Micky Rupp made many different models of go karts back in their hay day's. They made some great sprint karts and also a number of good lay down karts for racing. I never owned a Rupp Kart because I used other manufacturers such as Bug, Kavella, Hornets, Blitz, Margay, Emick and a number of others over the years. One of the very best was a Coyote Kart. Jimbo
Maybe I’m missing something, but, I still haven’t found a Quarter Midget thread. Please PM me if you find it. Sent from my iPad using H.A.M.B.
Quarter midget thread https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/quarter-midgets-from-the-50s-60s.567895/
Another great source for anyone interested in quarter midgets is Doug Schiller. Doug and his father started making the Offyette Quarter Midget back in the late 50's on Long Island. I believe he is still in business doing reproduction parts and restoration on midgets. His email is [email protected] His phone number is 361-552-5731 Doug knows the history of every quarter midget that was ever made. Below are a few logo's for the midgets which Doug asked me to make for his quarter midgets. Jimbo
This thing is so unsafe. Kids got it to 40mph using app on the phone. Thought the mudder tires would keep them in the backyard. Boy I was wrong Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Wow now there is a old name Lynn Haddock from my early day's of racing karts. Last time I saw him was in the early 80's when he designed and help lay out the road course for Oakland Valley Raceway in Cuddebackville, New York for Ross and Bruce who owned the track. Jimbo
Looks like two old Mac engines. They were very popular in the mid 60's and I owned many of them. I still have all the posters, helmet bags and other stuff McCulloch used to give me for racing with their engines. They were very involved with racing back in those day's and they were more then willing to sponsor racers using their equipment. Not sure what kind of kart that one is. Jimbo
Loudbang: I remember back in the early 70's when a few of my good friends decided to start a new karting association called World Karting Association. They all drove out to Port Washington, Ohio for the meeting to form the new association. After years of racing two cycle engines everyone made the switch to four cycle engines and the rest his history! George and Randy Kruger ran the W.K.A. for years. I miss those day's because we sure had a lot of fun and my wife always kid me and say's the boys grew up and the father never did! My sons raced with the W.K.A. for years and we traveled all over the eastern part of the country from Maine to Florida racing karts.
Loudbang: We lived in Connecticut back in the 80's but on Saturdays we used to leave our home around 3:30AM and drive to Leesport, PA. which was about 3 hours each way to race in the Pennsylvania State Champion Series and race at a great kart track which was owned by Dennis Hurbine. They would always have open practice sessions which means you had 8 years old kids on the track with adults racing 2 cycle engines and most of the other karters had 4 cycle engines. I used to tell my son who was about 10 years old this is a practice session for us to learn if we have the right setup in the kart. I said do not start racing anyone when you are on the track. I guess he forgot those instructions!!! Every time this one guy about 35 years old went down the long straightway with his 2 cycle kart he would pull away from my son but each time they were in the road course section of the track my son would catch him and pass him in the corners. This went on lap after lap until my son tried to stay with him on the straightway and they touched wheels at about 50mph and my son went end over end a few times before he landed with the kart of top of him. He was OK but we had to race a backup kart that day and he said dad I know I did not listen to you but I was having so much fun racing that guy. Jimbo
I was at a garage sale about two weeks ago and there was a vintage go cart sitting in the front yard. I visited with the guy and it was a project that he will never get to. I did some research and the cart is a vintage Dart Kart that has lead a really rough life. Rear section is removed and has small lawn tractor tires attached. Is it worth $75 ?…..all the tubing is really rough. Front axle has had some extra metal added. Main side tubing has had metal added. I could rebuild it and make it fit me (6'-2). You can still tell it is a Dart Kart. Should I pull the trigger? Gary
I first drove a Simplex Kart around a school play ground around 1960. It had a Clinton 490 engine. I was just watching this kid Alex Esposito driving around and he asked me if I wanted to try it and that is what got me in karting. Sure met a lot of nice people who also loved to race karts. Jimbo
I had a Hornet lay down kart for the endruo races and they were really a trick kart to drive. I think the fastest I ever went was about 110 mph at the old Bridgehampton Raceway which was about 2.85 miles around. Back in the 60's you had to find the hot spots on the track using your heat gauge because once the McCullough engines got up around 420 degrees you would stick a piston in the cylinder. When the temperature starting getting to high I would reach back and deflect the air with my hand over the 2 carburetors so the motor would get more fuel and it brought the engine temperature right down. Back in those day's we ran at Bryar Motor Sports Park in N.H. which today in the New Hampshire Motor Speedway along with Watkins Glen, Virginia International Raceway, and Summit Point W.V. Traded a guy my Hornet Kart for a Margay Kart when I went back in racing sprint races instead of long distance races. Jimbo
Got one a couple of years ago. It sat in a barn for 60 years. It runs on a maytag washing machine motor. ( my only barn find ever, lol) Sent from my smartass phone when it wants toThe H.A.M.B. mobile app
I built this one back in the 80s it ran on a 250 cc honda motor. I still have it Sent from my smartass phone when it wants toThe H.A.M.B. mobile app
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