Materials to Maintain Your ZHP IIIII Hand Protection IIIII Tools to Maintain Your ZHP
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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Cambridge, MA
    Posts
    902

    E_Rak's Karting Saga

    Right, so I know most of you boys are really more into your full-sized (BMW branded) toys, but for those who enjoy the smaller things in life, here is my build/race/blog thread about my foray into the deep dark world of amateur go karting.

    I've been racing casually on and off since I was 17. For a while I was a regular visitor to F1 Boston and had some really good success in the junior leagues there. Second in the points championship, first in the big final race, yadda yadda yadda. Indoor is fun and all, but there is only so far you can go with it. After coming in second place in a team 90 minute endurance at F1 Outdoors, I knew that was place for me, but the story kind of ended there.

    After turning 18 my only option was to run in the adult leagues. Those were on weekdays at six or seven PM in Braintree, which is south of Boston. I live north of Boston. A 45 minute ride wound up taking two hours, and after six rounds of getting my butt kicked by dirty drivers, I was done. Besides, I was heading off to school anyway. So why the sudden change of heart? Well, I noticed a good friend I met (and usually beat, hehe) in the junior leagues was actually going somewhere in racing. He posted on Facebook a blurb about how his application to the Skip Barber Karts to Cars Shootout was accepted. I instantly became ultra jelly, and needed to do something.

    After about a week's research, I decided World Formula was right for me. This is a four-stroke series that uses Briggs and Stratton motors. These are much more reliable and much cheaper than rotax or other two-stroke motors. Although they aren't as popular as the oil burners, these motors still put out power in the range of 15 HP, plenty to get me going. It also helps that they are beginning to gain a lot of following, especially in New England. I found a good deal online, a 2013 Arrow X2 chassis (proven at a national level) that came with a dyno'd and blueprinted motor with only four or five races on it. The owner graciously lowered his price to exactly what I wanted to pay, and even offered to drop it off at my front door. Perfect.
    ______________________

    Now, for those of you who made it all the way through, let's get on with the pictures!

    Here's the kart with its original owner on the cover GORacing Magazine, April 2013.


    GORacing April 2013 by 686erak, on Flickr

    Sitting in my garage the day it was dropped off (PO's seat padding still installed).


    IMAG0263 by 686erak, on Flickr

    Test fit in the parts van from work (THANK GOD it fit!! Also happened to fit into my mom's RAV4).


    IMAG0264 by 686erak, on Flickr

    Got it cleaned up and squeezed into the basement.


    IMAG0266 by 686erak, on Flickr

    Organizing the work bench.


    IMAG0268 by 686erak, on Flickr

    The whole shebang; official work area.


    IMAG0270 by 686erak, on Flickr
    ______________________

    That was it for week one of ownership, here's some updates from this week.

    Found these perfect wing nuts, I have to take the sidepods off to transport the kart, so they will be quite handy!


    IMAG0271 by 686erak, on Flickr

    And for the moment you've all been waiting for, NEW STICKERS!!!!!!!! What a pain in the arse these were. Still not happy with the right sidepod, plastic too rough for perfect adhesion.


    IMAG0278 by 686erak, on Flickr
    ______________________

    Coming up soon:

    Getting the kart to the scales this week
    First practice session Saturday

    I don't care if not a single person reads this post, I'm going to update for myself anyway!
    Last edited by E_Rak; 08-13-2014 at 12:47 AM.
    - Evan - Karting Thread - YouTube -


  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2012
    Location
    Salt Lake City, UT
    Posts
    6,871

    E_Rak's Karting Saga

    Dude, this is awesome! Karts are so much freaking fun.
    In the market for an E90 M3

  3. #3
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    Jacksonville, Florida
    Posts
    2,202
    Oh man I'm stoked for this!
    2005 Jet Black 6MT ZHP "Family First"
    ~Rob~

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jun 2014
    Location
    Bay Area, California
    Posts
    664
    Looks epic! I'd love to see some GoPro footage.
    Hi, I'm John, and I miss my 6MT Alcantara baby! | 2003 Orient Blue 330i ZHP
    Had: ARC8's | Poly Bushings | Koni Yellows | Perf Brakes | TMS Subframe | Hotchkiss | LOVE!

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Cambridge, MA
    Posts
    902
    Quote Originally Posted by Avetiso View Post
    Dude, this is awesome! Karts are so much freaking fun.
    Thanks! I was hooked from the first lap haha

    Quote Originally Posted by Newjack View Post
    Oh man I'm stoked for this!
    Me too

    Quote Originally Posted by OtterEffect View Post
    Looks epic! I'd love to see some GoPro footage.
    I'll see if I can borrow my buddy's, think he has a mount that might work for a helmet
    - Evan - Karting Thread - YouTube -


  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    VA/DC
    Posts
    14,445

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Lexington, KY
    Posts
    4,903
    Looks great. Love karting. Puts a smile on my face and the bugs get stuck in my teeth.
    325i, 2005, 5MT, Silvergrey, leatherette, Sport package; CDV delete, KONI STR-T & KYB Excel-G, Weisslichts, Stewart H2O pump

    328i, 2010, 6MT, Spacegrey, dakota leather, M-sport packages; has a 330 intake but no tune - yet
    http://s900.photobucket.com/user/othibau/media/Junesig.jpg.html][IMG]http://i900.photobucket.com/albums/ac208/othibau/Junesig.jpg

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Baltimore, MD
    Posts
    6,940
    Looks like fun!

    Sent from my GS3.
    Porsche 944 Turbo Build

    One ride and you'll understand why most rocket scientists are German.

    My ZHP Build 2004-2014 RIP


  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    Kitchener, ON
    Posts
    6,034
    awesome post! and sounds like a great plan. i love karting and have been to F1 Boston numerous times, and two weeks ago i went karting on a friend's bachelor party at Action500 in montreal - my best friend and i got some one-on-one track time and got into the top 5 times for the month there - we were stoked!

    i have long wanted to join a karting league, and it would be a great venue for family racing too, when my son gets older (unfortunately my daughter has no interest in karting).

    good stuff! keep up with the updates!

    peter
    peter

    2004 330i ZHP
    2005 330iT ZHP
    2010 328iT M Sport

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    Cumming,GA (ATL)
    Posts
    325
    TIRERACK.com - Revolutionizing Tire Buying
    I raced down in Sarasota as a kid. That was "low" budget racing as my Dad did it for me, my brother, and he also raced. I was competitive even being in a slower kart compared to the ones that had money, blue-printed motors, always new tires. That has long burned a fire in me. I've raced at indoor tracks all over the country and consistently could go near the top times quickly. While I was in Virginia Beach last year, I had one of the regular Top 3 guys turn me on purpose after I passed him. He was pissed that someone with just a few laps could do that. Anyways, after looking into doing league racing, I just found it too expensive for what I could get out of it. That is the main reason I have pretty much latched on with a Chump Car team. I've got into doing the HPDE's and am looking to do my first race in November.

    Good luck, always enjoy reading about people actually do something about their racing passion. In anyway possible.

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