So, Its the last week of October (2015) and Josh has been saving his pocket money as he want a go kart. This all started a few months ago when he came to me with (another!!!) Youtube video, this time of some stupidly expensive battery powered kart, yes it had a handbrake and was kind of cool, but it was £400. You read that right, FOUR HUNDRED POUNDS.
Me – “Dude, you can get a real one for that money!”
J – “What, with an engine?”
So that was that, I’d been showing him karts on eBay and saying if he saves hard enough then he could get his own one. So, he’s happy, I’m thinking in a few years he’ll have enough money, but will want something else!
Rye House – This’ll scare him!
Anyway, as a taster I took him to Rye House (our local karting track) to see if he actually enjoyed it. The girls go off to Wrong Direction at the O2 and we head off for some proper father/son time. We get there and he gets kitted out, to be fair he did look the part. Eventually (I was almost as excited as him and we did get there an hour early than we were supposed to!) it was his turn. Other than 5 minutes on Hasting seafront he has never been on a kart so this would be interesting. I got chatting to a few of the dads, who turn out are regulars. I’m, to be fair now shitting bricks! Is he going to be alright? Hope he doesn’t crash? He’d better not cry!!! Well the flag went down and the little sod was off!!! Within 3 laps he has settled in and was keeping up with the ‘regular’ boys. Perhaps its just luck? Nope, 30 minutes and his time was over. He’d kept up with them, stuck a few in the tyres (good lad!) been shunted into the tyre (must try harder!) but overall did flipping awesome!!!
24th October 2015 – Good friends, too much drink and an eBay purchase!
Our good friends Andy & Lisa Ford popped round for drinks, we hadn’t seen them for blooming yonks, but as with good friends, you just pick up from where you left off. Many drinks later (and for some reason Traci and Lisa having a handstand twerk off, but thats another story!) I told Andy about Joshs and his karting skills. A few hours later, a perusal on eBay (why does everything look so tempting on eBay when you’ve had too much to drink!?!?!) and I am the proud owner of a Cadet Kart, which is in pieces and to top it off, it’s in Royal Wotton Bassett (130ish miles away!) oh, and collection only! The 25th October was a hazy memory, with many paracetamols being consumed (as well as a Sumners Footie game, thank goodness for late kick offs!)
30th October 2015 – Collection Day
So today’s the day ! Set off at 5.30am to pick up ‘Project Chrimbokart’. As most people know the M25 is an absolute pig, but leaving early made sure I was on the M4 before all the idiots got in the way. It was a pretty good run and was their for around 7ish. The chap seemed nice enough, gave me lots of spares a few tips and I was on my way within 20 minutes. Back into a miserable Harlow just before 10 (its was peeing down!) thats was that. I now have a go kart. Christmas day is going to be pretty damn awesome!
6th November 2015 – Prep work
So, when the idea of a Go Kart first started, Josh always said he wanted a Black and Yellow Go Kart to match his footie team (he plays for Sumners FC and loves it!) But, in true me style I have won a Blue go kart! Discussions with various people about painting/vinyl wrapping and other options were made. AndyF basically tells me to stop arsing about, get some soap, 800 grit wet&dry and crack on with rubbing down the plastics. Which I do, for HOURS AND HOURS AND HOURS AND HOURS (and hours and hours!) Theres no pictures of this as its is SOOOOOO BLOODY BORING. So here’s a picture of the frame (which the previous owner had already rubbed down!!)
9th November 2015 – Stickers !!!
Its been bugging me all weekend. I know its a second hand kart, but I want it to look special on xmas day. As much as spraying the plastic black will look ok, to me its just not WOW enough. I’d had a chat with another friend and he had suggested a sticker kit (why couldn’t you have suggested this before operation Wet&Dry?!?!?!) A quick search on the Interweb gave me a company called THR Graphics. After emailing them a plea I got an email from Sharon, who said my email had made her Monday! Anyway, she sent a design, which I um’d and ar’d with, rang Andi Pearce, (this story has lots of Andy/Andi and Andrew’s in for some reason!) the owner of Sumners FC, got the all clear for the use of the club logo and insisted Sharon took my money. These beauties were going to be the Christmas morning WOW factor !!! Roll on the 12th Nov when they would arrive. Must keep really, really quiet and not tell anyone. 10 minutes later I’m showing the wife what I’ve done. I just cannot keep a good secret and am ready to burst!!! Hurry up Chrimbo!
12th November 2015 – Stickers, paint – It’s all too exciting!!!
They’re HERE!!! OMG, OMG, OMG they are AWESOME. Well that’s it, no more work today! I offer up the swanky new stickers and they are a pretty good fit. Will need a trim here and there but will defiantly do the job. Next step painting. After a chat with a few friends it was decided that Plasti-cote Plastic Primer and then there Satin Black paint will do the job. So I have spent all day degreasing, priming and painting the Blue plastic to Black. It’s my first time using a rattle can in a long time! Glad to see I’ve still got ‘it’ (although I’m not too sure what ‘it’ is, but never the less I still have ‘it’!).
Ended up staying later just to finish off the painting of the skid pan. Just by coincidence the part worn slicks I’ve bought on eBay (whilst sober this time I may add) turn up!
(Friday) 13th November 2015 – What could go wrong!?!
To be fair not a lot really. Spent the morning in the office working (boo, hiss!) and then a trip to Leonard Brooks Paints for some funky DTM paint…in Yellow, then a trip to Poundland for some plastic to cover everything in the garage (pretty sure Fordy wouldn’t appreciate everything in there being a lovely shade of yellow!)
