# Karts/Mini bikes?



## Canoeman (Aug 13, 2014)

So I bought a place with some acreage and started collecting the lost toys of my youth..

Ive been accumulating Dingo Karts and Mini bikes the last couple of months..

The 2 Dingos are 8hp with Comet torque converters.. Both do about 35 mph and are wicked fun..








Just grabbed this Dingo 285 last week for dirty cheap. This one is all original and has a 5hp on with a Comet TC aswell. This one only does 20 but its good for the kiddo's..






got 3 Mini bikes all in different stages of repair or running..

This one is a El Tigre and is a handful with no gov on it..







Anyone else got karts etc?


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## Keystone (Aug 13, 2014)

I don't do carts, but I do know where the Main Line is! I'll be passing close by on my way to Devils Lake at the end of the month. :mrgreen:


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## Canoeman (Aug 13, 2014)

[url=https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=363239#p363239 said:


> Keystone » 2 minutes ago[/url]"]I don't do carts, but I do know where the Main Line is! I'll be passing close by on my way to Devils Lake at the end of the month. :mrgreen:



Very Nice!

Best burgers in a 100 mile radius (including F/M area).. Plus we can ride the karts/bikes there 5 miles on minimal maintenance roads


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## Keystone (Aug 14, 2014)

Found it by chance the first time. And I will agree, great burgers!


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## SumDumGuy (Aug 14, 2014)

Just got a lawn mower for free. Took the engine off and converted to horizontal output shaft.
Think I'll buy a centrifugal clutch and build a vintage style mini bike.

Probably end up getting a comet step down clutch (1" to 7/8" bore).... or other option is to get a standard bore clutch and idle the motor and hit it with emery cloth. We'll see.... actually taking my time with this project as I am in no hurry.


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## Canoeman (Aug 15, 2014)

I'd like to see the conversion from ver to hor..


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## lovedr79 (Aug 15, 2014)

[url=https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=363370#p363370 said:


> Canoeman » Today, 01:37[/url]"]I'd like to see the conversion from ver to hor..




me too! i did karts and mini bikes as a kid, then progressed to dirtbikes. now i have a ATV, dirtbike and a street bike. and of course my tin boat.


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## SumDumGuy (Aug 15, 2014)

I have another one I am doing.... I'll take pics this time. Gimme a couple of days.

Basically you take all the extra junk off you don't want. 
Split the case.
remove the old oil dipper.
plug the oil fill/dipstick hole.
plug hole at crank bearing.
add flicker to crank shaft.
assemble case.
add oil (luckily the engines I have used the oil level needs to be filled up to flush with what was the drain hole).
rotate carb.
put the extra junk back on that you want (if you want).

run it.

check these out.... better than any pictures and explanation I can give.

https://www.google.com/search?q=convert+vertical+shaft+engine&oq=convert+&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&gws_rd=ssl


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## Canoeman (Aug 18, 2014)

As interesting as it is changing it from vert to hori.. I tend to just sell the verts I come across and buy a hori.. Mounting holes and everything are ready to go with no internal work needed. 

Especially now when harbor freight has the Predator 6.5 hp for $95.00 with %20 off coupon or $119.00 regular price.

I picked up 2 of the Predator 301 CC (8hp) for $225 each over 4th of July. They have been solid motors and we've been running them hard the last couple of months..


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## SumDumGuy (Aug 18, 2014)

The conversion is for the just because.

To whom do you sell the vert shafts to? They seem to be a dime a dozen. I can't imagine anyone actually paying for one, but if someone will I would be all over that.

I'm looking at a 6.5 hp Tecumseh (horizontal) a guy has for sell for $40. It is missing the recoil start, so in the end it would probably be about the same price for the new HF motor. Plus, I hear good things about the chinese one.

Finished the conversion of the vert. I'll try and fab a mount for it tomorrow. Then I can attempt to start and hopefully avoid a backfire due to no weighted flywheel. At the worst it will explode (probably just shear a key?), I got insurance, and as was mentioned HF has the cheapy.





This dude does a good series of convert explanation.
[youtube]sCWwqGr-td0[/youtube]


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## Jim (Aug 19, 2014)

I want a mini bike! :LOL2:


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## Canoeman (Aug 19, 2014)

Theres a couple guys who i do some trade with up here. They rebuild mowers etc.. They like vert I like Hori.. Works out well..

I understand how it is done.. just dont see the reason in all the effort except to say you did it.. Maybe if Hori were scarce but they arent..

Yea man.. The HF Predators are getting good reviews and the 6.5 has a tons of mods out there. The 2 - 8hp I have are solid. Currently cleaning 2 comet series 40's.. Both have been sticking and that can get sketchy fast  

How did it run? She blow?


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## SumDumGuy (Aug 19, 2014)

Lazy day...

Was welding some things... took one to many meteorites... and said "I'll do it tomorrow."


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## SumDumGuy (Aug 20, 2014)

Fired it up. No major issues. I'm gonna need to do something with the fuel tank 'cause as is it is leaking fuel all over (too much vibration). Think I'll extend the intake more and get the tank completely off the engine.


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## Canoeman (Aug 23, 2014)

So you need to figure out a custom motor mount plate and a custom gas tank mount?


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## SumDumGuy (Aug 25, 2014)

Motor mount was the easiest part. Used some scrap steel I found in a dumpster at work. 
The fuel tank is a bit (a little bit) more difficult. It is the type with the carb on the tank. I already extended the intake manifold once, just need to extend it a bit more. Then I will need to have a little stronger mounts for the tank and add isolation rubbers.

