Kicking around another hair-brained idea

Scott Danforth

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our neighborhood has a ton of golf carts running down the road. many with kids way too young to be on the street (another matter)

while I think of a pedestrian golf cart, some of the stretched ones, or some of the jacked-up top-heavy ones we see daily.... none of them appeal to me or the wife.

my hot-rod heart got to thinking.

a golf cart is rubbish from a chassis/suspension design perspective, and its sole design premise is to make a cheap cart that lasts 1-2 years on a course and it gets turned over to the aftermarket for neighborhoods, etc. and replaced.
a jacked-up golf cart is rubbish from a CG point of view. there are at least 2-3 accidents a week in the local communities involving carts tipping over.

So...... going to built a cart er kart.
however not picking from the golf cart chassis parts bin or the ATV parts bin
going to pick from the Karting/Indy light/formula ford/formula atlantic parts bin and the local salvage yard

IFS front suspension
IFS rear suspension
tubular chassis (thinking aluminum, may be stainless)
custom a-arms
coil-over shocks
sweet or appleton manual rack

Body will be fiberglass and wood. looking to make a woody wagon

was thinking manual transmission out of a FWD beater coupled to a motor - VW Fox 5-speed (like the Star Mazda series cars) or similar. however also thinking automatic as it would be nice not to need a clutch to run around the neighborhood. Motor may be as pedestrian as a V-twin out of a riding lawn mower

just kicking it around. may be a few years prior to building.
 

bruceb58

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I would make it electric with lithium batteries but that's just me.

Making my self a 560AH lithium pack for my travel trailer from cells from China....once they get here. Would be an easy task making them whatever voltage you want for your Kart!
 

sphelps

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Sounds cool ! Im really not to fond of gas powered golf carts . There loud and really jerky . At least the ones I have driven . I like Bruce’s idea of the batteries . As long as you can get the run time desired ..
I’m sure whatever you come up with will be well thought out and cool !
 

Scott Danforth

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Issue with battery packs is the weight..... weight is the enemy of all things holy

so, looking at a GEO Metro 3-cylinder driveline. this is the Suzuki G10 motor that was in the Suzuki Cultus re-badged by GM as the Geo

motor and transmission (auto or manual) with half-shafts and hubs weigh in at under 200# - fully dressed motor (without A/C compressor) with manifolds, flywheel and clutch is 130#. transmission is 54#. automatic motor is just under 100, transmisison is 75
that is 48-55hp and 4-5 forward gears and reverse.... and 6000+ RPM redline

not quite as fun as say.....
Not of particular help, but:

Nitrous 'Busa motor ;)

however should be able to run sound deadening and a decent exhaust to have reasonable quietness

add a 3 gallon fuel tank, the GEO radiator/fan, and plumbing and I am at 240-250#

as compared to

6 batteries (62# each), electric motor , transaxle, and controller for an electric cart weigh in about 450# the electric motor is only about 10hp

can get the weight down a bit with Lithium Ion, however the cost rises at the cube of the weight reduction.

Plus local CL ads I can buy a complete Geo Metro for about $500 as the A/C is out and the body has a few dents.
 

Scott Danforth

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Maybe a motorcycle engine?
Short of a big cruiser like a goldwing or BMW K1200, there is no reverse on their transmissions.

Not to mention people think they are made of gold. the goldwing hondamatic trans is about $1500, a good motor with wiring and ECM, etc. is about $1500. the motor and trans from a can-am spyder is a whole lot more

thought of a Kawasaki Voyager 1300cc (130hp, digital fuel injection). however that would be overkill and costly. a good running motor and trans will be $1500 minimum and that is a 35 year old piece of technology
 

Scott Danforth

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if I grab the Geo Metro driveline

Here is a master list of OEM wheels I found on a metro page that have the same bolt pattern as the Geo/Chevy Metro. The wheel bolt pattern is 4 X 4.5 or also known as 4 X 114MM.

