I needed to get some resolution regarding the steering, so I attacked the zip kart chassis, the mower chassis and the original car chassis with a tape measure, and came up with some interesting realisations.
The mower steering is too crude and clumsy, the go kart has too much "swing" when it rotates ( basically the wheelbase changes too much) plus it is way too wide.
The original steering has very good and very bad qualities.
The good is that it is the correct width and form, and as we are using the original wheels so we can get whitewall crossplies on, the hubs already match.
So I decided to try and sort out the original steering.
I feel it is necessary to draw up a glossary of terms in relation to working on the old chassis:
For "removed" read "cut off with a slitting disc"
For "unfastened" read "cut off with a slitting disc"
For "loosened" read "cut off with a slitting disc"
For "adjusted" read "cut off with a slitting disc"
For "reason for being skint" read "buying slitting discs"
The steering is a proper old school kingpin stub axle type with grease nipples to the swivels top and bottom.
There are double roller bearings in the hubs too, it's like a proper small vintage car!
The bad is it was seized solid. SOLID it would not steer and the hubs barely rolled. Plus it was crudely attached with huge girder work.
So I removed the steering off the chassis and loosened the bolt heads off and split it all down.
Try as I might I could not drift the cotter out of the kingpin, so I tried a different tack.
I adjusted the grease nipples and soaked them off, and managed to poke the old grease out. I refitted them, and got grease into the king pins.
A few gentle, subtle enormous smashes with a hammer and everything gave in and started moving.
Then I stripped out the bearings and re packed them. Had to "remove" the tie rods as they were fossilized.
So now we have two axle stubs which, once wire brushed up, will be usable.
All I have to do now is mount them in a chassis the same width as the old rails and bobs your uncle, hopefully.
I nicked the tie rods and steering column from the zip kart, which bolted straight in, and mocked them up.
The tie rods need shortening but apart from that we are good to go.
So I need to order more steel ( my tape measure must be inaccurate) then the rest of the chassis will be forthcoming.
Hopefully migged instead of "sticked"!