Grand Daddyish build

[TNThomas]

Busy week: Youngest (6 month old) is in the ER with mom. Baby has 3 viruses and an infection. Dad and the older kids (3 and 5) are at home. Pancakes every day, rock music and toy cars everywhere. Kids riding in the front seat of the truck. Forts all over the house. God help us.

Spent over $400 on paint. The winner is "Nightshade" all-in-one candy and cobalt to purple pearl rainbow metal flake over a black base coat. Clear coats on top.

 

[Denny]

Ouch! Cool! I agree it looks like it will be cool! Can’t wait to see it!

 

[BaconBitRacing]

Busy week: Youngest (6 month old) is in the ER with mom. Baby has 3 viruses and an infection. Dad and the older kids (3 and 5) are at home. Pancakes every day, rock music and toy cars everywhere. Kids riding in the front seat of the truck. Forts all over the house. God help us.

Spent over $400 on paint. The winner is "Nightshade" all-in-one candy and cobalt to purple pearl rainbow metal flake over a black base coat. Clear coats on top.

I'm happy with your paint choice! Unique, cool, stylish. Sounds like quite the time at your home.

 

[TNThomas]

I'm happy with your paint choice! Unique, cool, stylish. Sounds like quite the time at your home.

Thanks, I agree! It should look pretty cool, and I think the color will be forgiving with human errors on my side while painting. Busy at home, but luckily my wife's whole family is local, so we are getting a fair bit of help when needed.

 

[Denny]

I hope all is going well for the sick ones and they get better soon!

Is the 1.8 tip going to be big enough for the flake in that paint?

 

[Master Hack]

Best wishes for the sick ones!
the paint will look first class.
that first scratch/chip/ding is gonna be painful!

 

[TNThomas]

I hope all is going well for the sick ones and they get better soon!

Is the 1.8 tip going to be big enough for the flake in that paint?

Thanks, the little one is getting better slowly, but she is on her way. I don't know, I decided to skip the paint gun route and use Roth's rattle cans. The one I bought is called "All-in-one." One can is the black base coat. One can is the flake+pearl+candy, and the final can is a clearcoat. I don't truely forsee myself needing to get into pro-painting in the future, and the easy of use for setup/cleanup will be helpful with the cans. Ull return the paint gun.

 

[lug-nuts]

looking back on my project I wish I would have used a paint gun. I went the rattle can route, and they dont go very far. I ended up spending about 3 times as much to spray paint than if I would have used a gun. Plus I went thru a ton of cans way more than I thought I would. You get a better end product with a spray gun as well. Just my .02 Cool build, I like it.

 

[TNThomas]

looking back on my project I wish I would have used a paint gun. I went the rattle can route, and they dont go very far. I ended up spending about 3 times as much to spray paint than if I would have used a gun. Plus I went thru a ton of cans way more than I thought I would. You get a better end product with a spray gun as well. Just my .02 Cool build, I like it.

Yea, you are definitely correct on that one. My problem is that I only have small windows (usually at night) to work on the build. I have a 6-month-old, 3-year-old, 5-year-old, wife, and full-time job. Daylight running of air compressors with paint prep, setup, tear down, and cleanup of tools is just a little too big of a job for me. That is considering normal paint too, the flake has extra steps, tip size issues, and a few others. So to hedge off human error, save time, expedite the painting process, I chose the overpriced rattle cans. The intercoat "flake" coat also has pearl and candy added, so fine tuning that color combo is done by Roth Metal Flake, not your tired dad who fakes like he is good at building stuff! Haha. Thanks I am just having fun on the build at this point, would have been way more efficient to just buy something and modify it. But I am having a good time, so thats what counts!

 

[Denny]

And besides how many karts have built in bbq smoker grilles?

 

[TNThomas]

Made brackets for the throttle cable to pedal mount, the brake pedal master cylinder mount, and the push-button hydraulic lock/temp parking brake mount. The last will be tied into the handbrake line.

 

[TNThomas]

I also recieved all of my brake fittings/connections. So those should be getting rigged up soon.

I have an alternator, and starter, so once my brakes are rigged up, I am going to work on a proper alternator setup (35amps), and a "push-button" reverse using a reverse facing starter that engages a flywheel mounted directly to the axle. I may also go the duel battery route. I have space, and it would be helpful as im right on the edge with turning my engine over. She is running though. I have about 4 hours logged with the initial engine breakin with nothing sketchy to report. Still no actual driving yet, but we are not far.

