A precautionary note since it's been on my mind recently: a relative works at a bike shop and was telling me about customers that have burned down buildings with self installed ebike kits. I'm sure you did it properly and used a reputable brand but hearing the stories made me think it would be a good idea to keep ebikes outdoors for the first few charging cycles to make sure all is well.
the fire hazard mostly comes from using poor quality low-cost batteries. A lot of the cheaper e-bikes keep the cost of the bike low by using cheap batteries. You can significantly reduce this risk by replacing them with better batteries and not misusing or overcharging them.
I highly recommend you add a beanie with a propeller to your wardrobe and perhaps a small fan on the front. Both for grins and giggles. Have fun and be safe. PS I like the blue.
I really like the bright blue color, Tim! But it also highlights something: May I suggest making a simple mud guard for the front wheels? Not only will it protect from splashes, but right now it is hard to see how far the front of the car extends when viewed from behind. A mud guard with a similar color would make it obvious, and not only would it be aesthetically pleasing, but would add extra safety in traffic.
Might I suggest: Flames! Some flames up the sides would add a touch (well okay, maybe more than a touch...) of whimsy and break up the broad expanse of blue. Or, if you don't want to be quite so flamboyant, maybe some tiny little Pegasus wings on the rear quarter- might a good place to mount turn signals?
I think Tim had a former life at Shorts Aerospace or Harland and Wolff shipyard. He's just too damn smart for a garlic farmer! Love the blue. Only Tim would go for a vinyl wrap on a wooden car. None of that smelly old paint - straight for the high tech solution ... Please sell the plans Tim. I can't wait to build one. I hope I can do it with me old jigsaw.
There's. been lots of suggestions as to how to improve the car, but that's easy when you're an armchair general. The suggestion for mud guards warrant investigation, which you could do in a 1930's style with an extended running board for easier entry into the cockpit. Blue is a good vibrant colour for Ireland, it stands out among the green, but yellow would have been better if available. Still, all in all you and your helpers have done a great job Tim. One suggestion I would make would be to improve the safety of the vehicle, is to wear a crash helmet, and fit a seat belt if possible, and maybe down the track figure out a roll cage design.
A couple of tips charging batteries 1. Never leave a battery charging unattended, batteries do not like being overcharged. 2. Batteries do not like extreme heat or cold. 3. Run your battery down to nearly empty (try and not fully run your battery down to 0) and then charge to full power, time how long this takes. The next time you charge connect your charger to a plug timer and set the timer the amount of time it takes to charge your battery to full (*some people recommend only charging battery to 80% to help preserve the life of the battery). The problem with this method is that you have to run it down to the same level each time to get a full (*) charge, you could a small amount of extra time to the charging time to compensate for this. 4. If you are concerned about the battery, take the battery off the bike and wrap it in a fire blanket or put it in a fire safe metal box. 5. Let your charger cool down before putting it away, 6. Plug the charger into the wall first before you connect it to the battery. I imagine you know a lot of this already, the first one is the most important as some people charge them overnight while sleeping which is a very bad idea.
Bet after watching this the Gaurda will be posting one of there high speed persuit vehicles in your area, and that horn nearly deafened me and I live in England. 😂🤣😂
Bluebird reincarnated! It looks fantastic. I agree with the suggestion of mud guards on the front wheels to avoid ending up looking like George Formby after his motorbike riding film. Great stuff. Amazing how things have developed since I made my four wheeled trolley. Made out of stuff salvaged from bombed houses in the 1940s.😀
Some sort of a light weight grill work simulating a radiator might do to cover the world's largest retailer's logo on the front. As commenters suggest for the front wheels, a shield would mitigate throw-off from the rear wheel as well. Turning out quite well. By the way, the window repair guy at the local hardware store may pass along perspex or Lexan off-fall at little or no cost. What a fun project. Thank you for sharing.
