Well, it's summer.

A buddy of mine and I made a bet that we can't make a go kart from scratch by 15th of august.

Well, I don't think we're taking the bets too seriously, but it get an idea in our heads. We're going to build a fucking go-kart.

Our Story:

We're pool hall junkies, aaand...well, just junkies, too. Daily ecstasy, daily blunt. Snort pills, pop pills, even been high for 48 hours straight. We've got quite a stroke, and if we're not at the pool room, we're asleep. And we're high: whilst asleep, whilst shooting pool.

We're giving it up.

Our whole lives we've been told we had untapped potential. I'm sure everybody hears this, but believe it or not, I solved the rubik's cube last year, no hints, cheats, or methods. (Well, my buddy told me that I need to get one side done, then works layers down. His exact words, more or less). So, I'm proud of myself . But back to point. We've been fucking around chasing our tail in the center of LA, in and out of juvenile hall an uncountable amount of times and more felonies than I can count with one hand-- I'm pulling a 180. Or trying damn hard, at least. Since I stopped going to class in the 6th grade (I'm 18 now), I've taught myself algebra 1 to pre-calculus over the course of 4 months. Tested past the english requirement for any major college, and I now hold a 8-6 job for my family (for no pay) trying to sell their merchandise (fashion accessories) on the web. Building the website, talking to marketers, pictures, descriptions, inventory, sales, shipping, the works. "Project manager", if you will. I live with my family, all of my siblings do. We have a tight knit family (sister's 21, brother's 23) whenever we do move away, it wont be far. I'm talking walking distance. I love my momma, and the job is kind of a way to repay her for all the shit that I've caused (plus, it's kinda fun managing the project). If I can't fund the go-kart, mother would be more than happy to throw me a bone, especially if it helps me rip away from the streets.

BUT. When I'm not at work, I'm shooting pool, high, or shooting pool high. I've come to terms with myself to admit that no matter how far I believe I've come, I still haven't left the "urban-streetthug-shithead" scene. Too many friends are dead or in prison, tears are shed weekly and I sweat bullets every minute. I'm still a fucking retard, no matter what level of mathematics I'm in or how much I increase sales at the business. Fuck a rubik's cube. The longer I keep this poolhall-shit up, the longer I stay a loser.

Just to get on the same page: In the pool halls over here, 1/10 people carry "protection", 1/20 people carry coke, 1/3 people gangbang. In just this year two people have been shot and one has been stabbed INSIDE THE HALL. To the right of the hall is a club, to the left, a bar. Under it, an arcade, and beside that, I restaurant that attracts all kinds of weird fuckers.

I'm still a loser-angelino. I need to get the fuck out of this place, and the only way I can do that is by quitting pool, at least pool in that area, and quitting drugs (well, I still might smoke a bit of pot, just for kicks).

Pool was my life. I sharked, I gamed. I even backed. To leave that scene, I need another!

I'm going to major as a mechanical engineer, as soon as I have time away from work.

Go-kart = experience with mechanical products, new hobby away from pool, and a bet well made.


There's my story, at least a bit of it.

NOW: My bud and I decided to make a kart TOGETHER.

The go-kart: I don't want to start off too big, buuuut, what the hell.
(funds aren't too much of an issue. maybe 2-3k? of course less would be better, and I could go up to 5k if I really must)

We'll be designing and building the chassis ourselves.

Drivetrain: I would like to do the driveshaft myself, but it really doesn't matter. (I have absolutely no machining skills. Well, I have no skills at all, really. Just pool.) Engine, of course I'd buy (where?). I'd like something with more kick that a go-kart, though. I mean really. No lawnmower or vacuum engines. Do I need some sort of cooling assembly?

Transmission? Here, my skills fall really short. I mean, I've built rooms and done a lot of general construction, but, yeah. To tranny skills. Do I need one? I'd like one. But then I'd need a clutch and all sorts of different bearings and washers and arms and stuff. If it isn't TOO much of a killer, I'd love to drop in a clutch and gearbox. But I could always drop one in afterwards, after I gain a bit more experience.

