Thread: Vintage gokart build.

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I bought this old Mowett Mustang mower out of a junkyard a while ago since I knew they were used as gokart chassis in the 60's/70's.. Didn't really know what or when I was going to make anything of it, but found a friend who wants one for her kids so...

I have a 6.5hp Predator engine, and a length of 410 roller chain which might be long enough. I might even have a centrifugal clutch, but braking system and tires I don't have..

I'm thinking of cutting the frame up and extending it and building a T bucket body to fit it and then fitting the front of the hood/ grill and reshaping it to match the cowl of the bucket body.. The problem I see with this is, the oldest is 8 and the youngest is 6, so they are very different heights..

What do you guys think?. My friend just wants it nice.

Sounds pretty cool to me.

Sounds like a fun project.

"....The problem I see with this is, the oldest is 8 and the youngest is 6, so they are very different heights......"


When you figure out how to build it give the kids plenty of growing room, they will both go thru growth spurts, probably even while it's being built.


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Well, the kids can't know about it until it's done and she wants to give it to them in the spring/ summer so sizing them up will be impossible. I think I just need to make the seat adjustable, but I don't know where to start.. One is right around 4'10" and the oldest is a little over 5'

Don;t know if you saw my tot rod build, but their might be some ideas you can use there.

Grandkids Coaster Car build.

An adjustable pedal/steering column setup might be an option rather than or in conjunction with the seat.


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Is that a v8 or a v6 sitting in it?

Originally Posted by Mike P

Don;t know if you saw my tot rod build, but their might be some ideas you can use there.

Grandkids Coaster Car build.

An adjustable pedal/steering column setup might be an option rather than or in conjunction with the seat.


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I did see your build. Actually that's what got me thinking of the T bucket type body. Adjustable steering column sounds interesting.. If I split the column, I can use some DOM tubing with holes in it and pin it togther to make it adjustable.

I do like the idea of a wheelbarrow for the bucket, but I may just bend up some sheetmetal since I have a few sheets left from the rat rod..

Originally Posted by TomJ

Is that a v8 or a v6 sitting in it?

Lol.. 8hp Briggs that spins the wrong way

An easy adjustable seat might be something like the adjustments on my 37 Dodge PU. Basically the bottom of the seat has a 1 inch stud on each side. There are 3 corresponding holes on each side of the lower seat frame. To adjust the seat. you just lift the whole seat up and move it to the appropriate hole.


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That might be doable

A go-kart can be a neat project, but it seems to me that there are a lot quicker/easier ways to build one than starting with an old lawn mower that wasn't even much as a mower back in the day. Do you have plans for how these old karts were built using this kind of mower, or are you winging it?

I have seen a few. This is the only pic I can find right now, of how they were done..

Probably won't end up the same as how they used to be built. But I have the rear axle and a working steering system once I get it freed up.. I plan to extend the frame some and hang the front wheels in front of the grill but also have a tubular front bumper just in case.. I've heard that the karts were good to about 40 MPH in that as built configuration, so if I can get it to top out 20-25 MPH but have tons of cool factor, it would probably be better.

Cool project with neat old parts!

I used to have two of those Mustang mowers in working condition. Me and my ol lady would line up with me taking the deeper grass and mow/race down the long straight. She could never figure how I could always win on either mower. I never told her how to reach down and over ride the governor. Ha, that's still funny.

Is this what your shooting for

There is a guy down in Elkhart that has a Ford 4 cylinder on his Some get real wild.