Chapter 14

I’d like to say ‘most’ but that generalization doesn’t fit the reality of the situation. About 98% of all cyclekarts use 1” x 3” x 1/16” cold-rolled rectangular tubing for chassis formers. It’s plenty strong for the application ... howbeit a little flimsy. The remaining 2% use ‘other’ stuff ... aluminum, wood, square tubing, old extension ladders, I beam, H beam, U channel, flanged U channel, round tubing ... and miscellany.

The Eighty had miles of tubing ... some of it round titanium tubing. Titanium is LIGHT ... but difficult to work. It makes great aircraft brake-lines. Genevieve built her cyclekart chassis from titanium. Round stock. Welded.

Welding titanium is not easy. Genevieve had a whole scrap pile to practice on. But it can be done. Bending into the wanted shapes is almost as hard. We’re talking about an aircraft ready shop with all the accouterments necessary to repair brakes and associated adjuncts. When the government closed the base they made sure it was up to snuff to the exact date of closing... ‘we might have to take it back.’ The watchword ... REOPENING.