My kids go kart, tell me what you think?

[Gillgamesh64]

Hello from Australia, I am in the process of building a go kart for my 7 year old boy, i am considering tearing an old an old MR50 apart and using the the drum brakes and also shocks on a rear swing arm setup, just wanted to know if the rear suspension will actuly make for a better ride, also it has cost me under $40 for steel and welding rods and my budget is not about two change! I also have two engines to toss up between one is a 6.5 HP scorpion motor off a pressure washer and the other is a 160cc 2Stroke from an old push mower so if any one has used either of both of these type engines feedback would be greatly appreciated. Cheers Paul

 

[Gillgamesh64]

Pics up Any way i just wanted to add the stearing setup is just temporary and that rod concting the front will be replaced with a second tie rod...

 

[fowler]

looks good

id go with the pressure washer motor if the crank shaft is horosontal

 

[Gillgamesh64]

Yeah it would be much more reliable was just considering the 2stroke because it is so light, any way i decided to leave the poor bike alone for now and just make it rigid with with a single axle...

 

[fowler]

the two stroke would have a vertical shaft wouldnt it

 

[Gillgamesh64]

Yeah it does but it is very simple to arange the carby to be upright and the engine will run vertically making it horizontal shaft

 

[fowler]

oh yeah my bad i was thinking of converting a two stroke

have u pulled the preasure wasker apsrt yet

do u know the hp of the two stroke
it may be more or equal power for less weight

 

[Gillgamesh64]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fjq5xKRP8Vc&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdFzdCzTxKw
These guys have the same two stroke motors i have

 

[fowler]

arr a victa right thats a good start they are great little engines

brondov is acctually a member on this site and we also have anoughter member who is very good with these engines

i dont know the hp of them
it seems they have between 24 and 3.5hp according to google

 

[redsox985]

Quite often, pressure washers have very short and/or tapered shafts. Be careful not to break anything trying to find out if the pressure washer still works. There are a few good threads on here about Victas, use the search bar above. The carb will need to be reoriented and the shaft will need to have a keyway filed into it. You will need to make a mount for it that bolts to what will be the face. Also, being a mower engine, they use the blade as flywheel weight, so it may be tougher to start, but it will preform better as they can achieve higher RPMs and usually have less issues. I vote for the Victa, even if it is some extra work.

 

[Gillgamesh64]

Yeah the pressure washer was given to me as it sat for a long time and the pump will not work, i do not think the motor will be hard to start as it was going b4 it was stored but it is for my son an 6.5hp is just so big and bulky and i have 3 victa engines lying around 2 are the smaller 125cc i think and one is an old 50's or 60's model 160cc i will give it all a freshen up and new rings also i have been told you can find a ****load more power if you replace the original carby with an after market one, But my biggest worry is reliability and as red metioned hard to start! but yeah i just dont want it to blow up but on the other hand the lightwieght aspect is hard to pass up... i will look around for other post with these engines cheers

 

[redsox985]

I would use a 125 Victa (with a new carb, maybe). Gear it way down for low speed but good torque. There's no reason to worry about them blowing up, unless they have been compromised somehow.

 

[Bluethunder3320]

victa's are just about impossible to blow up.

 

[B man]

i would use the older victa 160cc.sounds good to me on the other kart in the video.

 

[Gillgamesh64]

All things considered i went out and pulled the motors out i spun the victa and it had minimal spark so i looked at the 6.5, wich i have been told has sat since new and been used only a few time it had great spark and when i replaced the stale fuel it fired striat up, it is a honda clone and they seem to get a bit of respect and considering how much fuel the victa's like to drink i think i will have to roll with the four stroke, but i have been thinking about going to the drawing board for a second cart so i can join in, I bet if i ran a twin victa 2stroke setup will go off

 

[Gillgamesh64]

Here are a few pics of the engine next to the kart

 

[redsox985]

I bet if i ran a twin victa 2stroke setup will go off

I would LOVE to see a twin victa set up on a kart. Russ did it with Lawn Bow mowers (America's Victa), and it screams.

 

[Gillgamesh64]

I got some more steel this morning and put together a roll cage, it's all just tacked together atm but i thought i would post some pics anyway...

 

[webrx]

Kewl Kart, just curious, as to why the single steering arm, vice using an arm going each direction. Also, what are you using to weld with? I am not much of a welder, but am looking for input into what is used for the guys that are truly doing it themselves, so when I go get a welder and learn, I will know what to get.

d

 

[Gillgamesh64]

The steering arms are just temporary and it will be replaced with and arm for each wheel i just put that there to test the steering. And the welder i am using is just an old 140 amp stick welder!