Classic huffy trike pit bike build

I had posted this thing for free and tim of the eastside clan was going to grab it, but the trip turned bad quickly and tim never had a reason to come up here.  At the time I didn’t know bike wheels were kinda sorta interchange, because it had both rears bent.  Also both brakes were useless, front neck bearings seized, front wheel bearings seizing, all tires junk, and everything else that could be wrong was.

It’s been outside for years and belonged to one of the residents at the group home Carli worked at who passed away.  They didn’t want it scrapped, so I offered to take it before I realized just how bad it was.  It sat for 5ish years in front of my garage.  Tried to give it away with the stipulation of please don’t scrap it.  

Last monday, before my back died, i grabbed a mountain bike out of the trash in a more affluent part of town with a broken derailleur.  I only grabbed it because the wheels looked the same size as the trike. 

Unfortunately i can’t find a before.  But here is some carnage.  A couple youtube videos helped me remove the cartridge off the old one and put the single speed freewheel hub on the new, after about 100 little bearings fell out of the hub and we miraculously found them all on the asphalt driveway with my big magnet, and the one that entered my shoe

wheel donor:

Old wheels 

Fork and front wheel donor was from a barn that we helped clean out.  Stepped up from 20” front to 24” because it’s what i had, and also because the pedals about tapped the ground in stock configuration 

Dead fork and front wheel

Mind you, up till yesterday i was in bed for 5 straight days, so I needed a bit of mechanical triumph to lift my spirits.  My back is at maybe 40% right now, but Colin fancies him quite the 8 year old bike mechanic, so I had willing help. 

Here’s where I’m at tonight, with a functioning trike.  Will be changing out the mountain bike handle bars for the original curved ape hangers, but for now they will suffice as i’ll need a longer brake cable first.  Also plan to get a set back seat post, or weld my own, for a more comfortable butt to pedals position.

In reply to Patrick :

Bitchin'. The purple and silver scheme from the donor should be applied, to honor the sacrifice it made. 

Ugh.  I think i’m going to leave the rusty blue for now, I don’t have time to strip it and paint it the right way.  I have to make some basket clamps too.  Ordered my layback seat post last night, will see if i can make the rear cable from the fork donor shorter to put the tall bars on.  The purple bike has a nice quick release seat post clamp so i can snag that, and then cut the donor bikes up for tubing

so far investment is the $10.78 for the seat post. Will have to get a front tube.  Pedals will come off whichever donor bike has nicer ones, the originals are rusted almost stuck. 

Good point, about not stripping it. Keep it cheap. Patina is cool, too. 

8 year old bike mechanic is back at it, he pulled the pedals off the purple bike and is trying hard to get the pedals off the trike.  They may need pb blaster and heat.  

In reply to Patrick :

The pedals are probably a different thread & pitch. It looks like the purple bike has 3-piece cranks vs. the single piece on the trike. 

Edit: Also, a vintage aluminum cooler should slide down in place of the basket almost perfectly.