Hello everyone,
I finally got around to starting a build thread for the Baja Doodlebug I'm fixing up for my stepson and me. It's taking a long time because I don't get much time to work on it, and I don't have a good place to work on it either (so I end up doing some of it while I'm at work). I still have a long way to go, but it's back together enough for me to ride/test.
My background is industrial electrical/automation. I was a slitter mechanic before I became an electrician, so I am fairly mechanical, but always reading, learning, and doing to try and improve. Most of what I know is a result of working closely with my friends in the machine shop for years, and having free reign to run around in there and play with everything and learn. That being said, I just recently started trying to apply some of this outside of work... in the form of hobby building. Although, I already have too many hobbies
I used to be heavy into BMX, and built several bikes for myself, and with friends (still have my first one). Also, skated for quite a few years... skimboard, surf, snowboard, kayak, MTB, and tried skydiving (too expensive to keep as another hobby though
)
This is my first build of anything motorized, and it's really fun and exciting. It's also my first mini bike(share it with my boy). I never had one(or go kart) as a kid. No Dad either, so I guess that's why I get such a kick out of building/riding this stuff with my boys. I live parts of my childhood that never happened, vicariously, through doing things with my boys that I wished my Dad would have done with me. It has, and continues to bring me incredible joy
Okay, onto the build...
I got it from a 16yr old kid selling it on craigslist to raise money for his first car. Seemed like a good kid, and he asked me to send him a picture of it when it was all done... think I'll send him a link to this thread. Cost $80, and it had a hole in the rear tire, a bad clutch, bad chain, and the engine didn't run(which didn't matter since this was originally going to be an electric conversion). Tried telling my boy his 250W razor kart motor would not work... but let him strip down the kart and mock it up anyway, so he could see what I meant
Now mods, before I start with the images, what's the best way to put them in order with the post? What I mean is a description above the image posted, not a bunch of descriptions first, with all of the pictures at the bottom of the post listed as attachments... or is that the only way? Or could I just embed them in the post from photobucket, then attach them all as well in the event that my photobucket account disappears?
I'm to the point in the build where I just rebuilt the front end to accept any set of BMX/MTB 7/8" bars, so I have a LOT of pics to add. I'll keep it to one for now until I hear back
Here's the silly mock up before I convinced him to go gas:
I finally got around to starting a build thread for the Baja Doodlebug I'm fixing up for my stepson and me. It's taking a long time because I don't get much time to work on it, and I don't have a good place to work on it either (so I end up doing some of it while I'm at work). I still have a long way to go, but it's back together enough for me to ride/test.
My background is industrial electrical/automation. I was a slitter mechanic before I became an electrician, so I am fairly mechanical, but always reading, learning, and doing to try and improve. Most of what I know is a result of working closely with my friends in the machine shop for years, and having free reign to run around in there and play with everything and learn. That being said, I just recently started trying to apply some of this outside of work... in the form of hobby building. Although, I already have too many hobbies
I used to be heavy into BMX, and built several bikes for myself, and with friends (still have my first one). Also, skated for quite a few years... skimboard, surf, snowboard, kayak, MTB, and tried skydiving (too expensive to keep as another hobby though
) This is my first build of anything motorized, and it's really fun and exciting. It's also my first mini bike(share it with my boy). I never had one(or go kart) as a kid. No Dad either, so I guess that's why I get such a kick out of building/riding this stuff with my boys. I live parts of my childhood that never happened, vicariously, through doing things with my boys that I wished my Dad would have done with me. It has, and continues to bring me incredible joy
Okay, onto the build...
I got it from a 16yr old kid selling it on craigslist to raise money for his first car. Seemed like a good kid, and he asked me to send him a picture of it when it was all done... think I'll send him a link to this thread. Cost $80, and it had a hole in the rear tire, a bad clutch, bad chain, and the engine didn't run(which didn't matter since this was originally going to be an electric conversion). Tried telling my boy his 250W razor kart motor would not work... but let him strip down the kart and mock it up anyway, so he could see what I meant
Now mods, before I start with the images, what's the best way to put them in order with the post? What I mean is a description above the image posted, not a bunch of descriptions first, with all of the pictures at the bottom of the post listed as attachments... or is that the only way? Or could I just embed them in the post from photobucket, then attach them all as well in the event that my photobucket account disappears?
I'm to the point in the build where I just rebuilt the front end to accept any set of BMX/MTB 7/8" bars, so I have a LOT of pics to add. I'll keep it to one for now until I hear back
Here's the silly mock up before I convinced him to go gas:
Attachments
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IMG_20130330_182654.jpg
Yes, I am a noob to hobby building. I'm fairly decent with tools, but the "how and why" specific to building things powered by a small engine is definitely new to me. Thank you for the encouragement 
I definitely agree the first placement was better.
