I started looking for a go-cart for my son this morning. Something to get him started, not a shifter cart or anything. I just want to start teaching weight transfer and threshold braking.
Do you think I am starting too early? I found out that we are having a boy at 8am and was on Craigslist by 9.
Ha! Good for you! And congratulations! BTW, I have an older Margay chassis I will sell you. I bought it when my twin boys were about 1 year old with the intention of shortening the frame so I could get them started early. We ended up moving to a place with a lot of land but now pavement, so I bought them an off road kart instead. I've had that chassis up in the loft of my barn ever since.
maybe a pinch too young.... but hey, means you can rebuild the cart compleatly before he starts to drive it
In reply to pinchvalve:
If I wasn't 62 I'd beg you to adopt me
Unfortunately my dad was totally against anything that could do bodily damage. He had a Cushman scooter when I was born and sold it when I was 5 because he saw me on it all the time and expected to have problems with me as soon as I weighed enough to push the starter pedal down. He was right of course but I've often wondered how my life might have been different if I could now tell stories about how my dad supported me in kart racing as soon as I could do it like so many successful race drivers today.
I did the same thing pinch, before I even found out ours to be was a boy, The wife basically had to fight me at Toys R us, because I was in the process of attempting to take their Power Wheels MINI display out the front door. I had already had calls in to find a suitable 12v wheelchair motor that was going to get a 24v upgrade. So- I understand.
Graefin10 wrote:In reply to pinchvalve:
If I wasn't 62 I'd beg you to adopt me
My parents were the same. But I had a morning paper route and got resourceful, ending up gathering enough parts out of garbage cans to build a mini bike. After that they started giving me a hard time because it was "dangerous", so I traded it for a go kart with a 15 hp engine on it. I think it was more dangerious than the 2-1/2hp mini bike, but they didn't know that. 
The sad thing to me is that it's nearly impossible for a kid to do something like that now.
mad_machine wrote:maybe a pinch too young.... but hey, means you can rebuild the cart compleatly before he starts to drive it
Seriously, I'll make you a good deal on it and can meet you inbetween Tallmadge and Pittsburgh. I may even be there in a month or so for an autocross and can bring it with me. Just call me an enabler.
CRG Bambino or Cadet karts rock
My son has a Cadet with 80cc Comer motor that we run up at OVRP as often as time/money permits. He has had it since he was 8 and at 11 it still fits him well. The Bambino is a little smaller so probably best for embryos.
I got a wrecked one, cut the front wheelbase short and left the rods long. First of all, long rods, but its obviously got a major toe out that goes great with the 11 horse Briggs. Now if id just get that carb working...
I've seen a kid at our local kart track in a kart that had a shorter wheelbase than it did track, and a gear on the axle that was the same diameter as the tires! Very cool. I'm pretty sure it had an adjustable wheelbase so the kart could get longer as the grommet stretches.
Keith wrote:and a gear on the axle that was the same diameter as the tires!
speed limiter?
I think the owner said it had a top speed of under 20 mph. That gearing was as low as it would go.
I also watched a dad teaching his kid to drive a kart in the pits with a rope tied around the back for runaway prevention. The lesson seemed to be driving around a pair of cones to get the idea of how everything worked.
Oh, and pinchvalve- I don't think it's too early.
When we have kids, they get powerwheels as soon as they can operate the television. It'll start out stock and slow, and as they get used to driving it, it will get modified. Eventually, my kids will be running 50 MPH down the road in a plastic car.
Youngest Auto crosser I have encountered
You should have started this process sooner. The kid will never be a champion.
AngryCorvair wrote:Keith wrote:and a gear on the axle that was the same diameter as the tires!
speed limiter?
Yeah. It also keeps them from burning out the clutches in tight parking lots where they are peddling the throttle. Spins right up to max RPM... the other interesting side-effect is that it makes the kart accel to top speed everywhere so they learn really fine throttle control and/or driving sideways if the ground is even a little damp or the slicks are cold.
My kid was driving sideways in the corners of our dirt driveway when he was 4 and hasn't looked back since. Only a matter of time before the lil rat's faster'n me down at the local kart track...
In reply to pinchvalve:
Congrats on the bambino!
You started looking just about a week to late, I just sold a complete kid kart rolling chassis for $150
When I found out six years ago that we were having a boy, I told the wife as soon as he turns four, he will be in a kart. Well he is now five and been driving for over a year. We have a garage full of karts, a 125cc shifter(for dad), my sons Top Kart kid kart, and another kart called a clone. The clone is a regular race chassis with a chinese honda 6.5 hp engine. We regularly practice and race up at Beaverun, you should stop up and see what its all about. From Carnegie your only about 30-40 minutes up the road! Hey once things settle down for you guys(ya right)
come on up to the track and your welcome to take any of my karts out for a spin and see what you get to look forward to.
Get some sleep you'll need it!!! Paul
Drift-Trike!
Better yet, powered drift trike!
http://www.instructables.com/id/Motorized-Drift-Trike/
