10-03-2022, 09:48 PM
(This post was last modified: 10-03-2022, 10:56 PM by Terry Bentley.)
Chapter 119
Last night I did not sleep so well. Seems like every time I dozed off an engine blew up. I saw piston pieces spraying out the exhaust header. Then one engine block broke in half. Happened to be right where the intake tract was opened up for better flow to the ports.
After finally waking for good, I quickly sat up in bed right before another engine exploded. This one was actually swelling up like a balloon. As I was racing around the track, everyone on the sidelines along the fence were pointing to my engine.
I looked back behind my seat to see the engine had swelled up almost twice as big like a balloon and looked about ready to explode. Fortunately I woke up right before that happened. Maybe from too much stuffing and too small of ports. But loosing three engines in one dream could get expensive. I sure cant afford that.
It was sometime back not very long ago when realizing having dreams like this is just lack of confidence in myself or about something I was working on. With the engines going back together and not sure which way to proceed, I needed some outside input.
A week had already passed by so I figured it had been long enough for Frank to get those parts ordered and delivered by now. This sounded to me like it was something he would be right on top of. Unless he drank another beer and totally forgot everything. I took a chance and rode my bike over this afternoon following the bus dropping us off from school.
Like no surprise seeing the garage door was up and Frank inside just piddling with his kart. I almost announced myself, but Frank was steadily going non-stop rambling on about nothing fitting right. He was even moving his hands and arms all around for better clarification of things.
This is the second time I have seen him talking to himself. Or like there was someone else hiding in there he was complaining to. Or he was looking in a mirror hanging somewhere on the wall in his garage.
I have heard the term two-faced being used before to describe someone. But I dont think it would apply here exactly with Frank. But in one sense it actually does. He seems to hold a conversation with him self just fine. And even argues with himself too. But who usually wins the argument? Frank or Frank? Can Frank be frank with himself? Or does Frank need to be careful with what he says not to offend himself? Frankly I dont care.
As I was listening to him he was just rambling on......Seemed like the angled brackets welded to the cross member were not in the right location to use the new style motor mount. Frank was mad at me for suggesting he replace the other ones. The one odd thing is that he had not seen me ride up yet. I wasnt sure just then who he was even talking to. Except he had mentioned my name during his rant while complaining.
But he kept carrying on a conversation as I walked in just like someone else had been standing next to him this whole time. There is no way I am going to cut that cross member off my prototype frame and move it far enough forward for everything to fit.
I would have to replace that whole section of tubing. I dont see a reason for compromising my frame like that. Too much welding overlapping the old welds. That doesnt make good smarts at all. That is not a good thing. It is an engineering disaster.
If I shorten this frame enough to match the specs of an A-bone, then nothing else works. I wasted good money buying all these parts for nothing. I think you should reimburse me for the cost of those parts there. They are of no use to me at all.
If I did cut out that cross memeber and move everything forward, there is not enough room before hitting the back of the seat. So none of this was worth all the expense just to find out it didnt work. I listened to you and see where it got me. Worthless kids, all of you. You sure steered me wrong.
And another thing that danged steering shaft is all loose and wobbly now after knocking out those old bushings that are too small. What the heck was I supposed to with those anyway? I had to cut the shaft in half removing the dangity thing. Now I dont even have the old parts to use. Nothing fits now. My special kart is ruined.
I spent all this gawdangblasted money for absolutely nothing. What a waste. You see why I dont trust kids. They dont know nothing. They are all useless misfits. None of them will amount to anything. I sure hope you learned yourself a good lesson today. All at my expense too. You think you know everything and see where it got me for listening to you.
I thought you were different that maybe one K-nucklehead might have a clue. But I was right the first time you came over here. You are all alike. Nothing but useless worthless leeches on society.
This is why you should go to school and learn how to use your brain. Then dont get taken to the cleaners like I did this time listening to such far-fetched lame ideas. Without a smart brain and real college education, you wont amount to nothing. Mark my words. Nothing at all.
I knew it sounded too good to be true. Why would I buy newer parts and expect them to fit this chassis? It is a special one off prototype. I knew better and did not go with my gut instinct. It is never wrong. You made a good pitch but I should have double checked your half-brained scheme to make sure what you suggested was even possible. Man was I dead wrong.
So you mad about something Frank?
Did you not just hear me explain what the problem was? Are you deaf or just too hard headed to grasp what I have been telling you about everything? Maybe you should take responsibility for your actions.