@@Berkeloid0 The daisy like cutout in the front resembles the logo of Wal-Mart. At least here in the colonies. Maybe I have a too vivid imagination. I see animals in the clouds too. 🙄
@@90FF1 Ohh I see now, yes it does! I had to Google Wal-Mart because I'm in Australia and we don't have them here, so I didn't recognise it. I was looking for something like a sticker with an Amazon logo on it 😄
Considering the whole thing is ''homemade'' it is not too bad really, the blue suits it! Keep it light weight Tim, more weight means you More power to move around!! I reminds me of cars like 1930s Austin7!
@3:30 "So far it's been working fine, though I'm really looking forward to trying it on longer trips." There's not much to go wrong with a hub motor, except maybe the hall sensors. The battery is the weak link, and the longer trips can be the problem. Those batteries don't like being completely drained, or run at maximum for extended periods. The solution is to invest in a spare battery ASAP, and be ready to swap it over BEFORE it completely drains. Treat them gently and you should get plenty of life from them for years, but it's easy to work one to death if you only have one.
reminds me of a june bug. these kinda blue-green iridescent beetles. Thats a colloquial name for them where I grew up in the US. Don't even know if they exist over there. But I like it! it's really cool to finally see this thing coming together and being an actual vehicle.
At 6:30 you mention the front brakes not working optimally. Disk brakes need to bedded in. Did you do that? At the GMBN or Park Tool youtube channels you can find useful tips on how to do so. Keep up the good work. Very enjoyable.
Eissh Tim, by the time you perfect this vehicle I wonder who will be able to afford it. Wooden pedal assistant electric 3 wheel cars for the rich folks. Jokes aside, I admire your knowledge knowhow perseverance skill workmanship. Thank you for sharing.
As others have said, be careful with the battery charging - my neighbor's house burned down a few years ago due to an e-bike fire. I think some dedicated safe area - with minimal local combustible material - when you're not monitoring the car would be a good plan. Also, possibly consider some roll over protection mounted above the seat. The car looks really great!
Dunno what your plans are but I'd recommend adding a fender to the rear wheel or else you'll get the cabin around the wheel full of mud, rain, dirt, etc. Learned that the hard way from a trike build i did with enclosed rear wheels
It's completely brilliant. I recently had my lovely bike stolen and have just finished making a new one from spare parts from my previous bike but it doesn't look or go half as well as this marvellous invention. ✨😊
This has been an interesting project to follow, and I'm very much looking forward to seeing it evolve further. Can I make a couple of suggestions? * Splashers/mudguards for the front wheels, or your arms are going to get muddy constantly. Some of those almost semi-circular bicycle ones should work I think * There seems to be space under the seat & just in front of it for small storage, if you fill the floor in there. * You could possibly get away with plastic sheet for the screen, if you can find any simultaneously clear & thick enough. It's still a prototype. A helmet visor is probably a bit small even if you unroll it. The blue works quite well in vid, I'm not sure how well it's come across! some polished stainless steel ( or chromed, if you could be bothered ) detailing might finish it off nicely.
OK, the sound of that horn is just brilliant. Makes me giggle uproariously every time. Also, might I recommend finding some means of implementing self-canceling turn signals? Got a bit of what us Yanks sometimes call Grampa Syndrome with that -- old people here in the States often leave non-self-canceling turn signals going for miles on end... and, somehow, even *self-canceling* ones, somehow, sometimes...
I have in the past gotten small pieces of glass from the offcuts bin at a local glazing contractor. not sure whether glazing co tractors tend to carry acrylic; maybe you'd have to try a sign shop.
