BEX Reverse Trike

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX .....

So I got the A pillar 'arch' and the firewall box done today, only 3 pieces needed to make each, simpler, faster, less welding, more accuracy etc. I consider these to be of production design.

Oh, and one big change which I wanted to acomplish, is the steering rack is now on the outside of the firewall, see the CAD drawing, earlier I wasn't sure if I could achieve that until I finalised the floor. It's main feature is it simplifies sealing the firewall box to the outside elements.

Just waiting for the floor now, and that is also a production design, so starting to chip away towards a final, reproducible result.

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX ....

Still waiting for floor progress, so stuck the firewall box and A pillars together in anticipation.

I really want to make the firewall box in fiberglass as well as it helps insulate the passengers from the engine heat, noise and vibration, but I'll make a firm decision when I have the floor.

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX ....

I must admit they are not doing the floor as fast as I had hoped, but I must be patient ...

For the firewall box, I might make a female mold myself from steel rather than have a delay like this again.

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX ....

The fiberglass company has informed me that the mold is finalised, and that a product will be made tomorrow.

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX ....

I was at the fiberglass company today, still no floor, but the mold is finished and all waxed up ready to pull a floor from it.

You can see a little bondo where they fixed some blemishes, that's pretty normal.

The mold is 10mm or 3/8" thick.

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX ....

First floor out of the mold, here in all it's glory in a stunning blood red colour.

This is literally the first production part, lets hope there's more soon.

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX ....

Floor in my shop, starting the process of trimming the firewall box and preparing it to be molded.

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX ....

As you see, part of the improved design was to get the steering rack to the outside of the firewall, it simply makes sealing the cabin from the engine bay a lot easier, although carbon monoxide is quite relaxing.

Speaking of carbon monoxide, that floor tunnel in the middle sticking out is where the exhaust will be routed, then down through the left hand floor sill, this was made possible by the staggering of the seats and offsetting the driver to the left some, this was a bonus as exhaust routing can be a real headache.

The amount of floor sticking out will mostly be trimmed back to under the steering rack.

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX ....

Designed, lasered and folded the lower seat runners.

Some have asked me if the floor is all fiberglass, yes and no, besides the seats rolling along these runners, they are also an integral part of the floor's strength, "bracing" being the correct term. or if you lived in Nepal, you would say "ब्रेसिङ"

These runners are a little short, being the first trial run, and they are fine, I just used what sheet of metal I had in the shop rather than waste money.

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX ...

I have been getting a firewall box pattern together, but also did the seat runners on the weekend.

Bit of fiddling around, and some laser'd hole positions need adjustment, but worked out rather well and added a lot of strength to the floor.

Don't mind the ugly cheap black bolts holding them down, not what I will use for the final, as well as the runners being longer.

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX.....

it's all working out now, maybe even on the final stretch?

Feels good to be doing actual production parts and preparation finally, and not major redesigns.

Anyway folks, will be quiet for a couple of days, off to Shanghai for 2 days, back Thursday night.

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX ....

Got back on Friday from the Shanghai show, and every surrounding family member is incapacitated in some way, from car accident to Covid (phase 2 starting), so spent the weekend chasing after them.

Back to it tomorrow (Monday) I hope, 4 days lost though.

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX ....

Got back on Friday from the Shanghai show, and every surrounding family member is incapacitated in some way, from car accident to Covid (phase 2 starting), so spent the weekend chasing after them.

Back to it tomorrow (Monday) I hope, 4 days lost though.

... and so I got sick too, anyways, thought it was Covid the way it knocked me off my feet late Sunday and Monday, 2 x tests say no, and almost normal again today, so just caught a 48 hour bug of some sort.

So finally finished off the firewall box design, all files have been sent to the laser shop, hopefully metal sheet will be delivered in the morning, and I'll have it all in my hands in the afternoon to run it over to the fold shop.

[JEBar]

Per Mark BEX ....

Good, back to a normal day, eg; Laser parts cut, off to the fold shop, back to my shop and start sticking the mold together.

You can see it's a 2 piece mold, bolted together in the middle, otherwise you would not be able to remove the fiberglass part from the straight sides.