Father & Son mobility scooter go kart project..

[sparkybhp]

Inspired by this summers steam fairs, and the small scale engines you see there. Me and my son (11) have decided to build a small pick up truck which we're basing on a mobility scooter chassis/running gear.
Picked up this road legal (8mph) scoot off the eBay for a bargain £300…

Got it stripped down pretty quick, labelling wiring connections as we went.
We mocked up a rough idea of bodywork using cardboard and masking tape - this gave me a reference for how and where to extend the chassis. We also had to grind off the steering rod and weld it back on at an angle as the handlebars on the scoot came straight up - we needed it angled back slightly.

I bought 15 metres of 20x20 box section and cut some lengths to start fabricating the new shape of the vehicle. Luckily my little screwfix chop saw can cut steel too so that made cutting the mitred joints easy!
I’ve mig welded the frame up to this point, practising on some scraps first to get my gas/wire speed and power settings dialled in best I can. I’m no pro welder but I’m very happy with how it’s going so far.
Thought I’d keep a build updated on here for others to see and as a future reference for myself. Hope you like!

 

[mk one]

Looks a fun project

 

[Lucidone]

Brilliant project and like that you've retained the wheelie bars for when you (inevitably) up the power!

 

[sparkybhp]

Work continues on the box frame of the chassis, it’s slowly starting to take shape:

Front grille section made up and installed along with braces to the bulkhead which will form the bonnet/scuttle. Also braced up the rear section to the original chassis so it’s pretty solid now front and back.
Next will be to fabricate the windscreen surround and make up the tailgate, then the floor pans made up and body panels can be cut from ally sheet and riveted on.

 

[Andycuk]

Work continues on the box frame of the chassis, it’s slowly starting to take shape:
View attachment 787543View attachment 787544
Front grille section made up and installed along with braces to the bulkhead which will form the bonnet/scuttle. Also braced up the rear section to the original chassis so it’s pretty solid now front and back.
Next will be to fabricate the windscreen surround and make up the tailgate, then the floor pans made up and body panels can be cut from ally sheet and riveted on.

 

[Andycuk]

How’s the project coming along? Just purchased a mobility scooter for exactly the same reason!

Searching around for ‘ideas’ and stumbled across your project!

 

[sparkybhp]

Thanks for your interest, I’d forgotten to keep this thread updated as I made more progress. I carried on making the framework and then bought a large sheet of aluminium and fabricated the body panels.

I then refitted the wiring loom and dash panel modifying it as needed. I replaced the old lamps with leds which look a bit better in my opinion. The bed of the truck was made out of 3/4” ply with a removable section for battery access (I unplug the batteries while it’s stored).
Then me and my son painted it and added a few stickers (and the registration plate!)

I cut down the stalks on the mirrors and rethreaded them so they could be reused too.
My boy loves it. It’s an 8mph one so it does shift! All the original controls work as before, it has a dial as a speed limiter, lights, indicators, horn, brake lights etc etc. forward and reverse work via the original flappy paddles which I mounted behind the steering wheel on the column.
Hope your project goes well, let me know if you need any more detailed info too.

 

[Tootyred]

Keep thinking about doing something similar with an mot failure ford KA.