American Ethos (2025) Electrathon America Racer

[Functional Artist]

I can officially announce:
The work area floor...DONE

All "butted up" nicely to the storage container

I swept sand into all of the "gaps"
...but, it keeps "fallin' thru" them cracks
...so, "this part" is still a "work in progress"

A view from another angle

Gave these ol' bricks a whole new "purpose" in life

 

[Master Hack]

That looks like a shipping container in pic 1 and 2. I have heard rumors that there is a storage container with 36 Karts and/or electric vehicles in it.
How about a pic?

 

[Functional Artist]

That looks like a shipping container in pic 1 and 2. I have heard rumors that there is a storage container with 36 Karts and/or electric vehicles in it.
How about a pic?

OMG how rumors "grow"

For the record, I've designed & built up to ~25 karts...so far
...but, I've sold a few over the years (ta help pay for materials for more projects)
(V8 Chevy starter motor kart, El Dingo, Excalibur & 'wittle 'wesistor, my mini-Jeep ta name a few)

&/also,

"Robbed" parts off a few too (so they...needs some helps) (Damien, Torsk & Lunar Rover)

&

Sadly have had to de-commission a few
...some for-safety purposes (!ARRIBA!)
...& some ta keep my wifey happy (YA GOT TOO MUCH...SH*T)

* Actually re-painted 'em & changed the names
...but, don't tell...her

** The container (at my house) in the pics is only a 20" unit
...& it's ~1/2 full of tools & materials
...& in the other 1/2 is Desteny's kart, the Hell-raiser, mini-Aerial Atom & El Moto (my electric motorcycle)

Most of the others are in a 40' steel shipping container, at my storage lot
...with my old Isuzu NPR parts trucks (have ta get ya some pics...later)

 

[Denny]

Looks good! Get the sand that locks the bricks in place. Probably only need one bag and will help keep the weeds down too.

 

[Functional Artist]

I've been workin' on "plug" mold(s) for a hood (actually a couple of different ideas)
I'm callin' this one NASCAR

&
This one Muscle Car (added a couple of layers (1" & 1/2") of shaped foam, on top of the 2" base)

Yup, Ducky's still a helpin'

Tried the spray foam as a "glue" to "bond" the pieces of foam together
...& even weighted the pieces

...but, the spray foam "glue" still "swelled up" quite a bit

While the foam "glue" was curin' on the Muscle Car hood "plug"
...I did some "body work"(foam shaping) on the NASCAR "plug"
...& then, added some body filler

Work in progress

I got the "bright idea" to "seal 'em up" with some spray primer
...but, quickly found that spray paint "melts" this foam
&
The more exposed foam (not covered in body filler) the "worse" the effect

 

[Functional Artist]

The spray primer "messed" the Muscle Car hood up, pretty goodly (badly actually)

So, I concentrated on the NASCAR "plug"
&
After several coats of body filler
...& lots more sanding
...I got the "body work" for the NASCAR hood "plug" about done

What ya'all think of that "aerodynamic" profile?

Painted/sealed up

Another view

 

[Denny]

Glue Ducky to the hood and you can call it “What The Duck”.

Looks good though!

 

[Whitetrashrocker]

This came across my feed to day. This is what i was thinking of that your build reminds me of.

 

[Hellion]

Carbon fiber is the material of the future! Its not a good idea to build submersable vessels withit, however.

Shhh, don't say that out loud good sir. I have it on good authority that carbon fiber deep sea submersibles are superb

Spoiler

...mechanisms for earning people the coveted Darwin Award

 

[Functional Artist]

I test fit, the hood "plug" on the chassis
...& /also, been workin' on settin' up, my "new" work area

Ducky, doin' an inspection (it's her "day" job)

The next day I started noticing some "shrinkage" (I guess ya would call it)
* Why is it not blue in these pics?
...must be the lighting
...'cause it's still blue

Like this

Shrunk enough to "crack" the paint

Wow! it's "soft" up under there

Um...really soft

Then, to make things MUCH worse
...a piece of pipe rolled off the work bench
...& BOOM!

Well...SHYT!

 

[Denny]

This came across my feed to day. This is what i was thinking of that your build reminds me of.

View attachment 155834

I had one of those as a kid in about 1969.

 

[Denny]

What kind of primer did you use? The solvents may still be affecting it? Was it laquer or enamel based? You may have to ruff up the plug and use a coat of duraglass or tiger hair on it.

 

[sulak]

Just found and read all 10 pages of this thread. Lot of fun to read, can't wait to see the finished cart @Functional Artist.

 

[Functional Artist]

Just found and read all 10 pages of this thread. Lot of fun to read, can't wait to see the finished cart @Functional Artist.

