---
title: "YouTuber Builds a 30-MPH Go-Kart Out of Giant, 3D Printed Lego Pieces"
description: "Few things are as satisfying as seeing a Lego build come together. Why not super size it?"
date: "2020-11-02"
modified: "2020-11-02"
authors:
  - name: "Stef Schrader"
    job_title: "Contributor"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/stef-schrader"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/37411/youtuber-builds-a-30-mph-go-kart-out-of-giant-3d-printed-lego-pieces"
categories:
  - "Culture"
  - "News"
---

# YouTuber Builds a 30-MPH Go-Kart Out of Giant, 3D Printed Lego Pieces

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/2020/11/lego-pieces-kart.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com</em>*

No matter where you live, this is definitely the most stressful time of the year. Between [holidays](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/25628/attention-holiday-travelers-the-best-place-to-poop-on-a-road-trip-is-a-coffee-shop>), politics and possibly even seasonal depression, it's all just exhausting. Something that's always helped me is to build something. Fix something. Clean something up. Do something I can see tangible results for. If all else fails, there are always [Legos](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/31036/this-site-sells-all-the-phenomenal-supercar-and-truck-kits-lego-refuses-to-build>).

YouTuber [Matt Denton](<https://www.youtube.com/c/MattDenton/videos>) is working on the ultimate Lego [project](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/35904/this-sweet-robotic-lego-model-shows-how-rotary-engines-work>): a fully functional life-size go-kart made of giant 3D-printed Lego-style bricks. This isn't just something cool to look at and maybe roll around the house; it's something you can ride once you're done that's capable of speeds up to 30 mph so far.

https://youtube.com/embed/Ae7XLg3RFWY

Denton's no stranger to [giant Lego builds](<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFav_MOkGp4>), including a prior version of the go-kart. Yet he originally designed that go-kart for his nephew, who didn't quite fit—and neither did he. (I can't say I blame him for wanting to ride it, too.) So, it was back into CAD to figure out how to add length, incorporate a sliding seat and still fit on a [3.5-kilowatt electric motor](<https://flipsky.net/collections/e-skateboard/products/flipsky-bldc-belt-motor-6374-190kv-3500w-for-electric-skateboard>).

Obviously, this isn't just an enlarged version of the Lego kit anymore that's only held together with snapped-together bricks. Because this has to support the weight of full-sized human butts, there are metal pins shoring up various connections between bricks. Bearings also help everything spin smoothly. Then, there's the disc brakes and a custom-made [bucket seat](<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFav_MOkGp4>).

https://youtube.com/embed/Ekwccm9LUCs

Some of these parts were machined for Denton's project, such as parts for a metal joiner that split the rear axle so the kart could turn. The Royal Marine engineers at HMS Sultan machined that custom metal piece for him. Another 3D-printing enthusiast also printed a longer brick for the chassis bar since Denton's 3D printer couldn't print items that long.

The 3D-printed parts need to be cleaned up a bit to remove extra material and be almost as smooth as the Lego parts they're emulating, too, but that's no biggie.

https://youtube.com/embed/4FzwIg5McS4

Best of all, Denton lists out what tools and materials he uses in his YouTube videos' [descriptions](<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FzwIg5McS4>) and even published the full plans for the first, smaller giant Lego-kart he built [here](<https://www.youtube.com/redirect?redir_token=QUFFLUhqblQ5RUNjMk5BeUJFYUVUSUxtX2s2TlVxSTJyZ3xBQ3Jtc0tsUDJUcmd3VUdtUGxBTktnbGltOXA0djgxQ25JN29fa1gxS0pBVGhySFdFcjFDZGl4VTllc3BzUnp3TGpfaVVpTG5HQTR2UDhaQl9hRkgyejRiUG40bVp1UUVsb2hhTEZwUmw3bVBxLTJXZ3NKVFoxbw%3D%3D&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.threeding.com%2F3d-printing-models%2Fstacking-blocks-giant-gokart-5-x-scale&event=video_description&v=L68S2PYDC44>). Perhaps he'll do the same once this extra-extra-large version is complete, but in the meantime, we'll have to watch it all come together.

Unfortunately, Denton [declined](<https://youtu.be/Ekwccm9LUCs>) to adopt any of his viewers so no, he won't be your dad, but you can follow along with this awesome build [on Denton's YouTube channel here](<https://www.youtube.com/c/MattDenton/videos>).

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## Author
Stef Schrader is a former senior staff writer for The Drive. She started writing about cars in 2013 after meeting Jalopnik's editor-in-chief at a race track, where Stef can be found at every available opportunity.

### Author social links  
[LinkedIn](<https://www.linkedin.com/in/stefschrader/>)  
[Instagram](<https://instagram.com/stefthepef>)  
[Twitter](<https://twitter.com/stefthepef>)