Saturday, March 25, 2017

Velomobile

"In a time of destruction, create something." Maxine Hong Kingston

I've had this kit sitting around in Rancho Caridad since 2013. I imported it from the Netherlands. I intended to assemble it little by little after my air safari flights around Luzon but that's not happening anymore. Hence, I brought it back to my condo in Manila and opened it in March 2017 to get started.

The instruction manual does not mention that this is the new seat; no need to assemble from aluminum sheets. Yehey!

The first four allen bolts done. Savor it boys and girls because it gets harder over the course of the assembly.
I thought the kit was missing some allen bolts but I eventually found the others.
I did purchase additional allen bolts locally because some of the ones supplied were a bit short for the application.




The first two holes drilled and riveted. Better get it right the first time. After the hole is drilled, you have to live with it forever!

 I had to sand some of the aluminum protrusions (where the allen bolts were screwed) to ensure the parts were flush or even / level against each other (i.e., minimum or no gaps between parts) when the allen bolts were tightly screwed.

Front boom installed.

If I had to do it all over again, I would install the bigger plate first and only halfway from the top (i.e., boom side).
I eventually had to remove & re-install the rivets of the bottom (smaller) center plate when I installed the bottom side plates.

That black thing sticking at the top is not illustrated in any of the instruction manuals or any of the construction pictures posted in the web. It's a new version which can be attached in this way only. I will eventually find out if it's correctly installed.

These two strips are where the front part of the seat will be anchored.


This is where I used the rubber mallet to push down the aluminum sheet onto the aluminum support tube.

Same as above.

Bending those tubes for the wheel fairings were challenging for me.
It took me forever and I still couldn't shape them perfectly.
Selina took this shot of me working on the velomobile. It's now summer in the Philippines. Hot and humid.
Flooring under the seat is done.

A closer look at the flooring.

Rear wheel mud guard. I thought I did a good job on this one. My riveting skill is improving . . . finally.

Neat!

Tube extension for the rear wheel mud guard.



Got those red c-clamps just in time for this important alignment.

This is when you feel the velomobile is actually taking shape.

All set for riveting.
As far as I know, this is the first velomobile in the Philippines and I look forward to helping others build their own, so we can exercise and bike together around the many picturesque locations in the Philippines. Kumbaya!