Building a Morgan 3-Wheeler Replica

[okayfine]

My 3-wheeler is quasi-legit! Currently insured (as a m/c) and off the non-op. AAA has been made aware of the change to 3-wheeler config and is fine insuring it off the Goldwing VIN currently and changing it to the SPCN VIN once I get it all wrapped up. I take back most of the bad things I said about them in a DQ Editor's Garage column.

Also dropped by the local BMW m/c dealer to see about them doing the required Brake & Light inspection. I've read that if you show up at a regular garage, they'll try to apply automobile standards to the brake disc thicknesses and such.

The folks at BMW were totally nice, and the service guy said he'd be happy to...but he's never been successful having his checks on official BMW stationary accepted. He's never found exactly what needs to be done on DMV's website. So I have some searching to do, and if necessary calling the CHP and DMV.

[jason]

Congratulations on semi legal status!

[two_68_510s]

Yea!

[okayfine]

Took my first outside-the-neighborhood run in the 3-wheeler, with good results. Not much in the way of mileage, just across the main street to the in-laws, but it ran perfectly and is quick enough. Not quick, not as quick as the real-deal Morgan, but quick enough.

Not a far enough run to learn anything about running temps, but did 45+mph and no issues. Smooth (aside from the buffeting air) ride. Outside observers say it is a pretty quiet vehicle. Doesn't seem THAT much quieter inside than before, but I'm doing a lot more revs now, and wind noise is also an issue.

Some things to fix/change already. I definitely need a smaller steering wheel, which is unfortunate because I don't think my four-spoker is available smaller than 15". Hindsight says I should have placed the steering wheel higher relative to the seat - there's just no real room for my knees and the chassis and the wheel. It's drivable, but not ideal.

I will also need to wire in a cut out for the neutral safety switch. Got caught at the in-laws on the driveway. Parked it in 1st to prevent it from rolling, but it won't start in first, and sometimes with the wet clutch it won't shift out of 1st back into neutral without rocking the bike/3-wheeler forward. After that, it was smooth sailing, and just something else to remember.

The only real "difficulty" with driving it so far is that there's no neutral between gears. So there's no double-clutch downshifting, so you can't help the clutch out when going back down the gears coming to a stop.

Otherwise, great big fun. Brought it back home and the neighborhood came over to check it out. One neighbor put in his order! $6K in parts, hundreds of hours of labor...

[two_68_510s]

Fantastic! Sounds like a lot of fun Julian.

[okayfine]

In looking at steering wheels I stumbled across wheel spacers. Duh. Sat back in the 3-wheeler an experimented with a 2" set back. Looks like it might work, and will definitely work better than how it is currently. Slightly weary of a 13" wheel due to the loss of leverage and "resolution" for lack of a better term. It's got a quick rack on it, so the bigger wheel will allow a bit better judging of input into that fast rack.

We'll see. 2" spacer is $9.

[okayfine]

Trimmed up the brake and clutch pedals. Took a corner off the brake pedal to avoid catching it with my shoe coming off the gas. Cut the clutch pedal in half so I can slide my foot to the left and behind the pedal when cruising.



Also narrowed the handlebar controls, mainly to gain clearance with my left knee.

[hang_510]

Took my first outside-the-neighborhood run in the 3-wheeler, with good results.

The only real "difficulty" with driving it so far is that there's no neutral between gears. So there's no double-clutch downshifting, so you can't help the clutch out when going back down the gears coming to a stop.

awesome!
gonna try to stop by this week for a peek!

[okayfine]

Cool, should be here.

Have an appointment with DMV on Wednesday to begin the paperwork. Hopefully it will be concise. Also found one Brake & Lamp certified garage in town...remember when they used to be on every corner?

[two_68_510s]

Yeah, the Chevron station I worked at in high school was a light and smog certified station at the corner of Westwood and Olympic.
Just a couple of slightly drunk mechanics! And yes, we wore bow ties! And white uniforms. And white pump gas, all the rods came in to get fuel.

18568_14817874914f091eac9b148.jpg (101.69 KiB) Viewed 4308 times

[okayfine]

Going through the DMV forms. Confusing, as you'd expect. I need (1) Application For Title, but I have no idea what to put for vehicle description, name, model, VIN...I need to finish this process before I get a VIN! I also need (1) Special Construction form, which is still confusing since they ask how much the unassembled kit cost, who "I purchased/acquired the frame from," etc.

Another part of the DMV process is to tot up all the receipts, 'cause they're going to charge me "fees" (read: tax) on all the parts used in the construction of the vehicle. Um, 'cept I already paid "fees" (read: tax) on all these parts since I bought them all from companies that charged me tax. I wonder if this happens to Chip Foose.

And, I assume, DMV is going to ding me for "fees" (read: tax) on the Goldwing I originally bought since it provided so much of the vehicle. Which I already paid tax on when I transferred ownership.

[Mattndew76]

Those pedals look like they need to be removed and new custom ones machined.

[okayfine]

I'm picking up what you're putting down. Lemme get through the DMV (or at least started).

[okayfine]

Took it out for a longer spin today. Still in the neighborhood, but it had time to get hot. Gauge read hot and the fan tripped, but the upper hose (post thermostat) was not that hot. I think it's time for a new thermostat.

Still managed to make it home, no problems. I think I kicked up a rock with the back tire and caused a huge bang, but I put in that 20ga steel "fender" along the back to protect the exterior aluminum sheet. Seems to have done the job.

The hex quick disconnect steering hub has a bit of play in it, though, which is unfortunate. Pretty much a two-handed driver at the moment, but then I'm also working on eyeballed camber/caster/toe. Have to get the cooling system able to take longer journeys before I can get it to the alignment shop. And even then, I wonder what my guy will say about it. He's got an elevated rack, and ain't no runner in the middle...

However, the 2" steering hub spacer has made it driveable. Might not really get better unless I actually raised the steering wheel/shaft higher, so I'll go with this for now. Not completely cramped, not F150 roomy. We'll see how it feels once I get beyond the neighborhoods.

[okayfine]

Wow. People, if you're going to the DMV, schedule an appointment!! I got to my local branch and the line was out the door -the line for people without an appointment, that is. I (nervously) walked past everyone and up to the front of the line. Still picking daggers out of my back.

Also, the DMV admin people doling out the call tags to see the actual counter people...well, they're not the people to ask questions to. My forms were incomplete and the lady said I had to have complete forms before I could see someone...someone to ask the questions I needed to ask to complete the forms! She also asked if I had the "car" here for inspection. Which was troubling, as I hadn't heard of this step ever, even on DMV's site about special construction. What did they want to inspect, and why? Besides all that, how could I technically have the car here if I was applying for a title for it, and hence had no (real) reg?

Long story short, once I got up to the counter it was relatively smooth sailing. I was fee'ed $107 for the new/used parts I used (aside from the Goldwing) and wasn't charged for the Goldwing again. So I'm fine with that - I probably owed that much use tax from my Summit Racing orders. Then I got my REG124 filled in which is what the CHP is going to need to see. And I verified all I need now is the Brake & Lamp inspection and a visit to CHP. The B&L should just be money paid, and the CHP should also be relatively straightforward. After those two visits I return to DMV and they should just hand me a new m/c plate.