This wild-looking trike is actually a NOS build, of sorts, as the seller notes it is one of a handful of molds that legendary builder Ed “Big Daddy” Roth made available to the buying public after building his own V8-powered trike. The kit was apparently never made in large quantities, and this one sat undisturbed for years until the seller decided to try their hand at re-creating what the legendary customizer built for street use in 1968. Though it can be debated whether it was worth more as a NOS mold or a completed project, the end result is absolutely wild. Find it here on eBay with bidding over $6K and the reserve unmet.
The auction ends this evening, so get your bids in soon if this custom cruiser belongs in your collection. However, first take note of the trike’s location – it’s in Stockholm, Sweden, meaning you’re going to have to coordinate international carriage before strapping your legs to a stroked Ford 351 like a total boss. The photo here shows you what the seller was working with before applying their personal touch, and I’d love to know the history as to how this mold sat undisturbed for so many years before becoming the wild ride before us today. Was it put away in hopes of selling it for a big price? Or was it simply forgotten about in a warehouse or garage?
I would love to know if whomever discovered it even knew what they were looking at. How many enthusiasts are still active members of the motorcycle community who would recognize this as an original mold tied to the legendary Ed Roth? If you don’t follow this part of the hobby, I’m not sure how you’d know the mold was designed to accommodate a V8-powered three-wheeled motorcycle. Regardless, there’s no denying the final product is straight bad-ass, and kudos to the seller for not doing this up as a restomod. It looks suitably vintage, and the seller notes the paint scheme was created by famous Finnish artist Pekka, otherwise known as “The Wizzz.”
The engine, as mentioned, is a Ford 351W seasoned block that the seller says has been stroked to 408ci with all new parts from Blue Print Engines. The transmission is a Ford AOD unit that has been completely rebuilt. While the seller notes he has been riding the bike, he’s not wrong to suggest it could be used as a static display for a business, or just decor in some billionaire’s garage. That would be a total shame, as Ed Roth didn’t build his machines to be parked and stared at. With 428 b.h.p. on tap and experiencing the sensation of having your legs sucked off every time you mount, I’d buy a ficus tree if I wanted something to stare at.
So you put your legs and feet on either side of those headers? Talk about giving yourself a hotfoot!
wear your welders chaps!
I could see a partial chrome shield each side with vents to save a leg from burns or a rod from engine 😱
I am curious on air cooled engine on this big engine (i don’t see a radiator?)
I have seen v8 bikes before but still curious if one idles to long at a light in the hot summer …
Radiator is in back, a rather novel solution for cooling IMO :)
Lol. I saw the waterpump and nothing else. I think i see hoses at the corner😌
My Suzy boulevard is in front and was expecting something similar.
That scares me.
Yes, much too dangerous.
You’d probably get more than your legs sucked off ridin this lol.
In point of fact, Big Daddy kinda did design and build machines to be parked and stared at, like the Beatnik Bandit, the Mysterion, the Rotar and so forth. Finding photos of those machines ripping around under their own power is pretty difficult.
But that aside, this trike is killer, and Pekka nailed the 70s paint scheme. And yes, the result is worth the sacrifice of the molds to get there.
This trike is amazing. I’ve ridden motorcycles for 50 years but never rode one with a V8. My parents owned a deli just outside NYC. I was 11 years old and sitting outside on the stoop one day when a trike broke down in front. My Dad came out and assisted the guy for about an hour while I drooled over how cool it was. I asked the guy many questions about it. When he finally got it started, I went back to my stoop. While he was thanking my Dad, they both kept looking over at me. My Dad calls me over and the guy asked me if I wanted to go for a ride. That ride was the best 15-20 minutes of my childhood. There was a smile on my face for a week.
I’ve never been a trike fan. Until now.
I’m a little confused as to this “body” being called a mold. A mold is what you would pull the layed up body from. A “plug” is the non functional mold that you would pull a real mold from to be able to reproduce bodies. It looks like a NOS body. A very nicely rendered trike.
It looks pretty darn interesting but this could get out of hand mighty fast if the rider got any out of shape!
Asbestos socks required.
Auction ended. $6,000 and Reserve Not Met.
Judging by looks alone, The frame is obviously capable of holding that engine up off the ground, but is that good enough? No one seemed interested enough to ask this obvious question either, probably because who would know, by risking their health or rather their life to find out some of the performance capabilities of this baby, I can only imagine paralyzing horror from the g force attempting to rip away your death grip, especially after the throttle becomes stuck at wide-open and you see the engine beginning to free itself from the buckling frame.
oh, but what a way ta go…
Back in the early 80s my grandparents lived in Daytona Beach and you would see the Rat Fink trikes outside the T shirt shops. They were cool then and this is way cool now. Would love to own it and ride it.
How do I buy this bike