Go Karts... in Sprint Car style!

[MancoGX390]

This is super super cool! I wish I had a workshop like that!

 

[JMINDY]

This is super super cool! I wish I had a workshop like that!

Thanks, Ollie. I'm blessed to work at the headquarters of a large auto parts stores here in America...heavy discounts on parts and tools have helped excel my workshop!

 

[HighTechRedneck]

Looking great! Any new updates? I have to say that the predator is probably one of the best items HF has ever had! Great engine to chose and has plenty of mods available.

 

[JMINDY]

This weeks progress, where to start...

I spent an evening making seatbelt brackets and welding them on, didn't like them. The way they where I think they will eventually break, so I beat them off w/ BFH. Going to redesign them so they have more contact around the tube, more penetration with the weld areas.

Wife and the twin babies took a trip to Florida to see her parents, I'm short on vacation days, oldest boys have school, so we stay home.

So we were enjoying a few laps in the Fox II kart Sunday evening. I'm driving, youngest is riding passenger seat. While trying to drift it in the curves, the seat breaks loose from the frame! I go sliding over crushing the boy like if we're on the Twister ride at an amusement park! The wood on the seat is completely rotten and the seat pad is ruined.

Now with the wife out of town... I figured now is a good time as any to break out her sewing machine and make a mess in the dinning room!!

Now this is not my first time doing something like this, I recently did an interior on a pontoon boat. However it was my first time doing pleats...something I wanted to learn anyways for my Cadillac build.

Had some left over white marine vinyl (Brista Outdoor) from the previous boat job, but it wasn't enough for the whole job. On monday evening I visited multiple stores and could not match it without ordering, not an option as I needed to finish this job before the wife returns home. So decided to two-tone it in black and white.

Bought my supplies, cut out new plywood and drilled hole with T-nuts, watched a few videos online to build my confidence up (and figure out the shrinkage of making pleats), and spent a few very late nights getting to work...

Used 2˝ dense foam for padding, 3/4˝ poly foam with fabric backing to make the pleats, spray glued material to hold it in place, poly black thread and 1/2˝ staples, and black felt material stapled to the back side.

Here's the finished results...

Fox II kart: The only real difference is that I eliminated the divider bump in the center, didn't use piping on the edges - just lap seam & french seam...

AmEx kart:

It's not exactly what I had planned to get accomplished this week, but I happy with the results! Now, just gotta to clean up my mess before mama get home!!!

 

[HighTechRedneck]

Im in love with those seats!

 

[BirdFanatic]

Hey can you come over and make something like that for my mini cup lol

 

[landuse]

Those look great!! Dang....you could do professional upholstery work!!

 

[KartFab]

Very very nice!!!

 

[JMINDY]

Very very nice!!!

Those look great!! Dang....you could do professional upholstery work!!

Im in love with those seats!

Thanks Guys, it's not professional work as I made some errors, but as my father would say "Good enough for whom it's for..."

Real credit goes to my wife...she from a family of quilter's... she taught me the basics...the rest you can learn on the web.

 

[landuse]

Thanks Guys, it's not professional work as I made some errors, but as my father would say "Good enough for whom it's for..."

Real credit goes to my wife...she from a family of quilter's... she taught me the basics...the rest you can learn on the web.

Its amazing what you can learn on the web. Take DIYGK for example.....

 

[BirdFanatic]

I need a seat like that

This weeks progress, where to start...

I spent an evening making seatbelt brackets and welding them on, didn't like them. The way they where I think they will eventually break, so I beat them off w/ BFH. Going to redesign them so they have more contact around the tube, more penetration with the weld areas.

Wife and the twin babies took a trip to Florida to see her parents, I'm short on vacation days, oldest boys have school, so we stay home.

So we were enjoying a few laps in the Fox II kart Sunday evening. I'm driving, youngest is riding passenger seat. While trying to drift it in the curves, the seat breaks loose from the frame! I go sliding over crushing the boy like if we're on the Twister ride at an amusement park! The wood on the seat is completely rotten and the seat pad is ruined.

Now with the wife out of town... I figured now is a good time as any to break out her sewing machine and make a mess in the dinning room!!

Now this is not my first time doing something like this, I recently did an interior on a pontoon boat. However it was my first time doing pleats...something I wanted to learn anyways for my Cadillac build.

Had some left over white marine vinyl (Brista Outdoor) from the previous boat job, but it wasn't enough for the whole job. On monday evening I visited multiple stores and could not match it without ordering, not an option as I needed to finish this job before the wife returns home. So decided to two-tone it in black and white.

Bought my supplies, cut out new plywood and drilled hole with T-nuts, watched a few videos online to build my confidence up (and figure out the shrinkage of making pleats), and spent a few very late nights getting to work...

Used 2˝ dense foam for padding, 3/4˝ poly foam with fabric backing to make the pleats, spray glued material to hold it in place, poly black thread and 1/2˝ staples, and black felt material stapled to the back side.

Here's the finished results...

Fox II kart: The only real difference is that I eliminated the divider bump in the center, didn't use piping on the edges - just lap seam & french seam...

