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Build Your Own Go Kart From A Kit Of Parts
Image Credit: The Wooden Go-Kart Company
Have you ever wanted to build and ride a genuine classic racer? Well now you can build your own from a kit of parts.
As your children get down to another blast of high-speed virtual carting, don’t you wish they could be out in the park, doing it for real?
Old-time fun is, of course, the whole idea behind The Dangerous Book for Boys, which includes a chapter on ‘Making a Go-Cart’ for yourself. But as the authors concede, it’s hard to find the parts these days – particularly the steel wheels and axles.
But don’t you wish that your children would get off their computers and tablets and hit the road... in a Go Kart that you build and race yourself!
One of the first kits that were available in the UK was the Kombi-Kart. The idea for the Kombi-Kart came to Charles Codrington, of the The Old Fashioned Wooden Go-Kart Company, after he had a great time building an old-fashioned go-kart with his sons, aged eight and 10.
“Even though I had almost all the materials to hand in my workshop, the problem was, finding the right kind of wheels,” said Charles. “When I was a kid you’d always be able to lay your hands on an old pram to recycle, but now you just can’t get the parts! You need four decent steel ones – preferably all the same size – and a couple of fixed axles.”
“My boys loved building their own kart almost as much as I did! It was a terrific experience. We were looking forward to racing it, and when we took our kart to the park, we drew quite a crowd... kids of all ages (and all the mums and dads) were lining up for a go on the kart everyone was having a great time. People kept asking us where we’d bought it.”
“The trips to the park started wheels turning in my head.” Charles continued, “and I realised that to get the same enjoyment that we had, people would need a great big box with all the parts inside, a cart you can justifiably claim to have built yourself, without the agony of searching for the parts,” That was all the market research Charles needed to start work on putting together the Kombi-Kart kit.
The Kombi-Kart comes in a charmingly retro box, complete with four steel wheels, two fixed axles, heavy-duty steering rope, with all of the wood cut to the right sizes, all the screws and bolts you’ll need, All you have to do is put it together.
Here is a video that shows you how to make a go-kart, and shows how you can get the kids involved in making the go-kart as well.
As the Kombi Kart is made of real wood you can “pimp your ride” with fancy paintwork, graphics and stickers... and even add lights and a horn if you want to.
The Kombi-Kart is a serious speed machine, too - because those quality wheels and axles really spin. “It is fast, especially when you’re on a hill,” Charles admits. “But it’s less dangerous than riding a bike. And we do recommend that the driver should always wear a cycle helmet... just like a real boy racer would!”
Sorry, The Kombi-Kart is no longer available.
More Self-Build Go-Kart Kits Options
Self-Build Go-Kart kits are still pretty hard to find in the UK but there are other options if you want to build your own wooden Go-Kart.
All Terrain Karts are a UK company who sell kits containing all the basic components that you need to get started on your kart building project such as wheels with dual bearings and all terrain inflatable tyres, powder coated steel axles with welded fixing brackets axle fixing bolts, washers and R Clips.
You can buy this kit from Amazon, and all you need to do is find the wood to make your own cart, so that you can still get that old-fashioned "foraged for the parts" experience.
More Resources on How To Build Your Own Go Kart
- Muddy Knees offer a basic build your own wooden go-kart kit which includes wood, wheels and screws, and the design has an adjustable length allows for drivers of all sizes, including adults.
- Kartbuilding includes free detailed plans which are downloadable on how to make your own wooden Kart as well as all the parts that you will need to build your kart.
- Christian Home Education has a detailed expanation of how to build a Wooden Billy Kart from salvaged materials.
- Instructables has a set of instructions for making your own go kart, this time with photographs to help with your go-kart building project.
Here’s to some good old fashioned fun!