3 wheel truck on EBay

[Ricks]

I wonder how much of this is original?  The motor # indicates a 1956, the center drive pulley is unlike any other I have ever seen.  There are no idler pulleys on the final drive belts. The frame looks 1952 or earlier, as indicated by the brake pedal and single fill gas tank.

In 1952, Simplex had not come out with their automatic transmission, but used one sourced from Salisbury.  Bill Erickson's truck has one of these.  Bills truck also has a wood box, and this has a metal one?

 Many questions and so many things wrong, it makes one question if it is even genuine, or one of the many copies people have built over the years.


http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Other-Makes-Simplex-Servi-Cycle-Rare-1949-1953-Original-Simplex-Servi-Cycle-3-Wheel-Truck-1-of-15-/290837882827?pt=US_motorcycles&hash=item43b749e7cb#v4-40

[Mike Sal]

In an older issue of the VMBC magazine, there's a small article about Wayne helping a guy build a truck from parts.  I wonder if this could be the same one. 

Doesn't appear to be any way to maintain belt tension on the back (notice how close the rear tire is to the back loop).
Mike Sal

[Mike Sal]

I notice in the ad that he mentions a "new" flywheel cover.  Does Wayne have NOS or repop ones?....and if so, does he have them for the Phelon style mag?
Mike Sal

[Ricks]

I notice in the ad that he mentions a "new" flywheel cover.  Does Wayne have NOS or repop ones?....and if so, does he have them for the Phelon style mag?
Mike Sal

I believe he does.  I know he has them for the wico, and Bill E. has one for the 150cc Simplex Sportsman.

[Ricks]

In an older issue of the VMBC magazine, there's a small article about Wayne helping a guy build a truck from parts.  I wonder if this could be the same one. 

Doesn't appear to be any way to maintain belt tension on the back (notice how close the rear tire is to the back loop).
Mike Sal

I saw that article, but the box looks much older than 10 years. 

The belt looks like it just sits on the pulleys. Like I said, no idler pulleys at all.

I think it would easy to build a truck and nobody would be the wiser except the builder.  I could put a Simplex motor in mine, and pass it off, and probably get big money for it.

Mike, did you see that other truck from Gary's collection I posted the other day? 

[pd]

Rick ,

Look to the left side of this pic . That looks like an idler pulley to me .

[Ricks]

Rick ,

Look to the left side of this pic . That looks like an idler pulley to me .

I was speaking of idler pulleys at the final drive belts out by the wheels.  I don't believe there should be an idler on the secondary belt at all. When I get home later, I will post photos of what should be there.

[pd]

So , that truck has it just backwards . Like a 'regular' bike .

[Ricks]

So , that truck has it just backwards . Like a 'regular' bike .

I would not call it backwards, but unnecessary.  The belt that is getting tensioned on that truck doesn't need it.  It is tensioning the belt on the torque converter, which is a variable size pulley.  The belt is short and is tensioned against the motor primary belt and the spring on the transmission.  The belts to the wheels have no visible signs of tensioning, so I would think they would slip quite a bit.

[pd]

You may be right ( same thing I occasionally say to my wife ) , Rick .

But , I think this truck is set up like a standard bike , with the obvious exception of the jack shaft . It seems to me that if each wheel were adjusted to tighten each drive belt , there would be minimal slippage . 

[Ricks]

You may be right ( same thing I occasionally say to my wife ) , Rick .

But , I think this truck is set up like a standard bike , with the obvious exception of the jack shaft . It seems to me that if each wheel were adjusted to tighten each drive belt , there would be minimal slippage . 

Ah, there is the fly in the ointment, there is no adjustment to move the rear wheel forward or back!  The rear wheels on the trucks are mounted in a fixed position.

When I get home today on a computer, I will start a new section for 3 wheel trucks, and maybe we can get some info and pictures posted over there, so it can be found in the future.

[pd]

Good idea .

That would be helpful and interesting .

[pd]

I noticed that one wheel has the clip on sheave and the other doesn't .

And , it almost looks like there might be some spacing under the jack shaft bearing mounts , but I can't really see well enough to be sure .

[admin]

pictures added for future reference.

[admin]

more pics