Hopefully A Daf-engined Trike

[plasticpig]

 Hi All.

 Several years back I started to build a trike frame around a Reliant 850 engine and gearbox. I have made a few before, and had completed the basic frame when I had a bit of a slump, and did not feel like doing anything untill the lockdown this year.

 

 My Mrs and son were both shut in for three months so I decided to use the time to try and finish the trike. I would get the frame and other bits out of the shed and use what I had lying about.

 The original frame was 25mm bore, 3.2 thickness steampipe, but I had run out of it and the steel supplier was shut for the duration. I had some 40mm box section so I cut that up and finished the back end. I looks a bit strange, but it works.

 About that time my mate offered me an old engine which he had bought to run something in his garage. It had been put on a stand to power an air compressor and I did a deal for it as long as I actually finished this project.

 I had seen these Daf engines on the net, and the cars at shows, but this was the first time I had seen underneath the shell. What impressed me was that it was just a bit bigger than a piggy engine, and would probably fit in my frame. Also nearly twice the hp and just the right 'vintage' for what I had in mind.

 

 I found that they had been fitted in the back of earlier Renaults, and that gave me the option of fitting it in the rear of my frame. Although a simpler solution I am more inclined to put it in the front as there is better weight distribution, and it makes the whole trike shorter.

[plasticpig]

My next brain teaser was how to get power to the rear end. Looking on the net I saw that a Volvo 340 clutch cone might bolt straight on, and I also saw that the Renault bellhousing is a bolt on fitting to the gearbox. I thought about getting the cone and running a shaft to a reversed VW Beetle trans, which would give me suspension.



If I got the Renault ally bell housing, I could bolt a plate to the flat bit and bolt a Reliant gearbox to that. The simplest solution, but it would put the gear lever in an awkward place.( See drawing 1.) This would drive a solid mounted car axle. (Bedford Rascal with 16 inch Vauxhall wheels)

Picture 2. shows a dummy VW type 1 bell housing, stripped of gears and used as a spacer for another type 1 trans, which has the diff reversed.



This is how I would like my trike to look, but with leading link forks, and obviously without the cylinders hanging out the sides.

[Nick]

cool project dude