Sad thing is I had to goto Harbor Freight the other day for some emery cloth. It was another parking lot sale time period. so, as can be expected I walked out with a couple packs of emery cloth and a 212cc Predator engine. Sure hope I can get back to the conversion motor.


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## Canoeman (Aug 25, 2014)

Very nice.. 

I just printed out their coupon for %25 off one item.. 

The 5 hp I got on the smaller Manco does ok but it is tired. 

Amazing what it does to take off and high end when you clean the driver of those comets. After i got done cleaning them both, i found a manual that says to clean them every 5-6 hours of use. Pretty sure i got 40+ hours on them, guess thats why they were sticking..


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## JMichael (Sep 8, 2014)

[url=https://forum.tinboats.net/viewtopic.php?p=363740#p363740 said:


> SumDumGuy » 18 Aug 2014, 20:49[/url]"]The conversion is for the just because.
> 
> To whom do you sell the vert shafts to? They seem to be a dime a dozen. I can't imagine anyone actually paying for one, but if someone will I would be all over that.
> 
> ...


I love doing "just because" projects. It's sort of like someone has thrown down the gauntlet and challenged you to do something. :lol: Besides that, horizontal shaft motors are scarce around here, it seems everyone wants them for tiller or water pump motors.


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## SumDumGuy (Nov 1, 2014)

Ok, think I am "done" with this for now at least...


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## Canoeman (Nov 11, 2014)

Looks good man.. 

Hows the Predator treating ya?

My 2 8HP took a beating this summer and didnt miss a beat.. 

Best thing you can do is get rid of the foam air filter and get a after market one. The foam is not good as a filter..


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## SumDumGuy (Nov 11, 2014)

The predator runs great. Simple start and a bit too much power.

I'm thinking if I move the motor to a Kart I will change the air intake and the exhasut.
Kind of thinking about doing a home made glass pack type thing just because.


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## Canoeman (Nov 13, 2014)

There are tons of air filter/exhaust mods for it.. Yea even the 6.5 hp do buck.. Got any video?

Im just getting going on rebuilding the Mickey Thompson mini bike.. 

Gonna replace all the bearings,tires,sprockets,drum brake and power it with a stock 6.5 Pred.. 

It sits 6" lower than any other mini ive seen or got.. Gonna be too kool..


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## SumDumGuy (Nov 13, 2014)

That looks like a cool bike.

I don't have any video... probably gonna be too cold for the photographer for a while. 

I'm still a bit concerned riding this bike, I know the guy that welded everything and he's not too good. :LOL2:


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## Canoeman (Dec 9, 2014)

Ya gotta run it hard to see where it breaks though..

The mickey/aggie i was gonna do has issues with the front forks. The suspension is rusted through and through and ill be lucky to find a set of good front forks.. 

So I decided to rebuild the El Tigre.

Just got done polishing the frame and seat frame.. 

Went with "Extension cord orange" for the rims and forks...

New tires,rear suspension and bearings across the board.. Waiting for the custom seat cover and debating on the power plant I wanna use..


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## SumDumGuy (Dec 11, 2014)

That suspension looks like a good idea. Appears to be simple mechanically, but should help out immensely. I will have to think about using that version in an upcoming project.

That is a nice looking orange. It is funny the names they come up with for paint. I picked a blue for my boat and people think I am joking when I say the shade is "Handicap Blue."


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## PATRIOT (Dec 12, 2014)

The only way to go . . . scary fast at 7100 RPMs . . . Briggs and Stratton 4-stroke racing engine, box stock, with electric start.


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## Canoeman (Dec 13, 2014)

For that price you could have 2 preds spinning 8K+ with no limiter n have gas money left over..


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## Canoeman (Dec 14, 2014)

New seat cover comes tomorrow. Debating on using the 3.5 HP Tect i have or get a new pred n just run it. 

Still got some minor things to do still, but she's coming along..


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## JMichael (Dec 15, 2014)

3.5hp seems like it would be underpowered a little. Of course that would have a lot to do with the size of the rider I guess. Been a while since I've seen any of them but I was thinking all the ones I seen had 5hp on them. Two young girls in my small town had an accident on one (both fatal) when I was about 12-13. I think all the parents got together and eliminated every mini in town after that. I can honestly say I don't remember seeing another after that day. Of course they had just started to show up around town when that happened so there weren't that many of them.


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## Canoeman (Dec 15, 2014)

When I picked this up it had a 3.5 hp on it.. with the gearing and tire size it did 23 mph (gps) and could pull the front tire off the ground if you weren't careful. I put a Powerhouse 5.5 hp on it in the fall just to see the difference and it was scary fast, even with the gov on it..


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## Canoeman (Dec 24, 2014)

Custom seat cover and new pan mounted..

Gonna install the Tec 3.5 tomorrow after I chase everyone out of my house


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## JMichael (Dec 24, 2014)

Took one look at that seat cover and just knew in my mind you were from Tennessee. Imagine my surprise when I looked up and saw how far you are away from TN. LoL


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## Canoeman (Dec 25, 2014)

lol.. no sirs.. far from TN.. But i can see the correlation ..


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## GTS225 (Dec 25, 2014)

Canoeman; You might have mentioned, and I may have missed it, but where do you go for parts supplier(s)?

I'm thinking about building one from scratch, but upsizing things a bit for an adult.

Roger


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## Canoeman (Dec 26, 2014)

Theres tons of places but the best prices and shipping is ombwarehouse..

https://www.ombwarehouse.com/home.php


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## GTS225 (Dec 27, 2014)

BOOKMARKED!

Thank You.....Roger


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