October: Well the solar cam project is still around, but I wanted to work on something different.

I've been thinking about getting an electric bike or building one. I have come to realize I am not ready for doing something like that. It costs too much money and weighs too much, those pesky batteries.  So I decided to compromise.  For half the cost I could build a gas pedal bike.  I have a bike and a beat up old bike.

My new neighbor has a gas pedal bike. He has an engine that he would sell me for $200.  This was a rear mounted engine.  I really did not want that.   It would not be cool looking.  So I did some web searching and came across a kit on the web for a center mounted engine, only $250, plus it comes from an Arizona based company, Spooky Tooth.  I had a little trouble ordering the engine.  The site offered free shipping and something was haywire with that.  I managed to overcome that hurdle.

31 October: The UPS truck drove by my house in the morning.  It drove right by and did not stop at my house.  What's up with that where is my engine?  Obviously, not on that truck.  Later in the day, the second UPS truck makes it down the street.  My engine has arrived!!!  I am so happy!  I check out the stuff in the box.  It did not come from Arizona, it came from China.  I look at the instructions.  Now whoever translated them into English did not use English as a first or second language.  It was pretty damn comical to read.  A second set of instructions was included that was just a little clearer.  Fortunately this writer may have used English once in a while.  A third set of instructions was on the website where I purchased the engine it went into great detail of how to install the rear sprocket if you have a coaster brake, which I don't.

1 November:  Armed with 3 sets of instructions, 2 bicycles and a desire to stop pedaling I pulled the kit out of the box.  My brother and I looked at what I had and what I wanted to have at the end.  My bike had thicker tubes on the frame and it did not look like I would be able to put the engine on my bike of choice without a lot of work.  My bike had custom shifters built into the handlebars.  The front derailler sits a little high, right about where the engine would mount.  (Turns out it is exactly where the engine mounts. Oh joy.)  My brother is all for me using the old Columbia instead.  That would require new tires and tubes a new seat, lights, handlebar brake levers,  basically a lot of stuff.  The bright side would be that the engine would fit in the frame with no issues.  I stared at the two bikes and the kit for a long time.  Since it is my project and I had  two bikes to work with, I opted for the Skyliner.  

2 November:  I  dry fit the engine onto the frame.  It seemed to fit and I could work out some sort of assembly to mount the front of the engine.  I put together the rear sprocket bolting it to the spokes on the rear wheel.  With the sprocket in place and the engine half installed I put on the chain.  The chain is way too long.  I don't have a chain break tool, so I will have to deal with shortening the chain.  Meanwhile I have to figure out how to attach the front of the engine to the bike.  My first attempt is to extend the studs and put 2 clamps on the extend studs.  This seems to work.  Now on to figuring out what to do about the rear gear shifter and the throttle, both of which are supposed to mount on the right side of the handlebar.  I don't plan on doing much shifting after the engine is installed so I take off the shifter and mount it on the right side of the handlebar.  I remove the front shifter from the right side and let it dangle.  I put the rear shifter on the right side and the throttle on the left.  The throttle is a little tight and has no play.  I have to rework the cable to give it more play.  I mount the "coil", connect the carburetor, attach the muffler, add the chain tensioner, install the clutch lever, mount the gas tank.  Every thing is good to go except for that extra long chain.   I still have to figure out what to do with the dangling front shifter and how to connect front derailler.