Starting early, even with lawn mower engines, indicates an interest. Apparently I started even earlier than Bill since when I was 8 my father purchased a "go cart" from a friend. It was actually a pair of oak frame rails with a 2 HP B&S Model N mounted on the back. It didn't take long for me to rebuild that engine and carb, with Dad's supervision, and I was off and driving.

From there I changed plugs, points, and condenser on many of the family cars as well as those of friends and relatives. By the time high school came along I was working on pretty much anything around so friends of mine and I bought a 37 Chevy panel truck and stripped it down to the frame, shortened that by 3', put dual rear tires on, and made a dune buggy. I did the rebuild on the 216.5 Stovebolt Six, including using the right shims to get the proper bearing clearances.

That was almost 50 years ago and I remember it well. Since then life has gotten in the way of building engines, although I did build a few along the way. And each time it was a blast. So I say get in there and learn as it can be fun as well as useful.

 

I always wanted a go-cart, but dad didn't care and I never had the money. I've talked to my friends several times about us all doing a build together but they aren't as into this stuff as I am, so I just do my own stuff with my limited budget

 

i started out with an old golf cart that i converted from electric motor to 5hp b&s moved up to making a chainsaw motor powered bicycle and it escalated quickly from there....i was the only kid to ride to school on a chainsaw bike, tractor, home made go-carts, and other contraptions my budget was super limited i just did most of it all with adaptation and improvisation

 

Necessity is the mother of invention... Plato, I believe.

 

I confess, I started with my sci-fi toys. I'd tear apart shooting action figures and put them back together. It wasn't until I got my 73 Cougar with a Cleland that I got into cars and trucks.

 

Yeah, I had Transformers action figures, it was fun putting them together and taking them apart to see how they worked. Anybody ever heard of Beyblades? Probably not but it was a big toy a while back. They were metal tops that would hit each other and the last one spinning won(sounds pretty stupid now but it was fun back then). I would always "engineer" ways to make mine win against my friends. Adding weight, increasing diameter for more stability, etc. That's probably where my engineering mind started haha

 

I haven't heard of those things in years!

 

Yeah, it's been a while haha I figured nobody would know what I was talking about.

 

I started with Lincoln Logs and Tinkertoys. After I was 6 or 7 dad got me an Erector set. My then best friend had an English Mechano set his dad had brought back (lived on a Naval installation). After I was older I kept pestering dad until he agreed if I raised 1/2 the money he would bring me back the big Marklin metal building set, 105 was the model, changed to 1015 later that year. That thing had some unbelievable number of pieces!

 

I'd been dealing with dryrotted/leaky/used tires since I bought the truck last may. I had enough the weekend I came out to the garage and there were 2 tires flat. So I ponied up the cash for some new tires and wheels in the exact sizes I wanted. Not exactly the vintage mag wheels I wanted, those might come later as I actually fix up the rest of the truck, but it is hard to go wrong with wagon wheels on a 70s-80s truck IMO.

15x8 and 15x10, 3.5" backspace, 225/70 and 275/60 tires. heres some before/after pics

 

Friction - I think you chose wisely. Looks good!

 

Originally I wanted to get chrome wagon wheels for my truck. But I painted my factory steel wheels a medium grey color and loved it. I think I'll just keep the grey wheels lol. Looks good!

 

I really like the way those look on your truck friction. I sure love my American Racing AR-23s though. Nothing better looking than polished aluminum wheels IMO

 

No, don't say you're stupid (somebody lacking in common sense and intelligence) as you're definitely not that, not at all.

Snot-nosed implying young and inexperienced, yes, but not stupid.

And please stop using things like "im" and "id" as those aren't words, you're not texting your BFF here....

 

I've been called many things in my life, but never snot nosed. Until I came on here lol.