Is this possible, Engineers...?

Question

Now over the next 1-2 months, I plan to build a go-kart type little car thing. But for the car and frame itself, I plan to use a mattress and a bed-frame with actually good and durable wheels. My brother is going to help me with this and he has a Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering. He says it could be possible but difficult.

Is this possible, to use this idea? And how much would an engine, strong enough to propel this cost?

Thanks!

Answer 1

A 250cc motorcycle engine should do it. You should be able to get one from a motorcycle breakers for buttons. There's a guy already doing that kind of thing and he has built a mobile sofa and a garden shed so a bed frame should be a piece of cake.  

Answer 2

I'd stick with a low power engine, perhaps 20cc.

Problems: how do you transfer power to the wheels?

With no suspension components, the wheels will snap off or bend the frame the first pothole you hit.

.

Answer 3

"Possible but difficult"? - Yes.

Safe? - No.

Keep speeds low. No more than 50cc.s of engine.

Be real careful.

Answer 4

believe it or not, thios has been done before!

In anycase, if properly set up and constructed, a bed frame can make a sturdy chassis. Most bedframes are constructed form heavy gage steel angle iron.  Just get that part of it either welded in place or securely bolted and re-inforced.

Not necessarily with a mattress on top, but when I was a kid, used the steel from a bedframe to make a pretty decent go-cart.

As long as everyone is going green, why not use an electric motor and car battery?..You could probably modify a car starter motor that you pick up at a local junk yard..

Good luck!