6StringMercenary
New member
Hi all, just a quick note to say hello from Dallas and why I've decided to make an account. Actually, I've been on quite a kick lately, signing up for a Pocket Bikes, Modified Power Wheels, and now Custom DIY Go-Kart forum all within a month. Basically, I've been dreaming for a long time of my own personal little go-kart or runabout to feed my need for speed without having to go full size.
I'm a studied researcher, so I do my best to pile up as much knowledge as I can before spending money, because I don't have a lot of that. Fortunately, as a lifetime gear-head (and once a delivery driver for O'Reilly Autoparts - that helped teach a lot), I'm very up-to-date on current automotive technology, practices, etc. So I do grasp the principles and mechanics involved, but I'm not arrogant enough to think "Oh, I'll just throw this together in a couple weekends!" is a good attitude to have here, not at all.
I'm not very skilled as a mechanic unless I've got extensive planning and diagrams and patience to set things up and go slow. I do read a lot and like to experiment, so I'm kind of a shade-tree natural in that respect. More than anything, I'm a very creative person, and that can sometimes be a difficult thing because I don't have the actual skill or talents (or funding) to realize my concepts.
Case in point, my biggest long-term goal is to re-create a Lamborghini Countach at probably 1/2 scale. Because it's such a popular car, I'm glad there are lots of resources available to "borrow from" along the way, like exact 3D models to buy and use, kit car guides, and even some inspiration in that vintage Lamborghini Countach go-kart made in Italy. If successful, I'd probably get addicted and start eying an F40, a McLaren F1, and a Zonda F Roadster project to capitalize on learning how to make a mid-engined high performance replica.
Because I'm still very into technology, specifically composites and forced induction, I'm eager to explore odd "homebrew" type experiments in this field. For instance, I'd like to test out some PVC and other compounds, in conjunction automotive-grade frame-filling-foam for structural stiffness and held together with industrial grade epoxies as the material for my chassis. Would it be easier to simply design a copy of the real deal and have somebody weld one up? Probably. It might be the only viable option long-term anyway. Same goes for body panels - I'm eager to think creatively, to try different weird things to see if they work on the cheap, then use the learning to weigh the experiments against a more traditional method.
Two years ago, I never would've come this close to even considering these ideas as workable. I lived in an apartment or condo most of my life, never had a garage, and now that I've got one, it really has been a constructive place. The go-kart is my dream project. However, it's not the only thing for the garage.
I've actually entered a "small business start up" contest for $50,000 to convert my garage into a workshop so I can design, build, and attempt to market an improved wing aerodynamic design...shown off as a type of personal flight device. I'm not really able to say a lot more - hopefully I'll make the finalist cut of 4 people in September - but it all goes back to being a really creative and driven person. My parents always told me to work to use all of my potential, and I appreciate they did that, so one day, I hope to share some of these fun, exciting, and innovative projects with folks like you.
Thanks for providing this forum, keep up the great work, stay safe and I look forward to participating.
I'm a studied researcher, so I do my best to pile up as much knowledge as I can before spending money, because I don't have a lot of that. Fortunately, as a lifetime gear-head (and once a delivery driver for O'Reilly Autoparts - that helped teach a lot), I'm very up-to-date on current automotive technology, practices, etc. So I do grasp the principles and mechanics involved, but I'm not arrogant enough to think "Oh, I'll just throw this together in a couple weekends!" is a good attitude to have here, not at all.
I'm not very skilled as a mechanic unless I've got extensive planning and diagrams and patience to set things up and go slow. I do read a lot and like to experiment, so I'm kind of a shade-tree natural in that respect. More than anything, I'm a very creative person, and that can sometimes be a difficult thing because I don't have the actual skill or talents (or funding) to realize my concepts.
Case in point, my biggest long-term goal is to re-create a Lamborghini Countach at probably 1/2 scale. Because it's such a popular car, I'm glad there are lots of resources available to "borrow from" along the way, like exact 3D models to buy and use, kit car guides, and even some inspiration in that vintage Lamborghini Countach go-kart made in Italy. If successful, I'd probably get addicted and start eying an F40, a McLaren F1, and a Zonda F Roadster project to capitalize on learning how to make a mid-engined high performance replica.
Because I'm still very into technology, specifically composites and forced induction, I'm eager to explore odd "homebrew" type experiments in this field. For instance, I'd like to test out some PVC and other compounds, in conjunction automotive-grade frame-filling-foam for structural stiffness and held together with industrial grade epoxies as the material for my chassis. Would it be easier to simply design a copy of the real deal and have somebody weld one up? Probably. It might be the only viable option long-term anyway. Same goes for body panels - I'm eager to think creatively, to try different weird things to see if they work on the cheap, then use the learning to weigh the experiments against a more traditional method.
Two years ago, I never would've come this close to even considering these ideas as workable. I lived in an apartment or condo most of my life, never had a garage, and now that I've got one, it really has been a constructive place. The go-kart is my dream project. However, it's not the only thing for the garage.
I've actually entered a "small business start up" contest for $50,000 to convert my garage into a workshop so I can design, build, and attempt to market an improved wing aerodynamic design...shown off as a type of personal flight device. I'm not really able to say a lot more - hopefully I'll make the finalist cut of 4 people in September - but it all goes back to being a really creative and driven person. My parents always told me to work to use all of my potential, and I appreciate they did that, so one day, I hope to share some of these fun, exciting, and innovative projects with folks like you.
Thanks for providing this forum, keep up the great work, stay safe and I look forward to participating.
