dipping plastic from Frost Restoration, Ive used it to coat the handles of pliers etc, the more you dip the item and build up coates, the better the finish. May not be what you had in mind though.

Ive been waiting to hear about that fill up. I really like the idea of a side fill for the oil. Can you think of any way of improving the fill rate ?

I wonder if my fuel pump blank off plate could be adapted as an oil filler ummmm

I wonder if my fuel pump blank off plate could be adapted as an oil filler ummmm

Looking at the fuel pump, realised that if youre not using it you could probably rip out the guts make a new top and use this as a side filler.
Just a thought.

Thank you. Kind words are always appreciated as are constructive criticisms.
Actually logged on to say IT RUNS   ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
Not sealed the fuel tank yet so hooked up to a drip and it fired up straight off. Was worried about how much noise it would make as the silencer is a shortened Enfield one but it sounds great but not too loud ;)

It's always good when they start first time isn't it ,,it does look  good I like it very much I've posted some pics up of the old harley trikes like it
It's what I was thinking off  for a while when I said a rat army type trike
Did you link the brakes so they run off one pedal

Congratulations Dave! So we'll see you at the workshop on it soon then!

Will be the first place I go to after the MSVA.
If I can get the tank sealed this week I won't take it out for a quick spin round the block on Christmas day ;)

Can see it now, Santa suit on and nip round town, the kids will think its Santa on his sleigh :)

At one point we were talking of printing a MMMotors calendar, using forum members & their vehicles. If we get snow this year Dave, we really should get some Santa shots of you for future use.

I'd still like the June slot  :)

Sureseal made by a company called Tank Care Products. Recomended by Just Bikes in Basingstoke. It's the stuff they use after having problems with other types like Petseal. When cured it stays flexible and looks like latex. Supposedly totally ethanol proof, the main reason older sealants break down. The only real problem with it seems to be the 6 days to fully cure. A bit pricey but the tank was a pig to make so lets hope it works.

I'm hurt Dave.  :'(
Are your mirrors the required diameter for the MSVA test? They also have to be convex don't they?

;D ;D Wasn't being picky Mr Morrag, just assuming Dave's building for the test, & trying to point out to readers who might not know that fittings like mirrors need to comply.

the front axle nut will need a cover

Thanks OAB.
As far as I can ascertain the only problem with the metal cap is that it has a radius of less than 2mm on its bottom lip. You can overcome this by fitting a cover with radiused edges or a shore hardness less than 60A. I intend to turn up a cap cover from ally or brass.
Because the front mudguard is steel I welded in 4mm diameter rod under the front edge.

Didn't someone say a chain & padlock wrapped around the frame somewhere would suffice as a steering lock? My last green trike had a disc lock that clipped onto a tab on the frame when it wasn't in use.

Thanks And . I'm sure it will be when finished

For the MSVA locks now have to be on the steering and/or the transmission. Locks that act on the brakes in any way are not allowed. Seems that locking the transmission in reverse is acceptable.

Originally posted by Old Newbie ;
Wont tick over though  :(
slight weep from the fuel pump outlet  :( 
the oil pressure switch is leaking where the terminal comes out   
and the rocker box gasket is not doing a great job either, oil dripped down onto the fan belt  >:(

Originally posted by Old Newbie ;
The rocker box gasket must have shifted slightly during fitting and the carb is pulling air from there. Hence the poor slow running and the oil leak.

So does it lock or is it a pop up stop?

a mate on his open roadster thingy build, had an exterenal hand brake lever that had a lug on it that you put a padlock through when brake was on, that was OK for the test..

How'd ya make that then

very clever idea for all those in the cheap seats here is a link

http://www.letraset.co.uk/

will Ferric Chloride eat masking tape or fine line tape ?? do you think

Was just thinking Aloud really ;)

thinkin aloud,,,, normally gets me a ,clip round , the ear ,, :D :D :D

you and me both ;D

Had problems sleeping, so attacked the brass brake cylinder cap, with etchant.
Think I may be taking this naming thing too far :-\

Change them back after the test ;D

Not sure they actually need to be E marked do they?

Although a lot of trike owners don't do a lot of lot of mileage i think the 1000 miles restriction is a joke.

Personally I only ever insure as T.P.F & T. As Andy says should it ever get damaged no garage/bike shop would want to repair it. I'm currently with "Whittlesey Insurance" for about £120 & 5000 miles P.A.

they will have you walking a tight rope, and jumping through hoops whilst whistling ,dixie, next  ::) ::)

In my experience this is normal. You should find the inspector is fine and is only ratifying what is on the paperwork to help prevent fraud. Just go with it and all will be well.

