The original concept for installing a roof on my Panther Australia Wildcat trike, was due to arthritis in my wife's neck. Several windscreen were tested but as the passenger sits higher than the driver turbulence was a main concern...shields just dont work on their own for major wind deflection. But I knew a roof would do the job. My problem was, gambling a lot of money on my own design as I had no roof out there to compare with and the roof's I witnessed on the internet were....well some were odd in my opinion.
I wanted a sunroof in the roof. I searched high and low for a long thin sunroof. USA has them for pick ups but they would open the wrong way if turned longways. I also wanted the old school look, ragtop look, like on some series 1 Jaguars, MGB GT's etc. Finally I settled on a Mazda 121 "Funtop". This sunroof was ideal. Electrically operated to. The roof was built around the sunroof with 4mm scaffold alloy tube. The roof's design was made so the roof hinged backwards so the rear of the body lifted up for engine/trans access.
The huge windscreen throws the wind out of the way well with little parachuting effect. A windscreen wiper was essential. The VW engine was replaced with a Subaru ea81 out of a Brat/Brumby utility. It was supercharged then fuel injected and for simplicity and reliability the engine was fully rebuilt and a 38/38 weber carbie put on it. It's a great cruiser. We get a paparazzi where ever we go.
The Alfa 33 radiator sits up front- great for our cold winters here in Melbourne. Our small dog enjoys her own capsule at one side of the roof. We tow a camper trailer and go camping often now or we take our portable fridge on a rear rack for a picnic to the beach. Towing it we get 27mpg and the trans is a VW type 3 automatic. Not towing about 30mpg but the carb is due for replacement of jets as it runs rich. Note the front tyre now. A whitewalled hot rod tyre it handles well and it wears great. likely to get 10 times the wear compared to a bike tyre. And being on a 3 inch rim it crowns in the centre.
If you want a roof then go for it. But make sure you design it right. Functional, unique but definitely not odd. We dont care about those that shun it. The number of people that admire it outweigh them 10 to 1. It's won trophies to prove it. Besides, customising trikes is part of the pleasure.
