New member

[nickster_90]

Hello all thanks for the add! Im excited to get started on our family project. Im new to gokarts. However my 11 and 14 yo asked to learn to drive this summer so I figured we would start small ish lol I picked up a hot mess of a project at the time I had no idea what we purchased still not 100% i do know it is a murray or i belive it to be im just not sure if its an early explorer/red cart i know the original epoxy paint was red and that it has front and rear suspension possibly a killowat but the frame solid so not a bad start we have purchased a preditor 224cc and torq converter as well as new rear tires brakes tires and i have went threw all suspension. And bushing on the fram after we get it runing and enjoy it a bit i plane to disassemble last and repaint the fram.

 

[ezcome-ezgo]

Looks like a great project. Welcome to the madness!

 

[Denny]

Welcome! Nice project.

 

[panchothedog]

Way to go, Dad. They will be better drivers because of what you are doing. Not to mention having a lot of fun with that kart. Welcome to the forum. BTW, great engine selection.

 

[Hellion]

Sounds to me like your 11 and 14 year olds were asking to use the family car and actually drive.

While it is a noble thought to use a kart to stand-in for a car or as a teaching tool, I don’t really think a kart “translates” to an automobile all that well. They both have 4 wheels, engine and an (quasi) automatic transmission, but the power delivery or dynamics are way different between the two. Karts are at their best at maximum engine power, usually 3600 revs. You basically floor it to get it moving and back off a little but you basically use all the RPMs the engine can deliver and most of the time. That spot in the powerband is called the fun zone.

Your 14 year old, in my estimation, needs to start driving (a car) now. This is the head start time. Go find an empty mall or mega church parking lot and if the lot has islands (with shrubs or trees in them) the better it is, so use those things to mark your stop signs, intersections, etc. Get ’em started now with slow speed maneuvering and parking. What a pity it is that the manual transmission is such a rare bird in 2026. Now that is a tool for teaching fine motor skills, coordination/dexterity/modulation.… but I digress

Driving is a serious business and it makes me cringe that I joined the big world of high speeds, killer big rigs and sharing 3+ lanes with 80+mph homicidal retards with so little training or experience.

If you made it this far in my ramble…

 

[Hellion]

……after we get it runing and enjoy it a bit i plane to disassemble last and repaint the fram.

You’re well on your way; you have the engine and transmission type already settled. That’s good stuff and I fully support a repaint.

The kart IS a Murray, it appears to be a Murray Explorer. A quality, USA-made kart brand and some of the best ever manufactured. Please ditch the Bubba-fied automobile seat and go for something lighter, vinyl upholstered (so you can wipe the mud off) and one intended for karts. That thing looks nasty…

 

[nickster_90]

Yeah it is on the green side

 

[nickster_90]

Sounds to me like your 11 and 14 year olds were asking to use the family car and actually drive.

While it is a noble thought to use a kart to stand-in for a car or as a teaching tool, I don’t really think a kart “translates” to an automobile all that well. They both have 4 wheels, engine and an (quasi) automatic transmission, but the power delivery or dynamics are way different between the two. Karts are at their best at maximum engine power, usually 3600 revs. You basically floor it to get it moving and back off a little but you basically use all the RPMs the engine can deliver and most of the time. That spot in the powerband is called the fun zone.

Your 14 year old, in my estimation, needs to start driving (a car) now. This is the head start time. Go find an empty mall or mega church parking lot and if the lot has islands (with shrubs or trees in them) the better it is, so use those things to mark your stop signs, intersections, etc. Get ’em started now with slow speed maneuvering and parking. What a pity it is that the manual transmission is such a rare bird in 2026. Now that is a tool for teaching fine motor skills, coordination/dexterity/modulation.… but I digress

Driving is a serious business and it makes me cringe that I joined the big world of high speeds, killer big rigs and sharing 3+ lanes with 80+mph homicidal retards with so little training or experience.

If you made it this far in my ramble…

I do agree there is alot of difference in the two but I was thinking more about situational awareness type stuff though I will say the 14 yo has drove on a few occasions (grandpa's rural property parking lot by our house) and she scares the crap out of me lol and thpugh the manual is a relic of the past once im confident in their ability to drive we will throw them at the 65 f250 its a manual 4 speed!

 

[panchothedog]

Hellion, I disagree with your post # 5. While the amount of power is substantially different, and the amount of throttle input as well, once the youngster gets up to
15 mph or so, they have to start watching where they are going. Had both of my Grandsons in a kart on their own around their 5th birthday. Big open dry lake bed.
Set up 4 objects ( traffic cone, tool box, cooler, ECT ) to form a large oval. A few laps with Dad or Gramps riding shotgun ( 2 seater karts ) and turn them loose. They learn to watch for the corner marker, when to slow down, and when it's safe to throttle up. Awareness. Maybe it's just coincidence, but at 20 and 22 years old they are both excellent drivers and the learning curve of mastering a full size automobile was almost instant.

 

[Hellion]

I will say the 14 yo has drove on a few occasions (grandpa's rural property parking lot by our house)

There's 12 year olds out there in rural land driving full size tractors 'n stuff (and doing work). I just admire the 'starting them young' deal instead of this extended childhood we have here in this advanced 21st century.

Alright, cool. Now post a new thread in Go Kart Discussion or Project Log and add tons more photos. We like pictures and pitchers...

 

[Denny]