want to build a go cart very cheap

[Doc Sprocket]

OUCH!!! Don't drink and drive?

 

[OzFab]

How fast was he going? Just wondering because I stoved in the front of my kart a good 4-5" when I nailed a tree at 50 km/h and it's made out of heavy wall 1" round (~3/16" wall)

Nowhere near that fast, probably only around 10 - 15mph but still a pretty decent hit.

If you hit a tree doing 50km/h in anything, it's gonna bend

 

[exenos]

OUCH!!! Don't drink and drive?

Na, I was still fine tuning the steering and the cart was all over the place at anything past 15km/h, but me being me I couldn't pass up the opportunity for a full speed run.

 

[beastmode986]

ill be getting my welder tuesday. ill probably use 1 1/2 with a 1/16 wall for the fame itself and the design everything else with 1'' with a 1/16'' wall.

 

[spongerich]

In reference to the OP's original question about using wood for the frame. There's precedent for wooden frame high performance vehicles.

Morgan has been building cars with ash frames for close to 100 years. They use an ash / aluminum sandwich. Probably not a DIY proposition and probably more costly than steel, but it can be done.