Retired guy building junk

[Master Hack]

Hi All.
Hoping to learn the right way to do this stuff. Retired 3 years ago and srarted looking for a project.
Retired machinist, with a few machines and a pile of metal remnants, and 2 grandsons.
Started building karts with no real knowledge of the right way, just winging it. Then, l found l was having more fun building than the kid did driving! The red one was all scrap metal and used parts..
total cosr to build about $200. Built it in about 10 days. The other one took a little longer. It just went on its first test drive 2 days ago.

 

[Denny]

Yea, from what I see there’s no junk there. Most of us are old farts who enjoy building stuff. We also have some young kids who actually want to learn some skills. So Welcome to the madness, the nurse will be by with your coloring book and crayons later. Stick around and help the youngsters.

 

[Functional Artist]

Nope, your doing it ALL wrong

Your gonna, have ta start all over again

Yes,

 

[ezcome-ezgo]

Welcome! Couple of questions: 1) is that a flexible steering shaft on the red kart? 2) what sort of insanity is that second kart? Wow!

 

[Master Hack]

Thanks! No flexible steering shaft. I scored a bunch of 1 X .120 DOM tubing (about 500ft) for scrap price, so everything is made from that. The second one was a temporary lack of sanity, coupled with the need to build something crazy. That temporary lack of sanity has become more permanent. Plans are being laid to build #2 all over again and source a 750cc motorcycle engine to power it.

 

[Denny]

What you call a temporary lack of sanity is pretty much the norm here!! Looks like one heck of a kart/buggy. Actually both do!!
You should start a thread in the karts section detailing the builds with lots of detail pictures of both!

 

[Master Hack]

I didn't take pics during construction. I didn't think anyone would care! Just a few. During the darkest days of my insanity I thought it would be fun to see if I could squeak a bit more out of a Honda GX390. So I added a 30mm carburetor and a Mopar HEI ignition. The last pic Is part of kart #3, a total experimental electric yard kart. 24:1 gear reduction. As you can see the S**t rattling around in my head is pretty far out there!

 

[ezcome-ezgo]

This is exactly the kind of lunacy we are looking for. Please make an effort to allow us to crawl around in your mind during these dark journeys.

 

[Denny]

Ok, I’m impressed! I would like to know more about the Chrysler ignition how you adapted it. I have heard that the Mopar pickup and reluctor are the best. And the GM 4 pin module is even better, together they are an unbeatable combination for an ignition system for a car. But never heard of using one on an industrial engine.
Inside your mind must be a really fun place.

 

[Master Hack]

"Inside your mind must be a really fun place."
There is some weird stuff happening in there! most of this crazy stuff I try just to see if I can make it work. The Mopar ignition was done mainly to add some centrifugal advance to the ignition, for better performance at high RPM. I would be happy to share that bit of crazy with you, but I feel maybe we should move to another more appropriate section? this is getting rather long....

 

[Denny]

The GoKart or the engine section would be appropriate. Thanks!

 

[panchothedog]

MY GOODNESS, if that is what you call junk what does your good work look like? Leer Jet, Indy Car, Formula One. Very impressive, and WELCOME to the forum. I have 5 grandkids ( 2 boys and 3 girls ) I like to refurbish old karts and then build the engines to run as hard as I can afford to build them. Never fast enough. It has turned into a very enjoyable and satisfying hobby for me in my retirement. Keeps me very popular with them and it's just a whole lot of fun, weather I'm driving or just watching all of them rip around.

 

[Master Hack]

if that is what you call junk what does your good work look like?

What makes you think there is any good work?

 

[panchothedog]

Because the karts you have built and with ( NO REAL KNOWLEDGE ) are downright awesome for home built.

 

[Master Hack]

Well, thanks! I half expected to get the exact opposite here, cuz you guys know yer stuff, and been doing it for a while.
I came here to learn!
This isn’t my first rodeo. Built this thing and ran it until it became too hard to work on.

 

[Whitetrashrocker]

Man. That's just goofing off? I'm with the rest of these nuts. What do you do on a good day!.
Love the buggy. I'm wanting to do a shifter kart with that kind of insanity.
Hope to see more of your builds...

 

[Master Hack]

Hope to see more of your builds

I’ll be building another buggy like that one only, fixing the things that need improving. I’m looking for a 750cc or bigger MC power plant. Stay tuned.
Yeah l have an addiction now!

 

[panchothedog]

Yeah I have the addiction now. Yeah but it's more satisfying than drugs, plus
it's legal. And PROBABLY no more expensive.

 

[Functional Artist]

I've found that this "addiction" usually leads to storage issues.

Hello, my name is Kevin
...& I have a 40' storage container full of karts
...plus, (2) in the garage
...& um...maybe (1) in the shed

 

[Whitetrashrocker]

Nice little crawler there T.
Where was that at?