Performance engineers get a first look at the kart

My personal performance engineering team got their first hands-on test of the kart's basic structure today. They gave it an energetic but "where's the engine?" thumbs up.

I spent a few weekends fiberglassing the seat joints, had a guy from eBay design the front spindles with sealed bearings, received the front wheels & tires a few days ago, and was able to get the steering column struts welded in the right place (after four tries!). I'm not sure why they were so hard...?

...and decided that I'm pretty bad at upholstery, so the seat is still super ugly. Not sure what to do about that yet. I might paint it instead of covering it with vinyl.

The project is paused for a spell. I've spent about $100 on it over the last few months, so it's time to let the ol' checkbook cool off a bit. The real problem is where to store it in the meantime!

You know, this picture made me think of something - wheels are one of the first things you want to get when restoring a car (or building one). They define so many important things about the overall look and feel of the vehicle. Stance, steering, the look of the wheel and tire in the wheel wells, whether they rub on anything (which would then require re-working the suspension) and so on. Without the wheels on the car, you can't proceed with some of the most fun and important parts of the project.