AmEx kart:

It's not exactly what I had planned to get accomplished this week, but I happy with the results! Now, just gotta to clean up my mess before mama get home!!!

 

[Poboy kartman]

I]

Its amazing what you can learn on the web. Take DIYGK for example.....

Well. ...partly true.....it's amazing what you can find on the web.....learning is an individual accomplishment.......which doesn't necessarily come naturally. ......

 

[Go Kart NZ]

Looking great! I used to have a game where we drove those Sprint Cars. Look's like the game is coming to life. Be sure to keep us updated!

 

[KevinN]

Great looking project. I like your young fabricators, getting a good head start on skills that will last a lifetime. I like the sprint car theme(I drove 'em 14 years) my youngest son is 15 and has been a shop rat a long time. He welds pretty good with the mig but we are still changing the tungsten often with the tig but he will get it eventually. A go kart is on our shop bucket list, with only ten projects ahead of it!

 

[JMINDY]

Looking great! I used to have a game where we drove those Sprint Cars. Look's like the game is coming to life. Be sure to keep us updated!

Great looking project. I like your young fabricators, getting a good head start on skills that will last a lifetime. I like the sprint car theme(I drove 'em 14 years) my youngest son is 15 and has been a shop rat a long time...

Thanks for the nice comments guys...

Kevin... where did you race at? I went a couple weekends this summer at Kokomo and Gas City races, helping/watching my buddy run. First time I've gone to the local races in years. Probably what helped prompt me to convert our karts...

As for an update on the kart... well... I haven't done much of anything to it... What little time in the garage I've gotten, I've spent it working on the 47 Caddy. The good news is the oldest son just finished his football & fall baseball seasons. Just have a scout's family campout left for this weekend.... So I'm hopping life is about to settle down and I can get back out in the garage again!

I have been trying to research and plan out some of this kart build lately. Some of the items coming up need to be planned out as they will effect how each other works together...I don't want to waste money or have to redo work.

 

[KevinN]

I "retired" from driving in 1995. Mostly ran knoxville iowa and eldora along with all the bullrings in indiana, ohio and Pennsylvania. All winged racing on dirt for me. Should be plenty of good used stuff to buy, mix and match in the area you live in.

 

[Fast Eddie]

Sweet AmEx...

FYI-If you're planning to run the stock fuel tank on top of the motor you need to cut the mount plate off and scoot it back a couple of inches so it'll clear the seat back.

While you're at it you may wanna weld up those support braces to the main frame rails a little better. My were just tacked in place.

Nice design software too.

 

[JMINDY]

After a few months of just buying parts and working on other projects... it's time to start to get back to work on our kart.

Decided to purchase a torque converter instead of a centrifugal clutch. Bolted the engine back on, assembled the TC to see how everything is going to fit... Axle sprocket will need to slide over to align with the jackshaft sprocket, which looks like the chain may rub on the bottom portion of the TC bracket (the extended tabs for a cover). So I will have to do some trimming of the aluminum bracket, but I'll wait till I get my new axle sprocket on first.

Had the boys disassemble the rear axle and start degreasing the parts. The drivers side wheel was missing the key!
Ordered new axle bearings and a new axle sprocket - 60T. JS is a 10T. Old sprocket was a 68T. Plus, the smaller diameter of the 60T will help on some of the TC bracket clearance.

Brake caliper was not working. After I got it apart and cleaned out it looks like it may work again without much more needed.

The engine and gas tank fit, but I'm out of play to move the engine backwards to tighten the chain, so I'm either going to need to elongate the slots some more or have to move/extend the engine plate.

Finished some welding and added brackets for the shoulder seat belts and metal work behind the seat. Just need to add some louver punches to finish this part.

Order new parts for the front spindles. Springs are broken and a lot of loose play in them.

Got some free parts at work... K&N air filter (little big but I'll make it work), some hood pins and mounts, etc...

 

[wagx2]

love the craftsmanship and that shop! I'd keep that little z50 just as it is if all is working, looks pretty much original.

 

[JMINDY]

So we started this week extending the motor mount. I could of just cut off the old one and re-weld it back on in it's new place, but extending it seemed just as easy. I extended the slots way more than what was needed.

So measure out a plate, had the youngest work the torch while the oldest boy applied a little pressure to the other end, and I used a hammer to bend out a C-shape bracket. Welded it on, drilled and cut the slots, grind down the welds.

Not everything went as plan….

The oldest son added a little too much pressure too soon (put his whole weight on it) before the torch had it soften it enough…. SNAP!... broke the Vise at the base. So I mention the story at work to a manager, the next morning a new one was on my desk! I love my job…


The youngest son painted the brake caliper parts and we reassembled.

So by now both boys were on spring break with their mother. I manage to get a weekend free, so I decided to do some work on the kart without them.

Reinstalled the axle with a new sprocket. Have new axle bearings but will save them for final assembly.

As I mention before, the axle sprocket had some clearance and alignment issues with the TC bracket.

Some trimming and the chain is now assembled.

Test fit the TC to make sure everything fits.