Building a Morgan 3-Wheeler Replica

[RonM]

add another 400lbs for 2 passengers & luggage... they can still get out of their own way.

Great shot! I think that's an 04, GL1800 EFI 6 cylinder though, so add another 2 cylinders an 700cc to that equation.

[okayfine]

+ $105.10 from selling off the Goldwing radio. -$100.61 buying 2x2" box tube for the frame and some other assorted steel pieces.

$2004.49 spent, $3995.51 remaining.

[okayfine]

So, what do you need if you're going to lay out some chassis tube? You need a lot of things, but one of the major things you need is a flat, level surface. Any garage floor build to code is going to have some slope in it. You want your busted water heater (or spilled 510 coolant) to drain towards the door opening, not towards your interior walls, etc. Also, while the concrete in my garage is pretty nice as far as that goes, it's not the smoothest thing in the world. Two birds, one stone.

A quick trip to Home Depot and I have four 2x4s and one sheet of "cabinet grade" ply. Build a box frame with the 2x4s:


Cover it with the ply:


Drill holes and thread in some 3/8" wood screws to the 2x4 frame. This is what allows you to level your new flat platform.



Flip the platform over and start leveling. I leveled it front-to-rear and side-to-side just using the four outer screws, then backed the inner screws down until they made contact with the floor.



There's 1" of gap at the "front" of the platform, versus 2.25" of gap at the "rear." That's the kind of garage slope we're dealing with.

$52.31 spent on wood and screws. $3943.20 remaining.

[iceD]

What is that yellow thing lurking in the background?

ice D

[okayfine]

Representing the European Axis powers, a '70 VW Bug.

[James]

Nicely done. Typically you will have 1/8" to 1/4" fall per foot - or sometimes a 2" total drop called for garage slope.

I like the running total - makes you realize how the little stuff adds up.

[iceD]

I had a 59, 64, and a 70 beetle and a 73 Super Beetle. As well as several vans and a Type 3 fastback. Our neighbour has a 68 and she is the original owner.

ice D

[defdes]

Nice platen, drill some holes for some clamps!

[RonM]

Hey Julian,

Although you are going to use this platform for your Morgan build, for your accounting you may want to consider this as a durable asset. That way you could Justify spreading out the cost of this investment over it's projected use in the future. At very least you can figure a 40% write off for depreciation of value for a durable good. If it's any help, I hear the Realms audit process is pretty lenient in this area.

As in life, or accounting, let your conscience be your guide... Oh yah, and always keep your receipts.

[two_68_510s]

Great stuff Julian, really cool solution. Do you think a few more (3) ribs would make it stiffer, maybe with the crowns alternating?

[okayfine]

Although you are going to use this platform for your Morgan build, for your accounting you may want to consider this as a durable asset.

I was actually thinking of harvesting the ply once the chassis was welded, and using it to cut some patterns to bend metal to form the beetle back and instrument cowl. Besides, as defdes mentioned, I'm probably going to be drilling holes in it so I can clamp the tubes during welding. And how many 3-Wheelers does one man need?

Great stuff Julian, really cool solution. Do you think a few more (3) ribs would make it stiffer, maybe with the crowns alternating?

More ribs would make it stiffer, of course, but I can "dance" on the platform as it is, and the chassis itself shouldn't weigh more than 150-200lb. The engine/trans is probably another 200lb. After that's all together, I add in the suspension and then don't need the platform any more.

[RonM]

And how many 3-Wheelers does one man need?

I was thinking for someone with an uneven slab such as yours, a nice flat surface (even with mounting hole in it) could be used to make any number of things; not just three wheelers. That being said, it would take up a lot of room. Just wanted to help extend your budget through creative accounting. It works for multi-national corporations, why not for you.

[okayfine]

So, what other purpose does the platform serve than just being flat and level? Well, here are an additional two.

You can draw on it:


Marking a center line helps, but what really is important is being able to pencil in the frame design. Drawn with a nice framing square, you can be pretty sure the lines are where you need them. That will also help make sure that the pieces of tube you cut are the correct dimensions with the correct angles (when necessary).

Instead of butt welds, I'm trying to weld most pieces at 45° to each other.

The second additional purpose to the platform is, as mentioned above, I can drill holes in it to allow me to clamp the tubes down to the flat, level surface:


Once the tubes are aligned and clamped, I can spot weld without worry about the tubes moving, or not being exactly where I want them. Or at least within a pencil-lead's width of where I want them. For my purposes, that will be fine.

Then the top tier is the same as the bottom tier, except it is 2.25" longer to accommodate a 10° lean back of the rear, for the seat rest angle. Clamp the top tier tubes to the tacked bottom tier and tack:

[BlackWidow]

This is an awesome thread I have always loved the Morgan. Good luck with the build.

[indy510]

I'm learning so much ... ... this is exactly what stopped me from working on my Rusty Ruby 4dr project, because I don't have the skill/knowlege to build my own frame

I really hope you continue to explain/show each step of the build ... I know it takes alot of extra time, and sometimes hinders progress, but this project is more interesting than any other build thread I'm following on the net.

How do you stop the frame from warping while welding more than just tack welds? ... everything is level, and flat now,, but 2 or 3 passes with heat, and it will no longer be perfectly flat/level ... what thickeness of metal is the 1-1/2" or 2" square tubing? ... have you been drawing out plans for a final frame design? .. or exact replica size of a OG Morgan? .. I've always wanted to start a frame with just a seat, and build everything to fit me perfectly ...