Welcome to my World Dave! As Mr Slam says, just roll with it -it could be a lot worse. One more tiny hurdle & you'll be roadworthy & completely legal!

Yes I know :)
Small problem with the engine. Cooling system pressurising, noticeable oil consumption, slight amount of oil in coolant, very sooty number three spark plug.
That folks means a new head gasket is required. :( On the bright side, there is no coolant in the oil. :)
Lifted the rocker cover to find the cylinder head nut between number 3 & 4 cylinder loose. Yes I know, I should have rebuilt the engine. Just hope the head is not warped. Not a lot I can do till I find a new gasket so plan on having a quiet Sunday.

Yep it's a Q. The guy at DVLA was surprised that I was totally ok about getting a Q plate but I think it shows that it's been registered correctly.
When I was getting insurance, the company almost insisted that it be a Q but I don't know why.

Q705 E,lderly A,ged N,ewbie   :D :D

Only question is why do all this and then not torque down the head properly ??? and what else have they done wrong?

They got my chassis number wrong on my post SVA lobook, just like Andys  ::)

If you mean the LV8-260, made from 75 to 82 and fitted with a single, dual jet Rochester, sod all. In fact that's the total sum of my knowledge of these engines. :-[

At least you have the know-how to fit tyres yourself Dave. Never fitted one in my life.

Ooh you've not  lived.All the swearing,the throwing of tyre levers then the nipping of the inner tube between the levers and the rim then having to do it all over again

If we get a summer you'll have plenty of fun riding it.

Just enjoy your labours.

The cat by the way is fine. At least until I catch him.

Went for a ride yesterday and performance started to drop off. Ignition felt retarded.
When I pulled off the distributor cap I noticed small specs of blue inside. The heel of the points are wearing at an incredible rate, yes the points cam is smooth and the felt pad is oiled.
The points are the ones that came with the engine. They looked new ( just like the pistons, valves etc.) so I left them in.
I know there are some dodgy points sets out there, so today will look for some of better quality and maybe look into electronic for the future.
One day I will ride the thing and not find another problem  :D

Not melting the points by using the wrong coil are you?

When I checked the heel I found that it was so soft that I could dig my nail into the material  :o

I have had the heel on a set of modern points wear down in a couple of days .
When I checked the heel I found that it was so soft that I could dig my nail into the material  :o
Is your distributor the newer type with the sliding points operated by the plastic white fork which sits over the pin on the baseplate { often usually coloured Blue } or the earlier points { often usually coloured Blue }?

EARLY POINTS
LUCAS ................. PART NUMBER ....... DSB108
CI........................ PART NUMBER ....... CS132
INTERMOTOR ....... PART NUMBER ....... 22580
MINISPARES ......... PART NUMBER ....... GCS2118
MOTAQUIP ........... PART NUMBER ....... VCS108
QUINTON HAZELL . PART NUMBER ....... XCS132
UNIPART ............. PART NUMBER ....... GCS3004

LATER SLIDING  POINTS
LUCAS ................. PART NUMBER ....... DSB191{C}
CI........................ PART NUMBER ....... CS179
INTERMOTOR ....... PART NUMBER ....... 23451E
MINISPARES ......... PART NUMBER ....... GCS2261
MOTORCRAFT ....... PART NUMBER ....... EDP109
QUINTON HAZELL . PART NUMBER ....... XCS179
UNIPART ............. PART NUMBER ....... GCS3005
.

Any idea what year would they change from being "early" to "late"?
 
Fifer......any chance you can make a new thread (sticky) showing part numbers/years etc of consumable reliant parts? ;) :D

Sorry for jumping your thread Dave  :-*

you mean like this one?....http://www.mankymonkeymotors.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=6726.0
I REALLY AM NOT GONNA BOTHER ANYMORE

WATER TEMPERATURE TRANSMITTER

Thread ; 5/8 by 18 UNF
{ This transmitter has a RED Base around the spade terminal }

RELIANT ; Part Number ; Still To Find               
LUCAS ; Part Number ; SNB105
DELCO ; Part Number ; 7966267
DELCO ; Part Number ; SU15
LAND ROVER ; Part Number ; PRC7918
PSA ; Part Number ; 1205552
SMITHS ; Part Number ; TT4802/00A
SMITHS ; Part Number ; A TT05

