To describe your machine you adore one should explain a few things. I am not eccentric but could be viewed that way. I do have a great need to be “different” and have a degree of paranoia about being the same as everyone else. I’ve often mentioned to my wife that if I end up on a bus at 80 years old dressed in brown shorts and white long socks, a pork pie hat and sandals then shoot me as I line up at a public loo behind all the other men from the same bus dressed in the same attire. But that’s me.
After 80 or so cars including about 7 motorcycles I had only been totally fulfilled by 2 or 3 of them. A Datsun 2000 Sports and a….wait for it…Fiat 500 Bambino. Why? The Datsun was an MG beater with a lovely engine and drop top. The Fiat had a sunroof, got 4 litres/100 kms and it was- quirky. They filled a void. They were unique. But they still left me a little incomplete.
Fast track to 2006. Billy Connelly’s around the world tour was on TV. At each country he rode a trike of some sort. I Googled trikes available in Oz and the VW layback style won me over. Trouble was I had a partner then that wasn’t keen on the concept and add to that my children not getting along with her, the seeds were already planted that we would split. So I hounded her for a trike to the point when she said “its either me or the trike” and so glad she made up my mind. Trike it was.
This means a lot. A persons vehicle of joy can mean a way of life, an escape, a dream. Something inside of me knew that a trike would fulfil me like no other vehicle. In fact any car I see, from that Fiat 500 to a GT Falcon are still cars. I have two company cars- I drive them a total of 100,000kms a year…why would I want a third?
To choose a trike isn’t easy especially in 2011. In 2008 as far as VW style is concerned there were two manufacturers in Gosford Oz trikes and Panther and one in Cairns (Rewaco Australia now out of business and not to be confused with Rewaco of Germany – a very reputable company) and a few other smaller mobs like Cam trikes of Victoria. There was Scorpion trikes that used a Suzuki Swift engine etc. And there are numerous bike trike manufacturers that convert two wheel to three of most large motorcycles.
I test rode a Oz trike at Gosford. Then I went to Panther….a big contrast. Panther management and Oz trike management were one once about 8 years ago. They split. The common drivetrain being VW aircooled with manual or auto gearbox choice was also shared. But there were some other differences. Panther had airbag rear suspension, raised instrument cluster, girder front forks and monologue alloy box chassis with a single 50 litre tank. Oz trikes had look down at the tank digital speedo, two separate tanks, coils and shocker suspension and a smaller top box for storage. Panther it was. Panther had no trike to view and no showroom like the Oz trikes. I ordered on what I saw on the web site.
It took 8 months for delivery. Base price commenced at $32,000 and by the time you order your accessories including in my case- auto trans 3 speed from a fastback, top box, ladder bars, spot lights twin carbs, big sump etc. not much change from $42,000. High cost due mainly to alloy components as the weight them days was limited to 450kgms (weight limit totally abolished January 2011 ADR). This has now caused many new trike onto the market including Touroz and a Boss Mustang trike sold by Oz trikes. Both machine have a Ford Focus or similar drivetrain behind the rear passenger/s, large boot etc and are great. At around $46,000 plus on the road costs. Options of turbo- not that you need it!
Upon delivery with full compliance making Registration so easy, I had several warranty issues. I wont criticise Panther as they are good friends of mine. Let’s say I had more issues than normal and eventually the engine was stripped to find a few bent valves and a score along one bore. All work was covered but I just couldn’t warm to that engine. In the meantime my thoughts on modifying the trike was keeping me up at night.
One of the first Panthers built.
This one is Tangerine Red - Wodonga
Two mates on their springer Harley and Yamaha 1100 and I took off for a ride to Mt Beauty. Both bikes scraped their pegs and slowed around corners just when I was squeezing the throttle open. I realised the cornering ability of these trike was- almost unlimited. This makes them forgiving. Twice I’ve approached bends far too fast only to take it like a F1. I even out cornered a new Porsche 911 on the great ocean road, left it in 2nd gear and I was towing a camper trailer! Mind you the straights sorted me out!
Then one day Debbie (new trike new woman!) commented that the wind affected her arthritic neck. With the passenger perched up like queen Mary little wonder the wind got her. VW trikes often have a small windscreen as an option but it only deflects the bugs towards the passengers teeth. “We can have a roof “ I replied. And the drawings commenced.
There was no real benchmark for my plans to copy. There were designs like the modern Carver but I wanted to retain the VW style look. A separate windscreen would be needed. What I did know was that the roof build had to look right or it would be a disaster. I would also lose sunshine so a sunroof would be needed. Problems arose like- engineers certificate and the body rises to expose the drivetrain where will the roof go? Although it would be designed to take off with two bolts I didn’t want to carry out this procedure every time I needed to.
Some windsock effect was going to be there. The front locking mechanism was going to have to be strong. Patio bolts were sort from Bunning’s and this worked ok but the roof rattled on bumps.
I now have added ute tray clamps and fixed that and gave it a double insurance that it won’t let go. The sunroof was found off a Mazda 121 bubble. Two electric motors power the canvas roof- Still haven’t hooked it up yet but an Allen key opens it manually at the moment.
The sunroof set inside a roof frame.
The rear window area had to be” set in” to allow for the top box lid to open and give it a nice appearance.
the largest windscreen from Eagle Screens. 800mmx900mm high. (the wiper is on its way!) and mounted a couple of side screens. The roof was covered. Badges I made from two boot stickers form the Carolina Panthers NFL footy team in the USA mounted on Perspex and covered with alloy zero’s from Mitre10 – house numbers!
Finally the conversion to Subaru EA81 was done and covered in “conversions”.
Deb and I got married May 2011 and used the trike as our wedding car.
We now tow a Guppy.
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Improvements now include a front heater with a M/C radiator and a second one will be mounted soon. Demister for that windscreen. White walled tyres I believe will set it off (opinion divided between friends) but I think the trike has taken on the Hot Rod look a bit so why not capitalise on it. I’ve made a carry rack for overnight bags.
I’ve become a fanatic of the EA81. It does have its shortcomings and was aware of them before the conversion. Eg not many improvements can be made to the output without adding some complexity which is a reason I wanted the EA81 in the first place. I added the Weber 32/36, custom exhaust that turned out superb and a new EI dizzy. The guys that advised me on my conversion in these pages are responsible for my interest in this forum. I’ve caught the “bug”. Although I can’t see myself buying a Brumby or Liberty I take interest and the characters I read about keep me interested.
The tinkering on Tweety never stops.
A wireless rear view camera. I have one on the back of the van also.
Great Ocean Road Victoria December 2011
, previous to Tweety I would not have looked in such detail 