1997 Acura- CL 16 x 6 (5 straight spokes)
1998 Acura- CL 16 x 6 (5 dual straight spokes)
1998 Acura- CL 16 x 6 (7 straight spokes)
1990-89 Acura- Legend 15 x 5.5
1996-95 Acura- TL 15 x 6 (5 straight spokes with groove)
1997-98 Acura- TL 15 x 6 (11 straight spokes)
1994-92 Acura- Vigor 15 x 6 (11 triangular slots)
1999-98 Chevrolet- Metro
1989-85 Chevrolet- Sprint
1991 Dodge- Colt Vista 13 x 5 (15 slots)
1993-92 Dodge- Colt Vista 14 x 5.5 (5 straight spokes)
1992-84 Eagle- Summit/Summit Wagon
1992-91 Eagle- Summit 13 x 5 (15 slots)
1993-88 Ford- Festiva 12 x 4 40mm offset
1993-91 Ford- Festiva 12 x 4.5 40mm offset (8 elongated triangle slots)
1997-89 Geo- Metro
1999-92 Honda- Prelude
1999-90 Honda- Accord (4 cylinder models)
1999-91 Hyundai- Elantra
1995-92 Hyundai- Elantra 14 x 6 (16 slots)
1995-92 Hyundai- Elantra 14 x 5.5 (7 curved spokes)
1998-96 Hyundai- Elantra 14 x 5.5 (5 straight spokes)
1999-90 Hyundai- Accent/Excel/Pony
1994-92 Hyundai- Excel 13 x 5
1991 Hyundai- Sonata 15 x 6 (18 rectangular slots)
1994-92 Hyundai- Sonata 15 x 6 (9 triangular slots)
1996-95 Hyundai- Sonata 15 x 6 (9 straight spokes)
1997-95 Hyundai- Sonata 15 x 6 (5 twisted spokes)
1998-97 Hyundai- Sonata 15 x 6 (5 straight single groove spokes)
1995-90 Hyundai- Scoupe
1992-91 Hyundai- Scoupe 14 x 5 (6 curved spokes)
1995-93 Hyundai- Scoupe 14 x 5 (5 curved spokes)
1998-97 Hyundai- Tiburon 15 x 6 (5 twisted spokes)
1998-97 Hyundai- Tiburon 15 x 6 (5 raised straight spokes)
1989-81 Mazda- 323/GLC
1985-84 Mazda- RX7 GSL-SE 14 x 5.5 40mm offset
1991-86 Mazda- RX7 14 x 5.5 40mm offset
1987-85 Mazda- 626/MX-6
1994-91 Mercury- Capri 14 x 5.5 45mm offset (16 holes)
1994-91 Mercury- Capri 15 x 6 45mm offset (3 curved spokes)
1994-91 Mercury- Topaz 14 x 5.5 (16 holes)
1998-92 Mitsubishi- Expo/Expo LRV/Vista Wagon
1994-92 Mitsubishi- Expo 14 x 5.5 (5 straight spokes)
1999-84 Mitsubishi- Galant
1991 Mitsubishi- Galant 14 x 5.5 (18 slots)
1991 Mitsubishi- Galant 15 x 6 (8 straight spokes)
1991 Mitsubishi- Galant 15 x 6 (5 straight spokes)
1993-91 Mitsubishi- Galant 14 x 5.5 (15 slanted spokes)
1992 Mitsubishi- Galant 15 x 6 (5 straight spokes)
1993 Mitsubishi- Galant 15 x 6 (8 triangular and 8 rectangular slots)
1993-84 Mitsubishi- Mirage
1993-91 Mitsubishi- 2000GTX 14 x 5.5 (18 slots)
1991-80 Mitsubishi- Tredia
1999-93 Nissan- Altima
1995-82 Nissan- Stanza
1991-84 Nissan- Maxima
1990-78 Nissan- B310/Pulsar
1989-94 Nissan 240sx
1989-94 Nissan Silvia
1986-82 Nissan- Sentra
1993-84 Plymouth- Colt
1985-79 Plymouth- Arrow/Champ
1999-89 Suzuki- Swift
1991-80 Toyota- Cressida
1985-80 Toyota- Celica
 

matt167

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Why not import a Japanese Kei car... Same size as the golf cart roughly ( 10' long, 50" wide, 660cc engine and parts can be had.

I have owned 2 of them, a Suzuki Carry ( cab over pickup ) and a Jimny ( Samurai's close cousin ).. The Jimny being turbocharged would keep up with traffic without a problem.
 

bruceb58

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A 13V 100AH lithium battery weighs between 25# and 30# and you can discharge it 100% without damage.

It now sounds you just want to get a gas car...Buy a used Smart Car! They are small and cheap.
 

Scott Danforth

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A 13V 100AH lithium battery weighs between 25# and 30# and you can discharge it 100% without damage.

It now sounds you just want to get a gas car...Buy a used Smart Car! They are small and cheap.
6 13V 100AH lithium ion batteries is $3200 not including the motor, transaxle, controller, etc. that would mean I need a budget in the 7k range

remember, I own a boat, so no extra cash.....

because the smart roadster never made it over here and the ones that did are in the $30k range. the smart city car (the fortwo over here) has the handling characteristics of a shopping cart with 3 bum wheels
 

bruceb58

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6 13V 100AH lithium ion batteries is $3200 not including the motor, transaxle, controller, etc. that would mean I need a budget in the 7k range

remember, I own a boat, so no extra cash.....

because the smart roadster never made it over here and the ones that did are in the $30k range. the smart city car (the fortwo over here) has the handling characteristics of a shopping cart with 3 bum wheels
I am currently building a 560AH 13V battery for around $1600. If you build it yourself, it's very reasonable.
 

Scott Danforth

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I am currently building a 560AH 13V battery for around $1600. If you build it yourself, it's very reasonable.
Im looking at spending about $1200 total on the whole Kart
 

aspeck

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Sounds like a fun cart, but it also sounds like something you would get in trouble with running it on the roads in this area.
 
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Scott Danforth

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Would that be street legal or just off road?
its surprisingly simple to make a golf cart street legal. turn signals, horn, seat belts and inspection
 

bruceb58

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its surprisingly simple to make a golf cart street legal. turn signals, horn, seat belts and inspection
Yep...my friend bought an electric cart(AGM batteries) that was once owned by the Peterson Auto museum. This thing is fast. It was used on an airport and never been registered for street. I added a horn for them and it already had the turn signals and brake/head lights. Registered it easily.
 
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