Gee Frank, I just got here. Who were you talking to? Besides I didnt expect everything to just bolt on. Why would it? Anybody with a brain and college education would ask Mickey Rupp about replacing these parts when ordering them. You know just to make sure there isnt any major problems. I am sure he could have told you exactly what needed to be done. I know you would have done this, so what is the problem?
But Frank did not answer me. He just stood there with a totally blank stare. I just suggested some parts that could get your kart close to the new A-bone. How the heck would I know what does or does not fit without some adjustments? I still dont see what all of the big fuss is about?
To make these new parts work, I have to just about cut up the whole frame and start over. Did you not hear me explain all of that to you already?
Frank I told you I just got here. Now hold on, just chill out for a minute. Lets start at the front and work back.
You were saying something about the steering shaft is all loose, since the old bushings are too small for the bigger diameter of the new shaft. Where are the old bushings?
I already told you they are too small. I just about destroyed everything trying to get them unstuck and out of there.
Alright Frank, I see the shaft has a lot of play now. So what I had said is you could get some new bushings or bore out the old ones. But since you tore the old ones up, that wont work now. I can make another set that should fit. There is enough thickness so they should work fine. You might even find the bushings at the hardware store. I think they are the same as used in dolly wheels.
OK Frank, what else is a problem?
Those new pedals, you just had to make sure I needed them. They were not all that cheap either. Well the old hole is too small, and too close to the front axle for a drill to get in there to hog them out big enough. Well not possible without removing the floor pan that is welded on PERMANENTLY. So that was another waste of MY hard earned money you seem to spend so freely.
Frank I got an idea that you should like a bunch. Why not weld up those smaller holes in the main frame where the old pedals were bolted thru. I can cut a couple of short pieces from round stock and drill the 3/8 hole thru for the new pedals to fit. Then you could weld them on top of the frame.
This way you can put them where they fit your legs perfectly. Dont you think that is a much more professional look than just a hole drilled thru the main frame rail like it is right now? Have you looked at the new models to see how they are done?
Hey Frank, you could even weld the short pieces on front of the axle. That gives you some extra leg room. I noticed your knees are bent up a lot. Then the front axle could work as your heel stop. That sure sounds like a good way to do it. What do you think?
Frank sort of calmed down a little bit. But I could tell he was stressed way too much and blowing all of this way out of proportion.
Why dont you sit down for a minute and drink a cold beer Frank. Maybe even several. You seem too stressed out right now. Dont you have some self help tapes that are good for something like this?
Frank grumbled for a few minutes as he turned up two beers barely taking a breath between them. He was not in such great spirits, but I was having fun with him right now.
OK smartazz, let me see how you are going to work out a solution for the rear cross member. I dont plan on chopping it off and fabricating another one. That is way more trouble than it is worth. It would be smarter just to buy a new frame.
Frank, I still dont know exactly what you are talking about.
He pushed me out of the way and pointed to the rear section of the frame, jabbing his finger on the guilty cross member in question. Do you understand now genius? It wont work. Not with out chopping everything up. I could almost build another frame after doing everything to make things fit on this one here.
Do you know how much metallurgical damage and stress there is when you weld over old welds on the main frame rails? Not smart at all. This is like putting a bandage over a bandage.
While Frank was droning on and drowning himself in a couple more cold beers, I went around his frame with a tape measure. I still didnt completely understand what he kept blasting off about needing to be cut up.
OK, I was right about his frame. It is just like a very early Super K. The first ones were nothing more than the dead axle version converted over to a live axle. Uh-oh, that is exactly what Frank had told me was a very, very bad idea the last time I was over here.
The one main difference in this frame and that first model Super K is the swing mounts on this one. The first ones had welded plates. So Franks prototype may actually be real. Just somewhere between the very first conversion from a dead axle and when the wheelbase was shortened.
Frank had been going on about all of the negative aspects of converting over the dead axle on a kart to a live one. Just like I helped Chris do on his Simplex. Now I find out Franks kart is the exact same way.
Franks prototype Super K is not much different from a converted over dead axle model. The wheelbase on his kart is right at 48 inches. On the regular production Super K models, it was shortened down to 45-3/4 inches from what I read in last years HOTROD magazine test article. The second test they did later in the year.
