Manky's new Reliant trike.

[Manky Monkey]

Well, thanks to Simple Simon, my little trike's now tucked up in the same barn as Taz's Charger here in Guildford. I've been renting a lock-up garage in Basingstoke, Hants, where I work, for -ooh, must be 10 years now. At 8 quid a week that soon mounts up doesn't it. With the use of a reasonably secure barn the size of 4 garages here on the country estate we live on, with light & power & even a 2 post car lift in it -all for free, it seems pointless keeping the lock-up on now. Hopefully with the trike now only half a mile from our cottage, things will progress a bit quicker, plus it's more secure than a lock-up on a council estate 30 miles away. Some of the garages in the block where mine is have been broken into in recent months so now I don't have to worry so much about turning up there to find the door open & my almost complete project gone -how gutting would that be.
Simon very kindly came over from ...Walton on Thames I think, with a borrowed bike trailer this morning & we lashed the trike to it & drove it back. All I've got to do now is spend the next week carting all my tools & spares over too. Thanks again Si. 

[TwistedPatience]

Perfick

[Simple Simon]

You are more than welcome Andy.

The wife just asked, 'how come your doing all the work there' . Well someone has to take photographic proof that I can actually be usefull, dont they??

[panthershaun]

Hurt Shaun. Deeply, deeply hurt. 

Ha Ha you know I don't mean it mate, I wouldn't keep coming back now would I  or would I






















 

[tbone]

No excuses anymore then, crack on n get her finished 

[Manky Monkey]

Yes you would Shaun!
TB, I knew someone would tell me there was no excuse now  I'm waiting to hear from the guy about making a stainless exhaust system for it. Got a few things to do this week, but will push on & get the rear mudguards finished & off to the powder-coaters as soon as poss. Then I'm hoping to persuade Byzmax to come over from Windsor & wire her up for me. 
Si -I'm very grateful for your help today. I'm hopeless with straps & ratchets n stuff. The trike only just fitted on the trailer & I'd rather someone who knew what they were doing strapped it down. If I did it we probably would have watched in the mirrors as it slid off the back halfway down the M3.
Really looking forward to getting this one done & out on the road so I can start sorting out the inevitable teething problems. 

[VALLEYSBOY]

nice to see it closer to yer home Andy and it didnt rain

[Manky Monkey]

  Yeah, that's the furthest it's travelled so far. The rocker cover's not bolted on the top of the engine cos I need to make some new mounting studs, so we took it off for the journey, so just as well it didn't rain.

[morrag]

Hey Andy, what about fitting one of these in your new trike? Morrag

[Manky Monkey]

That's tidy.

[Wildy Steve]

Maybe if you get it done in time for the bike show you can bring it down and show it off 

[Manky Monkey]

I'd love to Steve, but still in need of an exhaust, (hopefully sort of in progress), rear mudguards, (also sort of being done), & the wiring. Even if it was finished tomorrow, it still needs MSVAing n stuff.
Once it's roadworthy I'll be riding it's little wheels off I assure you.

[Manky Monkey]

This week I 'ave mostly been, emptying my rented garage in Basingstoke, Hants & ferrying everything back home to Guildford in Surrey.
It's amazing just how much junk valuable automobilia, you can fit in an 8 x 16 foot lock-up. We worked out last night that I must've rented this workspace for getting on for 14 years now, longer than I've owned any house, so it's become like a second home. I've built quite a few vehicles here, had some real laughs with mates & used it as a retreat from the World when I've needed some peace & quiet. It faces South & in the height of Summer, when the air was still & the only disturbance was the sound of the crowd at the local football ground down the road, it was actually quite a nice place to spend an afternoon -the auto equivalent of an allotment I guess. I feel quite sad to lock up for the last time & hand the keys over. I no longer have "property" in Basingstoke, where I've lived on & off for nearly 30 years.
My garage neighbour is a fellow Postie who's into VWs & also runs an old GS Suzuki. He's very keen to swap for my garage cos I have steel bars bolted to the floor to lock the door to & a steel ring concreted in to chain his bike to. We'll visit the rental office on Monday to sort it out, but he's already measuring up his new "home". He's promised I can visit whenever I'm passing.   

[VALLEYSBOY]

sad one then m8,still you will be able to do more plus once the other sheds up and sorted it'll be right sorted

[Desperate]

Last one? BULLOCKS! You'll still be building your last one as they're nailing your coffin lid down. If you need clutch hydraulic advice, just ask. It's quite easy. Blue, can I have your old sofa?