Pedal-Driven "Mini Truck"

Pedal-Driven Mini Truck FARM HOME Miscellaneous Ralph Altenweg seldom throws anything away The semi-retired electrician recently proved that by building a 2-seater pedal-driven mini truck out of old bicycle parts and other salvaged materials It s equipped with headlights and taillights I built it to look like a 1917 International Harvester shovel nose truck which has a front end that slopes down and a radiator that s set way back toward the driver I have a small model truck and used it as a guide says Altenweg The mini truck is equipped with a bicycle pedal and sprockets on each side that are used to drive the vehicle s rear wheels An electric motor backed up by a 24-volt battery can be used to drive the wheels when going up hills and when backing up Either rider can pedal or both of them can pedal together says Altenweg Each rider has a choice of 10 forward speeds It doesn t matter which speed the other person chooses because the truck has a common driveshaft The machine s differential is off an old riding mower and the flywheel that drives the wheels is off a Nordic track exercise machine The clutch disc off a Snapper riding mower is used with an overcenter clutch so whenever I shift out of gear there s no drag û I m just relying on pedal power says Altenweg The front axle uses heavy-duty door hinges as king pins The riders sit on boat seats that are adjustable forward and back The vehicle s frame rails were made from surplus aluminum channels that were originally used in a rack to hold electronic gear The rest of the frame was made from salvaged electrical conduit and small rectangular tubing salvaged from a wind-destroyed pop-up sun canopy Altenweg is vice president of the Historic Vintage Truck Association He often takes the pedal truck to a big truck show in Walcott Iowa to promote the organization Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Ralph Altenweg 14060 S Diamond Lake Rd Dayton Minn 55327 ph 763 421-9457; cell 612 749-6946

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