Lawn mower racing, dang! What a great idea!
My first recollections of driving a riding mower go back to the mid-70's when I was a kid visiting my grandparents in Rago Kansas...
Grandpa had a John Deere mower that we used to ride all around the house... hittin gthe brake, revving it up and then dumping it in gear to do wheelies.
Years later as an aircraft mechanic... I had the opportunity to pilot our yard dog, which was a riding mower converted to moving airplanes around the tarmac and into hangers and such. Talk about skill!
Fast forward to 2013... and my son and I were at a fiends place riding around the dirt oval he had just cut into his back 40.
He has a three wheeler with a 5hp Briggs and we brought my son's Honda Z50 to race around the track!
What fun!
Talk soon turned to "We need a couple of old GoKarts to race around the track... and next thing you know, I'm on craigslist looking at clapped out riding mowers dreaming of racing one around his track!
So the next couple of weeks have been spent watching youtube, searching e-bay and craigslist and generally dreaming up something that looks like a mower, but hauls-hiney and turns left!
I have built several drag cars and my buddies and I built a car we race out at Bonneville with a Vintage Model A four cylinder... so Ireading the rule book and fabbing something up should not be a problem. I have a MIG welder, TIG welder a mill and a lathe... the usual race car fab stuff....
But what I am hung up on is the motor, where to buy parts and things like tires, rims, etc.
I did buy an old Wheel Horse hood.... and since I'm into old hot rods, it would be cool to use it, and older 60's Wheel Horse parts to have a vintage hot rod feel to it...
Then there's the engine...
I just HAVE to have a flathead... as we race a flathead banger motor at Bonneville... so, it's in my blood.
Also, I like the horizontal shaft motors... because that's what the Wheel Horse came with.
So, what motor would you guys suggest? 11hp Briggs?
Can you get speed parts for them?
Also, what is the difference between a 19 series and a 28 series? I want something that I can buy parts for... and your help is much appreciated!
Thats it for now, it's neat to see all your build threads, so when I start on something, I'll post some pics!
Thanks again!
Sam