EXO Car/Death Karts

I have been researching Death karts for a while, joined the FB group and have read the handful of LS1 Corvette karts on this forum. I have some dumb questions: I would be using it as a track car. Has anybody legally drove them on the street (drive to and from the track event)? Registering and insuring state of Ohio? I would assume at the least brake lights and turn signals would be needed. If it rains, is there a rain setup needed given that the engine is open to the elements? In karting we would put a rain filter on, at the end of a race I would drain the fuel and oil just incase water made its way into anything. Spray everything down with WD40 and/or fogging the engine. 

I know Go_Gators' kart is street legal as he drives it to work and I've ridden in it on the street.  That said we live in the land of Florida man so take that for what it is.  I have heard that some states require that the car be identifiable as the car on the title.

Being an Ohioan, I suspect registering and insuring them here is something of a don't ask/don't tell situation, and hope it doesn't bite you.

What are these Death karts of which you speak? 

And if you are worried about getting it registered, have you considered that track organizations may not want it on their track?

Didn't the guy that built the OG youtube famous "death kart"...die....in his kart?

z31maniac said:

What are these Death karts of which you speak? 

And if you are worried about getting it registered, have you considered that track organizations may not want it on their track?

Generally, they are some normal car, stripped down to near the absolute essentials for it to still be drivable.  With a Vette, it usually doesn't take much to make it  as safe as an Exocet on track, since they tend to have a decent structure, and a targa roof.  For a lot of other cars, it is a hacked up unibody car(no more body panels, roof cut off, and as much as possible removed after the rear wheels) with a sketchy cage, or in rare cases, a decent cage.  I'd kind of like to do it someday, but have a lot of better things to do carwise, first.

I saw a few of them around a few years ago at some Cars and Coffee-type events, but they seem to have disappeared after the guy iansane is talking about died.  I still think a C4 vettekart could be an entertaining constructor class rallycross car.

In reply to iansane :

Man Who Built 'Death Kart' Exocar Killed After Head-On Accident He used a Honda Civic, I was thinking a Vette. On track I would think it's safer then a open wheel car if built properly.

In reply to trigun7469 :

Yikes. That doesn't look like anything I'd want to drive on the street. But then I've become soft and don't even ride sport bikes anymore. 

trigun7469 said:

In reply to iansane :

Man Who Built 'Death Kart' Exocar Killed After Head-On Accident He used a Honda Civic, I was thinking a Vette. On track I would think it's safer then a open wheel car if built properly.

Honestly, his car is a great example of what is wrong with so many of these "cars." 

The bodies/frames have no structure.  Know what one of these needs? Triangles. Every damned node should have a minimum of three beams/trusses coming off of it.

Look at the post-wreck images in the video on this link posted.  Windshield folded flat and the backhalf just folded up. The frame was more a suggestion than anything structural.

If you have the skills to do it properly, get welding.  If you've got more enthusiasm than skill, maybe just get a Miata and shove a bigger motor in.

In reply to z31maniac :

Just having a mid-life crisis at age 40 

trigun7469 said:

In reply to z31maniac :

Just having a mid-life crisis at age 40 

I'll be there in about 2.5 weeks! 

Still trying to decide what to do. I really need to get less fat and buy a Ducati, always wanted one when I had the R6. But now a $20k+ motorcycle seems silly. Especially because it means the better half will want a scooter..........and I just don't trust those things. They don't have the power or maneuverability to get out of trouble like a sport bike. 

Mr_Asa said:

trigun7469 said:

In reply to iansane :

Man Who Built 'Death Kart' Exocar Killed After Head-On Accident He used a Honda Civic, I was thinking a Vette. On track I would think it's safer then a open wheel car if built properly.

Honestly, his car is a great example of what is wrong with so many of these "cars." 

The bodies/frames have no structure.  Know what one of these needs? Triangles. Every damned node should have a minimum of three beams/trusses coming off of it.

Look at the post-wreck images in the video on this link posted.  Windshield folded flat and the backhalf just folded up. The frame was more a suggestion than anything structural.

