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1970 Fox Minibike Part 10- It’s Alive!

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As the tires on the pit bike were worn out, a choice had to be made as to what would replace them.    The little 2.50x 10 size is available in many styles and brands. I ordered a pair of Michelin Starcross tires as they had an aggressive knobby pattern.     It was also a chance to remove the wheel bearings from the hubs and put new ones in.     One of them was a bit loose in the bore, so a prick punch was gently hit in several places to raise the surface the bearing sat in.     I couldn’t find new wheels at reasonable prices, so a good rubbing with Autosol made them shine as much as possible.     The new small tires were tough to install, as the bead is stiff.     Dish soap and patience prevailed! Well, after three months of working on the bike project, the day came to fire it up and take it for a spin.     I changed the oil and put a new drain plug gasket on, not knowing when or if ever the oil had ...
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1970 Fox Minibike Part 5

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Thinking of a way to mount the front suspension and keeping the correct caster angle was on my mind, when staring at the bare frame, it came to me.  If I could cut the Fox steering tube and use it for a guide to both provide a good welding joint and the correct caster, that problem would be solved.  Sometimes the best solution comes from just looking at the parts you have to work with! Here’s the pit bike steering tube being cut from the frame.  Below is the steering tube ground down and ready to fit onto the Fox bike. Now, the Fox steering tube is cut, leaving about 1/3rd of the original tube to position the new part. An added bonus to using the Fox tube is that I can fit Honda style tapered roller bearings into the steering head, giving a nicer feel to the bike!  As well, the new front end has increased travel, compared to the original.  As a sidebar, I really considered the Piranha disc brake front end, but I was trying to keep costs down!  H...
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Classic Mini bike Engines

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Making a Tecumseh Snowblower Engine Look Vintage As a kid, the Honda bikes were what we dreamed of owning.  Their motorcycle feel with steering head bearings and a transmission were high end features in a day when lawnmower type flathead engine powered mini bikes were the norm.  I remember as a kid, looking for the reel type lawnmowers that had horizontal shaft engines.  Hoping to find one no longer being used and pulling the engine off to put on a mini bike I didn’t even have at that point!  They were around in the late 60s, early 70s, but were usually 2 or 2.5 hp maximum.  My first “go kart” was one my Dad built, using parts from an old baby carriage and a sheet of plywood.  I pestered Dad until he finally conceded to find an engine to bolt onto the back of it.  I believe it was 1967 or 1968 in Ancaster when we found an old outdoor wringer washing machine engine.  Yes, gasoline powered washing machines were common up to the 1960s....
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