Trike, again

A side view of my two project vehicles - the Bug's name is Willow, and the trike hasn't got a name yet, though I'm thinking either Troika or Menage. The rims came with it, but didn't have tires when I got it. The tires were given to a friend at work, who couldn't use them for her car, and so gave them to me.

Here's the older rim, still in place, with the new one ready to go.

The rims make more difference than I expected - now I'm all the more eager to paint the trike, though it looks like that part of the project is on hold until later in the summer, due to time crunch and limited budget - it's more important to make it safe and legal than it is to make it pretty, at this point.

The wide fives that are on it in this picture are what it was wearing when I bought it out of the yard of a tourist family - complete with cracks, dry rot, and light surface rust. Homely at best, not the kind of look I was trying for.

I've GOTTA fix that fender, though. It won't cost much, and it just looks so lame pointed like that.

I may just take it off and go fenderless on the rears, if I can connive an inspection station into letting me... Until I've had a chance to paint this trike, those fenders are embarrassing. If I need to use them, I'll probably rattle-can the fenders black, or gold, or some other color aside from that dreadful magenta. When I have time to prep and paint it, the fenders will look a lot better - right now they're an eyesore.

And, I've re-mounted the handlebars and their controls. A mechanic friend is coming over this weekend - I want to have it ready to run so he can help me tune it up then. I have to find time during the week to finalize the wiring to the circuit breakers. The cable from the battery to the starter was a problem - the crimp fitting on the end came off at a gentle tug, so it was probably the reason it wouldn't start before. I made a new cable out of welding cable I had left over from an electric vehicle project in the past. Once I finish the circuit breakers and the headlight wiring, the electrical system will be complete again, and I can try to turn it over, at least.

Another shot of the stainless steel and chrome. I'm so eager to ride this thing, it's almost pathetic. I have to find a source of foam that won't break the bank for my seats - not one of the places I can really cut corners, though. A friend will sew the seat cover for me, and she's far better than I am with a sewing machine - or anything else involving sewing, for that matter. It's one of those jobs that I really can't fake it myself... I've gotten estimates from some upholsterers I'd met through a trike forum, and their work is beautiful - not terribly expensive, either, considering how nice it looks. I want to get one of their seats - but in order to get this ready for the Beltane trip, I'll make the best I can, and save up for the custom seat later.

Willow needs some rewiring, due to an electrical fire on her first drive with me - the drive home was half drive, half flatbed. She also needs her front and rear windows installed, from when I installed her headliner.