flyingZ
New member
Have already made a few posts but will come back to the start.
My 11 year old son Z got it in his head to build a Kart so here we are... Our son has mild Aspergers which has it's up sides and it's challenges - with challenges in reading, writing and social skills comes the flip side of quite an amazing mind for working out 'how things work' and the love of speed. He continue to amaze me every day as we argue about engine mounts and clutches and "why the bloody thing just wont work"
and his discussions with welders and engineers have them raising a few eyebrows.
Anyway he found an old ride on which he stripped and swapped a case of beer for a whipper snipper engine with the intent to side mount it. All was looking good until we realized the engine was too small and the clutch the same.
Phase II had him around at the local mower shop picking up an old Victa lawn mower for nicks, stripped the engine, turned the carbi, remounted the engine and muffler and got the throttle working off the left side foot peddle as the brake was on the right side so we left it there.
Tried to getting it driving without a clutch but after pushing him for 30ft and him driving another 70ft until the front sprocket came off. To see his face was great! We tried to fit a centrifugal clutch off a moped scooter but it was just too hard in the end so we are waiting for a new 3/4 clutch to arrive today in the post.
As I'm sure alot of you can agree with, building with your kids (or your dad, grandfather, uncle) is a great activity - We've learnt how to sharpen drill bits, how to weld and how to be a little patient though this has been the hardest part for him.
Fingers crossed we get a drive this weekend and then I'm sure he'll set his sites on building some of the amazing machines found on this forum.
Thanks heaps!
Z's Dad
My 11 year old son Z got it in his head to build a Kart so here we are... Our son has mild Aspergers which has it's up sides and it's challenges - with challenges in reading, writing and social skills comes the flip side of quite an amazing mind for working out 'how things work' and the love of speed. He continue to amaze me every day as we argue about engine mounts and clutches and "why the bloody thing just wont work"
and his discussions with welders and engineers have them raising a few eyebrows.Anyway he found an old ride on which he stripped and swapped a case of beer for a whipper snipper engine with the intent to side mount it. All was looking good until we realized the engine was too small and the clutch the same.
Phase II had him around at the local mower shop picking up an old Victa lawn mower for nicks, stripped the engine, turned the carbi, remounted the engine and muffler and got the throttle working off the left side foot peddle as the brake was on the right side so we left it there.
Tried to getting it driving without a clutch but after pushing him for 30ft and him driving another 70ft until the front sprocket came off. To see his face was great! We tried to fit a centrifugal clutch off a moped scooter but it was just too hard in the end so we are waiting for a new 3/4 clutch to arrive today in the post.
As I'm sure alot of you can agree with, building with your kids (or your dad, grandfather, uncle) is a great activity - We've learnt how to sharpen drill bits, how to weld and how to be a little patient though this has been the hardest part for him.
Fingers crossed we get a drive this weekend and then I'm sure he'll set his sites on building some of the amazing machines found on this forum.
Thanks heaps!
Z's Dad
