Dale,
I have a question for you regarding a 5 hsp Briggs engine. It is pictured below along with the 51 Schwinn "kindalikeawhizzer" now sitting in the front window of my trailer home. A couple of years ago I bought the generator below at a local community yard sale. It was sitting off to the side with no price on it and I wasn't even sure it was for sale. It was at our community fire hall and I thought it might be part of the equipment there since it was new looking.
I asked about it and the price was $5.00. What? There was an envelope on it saying it had not been started in 20 years. I bought it, took it home, put some gas in it after changing the oil It started right up and the generator worked, too. Whattadeal, eh? Fasteddy and I made a wheeled carrier for it and I put it away where it has been sitting since. I don't need a generator and got it out today to give to my son. Once I had it up on the tailgate of the pickup I got to looking at it... thought about the "Kindalikeawhizzer" and got second thoughts.
This generator was purchased by a local cabin owner as a backup in case the power went out and by all appearances was never used. Even the muffler looked virtually new. So for all practical purposes this is a new old stock engine. Five horsepower and rated at 203cc's.
By all rights this should work nicely as a Briggs bike engine, wouldn't it? I have a new torque converter that's been sitting on the shelf neglected for the past year...
http://gokartsusa.com/Gokart_Torque_Converter_Compatible_.aspx
...and I thought the two might go nicely together. Is this a good idea or not so good, in your opinion? I would barebones the engine along the lines of what you have done on your Briggs builds and would probably use a hand crank starter. If this is a dopey line of thought I'd appreciate knowing now rather than later. I'm picturing the torque converter with a nice copper guard/cover to go along with the copper gas tank. Would this make a good rig? If not I'll continue on with the 147cc Jacobsen 2 stroke. I value you opinion, sir.
SB