Now the problem I am seeing is just Frank. Nothing wrong with the kart. The new A-bone has a wheelbase of about 43-1/2 inches. I dont know exactly what it is for sure, but that is close enough for tonight. This welded in cross member behind the seat hoop is just way too far back. I had suggested cutting off and moving the bearing hangers forward to shorten the wheel base already.
The only problem now is this very early design originally had a frame mounted gas tank behind the seat. A large round one that set half way down below the frame rails. After some measuring, I see the frame will have to be cut in front of this rear cross member.
So all that needs to be done is clean up both ends of the cross member then weld it back to the main frame rails. The bearing hangers will get welded on behind this cross member. Then everything fits almost exactly like the new A-bone.
Alright Frank, I see only one major problem to doing it this way. Your cross member will have to be turned around backwards to the way there are here. Then the angled mounting brackets will line up with the new style swing mounts. That is if you would you risk doing it that way.
So, Frank, will what I just explained fix it for you? Just flip the cross member around then forward on fresh clean rails so your new motor mounts will bolt right on perfectly. The bearing hangers weld on just behind that. Wont this work out?
These older swing mounts do set your engines more forward of the axle. It needed all that extra wheel base for them to fit everything in there. But this way here like I suggested, lines up right and puts your kart almost exactly like the new A-bone.
Well if I knew it was going to be that much work to change everything over.......
Frank I told you what I thought needed to be done when making the suggestions last time when I was over here. So far, nothing much more than moving the cross member is what else is needed for this to work. Nothing else I see is different than what we talked about. Or what I talked about and maybe you didnt bother paying much attention to my recommendations.
While Frank was mulling over his frame and measuring everything I had just gone over, my mind went back a few years. Several times in the past, I got way over my head on tackling projects. Sometimes so much I bailed out of a few. In more recent attempts and near failures, dad had taken the time trying explaining to me how to make big problems seem smaller.
It was not hard for me to see the finished project well enough in my head. Sometimes even picturing most of the steps along the way to get there. But other times I got in too deep and completely overwhelmed.
I spent too much time tearing everything apart and not yet figuring out how to build it back to what was worked out as finished in my head. There ended up way too many things needing to be done that I completely overlooked. With each step finished I stumbled over a few more that were not factored in to get to the end.
Dad slowed me down and got my brain focused on one step at a time. When that was worked out, I look a few steps ahead and make sure everything is still going in the right direction. Then work on the next major part. If I kept it going together is small steps, then I was able to get farther along and finally finish in a reasonable amount of time without giving up so soon.
Mom told me when she was alone and had free time, which is rare for her, she liked to sit down and do jigsaw puzzles. Some of the hardest ones were of a solid color. So you could not go by what the picture was. Well you could, but did not help at all for the obvious reason. She would usually try to finish the border of a given jigsaw puzzle then work small chunks together. Eventually everything would fall into place.
Those solid color jigsaw puzzles came out in different levels of difficulty. The pictured ones, even if very complex were not so bad to do. Since you could sort of match the piece to a picture on the box cover.
Once again she explained how the border would be the first part to put together. Then match the similar colored pieces, until they fit together in small chunks. Move these groups around and fill in with the last of the puzzle pieces.
At the time I sure didnt see a lot in common comparing one of my attempts of altering something into nothing at all like it was, is like doing jigsaw puzzles. After dad breaking it down into smaller pieces, it makes more sense. But only a little.
When grandpa gave that little Craftsman lathe to me, I thought it would be sort of cool to have a machine to make some things. But he showed up with it in several boxes completely torn all apart. Then smaller boxes full of pieces inside the larger ones. This was one project I was no where ready to tackle.
But Grandpa saw the expression on my face and could tell I was completely lost. Just leave it alone and we will work on the lathe with my next visit over here. If we start with the small pieces first, then work on bolting them to the bigger parts, it will be a lot easier putting the lathe all back together.
Hey Frank, when your kart is finished, I think the wheelbase will end up very close to the new A-bone. But right now there is about 4 inches you can play with to get everything fitting without too much butchering. So does it still look like too much work to do?
Well, it is still a lot more work that I thought. But what you showed me here looks promising and might even work. I still need to do some calculations just to make sure.
Frank turned up about 6 beers already. He had started out from a grouchy sounding jerk complaining about everything that was all my fault. Then shifted over to a slouching and slobbering moron. When he started apologizing about all of the complaining to me, is when I thought about bailing out of there.
After a few minutes, he finally shut up and sat down at his desk. OK kid, I am in better spirits now. Maybe I didnt see the trees because all of those other trees were there in front of them. Well something like that.
