Kylemonkey Builds a Go-Kart (extended)

This project was done for a graduating grade at my high school. the grade on it was a 98% and i got a 95 on my speech (which was 12 minutes long.) this was the video i showed during my presentation.

this project took a total of 2 to 3 months of work, and i started with ordering a set of go-kart plance from Don's DIY Den (diyden.net.) The go-kart was origionally designed for a 5 horsepower motor, but i put in a monster 18 horsepower twin cylinder motor. it wasnt the BEST idea because the ngine is on the side and it is kind of off weight. other than that and the crappy breaks, there are no real problems with it.

The frame used mostly .095" one inch square tubing, and for the braces and brackets, i used 1/4" sheet metal.

All of the parts in which i did not build i obtained from northern tool (northerntool.com.) some parts like the front wheels and steering wheel, i got from friends or yard sales.

This thing started up the first pull and yes, i know the mixure is off, but once we got this thing working, it topped out at about 50 MPH, andhad real nice handling. not that great of a turning radious, but good handling.

the clutch was actually a belt clutch and i welded on a sprocket, and it worked perfectly. it is a single speed which is similar to second gear. im DYING for a two pully centrifugal clutch system so i can get all my horsepowers out.

i have done substantial work since this video. the front shocks DO look bent. theyre not. single A-arm suspentions do move around like that. i admit it does look dumb, SO i put some real beefy shocks up front, and it did give it a four or five inch lift. and now it doesnt look bent anymore. it went from lookling like
this:
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to this
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Rob and i welded on it using some TIG a lot of MIG, but mostly flux chore welding. i used PAC to cut some pieces and i used a hydraulic sheer to cut and bend a lot of the bracings, mounts, and brackets.