Stuart Turner engined ‘Go Cart’

[Robert Mercer 1Participant @robertmercer1]

Hi there, I have just today come across a steam powered 'go cart' type contraption in a small junk museum/shop. It has a Stuart Turner engine which I think is a 5a model and a 3 speed gearbox from a motorcycle. It hasn't been run since the late nineties but it is all present and correct and has been kept indoors so I think it would need no more than a strip down and clean up to get it into a running condition.

I immediately thought when I saw it that such a peculiar contraption deserves to be used and enjoyed so I asked the chap if it was for sale. He said that he is open to offers on it but I have no idea what such a thing might be worth. I thought a good starting place would be the value of the engine but I have no idea what that might be worth either. So can anyone give me some advice on what it might be worth and what to offer and also the potential costs of getting it up and running?

Your help would be very much appreciated and if I do manage to purchase it I will happily keep you all informed of the restoration. There is a link below to some photos of said contraption, I hope you find it as interesting as I do.

**LINK**

Cheers, Rob

[Robert Mercer 1Participant @robertmercer1]

[michael coleParticipant @michaelcole91146]

Bad news for you. It is only worth 50pence. Now were did you say that shop was again.

[Oompa LumpaParticipant @oompalumpa34302]

Well, I haven't a clue as to worth, but it looks like it could be great fun. I would certainly fire it up.

graham.

(no, I would not be checking for any sort of certificate of any kind, I am a sort of "get on with it" type guy.)

[Robert Mercer 1Participant @robertmercer1]

Yes, I think it would be brilliant fun. If I manage to purchase it I will certainly be firing it up on a regular basis. The shop is in the deepest darkest depths of rural Norfolk and is a treasure trove of old signs, railway junk, curious gadgets and steam related stuff.

[Clive HartlandParticipant @clivehartland94829]

It looks as if you need someone to follow to stoke and refuel the fire? An interesting project and lots of work and polishing to do. Value wise over £50 but under £100. but its what you value it at. Just aquiring the engine and a means of running it is enough.

Clive

[Robert Mercer 1Participant @robertmercer1]

Posted by Clive Hartland on 28/06/2014 22:17:46:

It looks as if you need someone to follow to stoke and refuel the fire? An interesting project and lots of work and polishing to do. Value wise over £50 but under £100. but its what you value it at. Just aquiring the engine and a means of running it is enough.

Clive

Really, that little? Is that to do with the amount of work that would need to be put into it?

[Clive HartlandParticipant @clivehartland94829]

I dont see it as an antique? but if it has sat there for 50 years and nothing has happened then you value it as you see it. You are getting a project and the items around it look in some part like horse items and a yard arm weighing beam, long since discarded. There are farms around here that have barns and sheds full of junk, I wander about looking for items to convert or use but seldom find an item like that. One place had a steam boiler for steaming pig swill and a very large macerator all derelict and of no use. So neglected, continuous years of wasps nests were hung all over the place. No longer any pigs kept as it as not financially viable anymore. I look at what it is,what I can do with it and base my value at that level. I am thinking here, 'What was its purpose and what was it used for and for how long'.

Clive

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

I would say you could get more than £100 for the engine alone if you stripped ther rest off even though its a bit neglected but thats all subject to condition if the bearings and bore are worn then its not as valable as a working engine in good nick.

The other big variable is the boiler, by the looks of things its steel so could have been quietly rusting away for the last 20yrs while its been sat there bepending on how it was laid up.

Myself I would get an air supply to the engine and see if that can be got to run first. Then do a home hydralic test on the boiler before attempting to fire it up, also check that the safety valve blows off at a safe pressure and that the feed pump works before putting a fire under it. Nothing worse than lighting a fire under an unknown vestle that you may not be able to top up and that may not blow open the safety valve. If the boiler is no good you will be looking in the region of £1000plus for a new one.

J

Edited By JasonB on 29/06/2014 08:04:56

[Bob Brown 1Participant @bobbrown1]

Looks like there is a spare boiler sitting along side.

[OuBallieParticipant @ouballie]

Rod,

Whisper the location in me ear please!

I live in deepest darkest depths of said County, so easy drive.

Geoff – Have car will travel . . .

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

I would agree with Clive on the price ( here I would have the same figures, but in $NZ, so about half), I'd maybe go to 150 if they won't take a 100, then see what happens, If no sale at that, go back in a week or so, and if it's still there (if none of the other rat bags on here have bought it), have another try. Ian S C

Edited By Ian S C on 29/06/2014 11:43:37

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

With a set of 5A castings costing just short of £900, its got to be worth more than £100 even if you had to remachine all the castings and start again with the barstock items. In that conditiuon you could see £500 for just the 5A on e-bay quite easily and the rest would be a bonus if it were any good.

J

[Nick_GParticipant @nick_g]

.

Can you drive it back from the pub when full of beer.?

Out of curiosity what is the legislation regarding the use of steam powered machines on 'Betty's Highway' in the way of road tax, insurance, driving licence etc.?

Nick

[Bob Brown 1Participant @bobbrown1]

Road tax £0.00, insurance depends on a lot of factors, full driving licence over 21

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

You would need to get it registered in the same way as a model traction engine is done, road tax is zero and you would need insurance.

J

[Robert Mercer 1Participant @robertmercer1]

The owner inherited the establishment from his father who spent many years touring scrap yards collecting an impressive hoard of items. Apparently this particular item was acquired in the mid eighties in very good working order from – he thinks – the chap that built it. He also reckons at it having been put together in the late seventies to early eighties just as a fun project, although the engine is quite probably older than that. So I wouldn't call it an antique either, more of a curio. It was apparently in good working order until it just ended up not being used for the last 20 years.

Although there is a light coating of surface rust over much of it there is nothing worse than that anywhere that I could see so might get lucky with the boiler but I certainly wouldn't risk not testing first. There are a couple or three boilers knocking around this place as well as other steam related bits.

I was also wondering about road legalities so that's handy to know, I fully intend to drive it to my local but I don't think I'll be drinking too much when I do.

I think given the potential value of the engine, the fact that the guy has a good idea of what he has and the family attachment involved that I would have to go in at £150 – with a promise to restore, look after it ans swing by when it's done – and see what where he things go from there. Thanks for all the info, you've been a great help. I'll keep you posted and when I go back to the shop I'll take some more photos of the various things around there that might interest you and I'll let you know where it is after negotiations

[Oompa LumpaParticipant @oompalumpa34302]

Insure it as an agricultural (no argument there) and it would work out pretty cheap. Friend of mine has a steel armored Ferret insured as a "Commercial vehicle". That's fun to drive too!

graham.

(easy to park too &nbsp

Edited By Oompa Lumpa on 29/06/2014 22:14:21

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

A friend of mine has a Ferrit, its rego says that it is a Daimler convertible, it has a canvas cover over the turret.

Ian S C

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