I started to build a bar stool type vehicle to cruise around the neighborhood on a few years ago (sold it when I lost interest) and I made all the steering parts except some tie rod ends and a heim joint. Here's a couple of pictures, maybe it will help you somehow. Cool find by the way.

Wally

 

The dark side is a slippery slope. Was talking with a friend today about this mini Jeep and the steering mods I want to do, as well as adding at least a footrest bar across. He's a good fabricator. Now the thought is to widen the frame in the center so the steering could be moved to the left, ditching the hand controls for foot controls, adding a small battery and alternator to power the tail lights and headlights, and somehow incorporating an electric brake switch to activate the brake lights when the vehicle is braking. He also thought that the rest of the vehicle should be finished off in metal over wood just like the front and painting it green. He then suggested that the front axle be pushed back more. I suggested building a front bumper and putting a spare in front, kind of like a continental kit, to fill up the space. I prefer to keep the Jeep as close to original as possible, at least on the outside. I think with too many mods, it would loose its charm and appeal.

My lawn mower repair friend may also be able to fit a newer Honda 5.5 hp motor that is much quiter, but he first has to see the current set up.

This might become a loooong restoration project, but the first goal is to make it driveable and then go from there.

 

By the time you do all that, you should put in a metal chassis. Make it a Darksider rebuild: all new, modern underneath the original outer shell. With a larger engine you can do away with the jackshaft and use a centrifugal clutch. Using a live rear axle would make the engine install a snap and you could then use a dependable go kart disk brake.
www.northerntool.com has all the parts you might need.

 

That's what I thought too but I don't want to dump a ton of money into it. I definitely want to get foot controls so that my son could drive it. I wouldn't mind keeping the hand controls for nostalgia. A live rear axle with disk brakes is definitely a plus. There's a go kart place not far from me. I'll probably pay them a visit soon to price things out.

Forgot to mention that we also talked about finding a small and powerful enough electric motor to put in instead of the gas, but that's probably a long shot.

My friend's place is about an hour away and I'd have to go there each time to work on it. The good news is that my wife is behind this project more than any other of my projects. She wants me to really dedicate my time to it.

 

For inexpensive electric power a starter motor could be used. If your friend has fab tools (MIG, chop saw) a basic square tube chassis could be built in a weekend. Square tube is much easier than round tube to work with, no fishmouths or welding around a round tube, all cuts are easy to set up in a chop saw.

 

A little update:

Trial run about two weeks ago.

http://s1209.photobucket.com/user/mo...f0c8b.mp4.html

Last week I had the motor tuned up, carb cleaned, gaskets replaced, new muffler installed, etc. Now it runs much better and a lot quieter.

Was also at a swap meet two weeks ago and picked up a few goodies for the project. The clear lights will be the headlights (need to replace one bulb) and the teardrops will obviously become tail lights (need to find good plastic lense replacements).

 

I haven't updated this thread in some time. Since I made the last post, I've built a battery tray, installed the battery, tail lights, headlights, headlight switch, siren, siren push button, wired everything, finished the drive engage pull handle, modified the wooden "dash" for more legroom, fixed the rear wood top, installed hinges for the top to open and mounted a luggage rack.

Next on the list is an adjustable driver's seat, stationary passenger seat, and a tilting windshield.




















Also took it to its first showing. It was at the local monthly Saturday morning cruise-in in June. Hauled it in my friend's, Victor - Vegas123, 49 F1. Looks good in there.

 

Look like a lot of fun.
Your buddy has a great looking truck

Bobby

 

I love it! I missed this thread before. That's a cool car.

We had a go-cart when I was a kid. It was my older brothers and I didn't get to drive it much. (too young) But I put a lot of miles just sitting in the seat playing with the steering wheel.

@Harrier: That IS a flathead. With a finned aluminum head, of course.

Some of the old B&S engines have pipe threads in the exhaust port. You could run it down and out the back. They sound kinda cool.

 

Ax, sounds like you had a great dad. I loved mine very much, but on weekends he'd take us hiking in the mountains and stuff like that. Now, Bill Linscott's dad worked at Boeing (and had a scar on his cheek from a jap bayonett). He had stuff like a welder, and a drill press that could make holes in steel! I just loved mechanical stuff from a very early age. You were lucky, you got a great head start on some of us.