If you have the skills to do it properly, get welding.  If you've got more enthusiasm than skill, maybe just get a Miata and shove a bigger motor in.

And this is why I'm not against some level of approval for modified vehicles.  No I don't want the government interferaing with my hobby, but it's like coal rolling (coal trolling?)  A few idiots make such a big thing of it that it get's national level (bad) attention.  While a 30 year old NA Miata with autocross stickers is about as far as you can get concept wise from rolling coal, the general public sees both of them as 'modified cars' and the dicks will one day ruin it for the rest of us.  Same with these stupid home built exodeathsh!tboxmachines.  One or two idiot's build utter crap with no concept of triangles and cold welds at every joint guarenteed to fail in an accident, then they kill themselves.  How do you seperate a death kart from an Exocet or Arial Atom?  In the publics mind I guarentee they are exactly the same thing.  I'm sorry for the families of people who have died in these things, but those owner/builders human sacrifice is one more nail in the coffin of all car mods.

Stepping down from my soap box now.

In reply to Adrian_Thompson (Forum Supporter) :

https://honda-tech.com/articles/crash-kills-man-in-home-built-civic-exocar/ This article addresses the issue. From what I have seen with these car having the proper cage design and thickness should be common sense. I also think a proper fuel cell is a no-brainer, and think a slingshot is far more dangerous head to head. The fact that he was ejected out of the car should question if he was properly belted.

z31maniac said:

Still trying to decide what to do. I really need to get less fat and buy a Ducati, always wanted one when I had the R6. But now a $20k+ motorcycle seems silly. Especially because it means the better half will want a scooter..........and I just don't trust those things. They don't have the power or maneuverability to get out of trouble like a sport bike. 

Sorry honey, a Vespa is just too dangerous.  You need a GSXR-1000 instead. :)

As for "death carts", I'm not sure if they actually lap faster at a big track or not.  Yes you're losing a few hundred pounds of weight, but you're adding a LOT of drag.

This one just popped up near me, haven't seen a Z based one till now.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/483357086519630/

In reply to johndej :

From the pics it looks like they cut out a cage from a circle track car, then replaced some of the driver side tubing (maybe the cage was wrecked in the front) I also see the radiator that is zipped tied to the front bumper bar and it doesn't run lolz. 

In reply to johndej :

I like the lead in the description; "Hot Boy Starter Pack" 

This doesn't look extremely well executed but the price seems right.

I have a 3 series kart, so let me help you where I can.  Unless your state has laws about a car needing a roof, doors, or a trunk you should be fine. I have found that unwanted attention is my biggest problem, and it guides when and where I drive mine on the street almost as much as the weather.  If i did have to drive it in the rain I would just try not to stop, if you keep it above 60 the occupant areas will likely stay dry-ish. Thats been my experience in other convertibles. If you are really worried, just make a new hood from sheet, and put it on when it looks like rain.

The Zoomboni is basically a death kart.  I autocross it but I don't drive it on the street and I'm hesitant about taking it out on a real race track because I have no idea how it would do in a big hit/tumble.  It feels solid for sure, but like a Lotus 7, there just isn't any space between the driver and someone coming at you from the side.

My stalled build is here, a Corvette Kart. More tube-frame race car than most that I've seen built. I scratch my head all the time when I see one of those cobbled together death traps posted online.

I still have the title to the original car, so eventually mine will be 100% street legal, registered and insured in PA.

In reply to trigun7469 :

The rusty Z cart reminds me... Do you have a dedicated space where you can keep this cart indoors, all the time, without exception?

No safety or security (or dryness) for a car with no windows and a general lack of sheet metal. 

John Welsh said:

In reply to trigun7469 :

The rusty Z cart reminds me... Do you have a dedicated space where you can keep this cart indoors, all the time, without exception?

No safety or security (or dryness) for a car with no windows and a general lack of sheet metal. 

Costco.  Pair of 14'x16' tarps, $19.99