 

[TNThomas]

Opinions needed:

I'm working on the brake pedal to master cylinder connection. I made a little heavy duty clevis connection with the specific master cylinder lever arm dimmensions in mind. Originally I was going to have it be "pulled" by an arm welded to the pedal. But today I got the idea to "push" it instead. Less fab work, simpler, and cleaner. I tacked up the initial welds, then checked for fit/movement before doing final welds. When I pushed on the pedal, no movement. I looked at things, and quickly realized that most of the force was directed downward, and binded the piston that actuates the hydraulic cylibder. I took the connecting pin out, and tried it again: Works beautifully. When I made the clevis I made the internal cuts with a curve on the bandsaw. Originally it was for a low-profile fit, but here, it acts as a curved piece of metal for the back side of the arm to be pushed by. So my question is: should I cut it off and use it as intended ny being pulled? Or do I finish out my weld and leave as is? If I leave it, I'll adjust a spring to keep propper forward tension on it. Right now I'm leaning towards leaving it. The downside is the friction on the arm will wear it slightly over time. Realistically I think its a neglegable. I have an extra arm on hand, and it would be simple enough to add on extra material via a weld if needed. From my motorcycle days, I don't like slop in my linkages, that can be dangerous. And this is about as simple and safe of a setup as I can think of. The arm looks like aluminum, but its actually Zinc coated steel.

Also, currently I am feeling the heat to get this thing finished. My youngest is still in the ICU, but she is getting better, just slowly. I've seen quite a few sick kids over the last month, and we had a few other kids die on our floor during our stay. My kiddo nearly died a few times as well. Perspective really comes in when you see the little ones struggling like that. And I'm willing to not overthink solitions when they fall in my lap. Life is short, as is my tine to work on this thing, and Im looking forward to driving this thing with my kids, hence me leaning towards leaving the brake connection as it lies currently. I did get the throttle cable tab in, as well as the hydraulic parking brake.

 

[Denny]

I’m all for keeping things simple. Looks good.
How long has your little girl been in the hospital? It’s been a while if I remember it right. Your wife is home right? Wasn’t she in too for a while? What’s wrong?

 

[TNThomas]

I’m all for keeping things simple. Looks good.
How long has your little girl been in the hospital? It’s been a while if I remember it right. Your wife is home right? Wasn’t she in too for a while? What’s wrong?

I’m all for keeping things simple. Looks good.
How

Agreed, Ill leave it, and keep on building. Yup, going on 5 weeks now. Basically our little one (7 month old) got alot of viruses/pneumonia all at the same time. Had both lungs collapse and stop breathing. Luckily we were already at the ER when it happened. We have alot of family locally, but generally I take care of the other 2 while mom is in the hospital. We also found out she has a genetic condition that makes her more vulnerable to infections, hence the additional time here. But our kiddo is getting better, and there are great meds put go help out with the new genetic conditon. A crazy one is that when she was in the ER, with about 20-30 doctors/nurses trying to get our kiddo stable, they needed an immediate IV, as fast as possible, as simple as possible. I forget the name of the tool, but its essentially a drill that they drill directly into your bone to access the bone marrow. Then they used that to deliver IV. Apparently ambulances are starting go carry them too.

 

[Denny]

Oh wow! I’m sorry for all your family’s troubles.
As far as the kart goes I prescribe to the K I S S principal. Keep It Simple Stupid!

 

[Master Hack]

Wow! I'm sorry for the health issues! Hope everyone recovers quickly!

 

[TNThomas]

-Parking brake mounted
-E brake mounted with AN3-IFF fitting converter (for brake lines). Parking brake mounted so you can apply forward pressure and slide your hand down to activate.
-Throttle linkage set up and adjusted,
-Master Cylinder mounted to brake pedal.

Next step:

Swap out the compression fittings for IFF fittings. Make a braket for the second brake rotor.

Connect/make brake lines

make a bracket to hold tbe alternstor.

Weld on 2 brackets in case I need the tow bar.

Lights

Then last gussets/cross supports to beef a few sections up.

Grind/cleanup welds on the whole thing

Then paint

Stuff on the maybe list:
Install zirc fittings on suspension pivot points. If not, ill grease manually periodically.

I may make a small shelf, at a similar height and footprint on the exact opposite side of the gas tank. I have been considering welding on a plate that could accept a reloading press for reloading ammo. It is a perfect height for me, and would be a very stable mounting platform. Ot would be quickly mountable/moveable. As a side benefit, I could dial up rounds on the fly while long distance shooting, and size/prep brass while the bbq/smoker is going! Plus it would fit the Mad Max vib.

I may make some sort of basket up front, behind/above the front suspension, and beneathe the dashboard. There is a big space here that could be used. Ill probably skip it, but ive been thinking about it.

Im leaning away from the reverse for now. Primarily due to the weight. Ill need an eztra battery, a startet, a flywheel, and more steel, that all weighs quite a bit. It can be easily mounted afterwards if needed.

 

[Denny]

The last place I would want my Lyman is out in the dirt and mud! But looking good otherwise!

 

[TNThomas]

The last place I would want my Lyman is out in the dirt and mud! But looking good otherwise!

Hence the quick release! Haha. Probably a little cover of some sort and a few straps. But that is heavily on the "maybe" list. Would be cool though.