Building my own Go-Cart/Car

[Lee_J]

This is something i've been wanting to do for a long time.

And i think i'm going to start soon. All of the parts will basically come from the junk yard (to save tons of money)

It'll be a Bolt-Together steel frame, and it will have roll bars and the whole nine yards.

Anyone ever do this before? It's gunna be really cool, but will most likely take some time.

I want to put some sort of car motor in it. And hook up an exaust system and everything, man, that would be really cool.

Like a big 8 cylinder motor with lots of horses. and flowmaster mufflers and everything hehehehehehe.

Right now it's just a dream, but i am going to start up on the planning and a list of parts i'm gunna need and all.

Only problem i'll probably run into is getting the go cart thing to actually move lol.

I'm kind of new at the engineer thing/mechanic thing.

But hey, it can happen. I guess best thing to do is just look at other go carts, and see how everything is hooked up, and go from there.

Just wanted to post my thoughts.

Later

[MBTN]

If you want to make a go-kart, you would put something like a lawnmower engine in it, not a V8... I've built one before in a HS class back in the day. We got steel tubes and welded them together and put lawnmower engines in them. They topped out at about 30MPH but were very fun to drive.

[TheMan5952]

just make it a front engine rear wheel drive and you can make it a V-8 go cart. You will just need to find a short drive shaft and a narrow rear end.

[NeoFreek]

I have always wanted to build a go-cart. I just have never had the money or the time. I also don't have a place to drive it other than on my yard.

Don't go with a V8. Thats way to big for a go-kart. Usually you can pick up a go-cart with two people. But if you slap a V8 on you would be lucky with 5 people. A lawn mower engine should work fine. Or maybe and old motor cycle engine if you want some high speed.

[3.5litermoose]

V8???? i dont think so man. That would not work out at all. like the other guys have said, a lawn mower engine with 6 or 7 hp will make a go cart fly. A motor cycle engine would be really cool to if you could pull it off, because you could make the same type drive terrain as a motor cycle.
with a tube frame, this thing wont weigh much more than 75 pounds, with a lawnmower engine, under 200 easily. plus, you have to worry about how to stop, which i think would require alot of work as well.
My friend had one with a 7 hp lawn mower engine and a drum brake off of an 85 BMW 325. good luck on building this thing.

[Rgacke]

have you heard of Northern Hydralics (sp?)? they sell a lot of lawnmower engines and go-cart parts. I'm planning on building a go-cart too. Riding lawnmowers are also a good source of parts, steering rack, possiably wheels, axels and brakes