Yea whatever Frank. I am thinking about heading on out of here. You know I got school tomorrow and everything. So might check up on things in a few days or so. Just depending on if I got a lot of homework or not.
No, you can stick around for a little while. I am over my tantrum. Oh do you mind grabbing another cold one for me? I have de-escalated my stress levels and now lowering my blood pressure by self projection.
OK, Frank, now you are freaking me out. Here is your beer, I am out of here. As I was turning around to head out of his garage, I saw a kart magazine under some papers on his desk. It was the February issue of Popular KARTING.
What caught my attention was a bright yellow kart in a pack lined up making laps on some track. Looks like the pace laps before the flag dropped. But the kart sort of looked really cool.
I eased back over next to his desk and snagged up the magazine. Frank was busy using the can opener end on his bottle then spilling the beer as it slipped out of his hands when the cap popped off. Sure glad I had just pulled the magazine away when the beer spilled all over his desk. This is a full size magazine, not like the Karting World mags I have.
On the cover was a list of its contents and one in particular was circled with a red marker. WEST BEND HOP UP. I was still more interested in that yellow kart on the cover tho.
I first studied the picture of that kart, but not sure what make it was. Then went flipping thru the pages and stopped at a ROAD TEST 100. They were track testing a Bates Eagle. Nothing really spectacular at first about the kart. But with some closer...wait a minute.
Hey Frank where is your magnifying glass? While Frank was multitasking himself drinking beer, and cleaning up his mess, he handed it to me. Not the beer bottle Frank, your magnifying glass. I pulled the desk drawer open myself then rummaging around for it.
There were several things about the kart I noticed. Not that kart on the cover, but in this track test. The first thing is it had a front extension forward of the axle. The kart also had the tie rods located out of the way behind the steering shaft. Another closer look, the main frame reals were very close in design to the Hornet S-85.
I checked over the specifications listed and they did not seem to match what I was seeing in the pictures. It claimed to have 15 degrees caster, 3 degrees negative camber and 12 degrees kingpin inclination.
I know after re-repairing the front end of my Cates kart, having a good idea of what negative camber looks like. There is no way it has much more than zero degrees negative camber not accounting for the clearances on the kingpin bolts.
There is a front view of the frame and 3 degrees of negative camber would look like it was worn out. Maybe if it was three degrees total adding both sides, might be more believable. It does not look like having anywhere close to 12 degrees kingpin inclination either. There is some, I would say closer to half what is listed, but nothing more.
My Cates kart has a ton of kingpin inclination. More than any of the karts I have seen locally. I still dont quiet understand all the effects of the geometry yet, but starting to get a better grip on it more.
If you put this kart right next to a Hornet S-85, they would not really look that much alike because of the obvious differences of some things. But removing the front extension porch and reversing the spindles around would look a lot more like the Hornet.
Well anyway I need to do some reading up on this kart. I have never seen it listed anywhere until now. Hopefully Frank is sauced up enough to let me borrow this magazine for a few days.
Flipping some more pages I found the article about modifying one Westbend 580. I guess Frank had already read this article since it was circled. I looked back to the table of contents in front and saw a lot of good articles. Well some good subjects worth reading about.
The contents had articles on crash helmets, 100 mile races, factory teams, fuels, welding, build your own kart, this track test, and the hop-up on a Westbend. I need to borrow this issue for sure.
Yea, there is a good article on porting out my Westbend in that mag. You should read it. Might actually learn something to put in that hard head of yours. Frank was now slurring his words together a lot more.
Well OK Frank, I will do that. Thanks for the loan. I promise to return it in the same condition, plus maybe a few extra incriminating fingerprints.
Uh, I didnt say you could...oh H-E double hockey pucks, just make sure it gets back here in one piece.
I noticed Franks head sort of bobbing, then plopped down on his desk, so decided to hit the road.
Oh sorry Frank, I cant stay any longer. But you know I have curfew. Dont want to get caught out after hours and get a citation. Those are not the right kind of citations like they hand out for being extra good in school. So I will catch up with you later. Thanks for the loan. After saying my goodbyes, my bike was already rolling down the driveway and I was gone.