Hey sulak,

I'ma havin' lots of fun doin' it
&
Glad you're enjoying the journey

 

[Functional Artist]

OK Let's try this again

This time I'ma gonna "creatively cap" each layer of foam with a thin piece of 1/8" MDF
...like these "guys"

* Notice "this time" I'ma puttin' (hidin') the "seam" between the (2) pieces of foam (in the middle)
** In this pic, the "base" is on top of the foam, for markin' the perimeter

I "glued" the "base" to the bottom (3M spray adhesive/glue)
...& then, "glued" the second piece of MDF, on top of the foam (sandwich style)

* This way I could use both pieces as "guides" for markin', shapin', smoothin' & sandin'

** Notice I marked the foam at ~1" on the sides
...~2" on the angles
...& ~3" across the front

Marked the front "angles"
...then, "trimmed off" some of the excess material

More excess "trimming"

Then, started smmthin' & shapin'

Kinda like this

* Notice how the "upper & lower" layers of MDF "act" as a guide?

* Notice, I'ma tryin' to keep everything nice-n-even

First, I "brought" both sides to ~1" from the upper "guide" board
...then, (right side) workin' on "bringing the edge to ~1/2" from the "guide" board
...& then, I'll do the left side "to match"

Lookin' pretty angled
...& smooth too

 

[Functional Artist]

Second layer is couple of pieces of 1" foam
...with a "creatively shaped" piece of MDF on top

* Again, notice the "seam" (or gap) will be "hidden" in the middle

Then, we will use another layer of MDF
...on top of another piece of 1' foam

For this "upper" piece of foam
...I marked the bottom ~1" wider than the top
...so, we can "make" a nice angle

Then, a top piece of MDF, will "cap" everything off

* Notice the "shaping" instructions (arrows & notes)?

Weighted (gravity clamp) for gluin'

* In this pic, I'm gluing the middle layer of foam
...& the middle piece of MDF
...& the upper piece of foam "down" to the "hood"

Another angle

An aerodynamic profile, is startin' ta "take shape"

 

[Functional Artist]

The top piece kept "poppin' up"
...&/so, it needed some curvin'

My "bright idea" was to do a little "curve/bendin" over my leg/knee
...& then, "SNAP" (deja vous)

"WTF"...I did it again

Here is a more "flexible" replacement

Yup, a piece of Formica (countertop material)
...just like I used on the fender/floorboard project (deja vous...again)

Yup, that looks better

I'ma likin' that aerodynamic profile

 

[Functional Artist]

After a bunch more shapin'

Ducky says "time ta seal 'er up"
&
Maybe try some Acrylic (water based) paint
...as it shouldn't "eat" the foam, like the solvent in the spray paint, did

So, I started off by givin' 'er a base coat, of Yellow Acrylic paint

Another view

1 more

After letting the yellow paint dry for a couple of hours

I then gave 'er a good-n-heavy coat of green Acrylic paint

* I switched colors (yellow to green) to help ensure 100% coverage
...as we are tryin' to build up a bit of "paint film" thickness

 

[Functional Artist]

While the paint wasa dryin' Ducky says, "think ya can "fix up" the Muscle car hood plug, that ya "messed up"?

Hmmm...IDK...maybe

So, I did a bit of sandin' (better/more productive than justa watchin' paint dry)

Just worked on (1) side (at first)
...for a side-by-side comparison

Yup, seems like I ...maybe able...to "clean this thing up"

I'ma learnin' as I go

Like, I found that the door/window kinda spray foam doesn't "stiffen up" (it stays soft & rubbery)
Like this

Close up (of the soft/rubbery foam layer)

Because I used the spray foam, as an adhesive, to "glue" the layers together

This soft/rubbery foam layer, runs all of the way down...both sides
...so, I figured it may be best ta "dig" some out

* Also, I learned that "glue seams" can be problematic
...as some "glues don't "sand away" with the foam
Like this

 

[Functional Artist]

Ducky says "what about...maybe...tryin' some house type plaster (like for walls)
...as it doesn't have any strong/harsh solvents (like automotive body filler)
...& it may be a bit "gentler" on the foam

I'ma "down" for more learnin'
...so, let's give 'er a try

Used some of this "household body filler" as "fillet material" ta "fill in" & round the inner curves/transitions, a bit

This stuff hardens up pretty goodly

Um...Oops...probably shouldn't have used my wife's spoon & cereal bowl

Ya better NOT tell her...DENNY

Ah...ha...go ahead & tell her

When Ducky woke up, from her afternoon nap, she reminded me..."the stuff washes right out"
Um...Oh yea...OK...phew?
Ha...ha...like it didn't/never even happen