Be Caned in Wicker

After months of waiting the Wicker sidecar body is finished.  I always intended to fit a wicker body, however this is not the designed body i had in mind, but as time is growing short and this body is on hand it was decided to fit this and continue. These bodies are built by a local craftsman that specialises in period restoration and wicker work, and it is a work of love, and cannot be hurried. The materials and workmanship is second to none, and the work is done by traditional methods by hand. It is pleasure to watch these come together, however i can confirm that that there is no hurry in any of his work, as the material basically dictates the time it takes, and this how long it takes. They are made wet and built in layers similar in construction to a boat, with ribs or bucks holding the form / shape. I am pleased with the shape and design of this sidecar and i trust that the consensus is that this compliments the Invincible Jap. I intend to coat this with a shellac, and tone down the patina slightly to make this look not quite so new, and blend in with the Invincible Jap. Traditionally the Wicker sidecars lost favour after the first world war, due to fact that the skill levels learnt during the war were large, and the typical coach built bodies were superior in weather protection and simplicity of manufacture. These coach building skill were in large supply just after the first world war, and the wicker sidecars were deemed inferior due to the poor weather protection and this skill set went the way of the Blacksmith and were lost.  There are many photos of Wicker sidecars being used for racing into an up to the late 1920's. These wicker bodies are available in limited supply and i would be pleased to pass on the details if any reader is interested. They can be supplied in L/H or R/H configuration, however are made to order.