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Thread: How to turn a ATC into an ATV in just a few easy steps....

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    Texas
    --
    137

    How to turn a ATC into an ATV in just a few easy steps....

    Here’s what’s been taking up a good chunk of my spare time the last year or so – I collect and restore old Honda 3 wheelers as a hobby, and end up with a lot of spare frames and parts. With 3 ATC's (a 125m, 200x, and a 250r) already in the stable, I decided I needed a 4 wheel ATV – and my son jokingly remarked I probably had enough parts sitting around to build one.

    So, I did. (With a little help from eBay.)



    I started with a trashed '84 200m (200cc, 5 speed, electric start), then stripped it down to the frame and started measuring, cutting, and welding to install a front A-arm suspension and rear swing arm. With a few changes where needed, the engine cradle (center part of the frame), engine/trans, controls, electrical system, various brackets, and a lot of hardware were reused as the basis for the ATV project.



    This picture was taken early in the build, when I was concentrating on building the front suspension. These A-arms and spindles are from a 300ex, front subframe is all hand fabricated. Getting all the measurements right to get the caster I wanted and minimize bumpsteer and camber change throughout full suspension travel took some work. The bottom tubes run back to the crossmember that runs underneath the engine, and the large horizontal tube at the top passes through the brace that connects the head tube and upper and lower frame tubes – the strongest part of the frame. It’s fully welded on both sides.



    Once I had the front tacked in and knew it was going to fit, I started on the rear – I cut off the entire rear half of the frame, leaving only the 2 upper tubes that support the seat.



    Since I had an extra rear swing arm from a 200x (red one in the photos), I initially set the frame up to use it, but came across a bunch of parts from a 450r on eBay for a great price, and ended up changing a few things to use them instead.



    The wooden dowel was a quick and dirty way of getting an idea of where to add in some diagonal braces. You can also get a better idea of the geometry of the front subframe.





    After changing over to 450r rear suspension, adding cross-tubes and tabs for the front and rear shocks and linkage, and priming the frame, I decided to throw some wheels and tires on it to see how it looked. I bolted in an old engine case while I worked on mounting the rear swingarm, clearance is tight. The steering is the stem, top fork bridge and bars from the donor 200m, with a stout tube welded in that extends down and connects to the tie rods.

    Not bad, but it needed a wider front end. Easily fixed with A-arms from a 400ex.






    After adding a some additional bracing for the front subframe, a bracket for the rear hydraulic master cylinder, tabs for the rear of the gas tank, muffler, headlight, front bumper, and bodywork/fenders, removing a bunch of original brackets and tabs, cleaning it up, sandblasting, priming, and painting it, it started to look a little better. For some reason, the paint shows as gray in the photos, but is really more of a brown/gray/green color- Rustoleum calls it “Anodized Bronze.”

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    Texas
    --
    137




    Making some progress – installed you can see the entire rear suspension (with rear hubs from a 250r) and front bumper from a 450r, longer A-arms from a 400ex, along with spindles, hubs, brakes, and shocks from an 300ex.

    Once that was done, it was on to other details, such as



    the battery box,



    the engine (new piston/cylinder, ported head, 200x cam), shifter, footpegs, gas tank (200x), rewired electrical harness, etc. Just behind the drive sprocket you can see the fabricated tab for the ½” diameter, 13 inch long, Grade 8 swing arm pivot bolt. There is just enough room between the rear of the transmission case and the front of the swing arm to slip a .030” feeler gauge through. The battery box is mounted to the upper rear engine mount cross bolt, isolated by rubber grommets. It sits just above the front of the swing arm.



    The controls - the bars, dash, left brake lever (now hooked up to the parking brake on the 450r rear caliper), throttle, and electrical switches are all original 200m parts after being cleaned up, repaired, straightened, sandblasted and painted. The right brake lever is a hydraulic master cylinder for the 300ex front disc brakes.



    ...and, it's finished. All the bodywork (front and rear fenders, hood, and seat) are from a 450r, trimmed just a little to fit and painted satin black. The gas tank is from a 200x, the muffler is from a 450r (turned 90 degress clockwise and mounted under the seat), the exhaust pipe is bits and pieces from several different trikes cut and fit, welded, painted with high heat paint and wrapped. The foot pedal by the right foot peg originally activated the rear cable acutated drum brake on the 200m, it's now modified to activate the hydaulic master cylinder for the 450r rear caliper.



    Specs: Length - 66". Width - 44". Weight - 306 lbs. Cost - a little over $600.

