The National Lightning Owners Club Inc The National Lightning Owners Club Inc
 
Home |  Classified Ads |  Gallery |  Join the Club |  Register on the Forum |  Merchandise |  Supporting Vendors |  Chat 

Go Back   The National Lightning Owners Club Inc > Racing & Show Events > Welcome to LightningFest 1-6 History Section > LightningFest 5 Information! It is over, but history is here! > LightningFest 4 News and Information Archive > LF Golf Cart Race 2006

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 10-22-2005, 06:00 PM   #1 (permalink)
President NLOC, Inc.
Paid Member
 
BigD's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 1999
Posts: 4,432
NLOC member #: 583
View this user's gallery
iTrader: 4 / 100%
Talking Golf Cart Of The Month (CGOTM)!

October GCOTM

Click HERE to see and hear the test run #1

Click HERE to see and hear the test run #2

Click HERE to see and hear the test run #3











Vehicle stats:
  • 1975 Melex golf cart chassis
  • All steel body and frame
  • Manufactured by PZL-MIELEC (the largest Polish aircraft manufacturer)
  • Original power was 6-12 volt batteries
  • Current power is 500cc, liquid cooled, 85hp snowmobile engine
  • Differential ratio 6:1
  • Front tires 16" "skinnies"
  • Rear tires 18" grass slicks with a 3" offset (to enhance stability)
  • 5-spoke chrome hub caps
  • Interior includes Baha racing seat and 2 beer can holders
  • Fuel cell is a 5 quart go-cart aluminum racing tank
  • Radiator overflow catch container is Dortmunder "mini-keg"
  • Top speed 45-50mph (estimated)

Mods in progress:
  • Roll cage
  • Install 5-point harness
  • Electric start
  • Add reverse?!

Interview of Owner:
Interviewer is NP (Nosy Person)
Owner is BigD (BD)

NP: Mr. BD, whatever possessed you to "create" such a monstrosity?
BD: Desire to beat Shawn at LightningFest 2005 (in the golf cart race).

NP: Where did you find the parts for your monstrosity?
BD: The golf cart came from a junk pile behind a man's barn in Wisconsin. The engine donor was a 1981 Arctic Cat snowmobile.

NP: Why a snowmobile engine??
BD: Great power to weight ratio. 85 horse, and I can lift it.

NP: With your weight, you need all the power you can get!
BD: Lowers the center of gravity.

NP: Did you actually think this monstrosity would run?
BD: I did, but those helping me had grave concerns about my engineering and design ability.

NP: Would you care to expand on those e/d abilities?
BD: All the plans were in my head. Nothing was committed to paper. The majority of the construction team was positive it would be "BigD's Folly" and never even go together, let alone run!

NP: How long did it take to put this eclectic combination of parts together?
BD: Five heavy beer-drinking 8-hour days with a group of 4-6 guys drinking and working as a team.

NP: Where did you get the idea for the striking color?
BD: It was the cheapest spray can "Ford engine blue" to be found as a K-Mart Blue Light Special.

NP: I have noticed that you have some beautiful, shiny metal pieces on the monstrosity. Do they serve a purpose?
BD: First, they help to hold the cart together. Then they provide sufficient support for my dainty body. But the most important fact is that they are all scrap pieces from manufacturing medical machines.

NP: Did this make you feel safer and more secure on the monstrosity?
BD: Yes, it was comforting to know that I was sitting on a piece of an MRI machine. Therefore, I felt that help was near if something untoward should occur.

NP: You have stated that this is a very powerful monstrosity, but I see that there is no roll-cage. WHY?!?!?
BD: We ran out of time in the construction phase, and everyone decided that a helmet and my hard head would suffice as a roll-over skid plate. We decided not to install the 5-point harness to make it easier to "bail off" should a malfunction occur or should I lose control of this powerful machine. We thought it wouldn't be too smart to be permanently attached!

NP: What is that strange looking protrusion at the rear of the monstrosity?
BD: It is a state of the art, KU-band, radar actuated, terrain following, safety wheelie bar.

NP: It has holes in it!
BD: Those are part of the weight reduction program for the chassis.

NP: Reduce weight from a safety feature?
BD: The metal is structural titanium, so a few holes didn't matter.

NP: Is that really an operational radiator on the rear of your monstrosity where the golf bags should be?
BD: Yes, that came off a crashed motorcycle. It also includes 2 non-working electric fans just for looks!

NP: Does your wife approve of this monstrosity?
BD: He!!, she doesn't even know how much I've spent, let alone approve! She knows I'm nuts, but the 5-spoke hubcaps (and a large insurance policy) won her over.

NP: Why is there a Dortmunder mini-keg on the left rear fender, and is it full of beer?
BD: No, actually 2 friends and I were forced to consume the beer so that the mini-keg could become the radiator overflow catch-can. This allowed the cart to meet the drag strip rules about dropping no water on the track. Rules are very important, you know!

NP: What plans do you have for future modifications to the monstrosity?
BD: I am currently struggling with the design decision to stay with the current motor, or replace it with an 1100cc motorcycle engine. Decisions, decisions, decisions.

NP: Wouldn't you like to run it at least once with the current power plant?
BD: Well, we did do some testing, after the construction phase, but did have some problems with the recoil starter at LightningFest 2005. We are in process of preparing the cart for a drag strip run before winter closes the tracks in Illinois.

NP: Are there any other features in the works?
BD: Before LightningFest 2006, we want to add electric start, roll-cage (Real One), and then install the 5-point harness. With a roll-cage we feel that I should probably be safe being attached to the cart!