Frank sort of mumbled out something while attempting to lift up his head. But I ignored whatever he was saying, just humming a tune to myself drowning out whatever it was. I am not so sure about hanging out with Frank when he had one too many. I am not all that comfortable around him when he does drink. Oh wait a minute. Now that I think about it, when has he not been drinking? Hmmm
Last night I did not sleep so well. Seems like every time I dozed off an engine blew up. I saw piston pieces spraying out the exhaust header. Then one engine block broke in half. Happened to be right where the intake tract was opened up for better flow to the ports.
After finally waking for good, I quickly sat up in bed right before another engine exploded. This one was actually swelling up like a balloon. As I was racing around the track, everyone on the sidelines along the fence were pointing to my engine.
I looked back behind my seat to see the engine had swelled up almost twice as big like a balloon and looked about ready to explode. Fortunately I woke up right before that happened. Maybe from too much stuffing and too small of ports. But loosing three engines in one dream could get expensive. I sure cant afford that.
It was sometime back not very long ago when realizing having dreams like this is just lack of confidence in myself or about something I was working on. With the engines going back together and not sure which way to proceed, I needed some outside input.
A week had already passed by so I figured it had been long enough for Frank to get those parts ordered and delivered by now. This sounded to me like it was something he would be right on top of. Unless he drank another beer and totally forgot everything. I took a chance and rode my bike over this afternoon following the bus dropping us off from school.
Like no surprise seeing the garage door was up and Frank inside just piddling with his kart. I almost announced myself, but Frank was steadily going non-stop rambling on about nothing fitting right. He was even moving his hands and arms all around for better clarification of things.
This is the second time I have seen him talking to himself. Or like there was someone else hiding in there he was complaining to. Or he was looking in a mirror hanging somewhere on the wall in his garage.
I have heard the term two-faced being used before to describe someone. But I dont think it would apply here exactly with Frank. But in one sense it actually does. He seems to hold a conversation with him self just fine. And even argues with himself too. But who usually wins the argument? Frank or Frank? Can Frank be frank with himself? Or does Frank need to be careful with what he says not to offend himself? Frankly I dont care.
As I was listening to him he was just rambling on......Seemed like the angled brackets welded to the cross member were not in the right location to use the new style motor mount. Frank was mad at me for suggesting he replace the other ones. The one odd thing is that he had not seen me ride up yet. I wasnt sure just then who he was even talking to. Except he had mentioned my name during his rant while complaining.
But he kept carrying on a conversation as I walked in just like someone else had been standing next to him this whole time. There is no way I am going to cut that cross member off my prototype frame and move it far enough forward for everything to fit.
I would have to replace that whole section of tubing. I dont see a reason for compromising my frame like that. Too much welding overlapping the old welds. That doesnt make good smarts at all. That is not a good thing. It is an engineering disaster.
If I shorten this frame enough to match the specs of an A-bone, then nothing else works. I wasted good money buying all these parts for nothing. I think you should reimburse me for the cost of those parts there. They are of no use to me at all.
If I did cut out that cross memeber and move everything forward, there is not enough room before hitting the back of the seat. So none of this was worth all the expense just to find out it didnt work. I listened to you and see where it got me. Worthless kids, all of you. You sure steered me wrong.
And another thing that danged steering shaft is all loose and wobbly now after knocking out those old bushings that are too small. What the heck was I supposed to with those anyway? I had to cut the shaft in half removing the dangity thing. Now I dont even have the old parts to use. Nothing fits now. My special kart is ruined.
I spent all this gawdangblasted money for absolutely nothing. What a waste. You see why I dont trust kids. They dont know nothing. They are all useless misfits. None of them will amount to anything. I sure hope you learned yourself a good lesson today. All at my expense too. You think you know everything and see where it got me for listening to you.
I thought you were different that maybe one K-nucklehead might have a clue. But I was right the first time you came over here. You are all alike. Nothing but useless worthless leeches on society.
This is why you should go to school and learn how to use your brain. Then dont get taken to the cleaners like I did this time listening to such far-fetched lame ideas. Without a smart brain and real college education, you wont amount to nothing. Mark my words. Nothing at all.
I knew it sounded too good to be true. Why would I buy newer parts and expect them to fit this chassis? It is a special one off prototype. I knew better and did not go with my gut instinct. It is never wrong. You made a good pitch but I should have double checked your half-brained scheme to make sure what you suggested was even possible. Man was I dead wrong.
So you mad about something Frank?
Did you not just hear me explain what the problem was? Are you deaf or just too hard headed to grasp what I have been telling you about everything? Maybe you should take responsibility for your actions.
