building a go kart

[Jarrett]

Alright, suppose I wanted to build a go-kart with a 5hp lawnmower engine. We'd have to find a way to change the horizontal circular rotation to a vertical circular rotation and need to know if there's any way I can cheat and not have to buy or make a differential. Or is this whole thing undoable without a go-kart engine designed to be run vertically?

[Slateboy]

I think you've got your vertical and horizontals mixed. Dingo carts run off a belt driven, centrifical clutch, on a horizontal motor.

Get a rotary. Small, yet powerful. I've seen those done.

[Jarrett]

Well the reason we were asking about the lawnmower engine is because we have access to a 5hp lawnmower engine to use.

[mayberry]

i was just at mid ohio raceway in lexington ohio. a friend of mine is sick into go kart racing. its ridiculous. but anyway he runs twin pirellas on a lay down kart and hit 185 on the back straight. these things redline at 17,000rpm. impressive if i say so myself. anyway u can build a kart for about 500-1000 depending on what you can find used. if your really serious i can ask him about who has some stuff for sale.hit me up on aim-newskoolhippy

[Slateboy]

Yea, you don't want to build a gocart around a shitty motor. If you're going to do it, do it right the first time. I think motorcycle motors are ideal. I've seen one from a GSXR motor.

You probably won't be able to use that lawnmower motor.

[XLR Azn]

Here's a go kart with a Ducati 748 motor.

[mayberry]

what cracks me up about alot of these go-kart guys is that they have all this cash tied up in their karts and the tracktime. you dont win any money. theres no purse. i mean.....for the love of it is one thing, but not when you have over 10k wrapped up in a go kart.