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Petrol go kart, ideas needed


FalconFN
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You can pick up an old kart frame for a couple of hundred - 3 or 4 years old. Pick up a comer engine for pittance on ebay and away you go.

 

Next they will be wanting to race and that is when it gets serious money....ask me how I know!!

Cheers, although that's a bit pricey for the knock around go kart I'm planning. I'm thinking more along the lines of a 2hp Briggs engine on a shopping trolley rather than a low-slung racing kart. It'll be the process of making the thing, repairing the engine and problem solving I want us to do together, rather than the finished article - although it has to be fun to drive.

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Engine wise I would try and pickup an old honda powered generator preferably one that runs but produces no electric. Use the engine from that (gx120-160) side exit shaft and pulleys are readily available. Chassis wise look out for a knackered quad use wheels and hubs n axle from that then make the rest of the frame from 25mm box section.

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I built one at school using a Vespa engine, swinging arm and wheel which included a brake. The chassis was made from 25mm square tube and the other 3 wheels free wheeled. The handling was "interesting" with the drive on one side only but it was fun to drive around the pitches until the con-rod let go about 10 inches from my head.

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There is a class of Motorsport that I cannot remember the name of but it is very small home built cars for 2, no roof and the race is like trials ...over tough rough ground etc not high speed but great little vehicles. There might be some lessons from these home built little cars.

 

You're thinking of sporting trials....

 

http://750sportingtrials.co.uk/

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You're thinking of sporting trials....

 

http://750sportingtrials.co.uk/

 

Nice one Nial. That is it indeed..... a large go cart!!! Now I am thinking it is almost a shooting vehicle (for off road only) and better than a quadbike as you have a large rifle rest in front of you

Edited by malkiserow
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Nice one Nial. That is it indeed..... a large go cart!!! Now I am thinking it is almost a shooting vehicle (for off road only) and better than a quadbike as you have a large rifle rest in front of you

 

Yeah, but could you cope with the fiddle brakes

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Yeah, but could you cope with the fiddle brakes

 

I was thinking easy brakes, some grippy tyres and modified for shooting..... The simple concept appeals to me - small, light weight, good ground clearance, cheap etc. Those have too much power really, only a small engine is needed for shooting.

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I was thinking easy brakes, some grippy tyres and modified for shooting..... The simple concept appeals to me - small, light weight, good ground clearance, cheap etc. Those have too much power really, only a small engine is needed for shooting.

 

 

that was what i was thinking for my 6hp tecumseh....3 wheeled wagon engine mounted above front wheel, with a small vee pulley on the engine shaft, and a large vee pulley on the rim/axel and then and oversized belt with a spring loaded tensioner that transmits the drive....then i could put a tow hitch on the front....then when i got to the place im going...lift it off....and off i go....the hide would be part of the buck with another comfy seat........the front wheel would be a really grippy tyre.............

 

 

just toying with the idea in my head at the moment ...........

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I was thinking easy brakes, some grippy tyres and modified for shooting..... The simple concept appeals to me - small, light weight, good ground clearance, cheap etc. Those have too much power really, only a small engine is needed for shooting.

 

Something like this?

 

https://youtu.be/SXjChVhF5l0

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see if you can get your hands on an old blata mini moto... good little engine, complete with centrifugal clutch, fuel tank, disc brakes etc.

 

basically everything you need except the rolling chassis.

 

that's how I made my godsons go cart!

the extra bonus is that it can easily be restricted, but when dad wants a go it can be de restricted and those little engines actually go quite well.... :good:

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Try to find at cheep twist and go scooter / moped use the front brake and wheel and engine and back wheel for drive and back brake and buy Or scrounge to more wheels and mount on your frame

How about the twist-and-go rear end complete with brake and a small steering rack front end for a Morgan style 3 wheeler?

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I've just acquired the engine, a massive 2hp Briggs with centrifugal clutch, it hasn't run for 15 years so it'll be a good challenge getting it going. I'm toying with the idea of using a peddle kart as a base but I'll probably have to find an older sturdy one or an adult sized one.

 

Thanks for all the ideas and and inputs.

Sorry could not help myself :) .....

 

These sites may help you:

 

http://www.kartbuilding.net/Freeplans/plans.htm

 

http://www.diygokarts.com/kart-plans/frame-1-seat.html

 

Romes

Great links, many thanks.
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  • 3 weeks later...

Quick update if anyone is interested:

 

The Briggs engine was actually a lower powered Suffolk Punch engine, and it needed a coil which is £50 so I've changed tack. I found a cheap kart frame and pedals from ebay for £7.50 and I managed to buy a Ransomes mower with a BSA sloper engine for a tenner (I also go some garden tools free with it - one of which is a WWII spear-shaped shovel from 1940 :good:). The mower was a non runner but a simple clean of the points got it ticking over nicely. I found a decent steering wheel at a boot fair for £2 and two kart seats for a tenner - one of which I sold for £18 on ebay. The front wheels are new trolley wheels and were about £12. I'm hoping to use the mower chain and gears for the drive but I'm kind f making it us as I go.

 

Here's the engine and driveshaft:

post-20802-0-30913800-1441294723_thumb.jpg

 

And the bits roughly assembled - amazingly the drive shaft fits exactly in the real axle points but as I'm going to use a dead axle welded underneath it is perfectly placed.

post-20802-0-68320800-1441294942_thumb.jpg

 

Next things to source are the steering column and rods, front axles, rear axle and brakes. The total cost so far is just over £20 but I'm selling the mower spares so I'm hoping I'll get it done for not much more.

Edited by FalconFN
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My 12 year old is very engineering-minded so I want a project to do with her. We've decided to build a petrol go kart with a low powered (3.5 hp?) Briggs and Stratton mower engine engine. Has anyone made a simple one? My welding skills are pretty poor so I'll probably look for a sutable second hand frame or sopmething that can be adapted to make a frame. I'm thinking of using mobility scooter type wheels but I'm stuck on a simple braking system and really stuck on what type of [very simple] clutch system we could use. Any ideas really appreciated - even better if you have photos.

 

Thanks in advance. hello, that sounds great, i did the same with my boys years ago but without engine a honky tonk push along, if you were nearer i would help you with the welding, engineer/welder now retired. good luck with your project.

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I'm not looking forward to the welding bit, she has been a bit iffy with the power tools so far so I may have to get her to take a backseat and watch me balls-up the welding all by my self....

 

Never too soon to teach her.

 

Our younger daughter had a school project to make disabled gardener's seat/storage cart, which the teacher suggested should be made in wood.

We realised that this would be too heavy to be practical, so I taught her how to weld aluminium angle and sheet using Lumiweld and a Mapp-gas torch.

After she had practiced on loads of off-cuts, she set to and built a very nice piece which her disabled grandfather was very happy to use in his garden.

The pride of a (I think that she was) 14 year old girl in making something practical from scratch was immense.

 

Let her have a go on some bits and pieces and then give her the less critical bit to weld.

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