I Built A 100mph Jet-Powered Go-Kart In My Shed | Ridiculous Rides
THIS is no ordinary go-kart - this home-made jet powered vehicle was built by Andy Morris, of Nottingham, UK - in his shed. Andy has always had an interest in jet engines, inspired by his dad and grandad who were both engineers and describes his builds as a hobby. Andy told Ridiculous Rides: “I think the first one we were lucky it moved. I was amazed when it did move and I was even more amazed when we did 30mph in it.” Andy’s go-karts have come a long way since then and he and his friend Tom Bagnall took one go-kart to the next level. In 2015, they set a new Guinness World Record by racing the kart over 100mph. Andy said: “When we got the world record, for me it was wonderful. I mean 10 years of work, proven that we could do it.” With years of experience, Andy’s advice to others looking for the ultimate go-kart is: “Don't buy it. Build it.” But Andy’s not done yet and has built a new jet powered go-kart. Andy said: “This is a faster one, meaner one, and bigger engine. It's probably a third bigger, producing hopefully a third more power. Lighter though because the engine is completely unique.” Can this kart smash his world record? Andy’s going to put it to the test in his own back garden.
Category
🚗
MotorTranscript
00:00 At full power it burns four or five litres of fuel a minute. The after burner will get
00:09 through ten litres in no time. We've set a Guinness World Record. We've smashed the
00:14 hundred mile an hour in a homemade jet-powered go-kart.
00:26 Antingham in England is home to a go-kart with a difference.
00:31 Hi, I'm Andy Morris. I build jet engines in my shed. It's an interesting hobby. I was
00:51 brought up by engineers. My grandfather was an engineer, my dad was an engineer. I've
00:55 rebuilt petrol engines myself, but I've just always had an interest in jet engines. I've
01:00 built all the jet engines and put them in go-karts. I think the first one we were lucky
01:04 it moved.
01:05 But Andy's homemade karts have come a long way since then.
01:10 I've set a Guinness World Record with the help of a friend of mine, Tom Bagnell. Tom
01:15 was the pilot, I built the jet engine.
01:17 On the 5th of September 2015, this dynamic duo set out to push themselves to the next
01:25 level and take the kart over 100 miles per hour.
01:31 When we did the run at Alvington, the record before on the quarter mile was 70. We've set
01:43 the Guinness World Record of 112 mile an hour. That was the goal, always has been the goal.
01:49 When we got the world record, for me, it was wonderful. 10 years of work, proving that
01:54 we could do it.
01:58 Andy now has a new build and his sights are set on his own record.
02:05 It's lighter than the old go-kart. The engine is more powerful. This is a faster one, meaner
02:12 one, bigger engine. Completely unique, it's all been bespoke built. It's probably a third
02:17 bigger.
02:18 We're hoping to go faster. Well, I'm hoping to go faster. I'm hoping 440 mile an hour,
02:24 if not more. Homemade jet powered go-kart.
02:27 We've got the battery. Underneath the battery is the electrical box. There's a series of
02:33 relays in there. We've got a dashboard, fuel tank, full power. It burns four or five litres
02:41 of fuel a minute. The afterburner will get through 10 litres in no time. Two main fuel
02:47 pumps again, one for the engine, one for the afterburner. Main inline fuel filter, fuel
02:52 line into the engine. And then we've got this big beast at the back, which is the reheat
02:57 or the afterburner. Add more fuel, ignite it, increases the volume, you get greater
03:04 velocity gases coming out the back of the engine.
03:06 There's still a way to go before Andy's next record attempt. And what better place to test
03:12 a jet engine than in your back garden?
03:15 Well, I'm just putting some bricks in the back of the test trolley to add a bit of weight.
03:20 And then I'll stick two 25 kilo bags of cement in front of it. Just hopefully so the thing
03:27 doesn't decide it's going to go through the fence. Plug the main battery in, a dive bottle
03:32 with a compressed air to start the engine. Air defenders, turn the main power on. Just
03:42 a quick visual check everything's where it's meant to be. Everything worked, modification
04:08 worked. Everything's pretty much good. Wait for some better weather next year and get
04:12 it to the track.
04:13 It was loud. I had to wear my air defenders. I could even smell the kerosene in the house.
04:21 And the window warped in the kitchen again.
04:24 So Andy, any advice for aspiring backyard speed demons?
04:28 Build the thing yourself. Put your thought in it. Design it from the ground up. Think
04:33 out the control system. Work out the fuel system. Just the journey, to me. That's it.
04:41 Don't buy it, build it.
04:43 [Music]
04:49 (dramatic music)
04:51 (music fades)