Red wagon pedal car

[sgtpontiac]

We gotta work with you on your "Impulse" buying...

Only kidding......sounds like you got the compressor issue fixed....any more on the wheels?? [P

 

[clamor]

Air tools score

Yesterday I also peeked in a couple pawn shops to see what they had for air tools. The first one was about what you'd expect, some good, some bad...all overpriced.

The 2nd seemed to be worse at first. The couple they had that I was interested in were priced near retail. But while I was looking for the price I asked how much he wanted for them & he said $30 each, they were marked $150. Unfortunately, they only took cash, so I had to come back today.

I really wanted a ratchet & a die grinder. The also had a nibbler, I offered $75 & he took it! I dug some thin wrenches out of a bin for changing attachments on the grinder. I cleaned up the wrenches with the grinder, just because i could.

Here's my blossoming air tool collection. the 3/8" impact I bought a while ago, I'm sure I paid too much for it.

I also played with the nibbler a little bit. I'm looking forward to doing some sheet metal work, unfortunately there won't be any on this project.

-Chaz

 

[clamor]

Only kidding......sounds like you got the compressor issue fixed....any more on the wheels?? [P

I haven't had a chance to look at wheels anymore. I'm leaning towards the trailer tires & some freewheelers from Northern Tools.

I also need to find a seat, I think I want to go with a cheap molded plastic racing seat. I remember seeing one for around $50 at checkers or something when I lived in AZ. I might be in for something a bit more pricey...as I'll need the widebody version.

-Chaz

 

[clamor]

Impulse buy fail

It looks like you're right Sarge. I bought some wheels a while back because they were on sale & the ended up being too small. However, they ended up helping me out with something else.

I've been away from the project for a while because we moved. good thing we did, too...turns out our rental was a 'sick house.'

One of the things we decided to do while moving in was to install our old water softner. we'd given it to some friends on a pprevious move & then they decided to downsize & not use it. I'd left it on an old 2-wheeler that had some pretty amazing air losing abilities in the tire area. Those had elevated to epic proportions in the 2 years since I'd seen it. So, in the dead of winter I moved a hugh water softner with a separate salt tank (half full) all by myself. On the 3rd or 4th air up (the tires would't even hold air for the length of the driveway), I realized that my bargain wheel/tire combo was the same size. So, presto-chango I hot-rodded that dolly with some black steelies & new rubber, then the rest of my softner move was simplified by one less thing to fight.

 

[clamor]

Fixing the inspiration

I just did a quick scan through the thread & realized that I didn't tell you guys that I found a fault with my son's pedal car. There's always a reason they get parked and/or sold to a junkyard, right?

I thougnt his difficulty in pedaling it was due to his size or the loseness in the axle. So, I ran the push-nut in on the axle to take out the slack. It didn't help & even the larger kids on the street had trouble with it, which told me there was a larger problem.

I took the rear axle out and saw that it had been bent. This Friday I was able to take the day off, I spent the morning chasing parts & the afternoon fixing it up.

I was hoping to find something with a thicker wall, I would probably have been okay with the higher quality stuff from the metal yard, it sure looks like the wall thickness is not even. However, the guy helping me get my materials suggested solid rod, which appealed to my inner Tim Allen.

 

[Sam_Fear]

[P....

 

[clamor]

No action shots :-(

I was really hoping to get some action shots of my son helping clean the rust & mill scale off the rod, but there's still too much torque from the grinder w/the wire wheel for him to run it himself. He was all duded up in goggles, ear muffs & gloves...having a blast 'Building with Pops!" [cl

I wasn't able to find any 5/8" push-nuts, so I had to get some of these split collar things. the one place I found that had them was out of the one piece w/set-screws.

Since I couldn't use the push nuts, I cut the axle a little long...no way to get an alan in the hub area. It's recessed since it's just designed for the push nuts.

I also hogged out some nylon washers to help with friction when the wheel rubs against the axle housing and wiped the shaft down with some oil to help keep it from rusting & friction.

 

[clamor]

Action shot!

Result!

We put the axle shis-ka-bob together & tightened down the other collar.

"Pops, can I ride my pedal car?" Is now a common question.

[dr

 

[clamor]

I finally did something productive!

With a move, a DD suspension rebuild and a yard waste furnace under my belt, I finally took some time to work on the pedal car.