Brakes. Again, I have no fucking clue how to make my own brakes. I would want to buy disk brakes and calipers and somehow weld the assembly on myself. I DO NOT want brakes that just press a rubber bar up against the tire.

I want a big wheelbase. Tiny go-kart wheels always pissed me off, and plus, a huge wheelbase would look cool as shit. I'm thinking some stock Toyota rims and some spray paint will do.

Steering would be a simple column and hinge type of get go.

Suspension, I'm thinking wishbone to connect the tire to the rest of the chassis on a hinge, with another pipe leading from the apex of the wishbone to another part of the chassis with springs, and a bolt+ thread to adjust spring tension.

What am I missing? Am I dreaming? Fuck it, maybe I'm dreaming. But I'm surefire as shit I'm trying.

My brother is a general contractor and general construction. He can help where I fall short.

Guys. You might help change my life. If this works out well, mechanical engineering is a calling for me.

I don't want any go-kart plans.

I want to do this myself, with advice from the pros, of course.

I mean welding the chassis, installing kick panels, welding in respective washers and nuts, from the rubber on the tires to the rubber of the pedals.

That's a pretty rough outline.

I swear I'll take pics of the ongoing project, and post EVERY SINGLE CHAPTER of the build. Fuck, I'll even paint it blue, light blue, turquoise and white for you guys.

I need this, Totse. I'm done being a thug-urbanite.

EDIT: Sorry for the choppy writing, I was in a huge rush.

Damn good post, a Meyers-Manx beetle-powered 50 hp go kart sounds about right.



If you want more info, lemme know.

Well, I read the whole post. Good luck with this stuff.

Welcome to gearheads. You will probably be spending a bit of time here and in DIY.

I would love to help you if you have any problems. I'm decent with the theoretical stuff (what diameter driveshaft/what length A arms/how stiff springs/what gear ratios/etc), but not so good at the 'how do I put so and so together' (though there are plenty here who are). If you have suspension questions, I'm your man It's my specialty.

I should say: a lot of it you probably don't want to be doing yourself. For example, but brake disks from a motorbike or very small car, buy some calipers and such to match. Don't make it yourself. It sounds like you intend to get a pickaxe, mine some iron ore, and start from scratch. It's too much work and it doesn't work that way in the real world anyway. Even the big companies out-source for basic parts. The engineering lies in choosing the parts and putting them together.

Anyway, good luck. Feel free to ask anything.

Well, it isn't so much as building a go-kart that's going to "save my life".

I just want to build something, anything. As long as I'm building it! First thing that came to mind was a land-vehicle, due to the bet made between me and the bud.

What you showed me looks right, but I really wanted to build it myself, drawing the plans and dropping the stuff in myself. Of course with advice, and the technical know-how of my brother.

In the last few minutes, I've decided that I WILL need a transmission. Where can I get a small transmission? Shit, I don't how to install a transmission. Fuck it, I guess it'll take a hundred tries.

I think 50 horses sounds good, where can I get a manageable engine for that power? Again, is cooling needed?

I think I'm going to try and obtain the power stuff first, engine, transmission, clutch, and cooling assembly. And whatever else I need in that area. I'm thinking I need to get the specific sizes of the important stuff before I draw up a chassis, so I can size the bay correctly to take in all these machines.

The only thing I want to buy pre-built would be the clutch, tranny, engine and cooling assembly. And various valves and bearings and such.

I take a great liking to the Ariel Atom, so I think my chassis would be similar to its. No bodywork, just a bunch of piping in various gauges to make it up. I'd have the engine in the back, of course.

So, a quick outline would be:

Chassis, drop an engine in (and other whatnots), tranny and clutch assembly, simple steering, suspension as specified (i was a little vague), bearings and axle, disc brakes and tires.