Well my good man, I thought you would have figured it out by now take a green 2 L plastic bottle cut it into a flat sheet and what do you know you have a front windshield. Anyways come to be quite fun watching you tinker around. Give me my warmest wishes to your lovely wife.😊
It's really very blue but marvelous nevertheless! I personally would prefer a darker green which also might match well with the wood. But since you're Irish I guesss british racing green is off the table 😁
I've been mulling over a forward steering trike design - using 3 x ebike hub motors - all-wheel-drive - of course there'd need to be some crafty controller electronics - differential synchronisation etc... My frame concept - all tubular welded cage - was inspired by a Star-Wars ''interceptor'' and 'Pod-racers'- and incorporating variable road-height geometry - inspired by the common hydraulic outbboard motor tilt unit, adapted to change the angle on the rear sub-frame/swing-arm with respect to the front chassis section, giving an 'elevated' position for good visibility in town and in parking, or at lowest road-hugging 'prone mode' for maximum aerodynamic efficiency. Seating for two in tandem. Two small headlights in the nose fairing, two equal sized head-lamps on the front wheel spats, these track with the turn. Fighter-jet style tandem bubble canopy. No ejector seat. No drouge parachute either. Thinking of calling it - The Mantis ... WHAT TO WATCH-OUT FOR - Solar Photovoltaic FABRIC... [sails for yachts; the skin covering of matey's Chrome-blue e-trike; static windmill sails, awnings, tents (already done)].
A really well thought out project and beautifully put together Tim. I would think that it is a lot of fun to drive. It’ll be great to see her tackle a road journey.
Tim it has "presence" which will negate the "sorry I didnt see you mate" excuse often leveled at cyclists. Look forward to seeing Excerpts Of A Blue Car Road Trip!
An excellent build, keep up the good work. I have built several e-bikes and e-trikes over the past few years and the best and most reliable conversion kit was the YOSE Power kit and battery.
A precautionary note since it's been on my mind recently: a relative works at a bike shop and was telling me about customers that have burned down buildings with self installed ebike kits. I'm sure you did it properly and used a reputable brand but hearing the stories made me think it would be a good idea to keep ebikes outdoors for the first few charging cycles to make sure all is well.
Good suggestion - though mine came with a charger and I leave it on the concrete floor. Good enough?
I’m sure the man is well aware of such stories and is quite capable of thinking things through by himself
Just remember that if its a lithium battery fire, you cant put it out & dont breath the smoke@@wayoutwest-workshopstuff6299
Don't be so harsh. Though Tim seems a really smart guy he has no taste in colours! @@metalman4141
the fire hazard mostly comes from using poor quality low-cost batteries. A lot of the cheaper e-bikes keep the cost of the bike low by using cheap batteries. You can significantly reduce this risk by replacing them with better batteries and not misusing or overcharging them.
Looks great! A wicker seat might be cool (like a very early airplane.)
I highly recommend you add a beanie with a propeller to your wardrobe and perhaps a small fan on the front. Both for grins and giggles.
Have fun and be safe. PS I like the blue.
Sopwith camel next chaps
I really like the bright blue color, Tim! But it also highlights something: May I suggest making a simple mud guard for the front wheels? Not only will it protect from splashes, but right now it is hard to see how far the front of the car extends when viewed from behind. A mud guard with a similar color would make it obvious, and not only would it be aesthetically pleasing, but would add extra safety in traffic.
Not just blue, but "Premium Metallic Sapphire" with red interior and Wooden Dash and Wheel. Just need a matching helmet. Good job.
Might I suggest: Flames! Some flames up the sides would add a touch (well okay, maybe more than a touch...) of whimsy and break up the broad expanse of blue. Or, if you don't want to be quite so flamboyant, maybe some tiny little Pegasus wings on the rear quarter- might a good place to mount turn signals?
Ha! And I was thinking I was being flamboyant enough already!
Perhaps some flame decals on the sides would soften all the blue?
You should be less apologetic and more proud! That's a sweet ride. Well done, including the vinyl. Next problem is how to keep your bum dry...
Racing stripe!!
@4:43 opening to the Super Mario Bros theme
Love the blue colour ... and the tooting horn. 😄
I think Tim had a former life at Shorts Aerospace or Harland and Wolff shipyard. He's just too damn smart for a garlic farmer! Love the blue. Only Tim would go for a vinyl wrap on a wooden car. None of that smelly old paint - straight for the high tech solution ... Please sell the plans Tim. I can't wait to build one. I hope I can do it with me old jigsaw.
Blue is great. It matches the tea cosy on your head. Looking forwards to the road trip! Well done.
But wait, isn’t the steering wheel on the wrong side? Ha ha just kidding what a great project. Thank you for bringing us along.
