Soapbox racing anyone?

[Cotmullion]

This may seem a little out of place for this site, but I've loved soapbox racing for years. However, it isnt the childish, fathermade, slow, straight line driving, ugly, safe ones I love, but the more creative and dangerous. This is what I mean www.sfvisbf.com/main2.html

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljOcB7Si5dw

I know it dosen't have an engine but there are garage made, motorless 'Soapboxes' which have reached 60mph! Heres a few pictures of mine. I just want people to be aware of the fun that no motor can bring.

 

[Kenny_McCormic]

Thats crazy.

 

[oscaryu1]

I have just fallen in love o.o

I've always had throttle sticking on engines. It's scary when you're Clone's doing like 5500RPM and your solder-throttle cable gets stuck, and you "forgot" to wire up that kill switch.

And starting gas scooters with a throttle at WOT.

Hehe, I love it. Looks like those guys put more money into those frames then we do engines

 

[Russ2251]

My first gokart was a converted soapbox racer.
With .8 hp (no clutch) it would go 18 mph.

 

[jr dragster T]

Me and some freind' built a soap box car last year at school. It hit around 27 MPH in the straight away's.

 

[Kenny_McCormic]

My first gokart was a converted soapbox racer.
With .8 hp (no clutch) it would go 18 mph.

Details?

 

[kibble]

That's gotta be the most insane thing I've seen.. in the past few days...Insanely fun looking that is!

 

[Cotmullion]

My soapbox pictured has reached 18 mph and that was before the steering wheel was added. I am yet to try it with the steering wheel, as you won't get speed wobbles and can reach higher speeds without crashing (pictured). 18 mph is quicker than it sounds!

 

[Russ2251]

Details?

I just bolted a Briggs 5s (I still have it) to wood frame. Old semi-pneumatic
reel mower wheels were used along with a ½" bore direct drive sprocket and #35 chain.
It was so pathetically simple. One wheel drive with no brakes and no throttle linkage (hand operated). Steering was done with feet. The whole thing was just held together with wood screws and nails.
Most fun I ever had. The ultimate diy gokart.
Original engine (c. 1957):

 

[Jerryburger]

We need to start a Cast Iron B/S thread somewhere. Reason being that they're very interesting and unique motors, and not a lot of people have seen them. Sorta like the Maytag 2-strokes.

 

[Russ2251]

We need to start a Cast Iron B/S thread somewhere....not a lot of people have seen them

I have many, including 2 or 3 washing machine engines.
They just don't ever die.

 

[Jerryburger]

I have many, including 2 or 3 washing machine engines.
They just don't ever die.

And it seems to me, that's what makes them the LITERAL utility engine. I'm pretty sure no-one gave a moment's thought to putting one on a gokart or minibike in B/S's engineering department! I think they were intended as a gas powered replacement for a single-speed electric motor! (Explains the carbs!)

 

[Jerryburger]

ooops. I'm hijacker. Sorry. Down in AZ, you'd think we have good hills for this sort of thing, but it's pretty flat and hills aren't long here. Up in Spokane, there was a road that went from 2 ponds and twisted down the side of a hill in Lincoln Park. You guys would've loved it. We'd try to coast it the whole length on our bikes without using the brakes, and it was responsible for more than one pair of soiled underpants!

 

[Russ2251]

I have a 1947 B&S model ZZ. Weighs in at 130 pounds with only 8 or 9 hp.
This thing is just plain big. Takes about 15 minutes to warm up. The flywheel alone weighs more than a current B&S 5 hp engine. Came off of a Sears lawn tractor.

 

[Kenny_McCormic]

Dad has a EARLY briggs mod 23, missing info plate but judging by parts catalogs and construction it was one of the first. Weighs a good 100lbs, should split logs nicely compared to the pos aluminum 1970 briggs 8hp that burns so much oil the engine cant handle eating all of it and drips on the ground from the PCV hose. But said POS still fires right up every time???

 

[newrider3]

Briggs flattys are just like that. They'll run until something seizes or snaps.

 

[2or3wheels]

I JUST REMEMBERED my dad saw a real old, washing machine motor in garbage and grabbed it i gotta go get it ill get some pics.

 

[Russ2251]

saw a real old, washing machine motor in garbage and grabbed it

Both of these run like champs:

 

[2or3wheels]

ok got some info, has ID tag, says on tag series 95900. WI for model. Its a briggs 4 cycle, thats what it says on shroud. any info mr.russ?

 

[Russ2251]

The WI and WMB (my left pic) were both manufactured around the same time. Between 1938 to 1957. Only difference is a slightly different crankcase. Number 95900 indicates October, 1948.