New guy

[rhino1]

Hello all. I am the new guy of the min. I am here hoping to learn some info on how to build a kart I am day dreaming of. I am a Shriner and we do a lot of parades. I am looking to build a kart for this. Something that no one in or club has and fun. Thanks, in advance, for all the help with the questions I will be asking

 

[firemanjim]

Man did you come to the right place for information! We got more of that, than anything else.....
Please fill in your profile so that we know where you be..... You might have a member who is close to you and willing to lend a hand.....
Shriners drive cool karts..... If you want to be a stand out, you gotta build something top notch! I come across kart bodies on occasion, and currently, in the Houston craigslist, there is a very nice indy body for $300..... I know of a big foot kart,in great condition.... BUT the dude wants like $2500......
No thanks.....
What do you like, kart wise...... ? Off Road, street? You could build a street deamon, with twin 212's pushing 20+hp, on a street frame, so you can do donuts and burn outs.... ?! Picture, doing a burn out while going in a circle AROUND one of your other members in their kart......
Again,..... So what tickles your fancy........ ?

 

[rhino1]

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200612656_200612656

That's what I want to build out of fiberglass to put in parades. I'm guessing that would be an offroad style kart. It would be for the street though. If I could make one of those do donuts, that would be awsome. The kids at the parades would love it. I know I don't want to build it big enough to completely enclose me inside. I'd be ok with my head and shoulders sticking out so I can shake hands and high five the kids. A couple of the guys have trucks and mini choppers and mini bikes. We even got a John Deere lawn mower on 35s. Just thought that tonka truck looked cool.

 

[firemanjim]

Uhh, YEAH! I like it! Well, how about pop wheelies? Maybe ride some long wheelies, on wheelie bars(sic?) ?? I don't know about doing burn outs though....
Build. The basic frame from steel. The truck body out of thin paneling and wood. Then fiberglass it... (or mostly resin)
Yep, it's definitely doable.... Question now is, can YOU do it? You haven't told us much about you so we don't know where you're at as far as building things / mechanically inclined.... Will help you with what we can though, that's for sure...
I'd sell you one of these bodies, below, but I won't be making any till after new years. Most likely, around February / March.....

EDIT
Just read your profile page.... I don't need to tell you how to make. The body...... We will stick with the actual kart stuff..... LoL

 

[rhino1]

Haha, yeah, I've had the fiberglass itch a few times in my life, and bondo boogers.

I was thinking the same thing as far as using some thin wood paneling and glass/resin to make it stronger and protect it from the elements. Just need to keep it light. I've never built anything of this nature before. I've built a few small panels and what-not, but never anything this big. Nor have I ever built a chassis for anything before. But it really doesn't have to have suspension travel or anything fancy, so I guess that makes it easier. But who knows, by the time I'm done day dreaming, it might have a/c and hydraulics.............

I'm excited to do it tho. Can't wait to get started

 

[firemanjim]

Ok, first thing you need to do is decide how big its really gonna be.... And what tires you want to use. Big off road type, industrial looking preferred. That's gonna tell you how big the frame will need to be, as well as give you an idea for how big the body needs to be, to look right scale wise.....
There is a lot to consider here before you actually buy or build anything..... I suggest getting a spiral notebook, and start drawing what you want, keeping tire size in mind. Plan it out as much as possible because there will be mistakes. It happens. But if you're lucky, you'll catch the majority of them before you even start building.....
Speaking of tires. Big tires equals the necessity of a torque converter. That's what's gonna help you push the big tires around, and give you the grunt you need to pop a wheelie, along with leverage. You need to have a lot of the weight on top of or just behind the rear axle. With the body design. The. Dump bed will be your seat. Using your body weight, you should be able to hit the throttle and lean back for "wheels up action"...
This is going to be a fun build.....

 

[rhino1]

Ok, Ill start sketching it out. Thanks,