The poxy wind didn’t help and the plastic covers kept sticking to the paint. Thanks to Nicole for her cunning plan of a pallet! A few coats later I’ve run out of paint! OK so something did go wrong, but I can live with it! oh and my trainers are now a fetching shade of yellowyblue. I’m thinking of auctioning these on eBay after Christmas as a bespoke design, I’m sure some arty type will see these as fabulous. But note to the wife, I need new trainers! ). Anyway, these stupid days are far too short and it was getting dark so will carry on tomorrow.
16th November 2015 – Final painting…
A nice early start this morning. Josh has keeper training with Te Amo at Passmores for 9. Just as we get there it starts peeing down… Arse! Still, he enjoys it and comes off buzzing. So off I go as “Daddy had to work this morning”
Get to the garage about 11ish and have another 1½ hours of spraying and the frame is finally finished. Its a very nice, bright yellow and should fit in with the overall theme.
The trainers also got another healthy dose of yellow and I really am thinking they’re now worth around £300…. they’re arty don’t you know! (I am tempted to put these on eBay after chrimbo now!!!)
Anyway a few pics of today’s spraying, along with a picture of my now yellow nostrils (must remember to buy a mask next time, I keep getting yellow boogers!)
Tuesday 17th Nov – The seat
So the frames painted as are all the plastics. The final piece would be the seat. I’ve tried blowing it out with an air gun but it still looks tatty. So Connor has donated some carpet to the cause and I stripped all the old material off of the seat. Cut down the seams and now have three parts to trace onto the new carpet. Decided to send the middle off to creatidentitee and they are going to stitch my company logo (well I need to have it somewhere!!!!) and the football club badge. Can’t wait ’til its back and I can glue everything back in place!!!
Thursday 19th Nov – Sticker time!
Connor has offered to stick the stickers on. Thank gawd for that! I really didn’t fancy doing the stickers as I would have screwed them up, got really annoyed at myself, shouted (a lot) and thrown them away! Connor has done a fab job on these and really will give Project Chrimbokart the WOW factor
Thursday 26th Nov – Buildin’ Time!!!
Popped into creatidentitee today and they were just finishing the seat lining off! Zoomed back to the office and glued all the carpet in place. this looks much better!! Sod work, this kart needs putting back together!!!. A stop off to Ricky at Rickys MOT & Service as Ricky has very kindly offered to lend me his spare kart trolley… no bending down on the floor for me (and being an old boy it was have not helped my back out!!!).
So frame is on the trolley and start going through the bits in the boxes. This has to be THE BEST LEGO SET….EVER!!!! A few hours late and most of it is together. AndyF is going to go over a few bits and bobs but the main bits are together and it does looks pretty damn good (even if I do say so myself!) I swear I’ll go ballistic if he doesn’t pee himself!!!. Anyway a few pics of todays events…. Come on Christmas AAAAARrrrgrggghhhh
Friday 4th Dec – Final touches?
So, spent the day finishing off a few bits and bobs. Ran the brake and accelerate cables, checked caliper works etc, etc. Nothing really fun, just the last niggly bits. AndyF is gonna give it the once over tomorrow. So fingers crossed we can start it up this weekend?!?!?
Sunday 6th Dec – It runs!!!!
AndyF has looked it over a there a few bits that aren’t quite right. The rear axle has everything arse about face, I’m guessing the previous owners knew less than me! An hour or so later and the rear is all on, as is the bumper, which was a complete pain in the arse and probably the most difficult part of the whole build. The damn bolt had worked lose and no matter how much we tried would just spin around. AndyF worked his magic, shouted at it and hey presto its all together! Ran the fuel lines and added petrol. The moment of truth….. It only bloody fired up Running a little lumpy, but a few tweaks will sort that!!! But it works (phew, I’d been panicing about the engine not working… I’m still waiting for the downside to this building your son a gokart from eBay!)
Friday 11th December – Finally!!!
Up early this morning as today is the day.. Project Chrimbokart will (FINALLY) be sat on the floor! Nipped round and picked up the freshly pained wheels from yesterday (which do look much better, glad I decided to paint them!) Nipped down to see Cousin Lips (aka my cousin John at Bloomfields) and asked if he would be so kind as to fit the tyres. After much piss taking and references to my large cheeks (diet starts in the new year!) he said he would. Left them with him, did some work (boo, hiss!) and popped back later to pick them up! Nipped back to the garage and fitted them. They make it look as hard as nails!!!!! Lifted it off the stand and for the first time since this madness started its sitting on the floor!!!! AndyF has also fiddled with the carb and its all peachy. Still need to tidy up the chrome parts (I was gonna leave it but AndyF seems to think I need to do this, pretty sure its a pig of a job, almost as bad as the wet and dry session, but I suppose I’d best listen to him!!)
Anyway, here it is, sitting on the floor looking pretty damn mean! oh and a video!!!!!!
Sunday 20th December – Final polish
Andy F has been awesome this week. He’s stripped and cleaned the carb and put it all back together, Its like having my own elf! (and about the same height too!) Last thing to do is a polish of the chrome parts. A tube of Autosol and some rags, a bit of rubbing action! and they’re all polished! Roll on Christmas morning!
So that’s it.
Wednesday 23rd Dec – The Lid
Gave the Crash Helmet to Matt at ImageWorx to work his sticky magicness on it. Looks frickin’ aweeeeeeeesome! That’s it, its finished, get a move on Mr Claus coz this dad can not wait until chrimbo!!!
CHRIMBO DAY – ITS TIME!!!!!!!
Well todays the day. Been up since 5am opening stockings as “Father Christmas has been”.
Gone into the living room and opened pressie. Josh didn’t quite pee himself (although he did fart!!!!) Talk about one happy little boy. I’m not sure he could take it all in at first! As I type he’s is sitting in the kart and is currently refusing to get out! What the heck am I gonna do next year…
Happy Christmas all, and have a fab 2016! 🙂
