05-16-2020, 09:30 AM
Doug, I actually DID ream the kingpin bushings in the n1ke spindles with a 1/2" drill bit. I pushed the bushings into the spindle barrels with the vise and ran the drill bit through them. I wasn't about to spring for a 1/2" reamer from McMaster. I DID, I admit, borrow a 5/8" reamer for the steering shaft bushings, but that was only because neither I nor Ron Cubel had a 5/8" drill bit! I guess my point is that these karts were mass produced back in '57 through '62 by the thousands, and there was little thought to precision. These darn machines performed quite well, and a lot of them survive until now with few modifications. We're too concerned with 2020 techniques and professional tools that're not really needed for machines that were meant for fun, not serious competition. Some of the vintage gang go overboard. If they are doing it just to show pride in their craftsmanship, fine. If they're doing it so they can demonstrate that they are "big time auto racers", shame. I built the Photon in the living room here in my house. I had been in hospital with the CLL issue, and wasn't up to working in the garage yet. I have a $100 benchtop drill press, a polishing wheel, a Craftsman belt sander and the usual hand electric tools. No mill, no lathe, no optical alignment systems. The kart looks good and runs as well as any 100cc American fan cooled rig I've come across. When Pop and I were winning championships back in the early days, we had his lawn mower shop to use, but with the exception of a bigger drill press, we had no more sophisticated tools than I have now. We actually had to go across the highway to borrow the bench belt sander at the cabinet shop. I did all our port work with a Dremel tool and sandpaper. We regularly beat engines built by Russell and by other major kart shops. Ted