Kart Workshop

kompressornsc · 10-27-08, 11:57

So technically, it's not a garage, but here goes...

This is a room in the back of a building I own. It wasn't really rentable space, so I decided to make it into a kart workshop. During the season, I have a garage at the track where I store my karts and everything, but it's too cold to leave them there in the winter. So this is my winter work area to tear them down, replace what I need to, etc.

The room is about 500 sq. ft., and right off the garage. It's nice because I can back my truck in to load / unload. The door between the workbench and tool chest is the one that goes to the garage. Next year, I'll put a double steel door in there to make it easier to get things in and out. Still have a couple of things to do like add some more stools and decorate a bit, but it's good enough to work in for now.

The before photos are from when it was used as storage. The worst part was trying to get the old flooring up. It was some vinyl, some linoleum, and some of something else. Anywhere from bare concrete to 3 layers of tile in the different areas.

Befores:

kompressornsc · 10-27-08, 11:59

And here are the afters:

shine · 10-27-08, 12:19

Woah, nice job! It looks like a great place to work on the karts.

lt1_man · 10-27-08, 02:19

Nice job! What kind of karting do you do? T.A.G, Stock Honda? I'am looking into getting started in karting next year as well.

Brandon

kompressornsc · 10-28-08, 09:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by lt1_man

Nice job! What kind of karting do you do? T.A.G, Stock Honda? I'am looking into getting started in karting next year as well.

Brandon

Both my kart and my wife's kart are TaGs. We race at Dismore's track, NCMP. They've been trying to grow Stock Honda here for the last couple of years, but it hasn't been real successful - 8-10 entries compared to a total of probably 80-90 for the different TaG classes (Sr. & Masters). The top time for a TaG vs. a Stock Honda is within about a second a lap. In fact, on race day practice, a lot of us TaGs run with the Stock Moto practice becasue it's not as crowded.

Stock Honda will kill a TaG in the straights, but you can normally get a TaG through a turn a lot better.

SuperBuick · 10-28-08, 11:28

Awesome Kart workshop - I'm very jealous!

EisenHulk · 10-28-08, 11:40

Hey, guys. What's are the specs on the Karts you're driving?

I know NOTHING about them, but they look like a blast to drive! What the's top speed, cornering, etc?

lt1_man · 10-28-08, 12:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by kompressornsc

Both my kart and my wife's kart are TaGs. We race at Dismore's track, NCMP. They've been trying to grow Stock Honda here for the last couple of years, but it hasn't been real successful - 8-10 entries compared to a total of probably 80-90 for the different TaG classes (Sr. & Masters). The top time for a TaG vs. a Stock Honda is within about a second a lap. In fact, on race day practice, a lot of us TaGs run with the Stock Moto practice becasue it's not as crowded.

Stock Honda will kill a TaG in the straights, but you can normally get a TaG through a turn a lot better.

Thanks for the information, I was looking into getting into Tag next season. I am going out to Vir in December to check out a race out there and I can't wait.

Brandon

kompressornsc · 10-28-08, 12:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by EisenHulk

Hey, guys. What's are the specs on the Karts you're driving?

I know NOTHING about them, but they look like a blast to drive! What the's top speed, cornering, etc?

They're right around stupid fast.

TaGs are 125cc water-cooled that put out about 26 hp. If you've ever done rental karts, they're normally 5hp, so a big difference. Like going from a 200hp car to a 1000hp car.

Every track is different, but the track where I run top speed is about 75 mph, so not super fast except that you're 3/4" off the ground. The corners are where karts are really fun though. At the end of our longest straight there is a 90 degree left hander-we go through there at about 65 mph at over 3Gs. You can turn a kart hard enough to break a rib - you wear a protective vest, but even with that, it can still happen. The track is a one-mile, 14 turn road course, with 2 180 hairpins and we average 62mph.

It's funny, becasue when you watch a kart, they don't seem that fast becasue the scale is so far off of what you are use to seeing. Driving one is a different story...

Togorashi · 10-28-08, 01:23

Awesome shop! We've got a new kart track down here in Austin and I've been wanting to try it out. I've never driven a real kart and it looks like a blast.

You should post your pics over at The Garage Journal. Lots of good info over there on setting up shops and garages.

Evamonky · 10-29-08, 01:29

Man that is awesome. Just sick looking.

Can't go wrong with the checkered floor!

EisenHulk · 10-29-08, 07:02

I think I just crapped my pants reading that.

That sounds beyond AWESOME! My friend in high school had a kart and it believe it was 8hp, and that thing was incredibly fast (Relatively speaking). I'd probably pay $100 to drive one like you have around a track.

Damn...that sounds fun! Thanks for taking the time to answer my question(s).

Quote:

Originally Posted by kompressornsc

They're right around stupid fast.

TaGs are 125cc water-cooled that put out about 26 hp. If you've ever done rental karts, they're normally 5hp, so a big difference. Like going from a 200hp car to a 1000hp car.

Every track is different, but the track where I run top speed is about 75 mph, so not super fast except that you're 3/4" off the ground. The corners are where karts are really fun though. At the end of our longest straight there is a 90 degree left hander-we go through there at about 65 mph at over 3Gs. You can turn a kart hard enough to break a rib - you wear a protective vest, but even with that, it can still happen. The track is a one-mile, 14 turn road course, with 2 180 hairpins and we average 62mph.

It's funny, becasue when you watch a kart, they don't seem that fast becasue the scale is so far off of what you are use to seeing. Driving one is a different story...