I probably couldn't take it out on the road, but It'd be fun to run around parking lots in.
Lawnmower engine eh?
*runs out and buys a lawnmower, even though I have no lawn*
I have been asked whether i could make a minature locost as a peddle car for a friends kid....
anyone got any ideas for this? I thought maybe a windscreen wiper motor and make it powered?
Do you think i could just reduce the chassis dimensions to the appropriate size?
Any idea how i would do the nose ?
Or alternatively has anyone done this already and have plans ?
Cheers
http://www.toylanduk.com/Real%20Life%20Toys/about.htm
then a new body
There was a small locost at Newark - was also there last year but I don't know who it belongs to.
I think a starter motor would probably be better than a windscreen wiper motor - a bit more powerful. Probably best to have a look at what the
motorised wheelchairs have.
I doubt whether a starter motor would last very long (neither would the battery!) - they're only meant to run for brief periods.
If you know where you can get hold of a Sinclair C5 motor, grab it! They are the No.1 favourite for builders of passenger-hauling model trains.
David
Proto,
We made a battery powered jeep a few years ago and used a wheel chair motor to power it. If you can pick up an electric wheel chair in one piece it
will have all the bits you need.
We also built a petrol engined go-kart which used a Honda petrol lawn mower engine. This was fitted with a centrigugal clutch and worked a treat.
For my money I'd go for petrol power as it will be faster and doesn't need recharging every five minutes.
Get building and post some pics!
Nick
PS - perhaps all those who are already on the road should start on mini locost projects and then we could have a mini-locost race series! If
you've ever ridden a mini-moto you'll see the potential for hours of amusement.
Maybe I'll just make one of these in prep for the real thing.
I probably couldn't take it out on the road, but It'd be fun to run around parking lots in.
Lawnmower engine eh?
*runs out and buys a lawnmower, even though I have no lawn*
Being a Honda lawnmower, does the engine rotate the right way?
You can buy the motors for electric scooters on ebay sometimes, the ones kids use.
I did wonder about the life of a starter motor in continuous usage. Didn't the Sinclair C5 use a variation on a washing machine motor?
Petrol engines must be available cheaply - I bought a new generator last week for £50+VAT
IIRC everyones favourite locost manufacturer SPD were selling a miniature 7 project on ebay fairly recently.....so there are some out there.
how about a few wiper motors? i think a starter is probably too powerful for a kids toy anyway, though it depends on their age i guess...
Starter motors have been used for many kiddies cars and for hundreds of racing barstools.
Rescued attachment bar_stoolin.jpg
I know you'v been moaning about lack
of space in your garage Dave........
but building in miniature is.....
NOT THE ANSWER
Paul G
Don't know if this might help.
I made some sketchy drawings for a friend how wanted to build something educational together with his son. They are using an old lawnmower as a donor
and some leftover 15x15 pipe for the chassis.
Mini-7
A grownup won't be able to drive this, sorry 
Happy building!
Hi dave
have a look at BWE SPORTS CARS AD in either of the two kit car mags.
they do a LOCUST replica car called a grasshopper. this is prbably what was seen driving round the shows.
I think it comes as a set of plans which include chassis drawings and full size paper drawings which you then stick to MDF and cut the body sides. all
flat pieces ,no compound curves.
from the photo in the mags you would think it is a full size car untill you spot the wheels
It's got me thinking about it now 
. You could make it from MDF or ply and rout the edges with a rounding over bit. I use one for table tops
and it gives a nice 1/2" curve and works really well on MDF.
