Ford Quadricycle

I cant remember but has the engine been bench tested and run before it was installed?

Not yet...still waiting for the exhaust manifolds and intake valves to be machined. That is the fussy stuff...I'm waiting for my plate to clear off first. Not sure when that is going to happen...

After at least three years the Quadricycle hits the ground!

Still far away from running but it looks pretty good so far...students are very proud. I actually had one student stop by the shop yesterday to say goodbye because he is graduating this weekend...This particular student began the Mechanical Engineering program the same time the club started. He pointed out the two parts he machined 3 years ago! Very cool.

Milestone moment!

I guess we have to wail until the end of summer vacation to see more progress.

Interesting and will be a very fun project for all.

Have a question on the dimensioning of the distributor link. My drafting teacher would have a field day red marking the dimensions. There must be half a dozen datum's. Not to mention dimensioning to the assumed tangent of 2 arcs, wow! I say assumed for the intersection for one arc is undefined in either size or location and the other arc has a radius and no location.

Surely Ford didn't dimension this.

On another note, I am dismayed that a solid modeler such as Solid Works is being used to reconstruct the quad.

I would have at least used a 2D package if not drafting capabilities of the era. Only then could the restoration be true to form. This would also give the restorer, students, I better feel of design and execution of such.

I grant that solid modeling with parametric capability takes a lot of the headache out of design it also takes a lot of learning and fun out designing as well.

Yes, I am an old codger (sp), but I have used solid modeling and FEA myself. For those good designers these abilities can be applauded for they allow the competent designer to spend more time on true design.

This reminds me of the quote on the inside front cover of the HP 45 owners manual of the mid 60's. Unfortunately, I cannot remember it word for word. I paraphrased it per above.

Please do not take this as destructive criticism but rather constructive. I only am simply jealous of your endeavor.

The best to all.

Thanks again to everyone. The Quadricycle went straight back onto the dolly within 10 minutes. We pushed it around and the front right wheel seized immediately. Upon inspection we noticed a few high spots on the axle that created grooves in the bronze bushings and dug in pretty deep. I removed the hub and polished both front axles as best I could. I am also in the process of adding grease fitting to each axle.

The seat is still out for upholstery (its been out for almost 2 months now), I'm not sure what is taking so long.

We have also been doing a lot of tedious things like replacing bolts with "correct" ones and tightening up lose joints and deburring...taking up slack where required. I'm still waiting on the engine for the summer where I can work on it alone (without being distracted every 5 minutes with student questions).

Like eating an elephant...we will do this one chunk at a time!

Pictures of the grease fittings we added to the front axles. I held the front axle in a 5C collet and collet block, added a spotface to seat the fitting, drilled and tapped for 1/4"-28, then cross drilled to allow grease to enter cavity of hub.

It all came out perfectly.

Also a picture of the clutch (speed adjuster) spring.

Cool addition. Why not angular contact bearings? To keep with the way Henry did it?

stevehuckss396 said:

Cool addition. Why not angular contact bearings? To keep with the way Henry did it?

Click to expand...

He used straight plain bronze bearings on the Quadricycle...the angular contact bearings did not come until the Model-T. Actually the first few years of the Model-T had straight roller bearings and then they upgraded to tapered roller bearings. At least that is what I have read...a Model-T buff will put me in my place if I'm wrong! ha,ha,ha

If the bronze bearings give us one more problem I will absolutely switch to tapered roller bearings. Thanks Steve!

I finally reamed and pinned the exhaust valve assembly.

Muffler attached and lightly tightened in place...

vascon2196 said:

Muffler attached and lightly tightened in place...

Click to expand...

Hi Chris

More good work, won't be long before we hear the engine.

Next time it's on its wheels, any chance of a video clip of it moving around? Perhaps after you get the seat back from being upholstered. And don't forget your bowler hat!

Looking back, there has been a lot of progress this year. Well done.

Regards

Ross.

Thanks Ross...a few more things to fix before its on the ground but very close! I need to find spark plugs with a 3/8 NPT thread...and make the intake valves. Then timing is a big pain.

But hopefully this summer.

That's going to be a tough plug to find. Alot of the antique engines have 1/2 inch pipe thread and larger. I don't think it would be tough to make them.

vascon2196 said:

Thanks Ross...a few more things to fix before its on the ground but very close! I need to find spark plugs with a 3/8 NPT thread...and make the intake valves. Then timing is a big pain.

But hopefully this summer.

Click to expand...

Chris, if you have already tapped the hole 3/8"NPT, a simple option might be to fit a 3/8"NPT pipe plug, drilled and tapped to suit one of the standard metric spark plug threads.

The common ones are 10, 12 and 14mm. Pick a common size plug for easy replacements down the track.

Just make sure it's a FORD Motorcraft Spark Plug!

Regards,

Ross

Thanks Ross! Yes it is tapped for 3/8 NPT...if I cannot easily find one I will have to make an adapter.

I ended up tapping a 3/8" NPT brass pipe plug for an M12x1.25 spark plug. The cavity on the inside of the pipe plug was near to size for the tap drill for an M12...so the tap is a deep as the length of the plug...so lots of thread for a nice tight fit on the spark plug.

I like the brass pipe plug as an adapater because if the spark plug threads get damaged I can simply replace the pipe plug for a few dollars. If the threads in the welded cylinder get damaged..well....it will be very expensive and take several weeks to re-machine/fabricate.

I also completed both intake valves...I just need to find an extension spring and machine up a spring retainer.

Even when I have the summer off I still manage to find myself in the shop working on this Quadricycle!

Got the engine timed and wired. When installing the piston rings into the cylinder they jam up. I have to grind the gap a bit more on each ring. Maybe this weekend. Very close now.

We are excited to see this come together. Thanks for taking the time to keep us up to date.
Fun project

Thanks guys!

If I don't post about this stuff right when it happens I'm going to forget what we machined in a week. I love sharing our progress but this also helps me go back and review what we've accomplished.

Some of the ignition pictures.

I'm using 2 Model T coils and a 12V battery. The on/off switch is on the front (battery box cover)...by the feet.

I could not figure out the spark distributor like the original Quadricycle. I went with a single stud threaded into the face of the flywheel. This stud hits a brass strip every revolution sending a spark to both plugs.