It's amazing how fast you go through the tubing. There's just over 10' in the basic frame with only a few small cast-offs.

I was hoping to get it fully squared up with a couple more crossmembers & mounting tabs for the pan, but a poorly planned cut tossed a piece & damaged my blade.

After comparing my big 'ole feet to a ruler, I'm pretty sure I'm going to have to flare the frame out or I won't be able to pedal it.

Hopefully I can get out to grab a new blade for the chop saw today & maybe bearings to start work on the pedal crank & rear axle mounting.

I still need to figure out drive & coast wheels. I'm currently thinking of trailer spindles for the coast configuration & attaching spare tire mounts to the pedal crank for drive.

Thanks for lookin' in!
-Chaz

 

[clamor]

I need a little help

I thought I was going to quick like pick up a handful of pillow blocks to use in various places throughout the car, but I had no idea how widely they would vary.

5/8" bore pillow block from Fastenal

5/8" bore pillow block from Amazon

I was going to mount the pedal crank using a pillow block on each side.
Mount the steering levers (one per side) with either a pillow block or bronze bushings...they're probably the least critical.
And, the steering axle (it'll be rear steer like the plastic one above) with a pillow block in the center off the back of the frame.

If I use pillow blocks, what should I look for to make sure I get the right one.
Is there a better method to mount these rotating mechanisms?

Thanks,
Chaz

 

[the reverend muddy grimes]

love this idea[P

 

[clamor]

...consumables

Thanks, rev!

Urgh...another night's progress stopped early by an issue with consumables.
I picked up 2 blades for my chop saw, stinkin' things are 1/8" thick. I wonder how many feet of tubing end up as dust on the floor. I guess I've gotten too used to the thin kerf cutoff wheels, I thought the original 3/32" was thick.

I got my front cross member placed and the mounts for the pan tacked in & was working on fully welding the joints in the main structure when I ran out of flux-core wire. I've got plenty of solid, but the gas setup on my cheap welder has never worked right...so I just packed it in.

I talked with a buddy at Church last night & he suggested that I try a farm store for pillow blocks, because "Farmers are cheap." So, hopefully I get something of decent quality and for much less than the $75 that Fastenal is asking. Plus, they should have some welding wire I can pick up.

We get Good Friday off, so if I get a break in yard projects, I might get a little more done this weekend!

-Chaz

 

[christcrusader13]

cool build

 

[supersmitty]

Frame is looking good. Keep up the good work.[P

 

[Thefarmboy21]

I saved this pic a while back just for the pedal/drive setup. It looks pretty barebones simple. No "pedals" per say, looks to be just a hand bent solid rod out to a basic chain and gear setup back to a GoKart tire. Hope it gives you some ideas at the least.

 

[Skip]

I saved this pic a while back just for the pedal/drive setup. It looks pretty barebones simple. No "pedals" per say, looks to be just a hand bent solid rod out to a basic chain and gear setup back to a GoKart tire. Hope it gives you some ideas at the least.

I like the roadster body. Very clever.

 

[Thefarmboy21]

Yea I've been keeping my eyes open for old wheel barrows for a while now.

 

[clamor]

Good Friday was GOOD!

cool build

Frame is looking good. Keep up the good work.[P

Thanks guys!

I agree, there is so much right about that rwd pedal car!

After running around picking up parts yesterday morning I was able to spend the rest of the day in the garage.

I figure the mockup deserves to be in a post all by itself!

Heading out to lunch with the wife, I'll get the rest of my updates posted later.

-Chaz

 

[soltz]

NICE [cl[cl[cl

 

[clamor]

foot room

I spent most of the day working on getting some additional space for my size 15s. You can see in the first pic that my big 'ole clunkers were a little cramped between the rails. So, I de-pinched the rails at the kickup. What I did was cut the seams through on the outside of the lower portion & the inside of the upper portion to lean the angled portions of the rail out. I had to do that a couple times to get enough lean, but I'm pretty pleased with the results (I've also included a couple pics of my 'working alone' contraptions for rail alignment). The main rails (and the kickup prior) are 10.5" inside to inside, the kickup is now at 12".

I had to go in before I got much further, but I have come up with an idea to transform these freewheeling hub wheels into drive wheels. Any guesses as to what I have in mind?

-Chaz