Gee Frank, I just got here. Who were you talking to? Besides I didnt expect everything to just bolt on. Why would it? Anybody with a brain and college education would ask Mickey Rupp about replacing these parts when ordering them. You know just to make sure there isnt any major problems. I am sure he could have told you exactly what needed to be done. I know you would have done this, so what is the problem?
But Frank did not answer me. He just stood there with a totally blank stare. I just suggested some parts that could get your kart close to the new A-bone. How the heck would I know what does or does not fit without some adjustments? I still dont see what all of the big fuss is about?
To make these new parts work, I have to just about cut up the whole frame and start over. Did you not hear me explain all of that to you already?
Frank I told you I just got here. Now hold on, just chill out for a minute. Lets start at the front and work back.
You were saying something about the steering shaft is all loose, since the old bushings are too small for the bigger diameter of the new shaft. Where are the old bushings?
I already told you they are too small. I just about destroyed everything trying to get them unstuck and out of there.
Alright Frank, I see the shaft has a lot of play now. So what I had said is you could get some new bushings or bore out the old ones. But since you tore the old ones up, that wont work now. I can make another set that should fit. There is enough thickness so they should work fine. You might even find the bushings at the hardware store. I think they are the same as used in dolly wheels.
OK Frank, what else is a problem?
Those new pedals, you just had to make sure I needed them. They were not all that cheap either. Well the old hole is too small, and too close to the front axle for a drill to get in there to hog them out big enough. Well not possible without removing the floor pan that is welded on PERMANENTLY. So that was another waste of MY hard earned money you seem to spend so freely.
Frank I got an idea that you should like a bunch. Why not weld up those smaller holes in the main frame where the old pedals were bolted thru. I can cut a couple of short pieces from round stock and drill the 3/8 hole thru for the new pedals to fit. Then you could weld them on top of the frame.
This way you can put them where they fit your legs perfectly. Dont you think that is a much more professional look than just a hole drilled thru the main frame rail like it is right now? Have you looked at the new models to see how they are done?
Hey Frank, you could even weld the short pieces on front of the axle. That gives you some extra leg room. I noticed your knees are bent up a lot. Then the front axle could work as your heel stop. That sure sounds like a good way to do it. What do you think?
Frank sort of calmed down a little bit. But I could tell he was stressed way too much and blowing all of this way out of proportion.
Why dont you sit down for a minute and drink a cold beer Frank. Maybe even several. You seem too stressed out right now. Dont you have some self help tapes that are good for something like this?
Frank grumbled for a few minutes as he turned up two beers barely taking a breath between them. He was not in such great spirits, but I was having fun with him right now.
OK smartazz, let me see how you are going to work out a solution for the rear cross member. I dont plan on chopping it off and fabricating another one. That is way more trouble than it is worth. It would be smarter just to buy a new frame.
Frank, I still dont know exactly what you are talking about.
He pushed me out of the way and pointed to the rear section of the frame, jabbing his finger on the guilty cross member in question. Do you understand now genius? It wont work. Not with out chopping everything up. I could almost build another frame after doing everything to make things fit on this one here.
Do you know how much metallurgical damage and stress there is when you weld over old welds on the main frame rails? Not smart at all. This is like putting a bandage over a bandage.
While Frank was droning on and drowning himself in a couple more cold beers, I went around his frame with a tape measure. I still didnt completely understand what he kept blasting off about needing to be cut up.
OK, I was right about his frame. It is just like a very early Super K. The first ones were nothing more than the dead axle version converted over to a live axle. Uh-oh, that is exactly what Frank had told me was a very, very bad idea the last time I was over here.
The one main difference in this frame and that first model Super K is the swing mounts on this one. The first ones had welded plates. So Franks prototype may actually be real. Just somewhere between the very first conversion from a dead axle and when the wheelbase was shortened.
Frank had been going on about all of the negative aspects of converting over the dead axle on a kart to a live one. Just like I helped Chris do on his Simplex. Now I find out Franks kart is the exact same way.
Franks prototype Super K is not much different from a converted over dead axle model. The wheelbase on his kart is right at 48 inches. On the regular production Super K models, it was shortened down to 45-3/4 inches from what I read in last years HOTROD magazine test article. The second test they did later in the year.
Now the problem I am seeing is just Frank. Nothing wrong with the kart. The new A-bone has a wheelbase of about 43-1/2 inches. I dont know exactly what it is for sure, but that is close enough for tonight. This welded in cross member behind the seat hoop is just way too far back. I had suggested cutting off and moving the bearing hangers forward to shorten the wheel base already.
