Newbie from NJ

[gutterboy]

Hey, I’m new to the go-kart world, and after a quick google search I found you guys. I got two older karts from a neighbor for a price I couldn’t refuse, and I’m looking to rebuild them with advice and guidance from this community, if that’s cool. Not too sure who the manufacturer is on them, maybe you guys know. I guess they’re pretty old. I want to update them with newer parts. Trying to be as budget conscious as possible.

 

[landuse]

Welcome!

 

[Hellion]

Looks like a pretty good score. Not sure if they really need anything except an engine for the one; most of the ones people come to DIY for are stripped of all moving parts (nothing but a frame).

Not sure on manufacturer. Doesn’t your neighbor know what they are?

I can tell you that with the basic layout and the side “nerf bars”, at one time they had fiberglass car bodies on them, you know, like the replica mini cars the Shriners ride in parades and stuff.

 

[Hellion]

Fairly certain they were both manufactured by F.W. & Assoc., Inc. and the line is called Mini Cars. About 1980s vintage. They would have had bodies.

Not designed to exceed about 10-15 mph, so yes, they are for promotional use.
You can see why because the steering and some of the components are on the low end of precision and durability, e.g. not built for hardcore play and abuse.

Here’s a decent article on one of the cars:
http://http://bricklin-sv-1-build-history.com/photo_16.html

 

[JTSpeedDemon]

 

[mckutzy]

Hello and welcome...

Ahh yes.... Canada's car... The Bricklin Sv-1......

Seen one at a show once... what a wierd car... Kinda like a gull wing corvette....
Mostly fiberglass... very interesting....

As for you karts... those are pretty interesting too....they made a copy of such an odd ball car... for a gokart.... so cool...

 

[JTSpeedDemon]

Actually the Bricklin wasn't fiberglass.
It was a composite material(plastic).

 

[mckutzy]

Majority of the vehicle is, Composite yes....But the substrate layer is acrylic....Ironically enough... the resin used in the fiberglass material... is acrylic....

 

[Hellion]

Hey McK, I wasn't saying the OP's karts used to be Bricklin Mini Cars; that was just an example.

I will say the Bricklin is attractive in Mini Car guise. It's channeling features of the 1984 300ZX/1984 Ferrari Mondial (with the ugly USA bumpers)....but it was designed before all those...

The Mini Car Bricklin is authentic in construction though, constructed of fiberglass body over steel chassis....

 

[gutterboy]

Thanks for the info. Unfortunately the one that looks like a runner has a seized motor. I plan on replacing it and getting it going in the next few weeks. The other one has washers welded onto the axles to keep the wheels on. I’d like to put better wheels/tires on both of them, but my research tells me I need to get a live axle? I don’t have a welder, so I don’t think I could do that. I hate the hand truck wheels that are on them now.

 

[JTSpeedDemon]

You don't necessarily need a live axle, it all depends on what you want.
1WD like what you have now will give you a bit of torque steer, but is very simple and cheap, at a small expense of driving dynamics.
A live axle will hurt your turning circle, but will cost you upwards of $120.
If you want a live axle, you don't necessarily need to weld, you can also use bolt-on pillow blocks.

---------- Post added at 10:10 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:09 AM ----------

This article is pretty definitive: http://www.diygokarts.com/vb/showthread.php?t=7891

 

[gutterboy]

So, it’s possibe to put newer wheels on the existing axle? It seems the newer wheels all require “keys” for the axles that have the groove. These karts have axles without grooves.

 

[JTSpeedDemon]

They're supposed to.
You need to get freewheeling hubs, and the drive wheel hub needs to be double flanged like this one:https://www.bmikarts.com/Double-Fla...2-1316-Circle-Includes-58-Bearing_p_1651.html
The other rear wheel is basically the same as the two front ones: https://www.bmikarts.com/Galvanized...2-1316-Circle-Includes-58-Bearing_p_1652.html

 

[Hellion]

Sorry to hear about the dead motor. I’d check the oil to see if it was run on low or no oil then take it apart and find out what seized. Might just be the connecting rod at the crank and for a few bucks you might be able to replace the conn rod and clean up the crankshaft journal as it will likely have aluminum conn rod material ‘welded’ to it.

Don’t know what to tell you about the axles. You could conceivably get a live axle kit and pay to have someone weld it all up or just be happy with the one-wheel drive setup as-is.

Tell us what kind of rims and tires you’re into, but quite frankly it looks like you’ve got 8 good rims and tires all ready to go. A lot of people are into the 12” wide kart racing slicks but they look rather funny on yard karts but oh well.

I’d definitely upgrade the steering to the typical go kart adjustable tie rod type and ditch that rigid one piece rod with the slot and pin thingy.

 

[JTSpeedDemon]

Yeah that tie rod system is even more bizarre than mine!
Also, I'd highly recommend peeling up that carpet on the floorpan, 'cause the floor is probably GONE(rusted through) underneath.
I agree with Hellion that the slicks that are wider than they are tall look goofy on yard karts.
And they are also, to some degree, a safety hazard.
Because in a tight turn, the super wide, super-sticky slicks will have traction galore, but to the point where it won't drift if you tried, it will just flip.
Which is bad.
The skinnier ones like you have will just break traction and drift before that happens.
Hopefully.
Unless you plan to put engines with absurd amounts of power on them, I'd just stay one wheel peeling, unless you want to do mild "off roading"(which actually means yard & field use).