Doodle horse build

[Shed 357]

So with the destruction of the transmission is my suburban, I have decided to build something a little different and it's a little safer and easier for my kids. So I am building what I call a doodle horse. Ideas are from the doodle bug conversion in the past. I am extending the frame rails and mounting the engine behind the seat. I went with a belt drive tourqe convertor that drives by chain a forward and reverse gear box to a soild chain drive axle. It has one mechanical disc brake which I will use the original brake pedal. The whole tractor will be much longer then original so I wanted to make it look not goofy so I am cutting some rough cut oak boards and building a simple bed frame, steel frame wood sides and flooring. Here's some pictures. Don't mind the mess things have been crazy and I'm trying to finish this before the local show. I'll post more. I'm still waiting on the axle frame rails need to be finished tonight. 

[Pullstart 67,042]

Looking forward to seeing this complete!  Awesome!

[SylvanLakeWH 28,589]

[peter lena 9,309]

@Shed  looks interesting , loaded with opportunities , often refer to  ROLLER STOOL ING AROUND , a problem  area , for insight / ideas to  improve  function , done a lot of that , looking at a REPEDITIVE PROBLEM  AREA , what can you change / improve  ? a 5/16 steel brake line, inside the  corner of that frame , would eliminate a lot of  fuel hose break down , very easy to swage , a barb for  tank to carb set up , of course a filter close to tank / carb , how about a HEIM  JOINT  at a sloppy connection  spot to make it  seamless ? have a number of those , seamless  transfer of  function , WHY NOT ? good luck with that , improve as you go , pete 

[rjg854 12,249]

This should be interesting 

[Ed Kennell 42,169]

Many Doodle Bugs can be seen at the Big Show.

 

Here's mine.

 

 

[953 nut 60,348]

1 hour ago, Shed said:

mounting the engine behind the seat

Looking forward to your build.            You will need to add a lot of weight to the front end to prevent wheelies.

[8ntruck 7,877]

You mentioned a solid rear axle.  If you mean that both rear wheels will be driven by the axle, steering this machine will be an issue.  You will need a differential of some sort to be able to steer the machine.  The simplest 'differential' is to drive just one wheel, and let the other one freewheel.

[Shed 357]

Yeah I'm going to see how it goes many go karts I had growng up were straight they pushed a little. If I have to I can change it around. 

 

Yes lots of front weight.

 

I'd like to put a chain driven genorator to charge a battery and I'd put the battery up front. My son loves lights so I'll see. 

 

I'm stretching the wheel base a good bit so hoping that would cam the wheelie  it down

 

He will just be happy to drive around helping out around the frame. He can take supplies to his chickens then in the body 

[ri702bill 9,533]

Around here, there were many Doodlebugs made from 1920's cars that became the poor man's tractor.... Mostly at the southern end of the State down in 'Tater Country.

 

[ebinmaine 72,987]

Wicked cool 😎 👌 

[Shed 357]

Thoughts should I try and reuse the original fuel tank on the wheel horse? I get running fuel line over to the engine but it will only be gravity fed or is there a way to put a diaphragm pump on a 79 cc predator engine or if I was able to come up with a charging system for a battery I could run an electric pump. 

[Shed 357]

So I welded the frame today made a sliding adjustable seat mount. Trying to judge the bed and fender placement I'll remove the fenders from the original bed. I still need to remove the fuel tank it will allow me to move the engine up a lot. See what happens 

[8ntruck 7,877]

Probably a minor issue, but with that big a change in the wheelbase.  To get proper steering geometry, you will need to adjust the Ackerman on the spindles.  Justa guess, maybe reduce it by half.

[Shed 357]

Yeah ots going to be shorter then in the photo still mocking things up. 

[Shed 357]

So here's the latest swapped the brake to the passenger side foot peg everything's mounted and works. Bed still needs to be made. 

[Shed 357]

Frames painted and tomorrow morning it will be back together. Bed was built wood cut and coated in oil. Long build for a quick project 

I upgraded the brake linkage so thanks to folks who said fix that. I ended up testing it and bent the rod like nothing was even there. Went with half inch tube with 3/8 hemi joints. 

[953 nut 60,348]

Thank you for starting your own build thread on this.               Great project to follow along with.

[Ed Kennell 42,169]

30 minutes ago, 953 nut said:

Thank you for starting your own build thread on this.               Great project to follow along with.

                                    Now we can see it all come together.

[WHX?? 51,909]

 

What is the tranny out of or did I miss that? 

[Shed 357]

45 mins late we made it to our local bloomsburg car show

[SylvanLakeWH 28,589]

 

That is cool!!! 

 

Lucky kid!!!

[Shed 357]

4 hours ago, WHX?? said:

 

What is the tranny out of or did I miss that? 

It starts with a belt driven tourqe convertor then to a chain to gear box for a go kart forward neutral reverse then chain drive final sprocket is 60 tooth 

[Shed 357]

So I can't stop haha I'm going to mess around with the brake adjustment. If this manual brake doesn't work I'm ditching it and going to hydraulic 

 

 

Next year we are planning to go down to the big show it's like 2 hours away. We have never been there before. Is there camping on site or does everyone hotel it. When is the show so I can make plans for it already

[Ed Kennell 42,169]

Camping?  Yes     The show is always the weekend after Fathers Day.