The only problem now is this very early design originally had a frame mounted gas tank behind the seat. A large round one that set half way down below the frame rails. After some measuring, I see the frame will have to be cut in front of this rear cross member.
So all that needs to be done is clean up both ends of the cross member then weld it back to the main frame rails. The bearing hangers will get welded on behind this cross member. Then everything fits almost exactly like the new A-bone.
Alright Frank, I see only one major problem to doing it this way. Your cross member will have to be turned around backwards to the way there are here. Then the angled mounting brackets will line up with the new style swing mounts. That is if you would you risk doing it that way.
So, Frank, will what I just explained fix it for you? Just flip the cross member around then forward on fresh clean rails so your new motor mounts will bolt right on perfectly. The bearing hangers weld on just behind that. Wont this work out?
These older swing mounts do set your engines more forward of the axle. It needed all that extra wheel base for them to fit everything in there. But this way here like I suggested, lines up right and puts your kart almost exactly like the new A-bone.
Well if I knew it was going to be that much work to change everything over.......
Frank I told you what I thought needed to be done when making the suggestions last time when I was over here. So far, nothing much more than moving the cross member is what else is needed for this to work. Nothing else I see is different than what we talked about. Or what I talked about and maybe you didnt bother paying much attention to my recommendations.
While Frank was mulling over his frame and measuring everything I had just gone over, my mind went back a few years. Several times in the past, I got way over my head on tackling projects. Sometimes so much I bailed out of a few. In more recent attempts and near failures, dad had taken the time trying explaining to me how to make big problems seem smaller.
It was not hard for me to see the finished project well enough in my head. Sometimes even picturing most of the steps along the way to get there. But other times I got in too deep and completely overwhelmed.
I spent too much time tearing everything apart and not yet figuring out how to build it back to what was worked out as finished in my head. There ended up way too many things needing to be done that I completely overlooked. With each step finished I stumbled over a few more that were not factored in to get to the end.
Dad slowed me down and got my brain focused on one step at a time. When that was worked out, I look a few steps ahead and make sure everything is still going in the right direction. Then work on the next major part. If I kept it going together is small steps, then I was able to get farther along and finally finish in a reasonable amount of time without giving up so soon.
Mom told me when she was alone and had free time, which is rare for her, she liked to sit down and do jigsaw puzzles. Some of the hardest ones were of a solid color. So you could not go by what the picture was. Well you could, but did not help at all for the obvious reason. She would usually try to finish the border of a given jigsaw puzzle then work small chunks together. Eventually everything would fall into place.
Those solid color jigsaw puzzles came out in different levels of difficulty. The pictured ones, even if very complex were not so bad to do. Since you could sort of match the piece to a picture on the box cover.
Once again she explained how the border would be the first part to put together. Then match the similar colored pieces, until they fit together in small chunks. Move these groups around and fill in with the last of the puzzle pieces.
At the time I sure didnt see a lot in common comparing one of my attempts of altering something into nothing at all like it was, is like doing jigsaw puzzles. After dad breaking it down into smaller pieces, it makes more sense. But only a little.
When grandpa gave that little Craftsman lathe to me, I thought it would be sort of cool to have a machine to make some things. But he showed up with it in several boxes completely torn all apart. Then smaller boxes full of pieces inside the larger ones. This was one project I was no where ready to tackle.
But Grandpa saw the expression on my face and could tell I was completely lost. Just leave it alone and we will work on the lathe with my next visit over here. If we start with the small pieces first, then work on bolting them to the bigger parts, it will be a lot easier putting the lathe all back together.
Hey Frank, when your kart is finished, I think the wheelbase will end up very close to the new A-bone. But right now there is about 4 inches you can play with to get everything fitting without too much butchering. So does it still look like too much work to do?
Well, it is still a lot more work that I thought. But what you showed me here looks promising and might even work. I still need to do some calculations just to make sure.
Frank turned up about 6 beers already. He had started out from a grouchy sounding jerk complaining about everything that was all my fault. Then shifted over to a slouching and slobbering moron. When he started apologizing about all of the complaining to me, is when I thought about bailing out of there.
After a few minutes, he finally shut up and sat down at his desk. OK kid, I am in better spirits now. Maybe I didnt see the trees because all of those other trees were there in front of them. Well something like that.
