Manco Fox II rebuild

[n3480h]

Picked up a very used Fox II to rebuild for the grandkids. I figured all the rotating parts were junk - and they were. Didn't pay much for the kart, knowing it would need a lot of work and parts.

Got all the old parts stripped off, chipped away the flaking paint, sanded, washed, primed and painted the frame. Real Frikkin' Orange. The plan is to use a new 7hp DuroMax, new chain, sprocket, CC, seats, seat belts, throttle cable, hydraulic brake, lights, a white LED strobe, new highback bucket seats, new tires, and new bearings at all four wheels, etc.

I have quite a lot of carbon fiber which I plan to use on the floor, add carbon fiber side panels, and build a carbon fiber electrical panel at the steering post support.

Lots of work to do.

 

[MancoGX390]

Nice! Looking forward to seeing it completed!

 

[Poboy kartman]

Of course it's hard to tell from pictures. ...but actually. ...that Red Fox 2 looks better than mine when I got it....and I bought a minimum of parts...... ( and paid a minimum price. ... $20.....)

 

[n3480h]

Thanks guys. This one had problems. What the PO claimed was a worn out clutch was actually a disintegrated crankshaft key - complete with the crank keyway chipped out so that no key would stay put. It was a 5hp Robin. All the wheel bearings were "chunky", felt like pea gravel was substituted for ball bearings. Tires all worn out. Frame cracked at the weld where the dead axle was welded to the frame, with the crack going more than half way around the frame tube. Seats shot, one seatbelt gone and the other too nasty to use. Rust under the original paint in the floorpan. Other than that, it's great, lol.

I'll be spending way too much for parts, but as I said it's for the grandkids. The good news is that I have a complete home machine shop, mig and OA welders, lots of materials on hand, six acres of dirt, gravel and grass, and a twisty trail through a hardwoods grove - and I'm retired. I'm having fun.

Tom

 

[landuse]

Welcome. Nice kart. Keep us updated

 

[firemanjim]

The dude builds air planes..... This kart is gonna be BAD @$$..... I'm just sayin .....

 

[n3480h]

Oh my, thanks Jim - pressure is on now, lol. Since I don't know squat about karts, I'll rely on advice from the experts here. You guys have built a great resource with this forum. The Fox II will be nothing special, but I will use material on hand to make it "pretty" and fun for the kids.

As to the carbon fiber, I used to work as a QC inspector for a medical device manufacturer who sometimes scrapped outdated products built with carbon. I was given many of those items and stripped the material off the products. To give you an idea of what the carbon fiber looks like, here's a pic of the instrument panel and electrical panel in the aircraft I am building:

 

[Poboy kartman]

I used to paint aircraft back in the day......The F-16 had some major composite parts. ....but I don't think they were carbon fiber.....I think were graphite. ....

Anyway. ...other than seeing and painting the specialty parts for the Thunderbirds F-111.....the coolest thing I did was painting cockpits.

I would spend all night (3rd shift)...meticulously prepping the cockpit. ...then....30minutes before quitting time.....I would spray it.....It was beautiful. ...you could see yourself in every inch of it. ....like a showcar finish.....and about the time the Plant Manager came riding by in his Cushman scooter.....it started to dull out. ...like a fogging windshield. ...until it was totally flat black. .....but the smoothest flat black you ever saw.......

 

[karte_m0lim]

Carbon fiber...
Well closest I can get to it is chinesse foil wich looks like carbon

 

[firemanjim]

Carbon fiber...
Well closest I can get to it is chinesse foil wich looks like carbon

Jeeze..... I don't think I can even afford THAT right now...... LoL

 

[n3480h]

It's commonly available in Europe, in very thin laminate forms. What I'm using is about .070" thick, multidirectional, autoclave cured and darn near bullet proof. If I had to buy this material, I couldn't afford it, since it runs about $70 a square foot from internet suppliers. I took all I could get for free, and bought some at a great price when they switched to red tag auctions (after they figured out I could make something useful out if it, lol). Stripping it off the product and cutting it was a MAJOR pain in the butt, requiring carbide tools and what I call my lunar landing suit to prevent any contact with the millions of airborne fibers. If you think fiberglass itches, you ain't seen nothin' yet - and slivers will break off below skin level. But it sure is beautiful when its cleaned up and the sun hits it. Once the edges are sanded it can be handled with bare hands like any composite. I will also use CF for the seat pans and backs. Padding will be dual density foam with black vinyl seat covers that have a matching orange insert. Should be good looking and comfortable.