NP: The monstrosity certainly is eye-catching!
BD: Yes, when towing it on a snowmobile trailer, we have had people almost crash on the highway as they turn to gaze on its beauty. It never fails to turn heads.

NP: Do you have any plans for using the monstrosity for other activities?
BD: Yes, we are considering adding flames to the overall sticker decor...and then maybe entering for Best of Show at LightningFest 2006.

NP: Thank you for your time and letting me ask questions about your monstrosity. Best of luck with your future mods and show class preparations.
BD: You're very welcome, and please plan to attend LightningFest 2006 and see the changes made to the cart over the winter.

END
__________________
Dwight Dolliver, NLOC, Inc. President
NLOC #583 BigD@nloc.net
Old Man just having fun! 12.58@108
BigD is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-28-2005, 05:51 AM   #2 (permalink)
Registered User
Paid Member
 
Jenni's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Riihimäki, Finland
Posts: 7
NLOC member #: 5000
View this user's gallery
iTrader: 0 / 0%
Send a message via MSN to Jenni
Jenni is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-28-2005, 07:55 AM   #3 (permalink)
VP of Refreshments
Paid Member
 
Baby Jake's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Coal Valley, IL
Posts: 1,786
NLOC member #: 476
View this user's gallery
iTrader: 1 / 100%
Talking

Baby Jake is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-31-2005, 11:45 PM   #4 (permalink)
President NLOC, Inc.
Paid Member
 
BigD's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 1999
Posts: 4,432
NLOC member #: 583
View this user's gallery
iTrader: 4 / 100%
Thumbs up BigD's GC now has BLING!

Thanks to Will ("Chitown Willie"), there is now Real Bling under the GC!

Check out these works of art!



Per Will, you will only see them if I run over you!
BigD is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-01-2005, 12:38 AM   #5 (permalink)
L Fest 5 Cost $ 62,189.02
Paid Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: California(A Littile Place In the Middle Of Nowhere)
Posts: 2,280
NLOC member #: 1174
View this user's gallery
iTrader: 0 / 0%
OMG !!!
__________________
'67 Mercury Cougar 4.6 32Valve Cobra
'92 Supercab GT 40 302(Retired)
'93 l #1476 Resto Beast
'95 l #1679 Lots Of Trophies @ L Fest !!
'95 l # UNK Soon To be OBD II
'05 HD F350 SD # 3134 (Sold)
'07 HD F350 SD # 1315 (Sold)
'08 HD F350 SD #0054
MJ351 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-04-2005, 12:14 PM   #6 (permalink)
Registered User
Paid Member
 
Jenni's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Riihimäki, Finland
Posts: 7
NLOC member #: 5000
View this user's gallery
iTrader: 0 / 0%
Send a message via MSN to Jenni
Those are... are... like... like... like... THE CRAZY OLD MAN!!!
Jenni is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-06-2005, 02:27 AM   #7 (permalink)
Senior Member
 
clonetek's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: northeast louisiana
iTrader: 4 / 100%
Send a message via ICQ to clonetek Send a message via AIM to clonetek Send a message via MSN to clonetek Send a message via Yahoo to clonetek
Quote:
Originally posted by Jenni
Those are... are... like... like... like... THE CRAZY OLD MAN!!!


HEY SQUIRREL NUTS!
__________________
Brooks
'00 Silver Lightning
my website: http://www.superlightning.com
clonetek is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-06-2005, 06:46 PM   #8 (permalink)
REVIRESCO
 
NVR L8's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Retired in Texas
iTrader: 0 / 0%
That is some funny redneck $hit.
that's almost as redneck as lawn mower racing.
Got to do something when your stuck out in the middle of Green acres I guess.
Yee Haw!!!

NVR L8 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-07-2005, 07:55 AM   #9 (permalink)
President NLOC, Inc.
Paid Member
 
BigD's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 1999
Posts: 4,432
NLOC member #: 583
View this user's gallery
iTrader: 4 / 100%
NVR L8,

Since you have never attended LF, you don't understand....ask some one who as watched the GC races between Shawn and myself!
BigD is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-07-2005, 10:13 PM   #10 (permalink)
Crash Test Dummy
Paid Member
 
Chitown Willie's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Chicago
Posts: 1,767
NLOC member #: 1359
View this user's gallery
iTrader: 4 / 100%
Send a message via ICQ to Chitown Willie
Quote:
Originally posted by NVR L8
That is some funny redneck $hit.
that's almost as redneck as lawn mower racing.
Got to do something when your stuck out in the middle of Green acres I guess.
Yee Haw!!!

Hey Y'all,
It ain't no more redneck than burying your pig in the ground to cook it and then diggin it up to eat it. Or wearin clothes made out of grass and coconuts


Last edited by Chitown Willie; 11-09-2005 at 07:11 PM..
Chitown Willie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-17-2005, 06:06 AM   #11 (permalink)
Registered User
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Hyvinkaa, Finland
iTrader: 0 / 0%
Ok... when I've read these posts 'bout BigD's GC, I'm impressed. But then again, I'd surely like to see that thing IRL. It still misses something... like +100hp? When there's too much power, it still isn't enough.
Have to start saving for airline tickets for the whole family...

Zand
Zandmann is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 08:36 PM.


Powered by vBulletin®
Copyright ©2000 - 2009, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
SEO by vBSEO 3.2.0
Copyright NLOC, Inc. 2001-2009