Barry Leitch builds 7 replicas in Invercargill, NZ. He also does a 1/3 size kids version, using a wheelchair motor or Honda 4-stroke.
b.leitch@es.co.nz
http://www.stevproj.com/Carz/CycleKart.html
This is something I came accross on another site, www.metalmeet.com where several people are taking it to the extreme and building full metal versions
of them using sheet aluminum.
quote:
Originally posted by robinbastd
IIRC everyones favourite locost manufacturer SPD were selling a miniature 7 project on ebay fairly recently.....so there are some out there. [
...... would you have to find someone selling a crashed miniature 7
Alan B - 5/7/04 at 12:09 PMquote:
Originally posted by woodster
quote:
Originally posted by robinbastd
IIRC everyones favourite locost manufacturer SPD were selling a miniature 7 project on ebay fairly recently.....so there are some out there. [
...... would you have to find someone selling a crashed miniature 7
LOL.....
DavidM - 5/7/04 at 11:01 PMThe July Kitcar magazine has an article on powering miniture cars. Used to be Wiper motors, now wheelchair motors are preferred, apparently.
David Jenkins - 6/7/04 at 07:44 AMYou'll also need to use a 'deep-cycle' battery - a car battery is designed to run nearly or fully charged for all of its life. If you repeatedly discharge it until it can't turn a motor (as you will) then it will die quite rapidly with warped plates, or the coating on the plates will fail.
Favourites are electric wheelchair batteries, or caravaner's batteries at a push.
David
woodster - 6/7/04 at 09:32 AMquote:
Originally posted by robinbastd
IIRC everyones favourite locost manufacturer SPD were selling a miniature 7 project on ebay fairly recently.....so there are some out there. [
.......... and if its powered by an electic motor the prop can't drop off
woodster - 7/7/04 at 12:32 PMquote:
Originally posted by woodster
quote:
Originally posted by robinbastd
IIRC everyones favourite locost manufacturer SPD were selling a miniature 7 project on ebay fairly recently.....so there are some out there. [
.......... and if its powered by an electic motor the prop can't drop off
oops ALLEDGEDLY
andyps - 10/7/04 at 09:32 PMThere is one on ebay at the moment link here
No connection
marvinsy - 22/12/06 at 03:11 PMany updates on miniature 7's? I would like to build one hopefuly using scooter parts.
C10CoryM - 23/12/06 at 02:50 AMbest bet is to keep it simple, and light (sound familiar?
The real problem is that the front end is going to need front suspension, either functional or not. Thats probably going to be the hardest thing, but Id be tempted to just fake it.
Come on, if you can build a functional locost...... you gotta be able to bodge together a simple go-cart
Cheers.
Dick Bear - 23/12/06 at 05:27 AMMarvinsy,
He are a couple pics of a home built jeep I made for my grandkids in Colorado. I think I used a 5 horse Briggs with a centrifical clutch and a differential. The kids loved it and I was their 'favorite' grandpa for at least the week I was there visiting.
We visited during the 4th of July week so I painted it accordingly and called it Stars 'n Stripes.
Dick Bear
www.marketpointproductions.com
Dick Bear - 23/12/06 at 05:28 AMMarvinsy,
He are a couple pics of a home built jeep I made for my grandkids in Colorado. I think I used a 5 horse Briggs with a centrifical clutch and a differential. The kids loved it and I was their 'favorite' grandpa for at least the week I was there visiting.
We visited during the 4th of July week so I painted it accordingly and called it Stars 'n Stripes.
Dick Bear
www.marketpointproductions.com
Dick Bear - 23/12/06 at 05:32 AMMarvinsy,
He are a couple pics of a home built jeep I made for my grandkids in Colorado. I think I used a 5 horse Briggs with a centrifical clutch and a differential. The kids loved it and I was their 'favorite' grandpa for at least the week I was there visiting.
We visited during the 4th of July week so I painted it accordingly and called it Stars 'n Stripes.
Dick Bear
www.marketpointproductions.com
Dick Bear - 23/12/06 at 05:34 AMMarvinsy,
He are a couple pics of a home built jeep I made for my grandkids in Colorado. I think I used a 5 horse Briggs with a centrifical clutch and a differential. The kids loved it and I was their 'favorite' grandpa for at least the week I was there visiting.
We visited during the 4th of July week so I painted it accordingly and called it Stars 'n Stripes.
