Chainsaw or Go-cart

I vote go-cart

I'll always vote for something you can drive.

I sure remember those days too. Chainsaw motors were death machines, way too fast for us kids, so we just loved them. One had a direct drive, start it on a block and kick the front wheel to get it off, hang on tight.

Or throttle them down low enough to hold them down and run and jump in and go because of the direct drive.

They were a very popular engine on the racing Karts back in the earlier 70's. The racers were direct drive, no centrifugal clutch because they didn't make a clutch back then to handle the high RPM's of those engines for Go-Kart usage.
They did make a Go-Kart scary fast back then when you put a big chainsaw motor on it. Better have good brakes on the Kart to slow it down when you had the 2-Stroke Chainsaw engine on it, or you aren't going to stop it in time.

If this is truly 4 hp, that's pretty underwhelming.
Seems like there are better choices these days.

Growing up a neighbor kid had a go cart with some kind of 2 stroke motor on it, I didn't see it enough to know how fast it was.

I on the other hand built one and put a 7-8 hp 4 stroke motor on it. With the gov removed it would do about 70 mph, (feels fast when your laying down 1/2" from the road) at least until the engine scattered it's self all over the road one day. (apparently there is a reason for those governors.)

MoJoMowerman said:

making it a 4 hp Go-cart

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Go cart. Chain saws are a cause for that four letter word - work.

I knew of one Honda powered cart. I think it was 125 powered. It would really move.

Had a cousin with a racing cart back in the 60's. Yes 60 mph is fast 1/2" from the ground. We were supposed to have kept it in a school parking lot. Like that happened. That could be the reason we had to park it.

probably better for a mini bike not enough power for a cart! I did a lil indian bike with a puma saw when I was a kid, hardest part was cutting the chainsaw sprocket off the clutch housing and welding a gear on it! must have been titanium. took a full day and a couple bandsaw blades!One of my uncles worked in a factory with a machine shop, said it was the hardest material they'd come across!
a little older about 15 I got a margay panther with a mccullock long intake and tuned pipe would run about 70mph, with a high gear on it! then I found a norton commando engine 65hp 4 speed put that on it, was crazy fast but axle couldn't stand the weight for long! when sunday shopping started and the mall parking lots filled up was time to retire it! no track would let it run!

I am to old for the the need for speed. I could port it but no, I just was thinking of going back to the 1960s when I might have weighed 40 pounds. I know we could get 18 hp from a 6.5 hp preditor engine for racing. But those days are over. But I don't want to modify a old classic engine and keep it stock for the family to ride. I have a few of the Mccullock engines that would be a good choice for that. Thanks guys with great ideas though.

Not sure if I will ever get to old for the need for speed. Old age has given me better judgement as to where to do it though. Open play tracks are getting fewer every year here and going fast cost more money every year. Got get a car back together before old and cost prevent all this fun. I would like to do the need for speed in Texas some day. Don't want to go crazy fast but the 200 mph club would be ok. Depending on how a car gets put together I should have one that will get close.

MoJoMowerman said:

Or throttle them down low enough to hold them down and run and jump in and go because of the direct drive.

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If you throttle them down, it'll burn out the clutch.

MoJoMowerman said:

I am to old for the the need for speed. I could port it but no, I just was thinking of going back to the 1960s when I might have weighed 40 pounds. I know we could get 18 hp from a 6.5 hp preditor engine for racing. But those days are over. But I don't want to modify a old classic engine and keep it stock for the family to ride. I have a few of the Mccullock engines that would be a good choice for that. Thanks guys with great ideas though.

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Don't worry about us, do what you want.....and have fun.

PS: I for one would love to see some pics if you build it.

Thanks. That is why I asked. If I was 20 younger I would not even being asking. I would just be taking it apart and sypher the shape it is in.

I bought out 3 old engine shops 20 years ago and I have all these parts. I found a old Clinton boat engine that matches one of mine. I visit two scrap yards a week and that is where I find a lot of old stuff. Thanks men.

Ariens93GT20 said:

Not sure if I will ever get to old for the need for speed. Got get a car back together before old and cost prevent all this fun.

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Guess I'm pretty much in the same frame of mind too. Putting together a 400 small block but I'm getting scared of the costs to actually rebuild a motor these days. I'm thinking a mostly stock short block with some good heads and 4 bbl carb. Be in my old Camaro with a five speed. I'm getting off topic here though, I'm good at that.

I use to have a 4bbl carb. If you are still needing one, I can check. It would need rebuilt. But it came off a 1978 chevy truck.

10" of ice on a lake? Probably never seen that around here. Used to have fun riding four wheelers on the local reservoir when it was froze over with some snow on it. Haven't even seen that for years. Be kind of nice to have a real winter to play in.

tm10058196 said:

10" of ice on a lake? Probably never seen that around here. Used to have fun riding four wheelers on the local reservoir when it was froze over with some snow on it. Haven't even seen that for years. Be kind of nice to have a real winter to play in.

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Move farther north.

My Grandmother had a cottage along that lake on the NY side. Spent a lot of summers in our sea shore shack back in the 60s. We never had perch that big in Pa. How long have they been riding on the lake like that?