I just want you to know how much this is killing me. When I was maybe 12, I got an old huffy. I didn't know where to get pulleys, didn't have any money and couldn't weld so my modifications were limited to making a reclining seat and removing the hood so the steering wheel could be lowered. My dad wasn't about to say "I'll bet we could make that go faster", or even think it. Now, I've got a junk MTD and two wonderful boys, but somehow my dad's indifference to mechanical things was passed on to my boys, which is bad enough, but then I have to go through the torture of reading this thread.
I can't imagine anything more fun than building a pink and purple racing mower with a 13 yr old daughter.
Oh, no, wait. I can imagine something better; building one for me and one for her.
Thanks for the story.
jt