Fairing Started

[TheKid]

I began the fairing yesterday, and it looked like a complicated, but not too hard a job. So far, so good. I welded some of the wire frame to the trike, but I'm going to have to make it pivot so I could mount and dismount. I guess I didn't take the cardboard mock-up far enough. I'll weld the frame in place, then weld on the pivots and anchors of some sort with latches, then cut the frame from the trike.

[TheKid]

I had to make some changes to the shape of the fairing, and it will be a full fairing instead of a partial. I have the front end basically framed out. It needs some tweaking, and some more support, but it's surprisingly sturdy, considering the whole frame was made with 1/8" steel rod. I still have to frame out the wheelwells, but I'll have to order more rod. The blue tape shows the general shape of the fairing:

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z66/edpol_photos/Streetfox2/000_0211Small.jpg
http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z66/edpol_photos/Streetfox2/000_0212Small.jpg

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z66/edpol_photos/Streetfox2/000_0213Small.jpg

[Richie Rich]

You're off to a good start, Kid...!!

Will you leave the metal frame in once it's covered?

Working with Glas is one thing I haven't tried yet, so I'll be interested in following your progress. Take LOTS of pix..!!

.......Richie >>

[TheKid]

The metal frame will stay. I haven't worked with glass in many years, and my first reunion was with the seat. Let'd just say I'm out of practice. Wherever strength is needed, I have pieces of glass from an old duck boat I cut up. That was a first for me - hacking a boat to build a bike. For the main part of the fairing, I'll be using spandex instead of fiberglass. From what I've read, its lighter, and when stretched over a frame, there's already some strength and stiffness built in. If you use very light coats of epoxy, It will retain it's shape without sagging, according to some of the blogs out there. Unfortunately, I never bookmarked the blogs, and I'll have to find them again. I guess that's what nights are for.

[TheKid]

Rain stopped any progress. I want to shorten the nose, which seems to be way too long. It does however, seem to fit the Streetfighter, so if I build one of those, I'll already know how to go about making a fairing for it. Maybe I'll make a new dont end for the DW.
I also want to shorten the rear of the fairing so I could mount and dismount without having to pivot the fairing. My original intent was to have the fairing as a permanent and intregal part of the trike, and I really don't want to deviate from that if I don't have to. I can already visualize what I have in mind, which is half the battle.

[SirJoey]

...so I could mount and dismount without having to pivot the fairing. My original intent was to have the fairing as a permanent and intregal part of the trike...

I agree! Definitely the way I'd do it. (if I could)

That's gonna be one extraordinary ride, Kid! Can't wait to see that baby faired!

If I had my way, I'd own a Velo. (too)

[TheKid]

I really just want a partial front fairing and a tailbox, which looks like I'll be able to do. I cut the rear, which works well, but I'll have to make the bars narrower. That works well too, because the DW seat I'm using is much narrower than the mesh seat. Tomorrow I'll shorten the nose and frame up the floor. If it was a delta, I'd eliminate the floor, but with the tadpole, it's a matter of safety in case my foot slides off the pedal. That crossmember could be disastrous. Once bitten, twice shy. The floor will also make the fairing stiffer. It will be one solid piece of fiberglass screwed to the frame. For the nose, I'll cut little panels to fit inside the frame pieces, wire tie them on, then glass over them. From the light bar back, I'll use the lighter spandex.

[SirJoey]

...That crossmember could be disastrous. Once bitten, twice shy.

I hear ya'! Though not a huge fan of toe-clips, I'm glad I have 'em on the tad! Practically a neccessity on one of THOSE!

Heel-hangers might be nice too, dunno.

[AtomicZombie]

Very cool!

Brad

[TheKid]

Thanks Brad. I hope that's what riding will be in the winter - cool, not freezing.

[TheKid]

It finally stopped raining at 2:00. I was able to cut the front end of the fairing, but it's not welded yet. It looks much better with the short, wide nose. I also started to make a new seat from fiberglass panels cut from the boat. It's basically the same as using plywood, but with thinner, lighter pieces.

[jimFPU]

Where did the pics go?