Manco Red Fox modded to Single Seater

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choppergirl

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Here is my Manco Red Fox, which I've converted to single seater which I've named "Oil Slick" (see pictures of black cart below) and done some other mods to this week. I've named it the Oil Slick, because that's going to be all that's left of you on the road if you get run over by a car driving this puppy...

What a stock Manco Red Fox looks like (yuck! fire up the welding torch!):

The Manco Red Fox is a two seater little kiddie minimalist go cart, with the steering wheel normally located on the left half side of the cart, with the seat scrunching you far forward. Well, I think two seaters are dangerous, only the driver can anticipate what's going to happen next because he's in control. Plus, who wants extra baggage on the cart slowing you down. Get off my cart! No passengers!

This puppy was my nieces abandoned go cart - the engine was froze up, as the intake valve was rusted solid to the head... which is where I gave up a long time ago restoring this engine.

Just recently, I got tired of watching the pathetic show of the kids pushing it around (field of dreams), so I decided to revisit the engine. I figured the engine was fubar, so I broke out the crowbar, and started prying, and with a lot of fiddle farting and brutal force, was able to get the valve to wiggle, move, and then unstuck. I then restored the entire engine and put it all back together, which was not easy to do, as all the parts had been scattered to the four winds.

I then decided if I was going to restore it, to go all the way:

--Cut the backseat frame off, moved it far backwards, and rebolted onto frame using 6 stove bolts. No more scrunch crunch with a steering wheel jammed in your stomach

--Relocated the gas pedal to the far right side

--Cut the 14" and 8" steering tie rods in half, and rewelded them to be two 12"

--Cut the steering section off, and moved it to the middle, and rewelded it just slightly off center, after removing some pieces that were in the way.

--Made two brand new seats for it, out of foam, plyboard, roofing tin, and motorcycle seat faux leather I had from when I restored my Honda Rebel

--Totally re-engineered the pull cord starter, as the spring was shot out and the rope broke. Used a motorcycle clutch cable instead of a starter rope, and made the starter so it could be disassembled using one bolt.

--Made a storage compartment for it (old black battery box) and support... to hold tools, starting fluid, etc

--Got the engine fired up and running (woot) for 5 minutes, but my gas tank was so full of cloudy crap I gunk up my carb and will have to clean it out again, after dumping the gas with precipitate floating in it (mostly rust). No problem

--Made a replacement 44 tooth sprocket for it, from a found car engine cam sprocket.

--Fixed and reassembled the centrifugal clutch. Is slap wore out, but I did some tweaking

--Ordered chain and diaphram for it off ebay

--Built an electric drill starter adapter for it, so I don't have to pull cord it any... take my hammer drill, with right socket on it, and put it up against the axle bolt, fire it up, engine turns over as long as you want until it fires up. Hella yeah! No more pull cord BS.

--Set the air filter on fire twice when running it off ether/starting fluid. Stomp stomp dirt, wash off that was fun.

--Going to swap out the smaller tires on the front, with the 1" bigger ones, so they are all the same size all the way around

--Going to add a motorcycle battery which I have, and I'll add some strobe hazzard lights used for logging trucks which I have), a Honda Rebel horn, and maybe electric start later

--Would like to make it live axle some day, or differntial.

--If I have time and my interest continues, I'm going to get some pit bike tires for it somehow, and build a fiberglass body for it so it looks like a Champion 250 microcar ( http://zumann.com/champion-250.html )

--
 

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jamyers

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...named it the Oil Slick...
...Get off my cart! No passengers!...
...broke out the crowbar, and started prying, and with a lot of fiddle farting and brutal force...
from a found car engine cam sprocket...
...Hella yeah! No more pull cord BS...
--Set the air filter on fire twice...Stomp stomp dirt, wash off that was fun....
... build a fiberglass body for it...

Ahh, a kindred spirit - LOL! :cheers2: :cheers2: :cheers2:

I'm thinking you're going to fit right in around here - WELCOME!
That Champion looks like fun, reminds me of an old TR3.

I look forward to more updates on your karting experiences... :lolgoku:
 

TXST8tj

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I did the same thing recently with my Carter Bros. kart. We stretched it 10", moved the steering to the center, and moved the throttle pedal to the far right.
We added the plate in front of the actual seat so my son can sit there in front of me.
 

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OzFab

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Welcome to the forum; like jamyers said, I can tell you're gonne fit in nicely here

Nice job, especially on bringing the old engine back to life; most would've gone for a $100 predator & called it a day :thumbsup:

You have to explain your screen name though...
 

choppergirl

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Those aren't spare tires, they are replacement tires. I scored them for free (ahem) out of my dad's shed.

The front tires are 1 inch smaller than the rear tires, and I want the tires identical all the way around, so as they become bald they can be rotated.

I'll rotate the two bald back tires to the front, and install these new identical sized tires to the back.

~

I just bought a Baja Mini for $50 that had been abused and left out in the rain, and I've taken it completly apart, derusted it, and repainted it with rust converter primer. Going to let it sit over the winter and finish it up in the spring, as I need a clutch, chains, and to make a seat and front fender for it.
 

choppergirl

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Baja Mini Pics (I asked for a frame for $50 on craigslist, and got a near complete bike for same price)

By the time I'm through, I'm sure I'll easily put another $50 into this for chains and a centrifugal clutch off ebay... and probably more once you add in the paint and misc little parts. Like some fresh bolts for starters.

Going with gloss black again, as its easy to maintain. The other toss ups are matte black, or a real tree type camo scheme.

You can buy these used on Ebay for $250 in good running condition, which if you have any money is a better way to go. I'm compensating for lack of money with lots of time and work.
 

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