So no progress to report on rear fairing , instead took a sharp left and decided to explore iLean/tilting & rear suspension as you do !
For that I realised I could not keep messing up the blue part of the Mk1.5 as I need to be able to ride it daily ....
Answer ? build a ' Mule ' so a test bed rear half is needed , I also need a front half to go with it however lets learn to crawl first
The Mk1 rear end was languishing awaiting for the impetus to give it rear brakes so out with the grinder and get it cut up !
I cut the fixed rear part off and found some tubing to extend the spine.
Mistake number 1 the identified tubing is 40mm which is not 1.5" !!!
Mistake number 2 the method of fixing was by cutting 4 slits in each square face and welding through into a 1 3/8" round tube hammered inside.
Mistake number 3 cutting the slits 4" long with a grinding disc !
Simple maths says 4 faces x 2 tubes gives 8 faces
Using TIG it cannot weld across the gap so each slit needs 2 welds x 8 faces which gives 16 welds
Now 16 welds x 4" is 64" of weld !!!
Now this is TIG up against one of it's limitations not designed for laying down loads of filler , if I had either Stick or MIG a simple weave would have filled the whole slit up nicely.
Should have slit with 1mm disc and widened slightly then welded , however it ain't coming apart now !
Here they are ground down to the face as I intend clamping any experimental rear end across the spine so they need to be flat.
Some time in the future I may cut the bottom off the old rear end and weld a 3mm plate across the end with 2 x 8mm holes then I can also clamp that to it should I be testing a front end or 2 and want a standard non-tilting trike ?
This now looks very long as the rear part is shown exactly in line with where it was cut off ?
However the Mk1 rear was very short and an iLean rear end will clamp a good way back due to the staggered wheels , so would not be in the same place anyway.
Also of course leaning should be possible with a narrower rear end so the old dead axle will be in the way ... NOT NOW
Brought indoors for a lick of paint ....