Yea whatever Frank. I am thinking about heading on out of here. You know I got school tomorrow and everything. So might check up on things in a few days or so. Just depending on if I got a lot of homework or not.
No, you can stick around for a little while. I am over my tantrum. Oh do you mind grabbing another cold one for me? I have de-escalated my stress levels and now lowering my blood pressure by self projection.
OK, Frank, now you are freaking me out. Here is your beer, I am out of here. As I was turning around to head out of his garage, I saw a kart magazine under some papers on his desk. It was the February issue of Popular KARTING.
What caught my attention was a bright yellow kart in a pack lined up making laps on some track. Looks like the pace laps before the flag dropped. But the kart sort of looked really cool.
I eased back over next to his desk and snagged up the magazine. Frank was busy using the can opener end on his bottle then spilling the beer as it slipped out of his hands when the cap popped off. Sure glad I had just pulled the magazine away when the beer spilled all over his desk. This is a full size magazine, not like the Karting World mags I have.
On the cover was a list of its contents and one in particular was circled with a red marker. WEST BEND HOP UP. I was still more interested in that yellow kart on the cover tho.
I first studied the picture of that kart, but not sure what make it was. Then went flipping thru the pages and stopped at a ROAD TEST 100. They were track testing a Bates Eagle. Nothing really spectacular at first about the kart. But with some closer...wait a minute.
Hey Frank where is your magnifying glass? While Frank was multitasking himself drinking beer, and cleaning up his mess, he handed it to me. Not the beer bottle Frank, your magnifying glass. I pulled the desk drawer open myself then rummaging around for it.
There were several things about the kart I noticed. Not that kart on the cover, but in this track test. The first thing is it had a front extension forward of the axle. The kart also had the tie rods located out of the way behind the steering shaft. Another closer look, the main frame reals were very close in design to the Hornet S-85.
I checked over the specifications listed and they did not seem to match what I was seeing in the pictures. It claimed to have 15 degrees caster, 3 degrees negative camber and 12 degrees kingpin inclination.
I know after re-repairing the front end of my Cates kart, having a good idea of what negative camber looks like. There is no way it has much more than zero degrees negative camber not accounting for the clearances on the kingpin bolts.
There is a front view of the frame and 3 degrees of negative camber would look like it was worn out. Maybe if it was three degrees total adding both sides, might be more believable. It does not look like having anywhere close to 12 degrees kingpin inclination either. There is some, I would say closer to half what is listed, but nothing more.
My Cates kart has a ton of kingpin inclination. More than any of the karts I have seen locally. I still dont quiet understand all the effects of the geometry yet, but starting to get a better grip on it more.
If you put this kart right next to a Hornet S-85, they would not really look that much alike because of the obvious differences of some things. But removing the front extension porch and reversing the spindles around would look a lot more like the Hornet.
Well anyway I need to do some reading up on this kart. I have never seen it listed anywhere until now. Hopefully Frank is sauced up enough to let me borrow this magazine for a few days.
Flipping some more pages I found the article about modifying one Westbend 580. I guess Frank had already read this article since it was circled. I looked back to the table of contents in front and saw a lot of good articles. Well some good subjects worth reading about.
The contents had articles on crash helmets, 100 mile races, factory teams, fuels, welding, build your own kart, this track test, and the hop-up on a Westbend. I need to borrow this issue for sure.
Yea, there is a good article on porting out my Westbend in that mag. You should read it. Might actually learn something to put in that hard head of yours. Frank was now slurring his words together a lot more.
Well OK Frank, I will do that. Thanks for the loan. I promise to return it in the same condition, plus maybe a few extra incriminating fingerprints.
Uh, I didnt say you could...oh H-E double hockey pucks, just make sure it gets back here in one piece.
I noticed Franks head sort of bobbing, then plopped down on his desk, so decided to hit the road.
Oh sorry Frank, I cant stay any longer. But you know I have curfew. Dont want to get caught out after hours and get a citation. Those are not the right kind of citations like they hand out for being extra good in school. So I will catch up with you later. Thanks for the loan. After saying my goodbyes, my bike was already rolling down the driveway and I was gone.
Frank sort of mumbled out something while attempting to lift up his head. But I ignored whatever he was saying, just humming a tune to myself drowning out whatever it was. I am not so sure about hanging out with Frank when he had one too many. I am not all that comfortable around him when he does drink. Oh wait a minute. Now that I think about it, when has he not been drinking? Hmmm