Two SCOOTERS

Fueled up, the featherweight Popcycle is ready for a dayof cruising almost anywhere. Only exceptions are certainhigh-speed superhighways. Below: rear-axle arrangementwith engine removed. Bike generator, shown on swivel mount,rides on engine pulley to supply electricity for lights. Mainframe tubing is from auto propeller shaft.

This one ismade of STEEL

TWENTY-FIVE poundsof used auto and bikeparts bought at a sal-

vage yard for 7 cents a pound($1.75 total) make up theframe of my Popcycle scoot-er. You can easily build onelike it, if you have access towelding equipment and alathe.

My rig is powered by athree-horse Briggs & Strattonmill, but any lightweight en-gine will do. A four-cyclejob is best for easy starting,smooth running at low speeds,and the convenience of nothaving to mix gasoline andoil. Avoid a heavy, cast-ironmodel. Its off-center weightmakes balancing and steeringdifficult. And be sure to usepneumatic-tired wheels withprecision ball or roller bear-ings, unless you whip up ajunior scooter for speeds be-low 15 m.p.h. Tire diameteris optional; I settled for 11",but the integral half-forksand axles can be modified forlarger sizes.

Another option is the drive.Unless you live where thehills are steep, a low-costhookup with good dig-outcharacteristics involves nomore than a V-Plex clutch, aheavy-duty neoprene V belt,and pulley. Besides accelera-ting better than a chain-drive

You Can BuildThis one ismade of WOOD

NO WELDING rig inyour shop? You canstill build your own

transportation, as I did, usingsimple hand tools, wood, andreadily available hardware.Most of the scooter frame ismade of 1-3/4-square oak andl-3/4"x3/4" oak. You'll need28' of the former, 34' of thelatter.

Following the layout planon the next page, saw out themembers. Make only oneeach of parts 7, 16, and 19;four of 9, 12. 15 and 17; twoeach of the others. Boreholes as indicated (unlessspecially noted, the diameteris 5/16"). Omit the inter-mediate holes in two of parts17 and 9. Assemble theframe with 5/16" carriagebolts.

Form the seat parts asshown. After tacking downthe canvas, glue the coveredpad in place. Cut out andscrew footboard 18 to parts 1.

Glue maple dowels in theends of handlebar part 19.Slip steel tubes over these,cementing the left one to thedowel with epoxy glue. Theone on the right is worked toa free fit for a twist throttle(note setup in plan). Runthe cable through the foot-board slot behind part 8.

From 3/4"-diameter cold-CONTINUED

Road-tested for 300 fun miles, this wood scooter is a curbsideconversation piece and a rugged, dependable performer. Itclimbs still liills briskly, cranks out half a mile a minute onthe Hat. It's licensed, but its builder cautions: "Save your billsof sale for the engine, wheels, and clutch. Some states re-quire them before they will issue a license.

rolled steel, cut a 27" steering column, an8" front axle, and an 18" rear axle. Insertthe top of the column in the handlebarhole and drill through it for a bolt (seedrawing). Slip a collar on the column andwork the shaft through the hole in 16.Where it passes through 7, apply a bushing,followed by steel and rubber washers. Oak-fork parts 20 and 21 are assembled withepoxy glue and threaded rods and nuts.

The drive is through a centrifugal clutch—your choice of a chain or belt connectionto the rear wheel. A drawing shows thebraking. If you use pulley wheels insteadof slim sprockets for the drive, you mayhave to recess the inboard axle collar onthe left into frame part 1 to give clearancefor drum and hangers. Finally, strap theheadlight battery to 13.

Named Pioneer, the wood scooter tips the beamat 120 pounds, carries twice its weight in riders.A special servicing note: Snug up the carriagebolts after you've rolled tip the first 50 miles.

"Ape-hanger" handlebars qualify you to ridewith the wild ones—but for transport in a car orboat, you may prefer the conventional butterfly

clutch, the alignment between engine anddriven pulley is not as critical. For moun-tain climbing, however, use a kart clutch,sprockets, and chain. A 1:6 reduction ratiois fine.

The assembly and detail drawings showthe adaptation of junked parts to the scooterframe. Both the front-fork and rear-axleassembly are made from 3/4" auto sway-barstock, which must be heated cherry redand straightened, then slowly cooled, beforemachining and shaping. To reharden, thecompleted parts are reheated salmon redand quenched in oil. Let a pro do this.

To meet the licensing demands of mystate, I've equipped my scooter with a bi-cycle headlight, tail and stop lights, a bulb-type horn, and a rear-view mirror. Juicefor the lights is supplied by a generator setdriven by the engine pulley. That way,there's no blackout while I'm idling at an

type. Slim contour of Popcycle is eye-catching.Both the front and the rear wheels are mountedon integral axles and half-forks.intersection. The stoplight—a 2" Delta taillamp—is actuated by a brake-pedal-mountedswitch made from a set of discarded Fordbreaker points (see detail drawing). I havealso placed a 4" truck-type reflector on thePopcycle's posterior. END