There's. been lots of suggestions as to how to improve the car, but that's easy when you're an armchair general. The suggestion for mud guards warrant investigation, which you could do in a 1930's style with an extended running board for easier entry into the cockpit. Blue is a good vibrant colour for Ireland, it stands out among the green, but yellow would have been better if available. Still, all in all you and your helpers have done a great job Tim. One suggestion I would make would be to improve the safety of the vehicle, is to wear a crash helmet, and fit a seat belt if possible, and maybe down the track figure out a roll cage design.
All you need now is a a lightweight Morgan car grill for the front
Sandra already mapped out the only trip you need to take!!! All the way north to south.
Now that's a serious chanllenge!
9:02- Wild grouse backup alarm!
A couple of tips charging batteries
1. Never leave a battery charging unattended, batteries do not like being overcharged.
2. Batteries do not like extreme heat or cold.
3. Run your battery down to nearly empty (try and not fully run your battery down to 0) and then charge to full power, time how long this takes. The next time you charge connect your charger to a plug timer and set the timer the amount of time it takes to charge your battery to full (*some people recommend only charging battery to 80% to help preserve the life of the battery). The problem with this method is that you have to run it down to the same level each time to get a full (*) charge, you could a small amount of extra time to the charging time to compensate for this.
4. If you are concerned about the battery, take the battery off the bike and wrap it in a fire blanket or put it in a fire safe metal box.
5. Let your charger cool down before putting it away,
6. Plug the charger into the wall first before you connect it to the battery.
I imagine you know a lot of this already, the first one is the most important as some people charge them overnight while sleeping which is a very bad idea.
Bet after watching this the Gaurda will be posting one of there high speed persuit vehicles in your area, and that horn nearly deafened me and I live in England. 😂🤣😂
Bluebird reincarnated! It looks fantastic. I agree with the suggestion of mud guards on the front wheels to avoid ending up looking like George Formby after his motorbike riding film. Great stuff. Amazing how things have developed since I made my four wheeled trolley. Made out of stuff salvaged from bombed houses in the 1940s.😀
Some sort of a light weight grill work simulating a radiator might do to cover the world's largest retailer's logo on the front. As commenters suggest for the front wheels, a shield would mitigate throw-off from the rear wheel as well. Turning out quite well. By the way, the window repair guy at the local hardware store may pass along perspex or Lexan off-fall at little or no cost. What a fun project. Thank you for sharing.
I don't see any logo on the front, what part are you looking at?
@@Berkeloid0 The daisy like cutout in the front resembles the logo of Wal-Mart. At least here in the colonies. Maybe I have a too vivid imagination. I see animals in the clouds too. 🙄
@@90FF1 Ohh I see now, yes it does! I had to Google Wal-Mart because I'm in Australia and we don't have them here, so I didn't recognise it. I was looking for something like a sticker with an Amazon logo on it 😄
This has to absolutely be named the Bluebird now. Love it, that colour honestly suits it imo.
Fabulous, just the kind of thing I needed to watch tonight. And cobalt-blue is perfect! I also like your crocheted hat by the way. Applause!
Thanks Elisabeth. My friend Madeline made us both hats last week - I wear mine all the time.
Market it as the Eoin, after Eoin Morgan, Morgan being the English wooden car maker, also big into 3 wheelers.
I’ve had my EV for five years. It’s great. It’s fast as lightning and drives you to the pub but no squeezing horn!! I’m so jealous.
Need to add a boot
Love the blue color.
✌️
LOVE that colour and fabric. Nicely done, excellent given your experience. Love this build.
It looks spectacular in that color. The chrome effect brings out the sexy curves of the body!
The horn is my favorite part of the car!
Looks koool….but if you want a good blast, you can get an fog horn for a yacht, that pumps up with a bike pump.
Considering the whole thing is ''homemade'' it is not too bad really, the blue suits it! Keep it light weight Tim, more weight means you More power to move around!! I reminds me of cars like 1930s Austin7!
your wrap job looks perfect on the video! and the colour is great!