    Parts donor sources:

    Frame - '84 200m (rear cut for swing arm, subframe added for front A-arms, brackets and tab added for swing arm pivot, shocks, body mounts, etc.)
    Engine - '84 200m (new top end, ported head, 200x cam, all new seals)
    Rear suspension - '04 Honda 450r, '84 250r rear hubs
    Front suspension - '04 Honda 400ex A-arms and tie rods, 300ex spindles, hubs, brakes, shocks
    Gas tank - '84 200x
    Bodywork - '04 Honda 450r plastics (trimmed) and seat
    Controls - '84 200m bars, electrical system, throttle, left brake lever (hooked up to 450r rear caliper parking brake), foot brake pedal (hooked up to 450r rear master cylinder), '04 300ex front brake lever and hydraulic master cylinder




    The End.
    Last edited by EarlyBronocGuy; 06-13-2010 at 08:38 PM.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    texas
    --
    567
    pretty sweet comin from a spar trike frame. looks good. what kind of plastics are those?

  4. #4
    juggaloclownz18's Avatar
    juggaloclownz18 is offline At The Back Of The Pack Arm chair racerAt the back of the pack
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    The woods of 315 - NY
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    303
    SICK VERY SICK!!

    It has a crotch rocket styling to it, real nice lines on it bro, you did a killer job!! A++ when can i order mine? LOL
    85 ATC250r (been waiting way too long!!)
    Tusk Hand Guards
    DG full exhaust (want different one)
    TAG handlebars
    +4 LSR axcaliber axle, carrier, hubs
    FMF Carbon Fiber reeds,
    K&N Filter/air box lid removed
    Motion Pro Twist Throttle
    Pro Armor Tether switch
    Seal Savers - long version
    23" Dirt Devil front - 22" holeshots back
    Soon to be ported/polished (got the work setup on trade)

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    Texas
    --
    137
    Quote Originally Posted by twitch101 View Post
    pretty sweet comin from a spar trike frame. looks good. what kind of plastics are those?
    Honda 450r, trimmed a little and painted satin black.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Freedom Township, MI
    --
    641
    Looks really good! I've never seen a successful 3 to 4 wheel conversion but you pulled it off with flying colors!!

  7. #7
    Billy Golightly's Avatar
    Billy Golightly is offline Always finding new and exciting ways to not give a hoot in hell Catch me if you can
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Location
    Live Oak, FL
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    15,066
    Blog Entries
    14
    I hate to see a trike turned into a Quad, but the fab work is fantastic! Nice Job!

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    florida
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    60
    Should,nt this be the other way around quad into a trike??
    250-SX RIDER

  9. #9
    krazykane is offline At The Back Of The Pack Arm chair racerFirst time rider
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    morrisville pa
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    229
    i was thinking when i read the title what are you thinking a trike should be a trike ...... but man this thing looks good .hella of a job man

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    OK
    --
    5,450
    That looks great. Your fab skills are amazing.
    Rides:
    1986 ATC250R (sectional pipe and Klemm Research silencer)
    1986 ATC250R (Desert Bike, WAX-ON seat, Dual Cibie lights, Steering Stabilizer)
    1979 ATC110 (Bandito frame and forks, Turbo wheels, disc braked)
    1982 ATC70 (Lifan manual 125)
    1987 LT80 (piped, widened)


    My feedback thread
    http://www.3wheelerworld.com/showthr...ack-for-dcreel

    RIP Trace.. Godspeed.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Worcester, MA
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    1,117
    Amazing job. I may have to do this with all my spare parts.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Manitoba
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    536
    Very cool. Nice work.
    84 200x

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    Minnesota
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    102
    Very, very cool. Great write-up and excellent pictures too.
    1982 Honda 200 ATC E. Big Red. Finished but still looking for a few bits and pieces.

    1998 John Deere Gator 6x4. "Big Green".

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    Anaheim
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    1,270
    Kill him... Instant bann for life.
    86 ATC 500R the duner..
    85 ATC 500R...the not quite finished faster duner
    1985 ATC 250R Bone stock!!
    1985 ATC250R mx/duner
    1986 TRX370R MX/Duner
    94 Banshee 400PV Cheetah 105RWHP

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Jun 2002
    Location
    Mississippi
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    2,552
    lets hear about the early bronco.

    i have a 75 with a fuel injected 351w out of a 94 lightning!!
    83 ATC70
    85 ATC70
    85 200x vintage racer
    86 500r
    Lots of parts

    My 500R


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