Dick Bear
www.marketpointproductions.com
Dick Bear - 23/12/06 at 05:41 AMMarvinsy,
He are a couple pics of a home built jeep I made for my grandkids in Colorado. I think I used a 5 horse Briggs with a centrifical clutch and a differential. The kids loved it and I was their 'favorite' grandpa for at least the week I was there visiting.
We visited during the 4th of July week so I painted it accordingly and called it Stars 'n Stripes.
Dick Bear
www.marketpointproductions.com
Rescued attachment Unpainted front view compr .jpg
Dick Bear - 23/12/06 at 05:51 AMWell i seems I'm able to make double post but not double pictures!
Sorry about that..... Hopefully this one will work to show you the aint and graphics.
Dick Bear
www.marketpointproductions.com
Dick Bear - 23/12/06 at 05:59 AMWell it seems I'm able to make double post, not double pictures!
Sorry about that..... Hopefully this one will work to show you the paint and graphics.
Dick Bear
www.marketpointproductions.com
Dick Bear - 23/12/06 at 06:02 AMWell it seems I'm able to make double post, not double pictures!
Sorry about that..... Hopefully this one will work to show you the paint and graphics.
Dick Bear
www.marketpointproductions.com
marvinsy - 23/12/06 at 07:03 AMImpressive work Dick Bear, I really liked the paint scheme. How fast was it?
Dick Bear - 23/12/06 at 06:52 PMIt wasn't built for goCart speed but I couldn't run along side as fast as it would go! I don't know exactly what MPH.
Gearing would effect everything and since they live at 10,500 they needed to be able to climb some pretty rough trails. The kids are 3-11 years old and, of course, they all had to try it. It was too fast for the youngest and kept the attention of the oldest.
Glad you like it!
Dick Bear
MikeR - 4/8/07 at 10:01 PMWhy am i thinking we should all build our cars to a set limit - say 20cc or x batteries and .....
hire a go kart track and race them!
i'll get me coat now.
Dangle_kt - 4/8/07 at 11:10 PMwhat about a little rev and go two stroke motor from a chinese minimoto - cheap as chips and could be conected up to a simple go kart chain drive - they use a centrifugal clutch, so would be easy for a kid to learn on - might need stronger clutch springs though
in fact I have one you can have for free in my garage - brand new, just pay postage and its yours. needs carb + exhaust, but they are super cheap on bay of e.
quadra - 9/8/07 at 08:07 PMI am currently building a car for the kids, well car isn't the word really, I'm building a toylander but with some of my own mods. i found that if you look around and use ebay you can find exactly what you want. I was looking for an electric motor with a gearbox, like a wheel chair would use. I found some on ebay that were for sale less than 10 miles away so I bought two, one for each wheel. I wanted some chunky wheels, well it is a landrover after all, so I started looking for quad bike wheels, again ebay did the trick. I then wanted some decent brakes, so I investigated mini moto brakes, I bought two brake discs and two calipers for £12. I have included a mockup of the rear motor and wheel, and a picture of the body.
MikeR - 9/8/07 at 08:19 PMSeries 1 landy?
quadra - 10/8/07 at 08:43 AMSeries two, I preferred the look for some reason. Not sure what colour to paint it though.
Mike
MikeR - 11/8/07 at 07:35 AMAh, its series three that has the middle level with the lights.
How about green - it is a landy after all
GeoffB - 12/8/07 at 07:13 AMI am building a minature seven just scaling sown the drawings and using electrics and solid axles as per this website..
Of course with a lot of adaptions..sounds all too fimilar.
http://buggies.builtforfun.co.uk/index.php
slopecombat - 21/10/07 at 12:08 AMMiniature Locost Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XFoqneAWJ0
wilkingj - 21/10/07 at 09:55 AMWhat about using an OAP's electric buggy and then just doing the body. All the running gear, controls etc are all done and sorted. OK, might need a longer wheelbase, but cut and shut the chassis, shouldnt be too hard.
