Greetings from Semi-Terraplane newbie!

[Windbüchse]

Greetings! I just picked up a 1985 V65 Sabre with a Terraplane lookalike side car. The mount is very stout and great quality. There are several differences from the Vetter product and I can't locate a manufacturer/serial plate.

1) The hack doesn't open. The passenger climbs in like a fighter plane.

2) Grimeca dual pot brake.

3) Rear rack - attachments welded into the 2" tubing. Hell for stout - I can stand on the lower rack - 210lbs.

4) Taillight from a VW bug. The 'bulge' was glassed on the fender. No evidence of an opening for the standard Vetter taillight.

5) 4 point mounting to bike. No trim control.

6) Custom steering damper (not shown - leaks) - I replaced it with a Bilstein unit for a Mercedes.

7) No seatbelt.

Anybody know the background for this rig?
After replacing the front tire, flush the hydraulics and replacing the steering damper, it rides very well. The forks have been modified for strength and trail. It doesn't have the speed/steering sensitivity of other hacks I've ridden. This doesn't need the trim control!

Later, Martin in SoCal

 

[Mike324]

Welcome - interesting sidecar! Is it a modified Terraplane? Sure looks like it. When you say it does not open - is it molded as one piece where it would normally be hinged on one side so that the top can open? Mike

 

[Windbüchse]

Welcome - interesting sidecar! Is it a modified Terraplane? Sure looks like it. When you say it does not open - is it molded as one piece where it would normally be hinged on one side so that the top can open? Mike

I took some pix of the interior and discovered that the hatch has been bonded to the top while the car was apart. The exterior bodywork is excellent, as there is no evidence of the procedure. Other clues lead me to believe that this is a modified Terraplane.
Later, Martin

 

[Mike324]

Nice color combination - someone put some thought into that paint job on the sidecar. Mike

 

[Ray-Paige]

You indeed have a modified Terraplane(somebody went to a lot of work). Saw all of your pic's on the TP Fans forum. Great find. Enjoy and Welcome to the group!

 

[trikebldr]

Martin,
Very nice rig! I love all the mods done to it, like the new taillight location and the beautiful body work to accomplish that. I especially like the rack on back, which I will be duplicating on mine. I have a kennel to carry my service dog with me that I need a rack to hold. And, above all I like the four-point mounting system with no tilt adjust. I prefer to add an air-shock with it's own compressor for ride control and to level the rig for road conditions.
The only concern I have is the proximity of the brake pedal to the bike's. It' nice to have a brake on a sidecar, but not necessary all of the time. When one is used, it's customary to space the pedals so the bike's pedal can be easily applied alone, or with just a slight shift of the foot both can be applied using a side-to-side rocking motion for correct proportioning under the circumstances. Also, enough room should be left to use just the sidecar's brake, too, to assist in right hand cornering. I believe in the either/and/or system of application. This has all just been my experiences with hacks that did and didn't have brakes, but my bikes have all been big, heavy machines (all Kawasaki 1300 Voyagers) that barely felt the load of the hack in the first place. If this system works for you, then stick with it. It has been well assembled! I believe in the old saying that, "You can't argue with success!".
BTW, you don't happen to have the stock number of that Bilstein steering damper do you? I like that long-stroke style. Any idea where that bellows boot came from that covers the hole in the side of the body where the rear/upper strut comes out? Looks like a CV joint boot.
Again, very nice rig!

 

[Windbüchse]

Martin,

The only concern I have is the proximity of the brake pedal to the bike's. It' nice to have a brake on a sidecar, but not necessary all of the time. When one is used, it's customary to space the pedals so the bike's pedal can be easily applied alone, or with just a slight shift of the foot both can be applied using a side-to-side rocking motion for correct proportioning under the circumstances. Also, enough room should be left to use just the sidecar's brake, too, to assist in right hand cornering. I believe in the either/and/or system of application.


BTW, you don't happen to have the stock number of that Bilstein steering damper do you? I like that long-stroke style.

Any idea where that bellows boot came from that covers the hole in the side of the body where the rear/upper strut comes out? Looks like a CV joint boot.
Again, very nice rig!

Thanx for the kudos. The rig came as you see it other than the steering damper.

What air shock have you found that fits the Terraplane?

The spacing is fine on the brake pedals. My 13EEEE boot can cover both together or separately. I find the sidecar brake pretty weak - alright for cornering and balanced braking, but insufficient to hold the rig on a slope.

The damper is:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004WO0X4S?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00

Aircooled VW CV boot.

Later, Martin

 

[trikebldr]

Thanks for the info on the damper and boot! I have yet to find the right shock for the sidecar, but I'm begining to think I may have to just find something close and modify the mounts to work. The other idea I had was to make up an adjustable mount for the top of the shock that would be adjustable using a 12 volt linear actuator. Simply modifying the mounts for a shock might be easier, except there is still the compressor, wiring and controls to add. Lots to do! I still don't even have the car mounted to my bike yet. Waiting for some parts.