The Article on Karts in June Rod & Custom pretty much blew my mind. Ever since I was a kid I wanted a kart. Is this the next fad? Anyone here into these? I love the simplicity and the styling on some of these. I want to drive one! Post pics if you got 'em.
Funny. I was just thinking about posting this last week...because all of the mini bike talk. Then I started looking for vintage kart sites to see how much some of these old karts go for and I quickly lost interest. I think they would be alot of fun. But. I'm not interested on spending a thousand dollars plus on a kart. My damn old Dodge barely cost that.
I know what you mean I was looking at some karts some old guys restored. One guy spent $8,000!!! I plan on building my own frame off of some extinct design from some equally extinct company. And using a cheap motor.
I thought about building my own too. Which I might one day. But right now money and time are low and various projects of greater importance take priority. If I ever do build one though...I'll race ya!
I did the same thing, that article really got me thinking. I went onto eBay and looked for some vintage karts to reproduce my own frame. I found a pretty nifty, dual-engined one that was totally bare so you could see all the frame details. Looks very simple but effective.
I wondered why I was getting so many hits on my website that deals with vintage go-karts? Must be from this article? Will have to get me a copy of that, is it on the newsstand now? www.jrcentral.com Mine are a little different than your standard Kart since they are meant for style not speed.
oldminibikes.com is i site i frequent. They dont have much for old carts but i got them to make a "more than two wheels" thread and its pretty popular with the home built crowd. Me being one of the better ones My sn on there is Jeep2003 check it out
I have a 60s Rupp dart kart with a mac49 (which is now on the mini bike for the roundup) and a margay panther x with a mac 101. Lots of fun but are money pits if you run them alot.
Growing up we raced karts hell we even had a really nice little bull ring track in the back field to practice on.We raced on frames from margay,bug,kinser(odd little frames that looked and drove a lot like sprint cars),and the last year I raced was on a shadow.It was a lot of fun and I miss it but chainsaw is right there money pits thank god for sponsors!
... I ran accross this forum when I was searching for the Rod and Custom June 2008 article on Vintage Karting. I thought some of you would be interested to see some vintage karts at 2 very popular websites I run: VKA - Vintage Karting Association http://www.vintagepowersport.com/vka/ Rear Engine American Racers http://rearenginekarts.com/ You will find thousands of photos from events accross the USA over the past 6 years, plus video. The major events usually draw 100 to 150 karts. Participation can be restoration/show or racing of vintage prepared karts. a photo of me racing in Riverside CA, Feb 2007, driving a dual engine (two McCulloch 125cc engines), on a Rupp Chaparral reproduction kart: This video starts with starting the kart in the above photo, old fashion style belt type electric starters.... Me driving a dual 135cc engine sidewinder kart, 2 italian rotary valve BM-130 motors fully modified, running methanol, event was in Wisconsin 2007: This is a video of the recent event at Riverside CA that was featured in the Rod and Custom June 2008 article, racing action starts about midway through, with super fast dual 135cc class heat race starting at 7:30 mark near end. and we do have fun running some unusual karts, with 3 motors, 6 wheels, etc... Enjoy Jeff
There are some vintage plans for minibikes and go-carts here, along with a whole bunch of other cool projects: http://www.vintageprojects.com/
cool site. I have seen the plans for the go-kart they have on there. They make the thing out of angle iron! supposedly street legal! anyone know of any blueprints or detailed drawings I could use to reproduce a frame?
Anyone want to take a picture of there kart frame preferably from above with a ruler or something so I can backwards engineer the thing?
The first one is mine i have been working on it. its a early to mid 60s rupp dart kart a-bone, i would really like to see this thread keep going. Thanks
Here are a couple videos I shot at The Big One in Fremont OH this Labor Day weekend, this is an annual event that usually draws about 150 very early period racing karts (rear engine karts made prior to 1972). The first video is of Bob Lapke (former national champion) driving a dual West Bend rear engine King Kart, Bob puts on a great show, throttle steering through the turns: and here is a couple of old 1960 Bug Wasp karts going at it: and my helmet cam video driving a 1961 Fox kart with McCulloch MC5 engine: there are hundreds of photos and more videos of the event at the Rear Engine American Racer website: http://rearenginekarts.com
I love vintage karts, no place to race them here but in my blood. This is my newest one a 1963 R300 Mac. Mcculloch did a short stint in the early 60's for complete race karts very expensive for the time. The complete carts ended in 63 I believe and they just stuck with Kart engines after that. The 63 R300 is quite a rare kart I paid $1000.00 needing restored wich was a steal at that price. At one time it was metal flake blue so it is again today not quite finished but a very cool ride.
Old chrome and some time on the buffing wheel, I wouldnt send them out you will never find another pair.
Here is mine before and after I redid it. It is a Twister build by a guy here in Michigan between 75-78. He built around 20-25 of them for his race team. The neat thing about it is the two frame rails have a rubber bushing between them witch gives the frame some flex. I was told the they were faster them most of the other karts that raced that the time. He also owned a kart shop on the west side of the state. I was sent some old photos of some of his karts I will try to post them.
Heres Tom "Stroker McGurk" Medley on his 90th birthday, sitting on a restored Caretta Kart (Circa 1961). We just got back from a Vintage Kart event in beautiful, downtown Lancaster, Ca. called "Streets of Lancaster"- we ran them on a course through the city streets.
I watched the practice run on oldminibikes.com, looks like fun. wish they would do something like that in Dallas but proubably not enough people into vintage karts here. Those 60's karts sure were short. At 6' 2'' I like my Margay pro x better then my Dart.
Looking at those Karts make me wish I had my old enduro karts back (64 to 74). I have pictures of them in my album but I can't drag them to this thread to post them.
Hey Im in Dallas theres alot of us here im working on a bug with a west bend and some where on my link you can see a pic of my motive systems 100 yami lay down . I raced it at texas world hallet and topeka along with henderson .Craig
This is a cool post I'm glad I'm not the only big kid on here. I have a 63 fox cart with a west-bend 2 stroke motor. My cart was my grandmas go cart she rode. someone stole my dad and grandpa's race carts. I may try and get some pictures of my cart when i get off work.
I remember this Kart I think from Vintage Karts, My first "COOL KART" was racing in Topeka with a twister! It was new and Hi Tec!! so to stay, My first ride was a Putt Nik and moved up from there.
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