I got my go kart because someone trashed (smashed up) the engine because it wouldn't start. I found a Briggs 5hp all smashed to bits near the abandoned railroad tracks in my home town. so I took it home to salvage parts. Someone saw me take it home and asked me why, so I told him and I asked If he new where it came from, he said It was off his kart he told me he had gotten mad because it wasn't running right and had smashed it. I asked about what he planned for the kart his response was he was going to junk it so I offered 40$ and it was a deal. It started with a free parts motor and ended with a go kart purchase. and I got the kart running the next day with a spare engine I had in the basement. I still have the kart and my friends and I have gotten years of fun out of it and there are many more to come.
What I've done to the kart so far is I replaced the tires and rear sprocket and stretched the frame to fit a large seat, added a roll bar then replaced the 5hp Briggs with an 8hp Tecumseh.
In this case someone trashing an engine had a happy ending, this kart may have been scrap otherwise.
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