MANUFACTURER ….. MODEL ….................... YEAR From ….. YEAR To

ASTON MARTIN ............. DB5 , DB5 V8 ................  Sep 1967 ............. Nov 1976 ,

................................... Vantage .......................  Sep 1967 ............. Nov 1976
HILLMAN ..................... Avenger .......................  Feb 1970 ............. 1976         
................................... Hunter .........................  Oct 1966 ............. 1977         
................................... Imp .............................  1963 ..............................
................................... Minx .............................  Aug 1969 ............ Sep 1970   
HUMBER ...................... Sceptre , Arrow  ............  1963 ..............................
................................... Hawk , Super Snipe ........ 1964 ................... 1967       
JAGUAR ....................... Daimler Double Six 5.3 ... 1975 ................... 1980             
................................... Daimler Limousine ......... 1972 ................... 1975           
................................... Daimler Sovereign 2.8 .... 1970 ................... 1974                     
................................... Daimler Sovereign 4.2 .... 1971 ................... 1980               
................................... Daimler E type 4.2 ......... 1971 ................... 1974                     
................................... Daimler E type 5.3 V12 .. 1971 .................... 1974           
................................... XJ6 ... 2.8 ..................... 1970 .................... 1973
................................... XJ6 ... 4.2 ..................... 1971 .................... 1975           
................................... XJ12 ... 5.3 ................... 1970 .................... 1973         
SUNBEAM .................... Alpine ........................... 1965 ................... 1971         
................................... Rapier .......................... 1965 .................... 1971     
................................... Imp Sport ..................... Oct 1966 .............. 1971               
................................... Stilleto ......................... Oct 1967 .............. 1971                     
................................... Tiger ............................ 1964 .................... Feb 1967                   
TALBOT ....................... Hunter ......................... 1978 ....................................
RELIANT ...................... Fox .............................. 1983 .................... 1990                 
................................... Kitten .......................... 1975 ..................... 1983                     
................................... Rebel 700 , 750 ............. 1969 ..................... 1973                 
................................... Rialto ........................... 1982 ..................................             
................................... Robin 750 , 850 ............. 1973 ..................................         
TRIUMPH ..................... Spitfire 1300 , 1500 ........ 1967 .....................1971     

Yup, Lonnie .
Dueling Banjos, originally known as Feudin Banjos, is one I'd love to play well but my fingers don't. :(

Either I've put on weight recently or the seat springs have sagged a bit as the seat was bottoming out ( :D ) going over the pot holes.
So I have fitted longer springs. Smoother ride but the downside is the seat feels a little less secure on the corners.

Couldn't sleep because you were worried about your mudguards?! You're taking this hobby way too seriously Dave!  :)

That's a lovely smooth bend Dave. Sounds such a simple thing to do -until you try it.  ;D

I've just bought a cheap hydraulic pipe bender , with a bit of fiddling ideal to curve strap as well.

I know it's a silly question Dave, but how strong is the edge of the pick-up bed? Will it take the weight of an adult sat on it?

Is there nothing you can't do Dave?! Way too talented for one Monkey.

I've got part of a small reel left Dave. Currently running mild steel. It only takes 2 minutes to swap reels -but you can weld it!

I hate you. You know that don't you.  :P

It's not fair. I wish I was clever too.  :(

The hardest part is getting an even temper.

D'oh!
The engine has always had a slight but annoying tapping noise when warm. At first I put this down to a worn rocker then realised it was lower down and was piston slap on one cylinder, which seemed a little odd. ???
 With Merv and Twisted pulling engines apart, I was looking back at some enlarged pics I took when I pulled the head off mine and found the cause. Number 2 piston had been fitted the wrong way around ! :o
 Don't know how I didn't see this at the time (probably not wearing my glasses) but it means having to remove both head and sump to correct.

Looking forward to seeing it out & about again soon Dave.  :)

just spin one and open up openings with the lettering Olds in some stylish font.

Looking forward to getting out on it again. Neck and arm seem to be getting better so hopefully soon.


You mean like this ? Just a tester to check the former shape and work out the diameter of disk needed. Can't find a font that really works.

I think it could be nice to mimic the font you used on the tank with maybe some extra small holes around for more air/sound to pass trough.

Rocker noise has got a little excessive so off with the tank and rocker cover. Thought while I'm in here, check the head nut torques. After cracking each nut they were re torqued and it took at least 1/2 to 3/4 turn. Looks like despite being re torqued after initial running of the engine, the head gasket has compressed some more.
One good thing is that the only 'emulsion' found was a very slight amount actually in the breather mesh.  :)
Also noticed that the outer insulation on some of the wiring has worn, due to rubbing between the tank and frame so that will need to be sorted before it goes back together again.

