Young Kart Enthusiast looking for info

[Jeff Campbell]

Ryan,
If you just want a kart to just bang around the yard with, and are ok with the speed of a 5hp briggs ... my advice would be to sell your Dart kart for what its worth, you will have more than enough money to buy a great used fun kart with a briggs on it.

Jeff

[Ryan Burman]

im not looking for a beater its just i dont think i can afford the motors u guys run it is a hobby i want to get into cause well i dont have much else i can get into hotrodding cause the price of that went through the roof and the styles i want are just not attainable for a kid like me i figured vintage karts were the next best thing.i just need some help which is why i was gonna show up to the next big meet in fremont ohio caus e im from pandora to get input and help.i love traditional rodz and customs and this paticular kart i just cant let go of for some reason its my chance to finally have something vintage.i just need some help as for the dude with the motors i will contact u. By the way any parts donations will be accepted with great appreciation im not just gonna take them and sell them i plan on becoming a part of the karting community thanbks to rob jeff and virgil.

[ted johnson]

Ryan, look for a solid West Bend engine. It won't be too expensive to buy or to maintain. If you install a Briggs, it won't be eligible to run at Fremont, or at most vintage events. Most vintage events are 2 cycle only. The West Bends are plentiful, and parts and gaskets are available. There are tons of good parts and engines for sale at the vintage karting events at good prices. Several people have tables at Fremont selling used pieces. The guys there are friendly and helpful, and glad to see young karters! Ted

[Jeff Campbell]

Ryan,
OK, now I understand what you want to do. If you can wait, come to the next Big One in Fremont on Labor Day this year ... you will get lots of willing help and advice, and its one of the biggest vintage kart swap meets for the parts you will need.

If you are willing to do some engine work, you can build your own motors from parts. Old West Bend, McCulloch, Homelite...etc, parts can be taken off many old chainsaws for cheap .. and built into nice kart motors. Below is an example of a motor I built to take to TBO last year in Fremont. The basis for this motor was a $35 box of parts bought at TBO the year before.... and just one of these motors would meet your desire to run 50mph (which BTW isn't going to happen with a stock 5hp Briggs, those motors don't run 90mph around a 1/10 oval as some might insist, LOL!!!).

CLICK HERE to watch in Large HD Video mode (requires high speed Internet connection)
CLICK HERE to watch in Large HD Video mode (requires high speed Internet connection)

So, you probably don't have a lot of money to spend, but if you do this project right, in the end you will have a valuable kart.

Jeff

[Ryan Burman]

Well im gonna get the frame prepaired for tbo and just as a challenge ill bring money and try and get a westbend together by the end of the show it could be fun evn if i dont there is always next year i plan on biding my time and waiting for the right parts. Also how do i remove the rear sproket hums off the axle so i can sand blast the frame withpout hurting the bearings in the hubs? and is it ok to make a leather diamond pattern pan cover to cover the beat up floor pan cause there is no way to get this thing back into shape without really stretching the metal and the it would just look worse.and would it be ok to put some snaps like whats on a cloth bed cover through the pan to keep the mat in place?

[Rob Voska]

If your not going to replace the floorpan a lot of the early karts had coverings on them. My Hoffco has carpet (not shag) but it looks fine.

[Jeff Campbell]

Ryan,
To strip the frame down for blasting and painting, I think you want to just take off each of the rear wheel assemblies, the sprocket should be attached to the wheel and slide off with it. Usually those type of sprocket hubs bolt onto the wheel using the same bolts that hold the 2 piece wheel halves together ... let the air out of the tier, and unbolt the wheel bolts ... it should all come parts for restoration work.

Even if you don't finish the kart, bring it to the TBO anyway.

Anyone,
What are good sources for that rubber mating material that can be used for covering up the floor pan? (I need some also, for a Bug Wasp project).

Jeff

[Rob Voska]

Hardware store, flooring store. It's floor runner for the winter to keep floors dry. They sell it by the foot.

[Ryan Burman]

Well ive done the but the the bolts you are speaking of are part of the hub that houses a set of bearings inside. Whel i take the nut off the exle i can slide a little 1 inch spacer the keeps the hub staight on the axle out and then i can move the hub aboue 3/4 of an inch then something stops it from going farther. ive tried both sides and both are the same i havnt gotten out a hammer because i dont want to damage the hub or bend the sproket out of shape.Any other suggestions?

[Rob Voska]

DO NOT use a hammer. Can you post a few pictures?