Tom

 

[Poboy kartman]

Oh....it's very available here now too......I was referring to 1983-84......

It's every where now ...cellphones for cryin' out loud......and don't get me started on the ricer ground effects. ..........

 

[n3480h]

Sorry Poboy, I was mentioning Europe because karte m0lim is in Croatia. One of my past employer's vendors was in his area. Yes CF is very available in the USA. There is a CF manufacturer 30 miles from here that makes CF components for Boeing, with autoclaves big enough to park a truck in. I have some of that vendor's scrap in thin 4x4 twill which is great for rounded forms and panel laminations. There is also raw woven CF which can be laid up like fiberglass, roving, tapes, etc. All neat stuff, all very expensive, unless you get lucky once in a while, like me. Or, like my grandkids.

Tom

 

[Poboy kartman]

Lucky?......or sneaky? .....What does carbon fiber underwear feel like? ????

 

[n3480h]

Lucky?......or sneaky? .....What does carbon fiber underwear feel like? ????

I'd rather be water boarded, have my fingernails pulled out, and get married again. No thanks.

Not smart enough to be sneaky.

Tom

 

[karte_m0lim]

I didn't mean that carbon fibre is not avaible in Europe...
It's widely used in motosport and many other areas, but it is too expensive for me...

 

[n3480h]

Progress: Ordered the four new 14.5/70-6 knobby tires, new wheel bearings all around, 80 tooth sprocket, chain breaker (the ONE tool I don't yet own!), and seat covers today. Also got the old tires dismounted and the rims cleaned up. I had to file burrs off a couple of the Manco steel rims to clean up the bead areas since it appears a previous owner tried to change tires with a chisel or maybe a wood rasp. That would explain the RTV they tried to seal the bead with. Argh! Worst case, I'll end up with new rims.

Went with the 80 tooth because the new engine claims 7HP stock and I am mounting a 12 tooth Hilliard heavy duty clutch. With the 14.5 tires, we are interested in not letting the magic smoke out of the clutch, and top end speed is not so important for the kids. If all that fails, we'll go to a TC.

Question: The kart's band brake will be replaced with a hydraulic disk. I have some .125" stainless that I can machine for the disk: Anyone used stainless for a disk? If that's not a workable idea, I kept the old worn out steel 72 tooth sprocket, so I could mill the teeth off it to convert that to a disk. Advice is appreciated.

Polished the pedals today. I am surprised how well they cleaned up. While I was at it I polished all the pedal and parking brake hardware too.

 

[Poboy kartman]

Yeah. ...well. ...where are the pics of the kart? ????

 

[n3480h]

Won't be any pics of the whole kart until it's done, Poboy. As it stands, it's just the stripped frame on the bench I built for it. Because I have to fit some custom components. But I might share pics of parts of it. Today's work will include mounting the new tires and setting up the new disk brake. If there's time, I may prep some carbon fiber panels to fit the kart.

 

[firemanjim]

I don't think that using stainless is a bad idea. I think for this use, steel is steel.... (carbon vs stainless) I would do it just cuz I can..... If the disc don't work out so well, it's easy to swap in the old sprocket (with teeth turned off) as a disc. You should have any problems though , using the SS....and it will stay purty lookin longer too.....
I've been a machinist for 20 years, and would LOVE to have small lathe at home. I thought about buying one of those "Smithys" lathe/mill combo, but they are just too small for stuff I'd be wanting to make. My smallest black powder cannons are made from 2" solid stock @ 10" long.
If I had a lathe at home, I know my family would never see me. As it is now, if I'm not at work, I'm locked away in my garage. I'm a recluse, a go kart junkie, what ever you want to call it....