@3:30 "So far it's been working fine, though I'm really looking forward to trying it on longer trips." There's not much to go wrong with a hub motor, except maybe the hall sensors. The battery is the weak link, and the longer trips can be the problem. Those batteries don't like being completely drained, or run at maximum for extended periods. The solution is to invest in a spare battery ASAP, and be ready to swap it over BEFORE it completely drains. Treat them gently and you should get plenty of life from them for years, but it's easy to work one to death if you only have one.
I love that old school plane'ish look, wonderfuul job!
The exposure on the thumbnail makes it look like the litest album cover from the 2000s
Come along way sine the concept bro. Did not know the wrap was just basically a very large sticker. Safe travels. Ken.
Your wooden car is so wonderful. The chrome blue wrap is perfect.
Being all the things you wanted to be! Very Cool.
reminds me of a june bug. these kinda blue-green iridescent beetles. Thats a colloquial name for them where I grew up in the US. Don't even know if they exist over there. But I like it! it's really cool to finally see this thing coming together and being an actual vehicle.
Nice colour choice. Electric Blue!
It's BLUE!! This has really been a fun project to follow. Really super job and not what I was expecting at all.
Personally, I would have liked it in a nice Racing Green! but the blue works well enough
Like the blue. It is a lot like the BMW Monza blue on my 1975 R75/6 motorcycle.
Beautiful!!!
I like the blue. 👍
I really like the metallic blue! Looks like the car is performing very well! Nice build sir!
At 6:30 you mention the front brakes not working optimally. Disk brakes need to bedded in. Did you do that? At the GMBN or Park Tool youtube channels you can find useful tips on how to do so. Keep up the good work. Very enjoyable.
Eissh Tim, by the time you perfect this vehicle I wonder who will be able to afford it. Wooden pedal assistant electric 3 wheel cars for the rich folks.
Jokes aside, I admire your knowledge knowhow perseverance skill workmanship. Thank you for sharing.
I'm fairly sure I have a spare piece of perspex big enough from our car build that'd do as a first test on your windscreen. Happy to post it over!
Sounds great - thanks! Depends where you are though, I think. Email me? (in description..)
Really impressive! It's not so bad in blue. You'd want to have a bright colour for visibility.
Looks awesome Tim! maybe some yellow or orange detail striping to go with the blue, very blue wrap?
Maybe!
It's brilliantly blue! and it works, that's the important bit.
Absolutely delightful.😀👍
Outstanding job on your car. That looks fantastic.
You should make two fenders for your front wheels to stop water from getting on the body well driving down the road? Thanks for the video. 😊😊😊
As others have said, be careful with the battery charging - my neighbor's house burned down a few years ago due to an e-bike fire. I think some dedicated safe area - with minimal local combustible material - when you're not monitoring the car would be a good plan. Also, possibly consider some roll over protection mounted above the seat. The car looks really great!
It looks quite smart Tim
Frank
Dunno what your plans are but I'd recommend adding a fender to the rear wheel or else you'll get the cabin around the wheel full of mud, rain, dirt, etc. Learned that the hard way from a trike build i did with enclosed rear wheels
Yes road trip to transport minister's office to legalise the 4-wheel version.
It looks really great a massive improvement over the C5 ❤
It looks brilliant! Puts me in mind of Bessie, the Doctor's old roadster.
It is blue. And it is a masterpiece! I love everything you make,Tim. You're so good at this stuff!
Wow, thank you!
Looks great. Bit of paint on the front maybe
Looking Great Tim, Congrats
It's completely brilliant. I recently had my lovely bike stolen and have just finished making a new one from spare parts from my previous bike but it doesn't look or go half as well as this marvellous invention. ✨😊
Wow good job your my favorite TH-camr 😮
Well that just about wraps it up 😉
This has been an interesting project to follow, and I'm very much looking forward to seeing it evolve further. Can I make a couple of suggestions?
* Splashers/mudguards for the front wheels, or your arms are going to get muddy constantly. Some of those almost semi-circular bicycle ones should work I think
* There seems to be space under the seat & just in front of it for small storage, if you fill the floor in there.
