BB6-213

After many nights of loosing sleep thinking about how to make this $70,000 go-kart on a budget, I came across this genious kid who actually built one from scratch, and myself being a steel fabricator, and having enough spare parts to build a few cars, made me realize that this is a pretty doable project, and if I could just tackle sourcing the frame, everything else would be ease, so I guess I am just wondering if there is a frame kit (highly unlikley), or a place that would be able to take a CAD, such as the one below, and knock out the bent radiused pieces, and I do not have access to a tube bender, but all of the straight pieces I would have no problem making with the resources I have. So, if anyone has any insight, that would be great, because I would love to see a 700whp powerplant in a 1500lb car, might be kinda fun haha. Thanks guys.







With my Preludes motor being a canidate for the heart of this project



Modified by BB6-213 at 9:27 AM 11/2/2008

E-Rok

you could always just make a frame similar, doesnt have to be just like it or anything. custom bodywork or what?

BB6-213

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by E-Rok &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">you could always just make a frame similar, doesnt have to be just like it or anything. custom bodywork or what?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Yeah deffinatley, I will for sure be doing my own design on alot of it, I guess I am just trying to source out someone that makes or could make the main radiused tube, because once those 4 bars or so are all square and welded together then its just alot of strengthening and triangulation, and once I have that base, it will be much easier to fab the rest. As for the bodywork, when I got to that point I would like to try woking with some composites, possibly do some carbon fiber panels, but I will tackle that when I get there.

RC000E

I agree....you don't have to necessarily go off of rich kids design. Make something that better suits your tooling, and save a bunch of your budget.

Another good option is to take on partners to build it. I actually put together a 6 person team to add budget and resources for a similar project to this only on a smaller scale (kind of blend this and a shifter cart...and the middle sized hybrid that results is what I'm trying to build, but several fell off the boat.


Modified by RC000E at 8:55 AM 11/2/2008

BB6-213

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by RC000E &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I agree....you don't have to necessarily go off of rich kids design. Make something that better suits your tooling, and save a bunch of your budget.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Yes exactley. I just want to keep it fairley low cost, and I have huge access to alot of free tubing and material, and really, my major cost would be to mimic those main large fram tubes, so I will do some more research and see if I can get a rough length and radius for those and then go from there.

BB6-213

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by RC000E &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
Another good option is to take on partners to build it. I actually put together a 6 person team to add budget and resources for a similar project to this only on a smaller scale (kind of blend this and a shifter cart...and the middle sized hybrid that results is what I'm trying to build, but several fell off the boat.


Modified by RC000E at 8:55 AM 11/2/2008</TD></TR></TABLE>

Thats exactley what I was planning on doing, myself and Bryson (boostwerks.com) were going to pick up a 600rr motor and make an SAE style car, but I just think a two seater with a full sized honda powerplant that you could actually take on the road legally, would be just amazing, so I am leaning more towards the atom style.

k24em2

http://www.tmcoinc.com/

This place is local to me, they have CNC tube bending and a CNC tube cutting laser.

BB6-213

Very nice. I might have to take a little trip up there once I get my dimensions.

*Boostwerks*

Friends don't let Friends drive stupid ariel atoms

BTW, I'm trying to find those cart pics right now.

toyomatt84

iTrader: (1)

You might also be able to look at Kit Car manufacturers, like Factory Five Racing, and see if they produce a chassis similar to what you're looking for.

phatrick2332

http://www.locostUSA.com

Their forums have a ton of info, and there are a few that are currently about atom style cars.

95greenlude

WTF happened with the prelude

BB6-213

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 95greenlude &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">WTF happened with the prelude</TD></TR></TABLE>

Still got it, just don't have the time or funds to finnish it up right now, hopfully should be ready by spring, But I just wanted to look into this project a bit more as I could work on it durring downtime at work, and I would prolly use a stock turbo H or K in the atom for initial build, which is still way down the road especially with the economy, but years down the road, it would deffinatley be fun to throw that setup in there.

*Boostwerks*

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 95greenlude &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">WTF happened with the prelude</TD></TR></TABLE>

He puss'd out.

BB6-213

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by *Boostwerks* &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

He puss'd out. </TD></TR></TABLE>

sympatico

This place does what you're requesting - custom made/designed frames built/designed to customer specification. I'm not sure where he's located, though.

http://3rotor.homelinux.net/

Tippyman

cough, better than an atom, cough

http://www.angelfire.com/biz6/stalkerv6/

toyomatt84

iTrader: (1)

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Tippyman &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">cough, better than an atom, cough

http://www.angelfire.com/biz6/stalkerv6/</TD></TR></TABLE>


Well, I wouldn't say better around a track.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAkUvVV9lrw

BB6-213

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by toyomatt84 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">


Well, I wouldn't say better around a track.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAkUvVV9lrw</TD></TR></TABLE>

Yeah, I deffinatley like the atom better.

jweller

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by phatrick2332 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">http://www.locostUSA.com

Their forums have a ton of info, and there are a few that are currently about atom style cars.</TD></TR></TABLE>

You beat me to it, but yeah check out the locost forums and the locost usa yahoo group. A lot of these are being build mid engine now, so your h22 and trans will fit perfectly

Tippyman

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by toyomatt84 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">


Well, I wouldn't say better around a track.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAkUvVV9lrw</TD></TR></TABLE>

You realize that the car you posted is a completely different car, right?

The car you posted makes:
Max Power (bhp/rpm) 210bhp @ 7600
Max Torque (lbs ft/rpm) 150 @ 6300

The car I posted makes:
260 bhp @5300 rpm
300 ft lbs of torque @ 3600 rpm

VERY Different vehicles.

The Super Stalkers walk Atoms. (At least any time the Atom has actually been shown at an event.) The main difference I've seen between a Super Stalker and an Atom is that people actually race the Super Stalkers! Every event where the Atom has been, it's either sitting in the pits looking shiny or it's getting beaten. They're still fast as ****, don't get me wrong, but these "homegrown" and CHEAPER Pontiac powered cars are ridiculous.

civdx94

both designs have there ups..Locost based kit cars have several variations none of which with many design changes. I personally can't stand the look of them, where as the atom i can tolerate but will never own either because they are WAY overpriced and have the aero of a brick...

For the original poster..it would be wise to determine what kind of cost you want to involve with the chassis. You can do a very basic,cheap, and fairly rigid lotus based space frame or a MUCH more expensive complicated version like the atom. When it boils down to it from a cost/benefit analysis you are probably better off going with the first option rather than over complicating things.

Tippyman

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by civdx94 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">...but will never own either because they are WAY overpriced and have the aero of a brick...</TD></TR></TABLE>

I wouldn't call 18K overpriced for a car that out-performs production vehicles costing over around 5 times that.

Aero is really a moot point when you have an absolutely stupid power to weight ratio and the car's center of gravity is basically perfect.

If you were to make a Lap Time to Money Spent ratio, I doubt you'd find a better car.

hybrid2007

There is a great build up on the Locost forum. Look for JonW's thread in the non-traditional build logs. You need to register to see the photos. It is well worth it!

.dave

I'd say Kb58's book is probably a good place to start. Search on here for his posts, he's the one that made the mid-engined H22 Mini.