Cozy sidecar on a Triumph T-Bird triple

I got my Cozy back recently, after the passing of my long-time friend Howard "Shotgun" Winchester, whom I had loaned it to so that he could keep riding after his 2nd open-heart surgery. His doc said "no more two-wheelers", and I wasn't using it since I sold the 'Guzzi. At least he got to stay in the wind a few more years.



Anyway, I got to thinking, that free BlackBird ain't doin' nuthin' sitting there, WHY NOT?! These will be the main mounting points... (the lowest one is the centerstand mount hole behind the pipes-





First order of business was to design a sub-frame to take some of the stress off the already stressed-member engine.

Done!



So, it should look something like this... The hub with 4 holes just at the exhaust pipe lower bend is the main extendable tub mount, and with the rear wheel of the bike 8" behind the tub wheel, the center hole lines up very nearly exactly with the oil sight glass on the bike.


Time to start ordering a few lengths of pipe, and some steel plate. I already ordered a mounting kit, the old mounts on the Cozy are kinda wimpy

Revised subframe, pipe materials ordered, linkage stuff already arrived...

I'll need to wait on welding up a couple of subframe sections until I have the main bits fastened to the bike.

Whatever left side sections can all be "dropped" in place along with the right side (connected by crossovers) and the bike simply backed out of the way, those bits can be welded up.

There will be one crossover pipe that may or may not "make the cut"- it will have to go thru right where the horn is on the left side; if the space is cleared by removing the horn with it's mount, it's a "go" and most of the frame will be one welded up assembly with 2 bolted up crossovers to the left (shorter) half

Thusly (more or less)... The bits shown as dashed lines are the "possibles".

Lots of moving parts around here... I'll keep it simple.

I mocked up the basic subframe using the thinnest lumber I could find; actual steel pipe will fit better.

Never mind the slight misalignments, once the steel pipe is in place, there will be at least 1/4" clearance to ANYTHING on the engine, nor the exhaust pipes down below.



I dropped the extended links back to the pillion pegs, too much interference.

The main sidecar 4-bolt "hub" will fit up to a steel plate, with the center of the hub aligning almost exactly with the oil sightglass (pure coincidence)

The lower mounts where the centerstand used to be, will use the centerstand stop plates, but with sleeves welded on for the mounting bolts to the subframe...



Like this (sort of)



Since I still have lots of spare parts, I did a simple fitting-up without working under the bike...

So, the subframe is getting pretty close to finalized...

(A) will be a long thru bolt, under the carbs, in a thin steel pipe, (B) will actually be a Nyloc nut. (it fits after all).

Bolts 2 & 4 will actually become the one long bolt thru the centerstand mounts (in sketch) with the short welded up pipe extensions.

Bolts 5 & 3 bolt up to the frame rops at the top/front engine mounts.

Bolts 7 & 8, and long bolt (A) will easily remove the left side in order to drop the main subframe off the bike (in future)



I know, I know, it's not an actual 3-D drawing, some bits look flat, some round. They are all 1" steel pipe except the two tabs at the lower left which are 1/4" steel plate.

Quick test-fit of 3 of the 4 adjustable pivot links, still some re-fitting to do for best triangulation with the 4th one.



The rearmost link will go nearer the end to the frame main top rail, just past the seat mount crossover plate, not where it's test fitted just behind the brake reservoir. It's in the way of a potential pillion's right leg/foot where it's at right now.

Narrowing down the design, the top rear crossover (shown (A) & (B) will actually be a single, sleeved thru-bolt under the carbs.

The lower rear tabs will point UPWARDS. Those connections (2) & (4) will also be a single thru-bolt with spacers.

All joints will be pre-fab welded unions, no need to round-cut every pipe and weld butt joints.