* You could possibly get away with plastic sheet for the screen, if you can find any simultaneously clear & thick enough. It's still a prototype. A helmet visor is probably a bit small even if you unroll it.
The blue works quite well in vid, I'm not sure how well it's come across! some polished stainless steel ( or chromed, if you could be bothered ) detailing might finish it off nicely.
What a wonderful blue little beast.
To improve cable disk brake and v brake performance you can use Jagwire compressionless outer cables.
OK, the sound of that horn is just brilliant. Makes me giggle uproariously every time.
Also, might I recommend finding some means of implementing self-canceling turn signals? Got a bit of what us Yanks sometimes call Grampa Syndrome with that -- old people here in the States often leave non-self-canceling turn signals going for miles on end... and, somehow, even *self-canceling* ones, somehow, sometimes...
You're right! I must work on that, or at least have a dashboard light to remind me
Blue Arrow!
I happen to like that color!
I want one! In that same colour too! ❤️😭👍
Some silver spray-paint on that front bulkhead would match the blue real nice too
Looking sharp Tim!! Congratulations!! 🎉
I have in the past gotten small pieces of glass from the offcuts bin at a local glazing contractor. not sure whether glazing co tractors tend to carry acrylic; maybe you'd have to try a sign shop.
Well my good man, I thought you would have figured it out by now take a green 2 L plastic bottle cut it into a flat sheet and what do you know you have a front windshield. Anyways come to be quite fun watching you tinker around. Give me my warmest wishes to your lovely wife.😊
Ha! Maybe - I'll give it a go. Thanks
Beautiful, make a ":nose cone" for it. Should be easy on the CNC.
That looks fantastic! Top job that man!
Looks wonderful 🤩😍
I love the grill and can't wait to see you at the Indy 500.
Came out great. Thanks for showing us. Need to make it longer with a trunk. Or a pusher trailer you can carry stuff.. good luck..
It's really very blue but marvelous nevertheless! I personally would prefer a darker green which also might match well with the wood. But since you're Irish I guesss british racing green is off the table 😁
I've been mulling over a forward steering trike design - using 3 x ebike hub motors - all-wheel-drive - of course there'd need to be some crafty controller electronics - differential synchronisation etc... My frame concept - all tubular welded cage - was inspired by a Star-Wars ''interceptor'' and 'Pod-racers'- and incorporating variable road-height geometry - inspired by the common hydraulic outbboard motor tilt unit, adapted to change the angle on the rear sub-frame/swing-arm with respect to the front chassis section, giving an 'elevated' position for good visibility in town and in parking, or at lowest road-hugging 'prone mode' for maximum aerodynamic efficiency. Seating for two in tandem. Two small headlights in the nose fairing, two equal sized head-lamps on the front wheel spats, these track with the turn. Fighter-jet style tandem bubble canopy. No ejector seat. No drouge parachute either. Thinking of calling it - The Mantis ...
WHAT TO WATCH-OUT FOR - Solar Photovoltaic FABRIC... [sails for yachts; the skin covering of matey's Chrome-blue e-trike; static windmill sails, awnings, tents (already done)].
it looks so fabulous and fancy, yeah! Fits well with your cap! And it might remind you of the blue sky you see so rarely these days... : (
A really well thought out project and beautifully put together Tim. I would think that it is a lot of fun to drive. It’ll be great to see her tackle a road journey.
Tim it has "presence" which will negate the "sorry I didnt see you mate" excuse often leveled at cyclists.
Look forward to seeing Excerpts Of A Blue Car Road Trip!
An excellent build, keep up the good work. I have built several e-bikes and e-trikes over the past few years and the best and most reliable conversion kit was the YOSE Power kit and battery.
you could do with a couple of paddles just on the off chance of meeting some floods....
Well done look great
Brilliant.
A fine machine, well done.
Cool it looks good.
Lovely. I want one too.
Wonderful thank you
It's blue. The mk3 version could have a place to put the groceries when you go to the shops. Or this MK2 version could have panniers to do the job
Looks brilliant! I love the blue.
Fantastic! 👏 Love the blue! 💙