Resurrecting Big Bertha... or, 'How I spent $30,000 on a $2,000 trailer...'

[Panama Red]

Taking her down to Blue Springs State Park for Veterans Day. Thanks to all my brothers (and sisters) in arms for your service!

-Red, looking forward to a LOOOONG weekend...

[Panama Red]

About a year or so ago, while we were camping at Disney, and renting a golf cart for $3,000,000 a day, my wife (Mrs. Red) thought we should get one to haul around on all our camping trips with us... An idea I loved, except that the back of my truck is mostly full when I go camping already, and the weight of the golf cart was just not doable. So, I started planning and drawing, and after much cutting, welding, cussing, and drinking, I finally finished The Panama Red Campmobile (tm)... Yes, it's cool, no, you can't drive it...



Maiden voyage with the PRC (tm) will be January 8th at Canopener (WOOOOOOOOOT!) Been pedaling this thing all over town this week. Pulled through the McDonald's drive through. They acted like they get two pedal cars a day though there. Hard to faze a McDonald's drive through worker...

-Red, construction photos available upon request...

[perryg114]

Cool bike you have there. Be careful on that thing. Bicycles are dangerous enough on busy streets and what you have is several times wider. Drivers are very distracted these days. Several of my friends have gotten killed or run over on bicycles. I would get some really good blinking LED's to go on the back and an orange flag. Remember your life is worth less than a text message to some some folks.

Perry

[Panama Red]

It's mostly for in park use, but we live in a very small town, and the golf cart is rapidly becoming the in-town vehicle of choice. Also, there are a LOT of rails to trails bike paths around here to ride... The tail lights, blinkers, and brake lights are all functional, but a strobing red would probably get more attention. Will have to incorporate that on it for street riding. A few more minor tweaks, and then I've got to get back to working on The LoveStream (tm)...

-Red, trying to get back on track...

[TennTex]

Wow - I would love the PRC regardless, but I just spent the morning going over the owner's manual for my new little MIG welder, ready to start learning some basics (complete novice). Now you've got me dreaming.

Very cool!

Alan

[Panama Red]

Originally Posted by TennTex

Wow - I would love the PRC regardless, but I just spent the morning going over the owner's manual for my new little MIG welder, ready to start learning some basics (complete novice). Now you've got me dreaming.

Very cool!

Alan

I'm still trying to get the MIG down... It's all a matter of power setting vs. wire feed speed vs. metal thickness. When it all hits right, it's awesome. Sizzles like bacon frying. When it's wrong, it pops like small firecrackers... I've got a few good looking welds on this thing (very few) and a bunch of ugly ones.

Next one of these I make will have a multi-speed rear end. The gearing I had to go down to to get hill climb and take off makes top end suffer dramatically. You'll rev out at about ten miles an hour... also thinking of a four seater.

I also made the front end six inches wider than I had planned. The first tube I cut was the front end cross member, and I cut it the width I wanted overall... didn't catch it until I had the whole front assy welded together, and just went with it from there. There's definitely no crowding issues with two people.

If you go to build one, PM me. I've got a ton of pictures on this build, and can take pics of anything you'd like to see on it.


-Red, measure once and cut twice...

[HiHoAgRV]

Now all you need is two of these...

1000W Electric Bike Kits | E-Bike Conversion Kit?

[Panama Red]

Well, then I wouldn't have to pedal as har.... Wait a second! I think you might be on to something here.

-Red, who can honestly use the exercise...

[Rocinante]

Jeez, just think of all the money you're saving! This one's cool too, but the nicest model costs just over $5K.

TerraTrike

[Panama Red]

I've got that $5K one beat to pieces... mine has radio, head and tail lights, brake lights, turn signals, AND it carries my cooler with me everywhere I go. You also sit side by side on mine, so conversation is quite a bit easier. Aoogah horn coming soon.

-Red, king of adding useless crap to bicycles...

[m.nolte]

Red - the red-mobile was awesome!

Did you pull it to canopener on a trailer or does it break down for portability?

I'm convinced we need one, just not sure how to tow it.

-Melissa - jealous of Red's awesome bike

[Panama Red]

Originally Posted by m.nolte

Red - the red-mobile was awesome!

Did you pull it to canopener on a trailer or does it break down for portability?

I'm convinced we need one, just not sure how to tow it.

-Melissa - jealous of Red's awesome bike

Don't be jelly! I put it in the back of my truck. front tires up on the tool box, rear end resting on a large black tote that I keep all my excess camping stuff in... I'll post up a pick in a bit. It doesn't fold down, or break apart, or reduce in size in any way.

If ya'll go to build one, I can give you a few ideas. First, don't make the front end so wide it doesn't fit down in the bed of your truck...

-Red, measuring once, cutting twice...

[Panama Red]

And there she sits, in all her glory...

-Red, buggy baby daddy...

[Panama Red]

Ok, so we go to Canopener, which I HIGHLY recommend! See how that's in all caps? Yeah, awesome rally... Anyways, as happens every now and again in Florida, it got cold. Cold enough to freeze my water input... Fortunately I woke up to visit the facilities, and noticed that water wasn't coming out when I flushed the old Thetford. Caught it before anything was damaged, loosened the line right at the trailer so it would drip a little, and everything was good. Anyways, it was cold, and guess what wouldn't work. Go ahead, guess... What's that? Did I hear "furnace"? Yeah, the furnace wouldn't light... Fortunately we had a small space heater and just kept it running all night. It almost kept up. We finally closed the door between the hall and kitchen, and it kept half of the trailer toasty.

The other thing that wouldn't work was the oven... Now, at this point I know what you're thinking. You're thinking, "hey Red, it's your propane supply." Well, you'd be wrong. Sure, that's right where I went. I mean, what are the odds of two major propane appliances failing at the same time? But they didn't fail at the same time. I just found them at the same time. Had never tried to heat the oven up before, just turned it on to make sure I got a flame, and called it even. Thing heated up to about 150 degrees, which sucks if you're trying to make biscuits for a breakfast potluck. They came out as flat gooey pucks... yum.

So, what was the fix? Furnace was the limit switch. Won't allow the gas solenoid to pick. You can thump it three or four times and it will work for one cycle. Ordered a new one on Amazon for 12 bucks. Sweet!

Oven was a dirty burner. Tiny little flecks of rust had accumulated over the years in there and clogged the burner to the point the flame was kind of wimpy. Tapped it out, thing is flaming now...

So, next Canopener, we WILL be toasty warm, and we WILL have biscuits...

-Red, Mr Fix-it to you...

[Panama Red]

...or, it could be that the Trailer Tiki was not pleased... He doesn't look happy, does he?

-Red, tipping the Tiki...

[cwf]

Originally Posted by Panama Red

Attachment 230581

...or, it could be that the Trailer Tiki was not pleased... He doesn't look happy, does he?

-Red, tipping the Tiki...

Looks like the Tiki is EMPTY.. That's enough reason to be mad!!

[Rocinante]

Next time, fill the Tiki with 151 rum and light it. All will be well, unless you spill the rum.

[m.nolte]

Thanks for the picture on loading, now I just need to convince the hubs that he really wants to build the bike and figure out how to get it and the fire pit in the back of the truck.

Melissa - thinking I'm gonna need a bigger truck

[Panama Red]

This evening I'm working on the rest of the window screens. Painting the frames, replacing the screen. She's in the barn... I love my barn, especially when The LoveStream (tm) is in it.

-Red, back to work...




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[Paddledipper]

That is a barn to be proud of!