Bet my project's got more problems than your project :)

Bet my project's got more problems than your project :)

The saga of the indicators continues.
Box of 10, p207m 12v 21w ba15s 19mm bulbs arrives, supposedly from a well known maker and once fitted the flash rate is still too fast for MOT at about 130 flashes per minute. Carefully check the bulbs and yes they have 12v 21w printed on them but they're obviously not. Nor do they have an E mark or manufacturers name. Looks like they are probably counterfeit. >:(
 

;D MOT done. Had to ride out to Harewoods of Andover. Very nice guy and VERY thorough. This was the most carefully done MOT I have ever witnessed. Took a full hour and even checked every frame weld !
Came away with two advisories  :( And a complement on the standard of the trike. ;D

001 Rear wheel bearing slight play offside rear
002 Nearside rear handbrake effort low

But he did admit that he was being pedantic about these, as he could only just feel the bearing issue and the handbrake was fine but the nearside wasn't as good as the offside and passed as an emergency brake system, despite it only needing to be a parking brake (because two separate hydraulic brake systems are fitted).
 Checked every weld ? Never heard of that ? Nit picking to the extreme ? But he most likely couldn't believe what he was seeing ? I bet he has seen some BAD stuff ?
When I took martins trike for it's MOT, Geoff the tester made a cuppa,and we chatted for ages,Martin asked him if he was going to look at the trike ? Geoff looked at me,smiled and said OK,but if Stinkey built it I don't need to ? Made my head swell for sure ? ;) well done good sir..

Yep, could do. The indicators and hazzards already work through the same unit, but it has a minimum wattage of 2 x 21 (+ 1 x 1.2)  Changing two bulbs should be cheaper and easier than fitting a new flasher unit and I'm trying hard to keep costs down. Just a pain that there seems to be a shortage of them locally.

they are about 3 or 4 quid on fleabay, findin bulbs isn't a problem after that,

I'm think it will be ok but then I'm an optimist. Number three plug looks worse in the pic than it really is so not worried about that. Just hoping that the head won't need to be skimmed as I believe there isn't much spare metal on 850 heads.
I too had an Imp ( singer chamois ) with a 'head problem' after the wife drove it, fully laden, for five miles in second gear, when the gear change broke. ::)
It had probably lost all water in the first two miles. By the time it clattered on to the drive the engine was so hot, you could hear the oil boiling in the sump.

I got rushed into hospital (seriously scalded) because of a singer chamois ?

Torque ;
With that type of cylinder head gasket it needs to be run without coolant for a minute on first torque assembly to set the glue /sealant .

I see the original gasket was one of those cardboard ones, i wont use them, had to skim loads of mini heads for people who have. The new one looks decent though.

Haldane International Ltd 07714748545 trading on ebay as classicbrakeandelectric8
£15.00 including P&P
A couple of small issues.
As usual a couple of holes in the head gasket could do with slight attention but it would fit as is and no swan neck to manifold gasket was included. But I make my own anyway.

Aye , some of the new thermostat housings are not all they`re cracked up to be .  :)

Think I need something. Been up since 4am. Perhaps taking the bike for it's MOT wasn't such a good idea. :( Looks like I may have to sell the bikes. :'(
Never mind at least the trike will be ready for the road again soon and I will never sell that.

I know that feeling ,take it easy sir.. ;)

Oh I do have my own remedy. I make (and consume) Sloe Whisky. Don't worry Fifer, I only use blended for this. The single malt is taken neat.
Battery has arrived and will be conditioned before fitting.

Pulled the trike out from hibernation and took it out for a bit of a ride. Nothing to report apart from, it still works. :)

>:( JJ you have got a trike that is reliable, that is until you let the water run low in the rad ???

Umm let me see. My trike kept breaking down, something to do with electrics. Then the brakes failed on the way back from Basingstoke after the bumpy ride broke the copper pipe allowing the brake fluid to run out (I changed it to braided hose after that). You remember me overtaking you at that junction because I couldn't stop on a blind bend!   :o

Even though I carried bottles of water with me and had an overflow receptacle attached, the radiator always overheated. I have a very nice fan sitting in a box to be added to the trike (not something I can do) and a nicely reengineered head in my garage that I could put back on but I'm just physically unable to.

So no, I don't think I ever had a reliable trike in the way Olds has. So there.   :P  :-*

I would love to have my trike back on the road because even with the above problems, I enjoyed riding it even if the first time I drove it up my drive, I took out my dustbin because I forgot I was on 3 wheels and not 2!  ;D

Think it was a black one Andy. ;D

No luck getting the conventional lead acid battery I want/will fit, in this country due to the new laws so have ordered one from France.

Don't sell Mother!! 8)

How on earth did you make those Dave?