Overgrown go-kart
From: Nickcleak@aol.com
Date: Wed, 24 Mar 1999 15:30:44 EST
Subject: [imps] Home made specials
I must add my Imp special to the list:
It's an Imp powered go-kart, well an overgrown go kart: it's 9 ft long and just under 4 ft wide. I built it in 1976 with a ladder frame chassis and mounted an Imp engine and transaxle in the rear. It will seat 3 and do wheelies with 3 on board, great fun in a straight line with a 70 bhp motor weighing just over 300 kg.
The cooling is by way of the frame tubes, goes up one side and down the other side of the chassis.
Rear suspension is solid - the front uses a simple beam axle pivoted in the centre.
I used it to trundle through the local woods, and blasting down the forestry tracks. There are two levers on the rear imp brakes to work the hand brakes independently, so if a wheel got stuck in the mud you could apply the brakes and get some traction out ..
Steering column is shorted with the Triumph Herald universal joint as recently described by Andy ..
The front has a towing socket , so it is just lifted up and connected to the car and you tow it to the destination , i towed it with my imp at up to 90 mph !
It's been in the garden unused now for several years , the chassis is fine. If anyone wants it they are welcome. The chassis will need cleaning and painting ( it's galvanised ) and it will need modifying to suit you , seat etc. Just consider it as a chassis ... but you will need to supply your own imp bits , ie engine and transaxle , front hubs , steering rack.
An Imp pedal box will bolt straight in . The driveshafts are as short as they can be , i have modified standard ones .
There ar no front brakes , no point really due to the considerable rear weight bias , i guess there are 30 or 40 Kg over the front wheels , enough not to cause any problems in normal use .. the brakes stopped you fine ..
Wheels , 10" mini on the front will be needed , and standard 12" Imp on the rear
This fun machine has had considerable abuse over the last 20 years or so , and the strength has been well tested !
a gallon of fuel lasts the afternoon ...
i believe there are 800 miles on the speedo !