Please Help Me Identify This Vintage Trike Kit

TigerDan

I've had this Trike-kit-thingy for years, don't know what it is and haven't found anything quite like it on the Web. It's a kit, never assembled. Uses a VW engine, has a fiberglass body with enclosed cockpit, seats two side-by-side. It's a sort-of convertible with a removable roof/windshield so the passengers can be completely enclosed if desired. I don't have pics of everything just yet, there's still a box of small parts with the wiring harness and odds 'n ends including late '60s Pontiac Firebird tail lights which mount vertically in pre-cut holes in the rear of the body shell, and some other stuff like the removable top. I'll be lowering this thing from the ceiling and cleaning all up pretty soon and can get better pics then.

It doesn't use much in the way of motorcycle parts, not sure what you would uses for the front wheel and suspension...there's a bracket on the frame that looks like it might take a motorcycle triple clamp, but it might also have parts missing or it's up to the builder to fabricate something. It has a rack-and-pinion cut in half and mounted longitudinally for steering, with a big flex shaft attached. Anybody recognize this thing? I'm moving out of the building where it's been stored for the past 20 years and am trying to decide whether to build it or sell it.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

TigerDan · Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2014 4:51 pm Post subject:

Okay, I think I found it. It appears to be a Trivator, made in New Mexico (although I found some info claiming that the company started in Santa Rosa, Ca. and then was sold and moved.) Apparently these things are fairly rare, not very many finished examples on the road and are found most often in unfinished kit form, like mine. Probably worth about $750 as-is but the rare finished vehicle has gone for as much as $7K.

BL3Manx · Posted: Thu Mar 06, 2014 3:49 pm Post subject:

Did you buy the Tri-vator? I'd like to see it sometime, I'm in Solano County. I'm working on something kind of similar.

TigerDan · Posted: Thu Mar 06, 2014 7:06 pm Post subject:

I've had it for years, since about 1990. It's been in storage, hanging from the rafters as shown for all this time. Just today I got it down and brought it home, I just got done rinsing it off and tomorrow I'll be taking it down to a friend's warehouse in Santa Rosa where I'll keep it while I decide what to do with it. I've got a good buddy over is Sacramento who parts out buses and has tons of VW stuff, I might work a deal with him for a transaxle, rear suspension and engine.

I'll grab a couple pics of everything tomorrow and you can see what all I have. There's no front suspension at all, I'll have to fabricate something. I'd be interested in seeing what the front suspension is supposed to look like.

BL3Manx · Posted: Sat Mar 08, 2014 10:02 pm Post subject:

I haven't gotten very far but the last post in the thread below will give you an idea of the system I'm trying to duplicate(but a lot more basic looking). Yesterday I finished making the fixture I'm using to re-weld a VW ball joint spindle so the ball joints are in a vertical plane. The welder got the spindle today.

Next week I'm starting on the two leading arms.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=564467

This is the front end of a Trimuter which I think may have been similar to what the Tri-vator had. Notice the upside down VW ball joint steering box

BL3Manx · Posted: Sat Mar 08, 2014 10:45 pm Post subject:

Here are some pictures which show the front suspension of the Tri-vette. The info below is from the Tri-vette webpage

The TriVette is a first generation design, developed specifically as a response to the first Arab Oil Embargo in late 1973. They were designed and manufactured by Bob Keyes. There were only 27 total of these built between 1974 to 1978. 26 of them were factory made and 1 was kit built. This kit was later sent back to the factory to finish the assembly.
The factory was licensed by the State of California as a motorcycle manufacturer, and the TriVettes were manufactured in Ventura, California on a custom order basis from 1974 through 1978. The TriVettes met all applicable State and Federal motorcycle standards as of the time of manufacture. Most of the TriVettes used powertrains and other components from the Fiat 850's of the late 1960's/early 1970's. These were excellent powertrains that provided spirited performance and extremely good fuel economy in a 1,140 pound vehicle. They typically got 50 mpg in heavy city traffic and 65 mpg on the freeway. Also, because of their light weight and excellent balance, they are a lot of fun to drive. which was a mid-70s trike, some of which used Fiat running gear and others, VW

http://www.thetrivette.com/index.html

BL3Manx · Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2015 10:51 pm Post subject:

Looks like the same Trivator kit is for sale

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/mpo/4821135203.html

TigerDan · Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2015 11:54 pm Post subject:

Yeah, I decided to let it go. I have too many other projects.

BL3Manx · Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2015 12:10 pm Post subject:

Looks like Robert Q Riley is continuing to develop his Trimuter, which I think the front end would work on the Trivator

https://www.facebook.com/rqrEntrs

cindybills63 · Posted: Wed Jan 21, 2015 8:50 pm Post subject: VW VADOR

PLEASE CALL ME AT 1 717 354 7027 IF YOU ARE LOOKING TO SELL THE VADOR , DEPENDING ON PRICE , I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN THE PROJECT

TigerDan · Posted: Wed Jan 21, 2015 11:36 pm Post subject:

I'll give you a ring in the morning.


Hello! Log in or Register \| Help \| Donate \| Buy Shirts	See all banner ads \| Advertise on TheSamba.com

	Forum Index -> Other VW Vehicles/Volksrods	All times are Mountain Standard Time/Pacific Daylight Savings Time
Page 1 of 1