Lil Donkey 2 UK Ratty hybrid SLAMMED -progress 9-5-18

First the back story...
So, we own a small Woodland and currently own an old Alko Badged Murray Ride on mower, with a 10 hp Briggs, which we use as a small trailer tug (think cheap Radio Flyer style) which hauls chainsaw, brushcutter, fuel, cake etc......it's old and tired (like me) but is invaluable......and great fun, at just below walking pace, but the woods are about relaxing, so no big deal......
A few weeks ago on Facebook marketplace a fella was selling two old ride ons for £50, it was rude not to take up the offer and we dragged them to the woods where they sat and sulked, neither will run, both a pretty tired, bit both will be rebuilt and put to work. One was a Sears the other a Murray....

Fast forward, I had a spare day and went over to the woods and pulled the Sears apart, stored everything that I didnt bring home, just in case it comes in handy, Land Rover loaded with the chassis frame and all the body panels which went straight to the sandblasters, meanwhile I sanded the bonnet back to the plastic, primed and rattlecaned Satin Black......Black with Red wheels has as Doc said "been done to death" but not by me...so thats what I'm going for...narrow wheels, a bit ratty, a bit hot rod, a bit hybrid as parts are so difficult to find over here, go kart parts are much easier and cheaper.
Plan is 2x2inch box section front axle with off road go kart steering yokes, Honda GX200 engine with original hand throttle, Comet TAV CVT, 30mm solid rear axle, chain drive, I'll have to make a new headlamp panel as the original is beyond help and brittle.......really enjoying this, making something fit where it doesn't really belong.....photos next!....

As bought sulking in the woods

Where we are now, chassis frame and panels are home from the blasters...

Chassis has been primed and satin blacked, steering box loose fitted, so I dont have to drill a big hole through the engine to fit it.....engine in roughly its final position



Fitted dash panel to check clearance, oh dear! the cutting disc came out after much pencil drawing out ideas for clearance on the panels, engine now fits a treat, clearance for the CVT need finessing, but is close, biggest issue was clearance between the dash and the top of the engine, there is about a quarter inch gap, which means
1. I'd have to remove the engine to change the air filter (doable but not very elegant!) and
2. The original hand throttle will now not fit, which would be a shame..

A conversation with a UK seller of performance part for Honds GX saw an order placed for an angled K&N style air filter, manifold and bigger main jet, which should create the necessary clearance

I could have mounted the engine a few inches further forward, but I have plans for that little patch of real estate.....

Stay tuned for more Rock n Roll!

Sweet! Build plan sounds nice. Is that a new GX200? Any plans for a custom exhaust setup? I think a foot throttle would be better than a hand throttle, especially if you're going fast.

Fast is not the ultimate aim Matthew,,,yes it is a new engine, it had to be Honda as we domt have the Predator that you have over there...

Yeah, I just assumed that you were going for a speed build. What speed are you going for? Actually I live in N.I, and you can get Honda clones here for around £100. But I prefer the genuine Honda engines.

I would not use a stock style throttle that stays at a desired speed with a CVT.  Way too dangerous.  There is a way to make that spring return, but I'd really go with a foot pedal.  You'll love it.

This is a awesome start to a mow kart project.  There's a guy on here that loves doing this to craftsmans.  He lowers the frame and has a ton of fun with them.  

You definitely need some kind of custom exhaust.

School me please? in what way is a fixed throttle dangerous with a CVT?

Well there is no "dead man" feature.  Say you fall off the tractor or one hand is on the steering wheel and the other hand is busy keeping a branch from wacking you in the face in the woods, if you have the engine set to full throttle, there's no way of slowing down or stopping in an emergency situation.  There's no clutch pedal to push in or gas pedal to let off of and you might not have a hand free to turn off the engine in a hurry.

Good point, something I hadn't considered....looks like Ill be having a foot pedal then, good job the original setup had two pedals!....thanks for the heads up, Carl!

Ive been chipping away at this little joker...fabbed up a 40mm box section steel fromt axle with go kart steering yokes, I drilled the steering tubes with a hole saw amd got a friend to weld it all up for me, not sure if I got the measurememt a bit off or if the axle is on backwards, but there is a slight positive camber, if its a bit wrong I can live with it, axle is only mointed with two bolts and needs strengthening
Engine is fitted on 30mm blocks so that the CVT doesnt clash with the top of the chassis, this means the dash panel no longer fits so is mocked up up 30mm wooden spacers which will be replaced with 30mm box section steel......
I need to modify the lower nose panel and then make the upper part as the original is beyond saving.
I have mounted the axle on top of the chassis frame to lower the stance, which has worked really well, but I will have to trim the front crossmember by a good couple of inches and Ill have to mount the steering gear on blocks too or else the rod underneath will be very vulnerable, chances are Ill have to make some sort of skid plate to protect it....connecting rod between yokes has just enough room to go between the bottom of the engine and the top of the chassis frame, waiting for a delivery of steel rod to conmect to the rose joints.....
Anyroadup...photos...

Looking good! Wide stance is cool

I'm loving the progress but I would flip the axle over to get a little bit of negative chamber instead of the positive.  Looking really close on ground clearance too.

Guys, I need your help!

I need to come up with something to fill the gap between the lower rad panel and the bonnet (hood) where the headlight grille used to be, the gap is now around half the size it was, so the original wont fit and is beyond repair anyway...
Any ideas?
I cant weld!......

Possibly an led light bar? If that won’t kill the look anyway.

Other options may be a piece of aluminum diamond plate or brushed stainless steel riveted in on the 4 corners to kind of give the illusion that there is a light. A lot of racers do that

CQ's idea with diamond plate and riveting it together is pretty good.  That can be done with basic tools.  I don't think sqaure LED pods or a light bar would fit your look very well.  Do you plan on driving this thing at night?  I think you should actually use some old school round headlights in the grille.

Thanks guys, sometimes cant see the wood for the trees!
I have some Aluminium sheet somewhere, Ill give it a go.....

A bit of progress today, pillow blocks arrived so I mocked up the rear end, axle will meed shortening a little, there is also another issue, check the photos and see if you can spot it.......*

Made a small alloy "headlight" panel to fill the gap and will probably fit a couple of faux headlights in the form of white circular reflectors......
Also need to make a rad panel to firewall support to stop the front panel flexing....
Shortened the steering colum by three inches, polished the rust off it then clearcoated...









*Issue is ground clearance, the angle grinder and cutting wheels will have to see some action!....

Oh ground clearance yeah lol.  Negative ground clearance is no good unless you want to grade you driveway with it lol.

My guess on the issue is how are you going to route the chain to the rear axle from the CVT.  Through some kind of tunnel?

Current plan for routing the chain is from the CVT to a Jackshaft on the engine side of the firewall, which will exit through a hole in the left side of the same panel, then I will have to make a small tunnel/guard along the footboard and holes through the front of the rear body panel. Im expecting to have to make a chain tensioner as I wont be able to take up slack by moving the engine as there is no room. I can just get to the dipstick to check the oil level and Ill have to drill a hole about 2" diameter in the top of the chassis to allow oil change. One built an running it will all come apart to finish paint. The brake disc is too large, so that will be reduced in diameter by an inch or so on my tired old Craftsman lathe, original foot pedals will be used, theres one each side so throttle on the right brake on the left....When the wheels steer the tyres clear the footboard corners by about a quarter inch.........worst case I can remove the riveted brackets and move them back half an inch...

There is a lot of tea drinking and thinking involved in this!