Cyclekarts: Simple, Fun Vehicles

That makes the rule list pretty simple.

1/4 Scale.

1/4 Budget.

Single cylinder industrial engine.

Must have functional brakes and mimic a vintage race car.

Pretty simple.

Now to find fat tire bmx bike wheels....

Are we going to track the budget like the Challenge cars. Fair market value for everything we already have on hand and receipts for everything bought?

In reply to Toyman01:

I would. Keep it honest. Ish.

Done.

Now I'm wondering if the GRM staff has any input. It is their event we would be crashing.

Or a dirt lot and some extra cones.

This will definitely need to happen. Maybe not this year, as were 60 days or so to the challenge.

I might be able to play next year. I have the torque converter that didn't fit the rallykart and I still have the snowblower engine that my father in law gave me six or seven years ago that probably still doesn't run but did have compression the last I checked. I need to fix the welder.......get a few projects done....and see how you guys solve problems so I don't have to figure out this stuff myself.

I say go with half budget. The cars are bigger than quarter scale... $500 is pushing it budget wise.

Seems to me that if you don't have a pretty serious spec, what's to keep someone from simply showing up with a hopped up clone Kart with "vintage inspired" bodywork? One has to consider what key parameters will create some semblance of a level playing field. As I see it will be the motor, the cg, brakes and how much rubber you can put on the ground. Control those and you'll still have a lot of room for creativity, but the performance spread won't be a joke. Also - this should be the one challenge event that actually has w2w racing.

What era?

In reply to coexist:

Pre WW2.

I like the frame work so far, but I think we need to firm up the rules a bit more.

Definetly firm up the rules.

Tire width and total weight limits would be a minimum.

Toyman01 wrote: In reply to coexist: Pre WW2.

That was the original intent. But I would not limit Builders creativity to that era

In reply to Dusterbd13:

meh, I disagree. If you leave it open, there is nothing that stops someone from showing up with a quarter scale midget or a out of competitive date race kart.

I think designs based on pre-1939 cars would allow for plenty of creativity. Not to mention it would give the Classic Motorsports side guys and reason to look our way.

I found this one.

Been lurking on this thread. I showed some pictures of these karts to Mrs. VCH and she loves 'em. The biggest little VCH is 3 years old and starting to get interested in cars. I think she'd love one of these to tool around the yard in.

The biggest hurdle I can't seem to get over mentally in building one of these is how to make the wheels, drive, and engine all...work. I have some vague theoretical knowledge of a chain drive, pulleys, and axle, etc but I have to confess, I have no idea how to make it work in practice. I mean, stupid stuff like, how does one mount the bearing? What bearing to use? What makes an "axle"? In my head, the easiest thing would be to have a solid shaft as an axle that both wheels fit onto and then drive either one or both wheels- make some sort of a "fixing" mechanism so either the left, right, or both wheels could be driven or freely rotate (so the kart could be pushed without being connected to the drive).

How does the sprocket locate on the axle, without moving side-to-side?

I'm just so used to a solid rear axle, like on a car...

I guess I need to see some pictures.

The steering and front end I can sort of figure out...trailer spindles are pretty easy to find.

Think less bespoke-parts, and more go-karts. http://azusaparts.com/

In reply to volvoclearinghouse:

Check out the build threads here and here and also here

They will clarify a lot of your questions. But there are a lot of different ways of doing it. For example, a lot of people here think that they are all 1WD, but a lot are 2WD with a lot of different differential ideas.

In reply to fanfoy:

one wheel drive was brought up as the cycle kart page stated they had to be 1wd

In reply to FlightService:

That was originally, but people have tried a bunch of different setups.

In reply to fanfoy:

Oh no, I think we are crossing wires here. I am saying the ONLY reason ANYONE here said anything about 1wd was because of the original guidelines. I don't think any of us would direct it that was on purpose for any other reason than the rules dictated it.

In reply to FlightService:

My understanding is that, at least currently, there are no "rules" to "dictate" anything. Just a few loose guidelines, which are by no means the same as rules, as well as what is little more than a "gentleman's agreement" on the basic performance parameters. It's pretty much build whatever you want as long as it fits the look, feel, and spirit of the event.

I would think if GRM'ers need a more defined set of rules, with the intent of making it more of a true racing competition, then the rules should be written to ensure traditional cycle karts would remain competitive. So things like weight penalties for more powerful engines and whatnot. Make it not at all advantageous to go bigger and better, thus keeping it 'dual purpose' build friendly and preventing too much performance creep..

Make it an Exhibition class only. Otherwise some Type A Bob Costas will want to win at all costs.

Are you suggesting that a Cyclekart class with no rules would very quickly become a funny looking Formula SAE?