Bored with pedals, I decided to paint the go-kart frame.
This is the 2nd incarnation. I had some John Deere yellow tractor paint, which I'd painted over some Bilt Hamber Electrox primer (good stuff, the Bilt Hamber). The yellow looked really pissy (forgive the expression), so a new plan was hatched. Given we have a Kubota mower, I thought maybe it would be good to get some of that paint and use it for the kart. So that's what I did.
There was much other work that went on after that, but for whatever reason, I didn't have my phone handy. So, I've nearly finished the pedals(!), panelled out the floor, and painted the bolt on components in deep Ferguson grey. I've gone with tractor enamel because I hoped it would be hard wearing. It's not proved the case so far, with it easily chipping and losing its finish fast. Hoping the paint will harden off over the next few weeks. Got some touching up to do even so.
So where are we now then? Well, we're here:
This is the little patch of grass outside the workshop. The two hop-ups are what the kart was sitting on as I built it up. You can see that it's pretty close to being done now. It would be a little further on if the cheap and very crappy chain tool I had from ebay had actually worked and I'd got the chain on. As it is, it's at a point where probably a good day with a following wind will see it done. The main obstacle is the brakes - I've got a couple of braided hoses to make, and some copper brake pipes to bend up and lay down. Then the throttle linkage and pedal stop to make (completing the pedal box finally).
Here are some other pics:
I feel a little ashamed - I've taken so long over this that the adjustable steering column (it adjusts for height) didn't need to be adjustable for the boy to use the kart. He's grown!
The fuel tank had to be split from the engine - the seat gets in the way. Looks good in that black against the orange. The back of the seat looks a bit 'home made' - I should have covered the whole back in red vinyl...
The rear track looks narrower than the front. It's not - it's exactly the same. Having said that, it doesn't 'look' quite right, so I'm thinking about how I can extend the axle. Perhaps a winter project.
One feature this view gives is the panelling underneath the sprocket and brakes. One most karts I've seen this isn't bothered about (e.g. I spend lots of time on Cars and Cameras Rather B Welding and Build Break Repeat channels on You Tube). I think that can't be good for a chain. I used to run motorcycles and getting dirt and grit in chains isn't good for them at all. So I've built a 45 deg angle fore and aft and a plate underneath to protect those components. I didn't weld those tubes on though - made up some brackets so that the tray can be removed to mess about with chain etc. if necessary.
Apologies for the background on the last few pics - the junk pile will be piled into a skip. Just waiting for some other rubbish to join it from next stages of house renos....
This is the 2nd incarnation. I had some John Deere yellow tractor paint, which I'd painted over some Bilt Hamber Electrox primer (good stuff, the Bilt Hamber). The yellow looked really pissy (forgive the expression), so a new plan was hatched. Given we have a Kubota mower, I thought maybe it would be good to get some of that paint and use it for the kart. So that's what I did.
There was much other work that went on after that, but for whatever reason, I didn't have my phone handy. So, I've nearly finished the pedals(!), panelled out the floor, and painted the bolt on components in deep Ferguson grey. I've gone with tractor enamel because I hoped it would be hard wearing. It's not proved the case so far, with it easily chipping and losing its finish fast. Hoping the paint will harden off over the next few weeks. Got some touching up to do even so.
So where are we now then? Well, we're here:
This is the little patch of grass outside the workshop. The two hop-ups are what the kart was sitting on as I built it up. You can see that it's pretty close to being done now. It would be a little further on if the cheap and very crappy chain tool I had from ebay had actually worked and I'd got the chain on. As it is, it's at a point where probably a good day with a following wind will see it done. The main obstacle is the brakes - I've got a couple of braided hoses to make, and some copper brake pipes to bend up and lay down. Then the throttle linkage and pedal stop to make (completing the pedal box finally).
Here are some other pics:
I feel a little ashamed - I've taken so long over this that the adjustable steering column (it adjusts for height) didn't need to be adjustable for the boy to use the kart. He's grown!
The fuel tank had to be split from the engine - the seat gets in the way. Looks good in that black against the orange. The back of the seat looks a bit 'home made' - I should have covered the whole back in red vinyl...
The rear track looks narrower than the front. It's not - it's exactly the same. Having said that, it doesn't 'look' quite right, so I'm thinking about how I can extend the axle. Perhaps a winter project.
One feature this view gives is the panelling underneath the sprocket and brakes. One most karts I've seen this isn't bothered about (e.g. I spend lots of time on Cars and Cameras Rather B Welding and Build Break Repeat channels on You Tube). I think that can't be good for a chain. I used to run motorcycles and getting dirt and grit in chains isn't good for them at all. So I've built a 45 deg angle fore and aft and a plate underneath to protect those components. I didn't weld those tubes on though - made up some brackets so that the tray can be removed to mess about with chain etc. if necessary.