I want the cabin to be rather small, if you can imagine the character of the kart. Big fat tires, small little cabin barely gliding over the floor. Like a tank/rover, if you will.

Also, another question was: I know that the tires on sports cars slightly angle inwards. ex. / --- \ (tire, axle, tire from a frontal view). I think it would be cool to exaggerate the angle of the tires. Would that help handling at all? Would the rims warp, or the tires rip off?

I'm thankful you read my post, only after I posted it did I realize how long it was.

This just in: my brother's in on the project. That means my budget just grew (although I'd still like to spend as least money as I can), and the go kart project just got a little more extreme (he loves pushing the limits).

This dream just might come true.

Nereth, I do have questions for suspension, but I believe that should be handled at a much later time. Also, I wouldn't even know what to ask you! .

And as for building it from scratch, I might have gotten a bit ahead of myself and exaggerated without will. The only work I probably would be doing is welding and drilling in the specific mountings and dropping the parts in. I love how easy it sounds...

I mean, yeah, I'd plan the placement of my parts and such, but the furthest I'll go to building from scratch would probably be buying bearings and attaching them on in the proper fashion, or welding my own hinges for steering, and the pedals and such. Actually, the most DIY would go into the suspension, I'm guessing springs from a hardware store, custom arms and wishbones (I'm really sorry if I'm getting the terminology wrong, I'm just pulling words out of my ass hoping we'll fall on the same page), and sleeves and such.

One thing, I want it street legal. I want a boot, for minor grocery shopping (honestly, just to roll up in a go-kart.) Ignition and keys wouldn't be a problem, father used to be a locksmith, so I know how to do all that shit. (Picking locks really got me into trouble, actually).

My biggest questions to anyone that's willing to help is:

Where do I find the proper engine, transmission, clutch, and shifter assembly?

How the hell do I drop it in? I can bet you my life I can solve that question just by looking at the products, but I need technical knowledge, like how much pressure needs to be set on the clutch and stuff (I can have my brother's mechanics help me. He takes a lot of people fishing on his boat, so we have an amazing amount of friends with know-how in every way/shape/form)

What grade/gauge of piping should I use for the chassis? For the axles? Do I get a driveshaft machined, or pick one up at the junker?

That should be it for now.

What I posted is just a raised VW beetle with the roof chopped off and a raised suspension. Plus a lot of weight loss, so its pretty quick.

In small amounts it is handy.

In large amounts (read: noticable) it will ruin your handling.

In any amount it speeds up wear on your tyres.

As for your engine choice: find an econobox car with an engine of about the right power, and take the engine and transmission off and reinstall in your gokart. You could also use a motorbike engine.

Depends on the platform. If he does want to use a beetle, then fitting anything other than a b4 or b6 in it will be nigh impossible. Plus, a modern car ecu and nannies are hard to just strip away without the engine going berzerk. I would grab some metal piping, chop off the top of a bug, build a suitable roll cage, put the car on a diet, throw on knobbies, and then have at it. See:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=7LMi1a3cXEU&feature=related


God that music is shit.

You're not going to be able to make a gocart that will be able to get registered for the road.

From where you are I'd get a small early 80's 1300cc frount wheel drive car, like a honda civic or such.
Get another frount end steering unit/steering wheel/frount suspension etc.
Get a old trampoline frame, a heavy steel one with no rust holes.

Now remove the guards off the car & start looking where the engine & steering are mounted.
Now set up the other frount end about 6 feet in frount of the car.

Now figure out how you are going to join both of them together with the trampoline frame in between them.
Now start cutting off the car & turning the tramp frame into the gocart chassis at the same time.

You are going to need a Angle Grinder with several Cutoff Discs & a Welder to weld it together.
Your mate might be able to do that & teach you at the same time.

Now fit the seat & weld the rear wheels so they can't steer.
Now work out the electrics, its the charging/alternator bit thats hard about this bit.
Do the cooling fan/mounting the radiator etc.

Cut off the rest of the car.

How common is the A-series engine over there?