Can someone please explain the vintage classes

[michael kent]

I am curious about the different dispacement catagories in our modern era racing now and what they were from the beginning to the vintage cutoff. Just a general idea is fine as im looking for engines sometime in my future to put on my hellcat (the saw engine is just too much $$ to get ALL the parts i found out). Anyways I would like an idea of what the cutoff is for single and twin engine setups. Thank you, good day

[Rob Voska]

At REAR we don't race so it's not much of a problem but what I think you are looking for is the history of karting. There are a bunch of books on the subject. Starting with the chain saw / lawnmower engines that kicked things off. They were 5.8 cu in 80cc. Then they made 6.1 cu in 100cc and after a few years West Bend made a 8.2 cu in 135cc engine. Don't forget the early engines with bushing's instead of bearings. Strange rules lead to triple engine karts etc....... It's really an interesting question but needs to be more specific to be answered.

[steve miller]

also about when did they start weight rules ..

[Gary Wlodarsky]

Steve,,,

I'm thinkin late 60s,,,I got out of it in 65 and then got back in 1970 and weigt restrictions/rule where enforced then....exact year I don't know...

gw

[Chris Marchand]

There were minimum weights in the early 60 s. Most classes had a " Light " and " Heavy category for the "A' class singles , "B" class single and duals and "C" class duals.

[steve miller]

how were they set up i seen class A ,B,C, C open ..juinors..and also did i see where they used to have 5.8 class 7.0 ..classes ..?? just wondering what some of the classes you guys raced in and what motors you used ..

[Gary Wlodarsky]

Steve.

.in the early 60s I ran A Super JR, basically open Mac motors...started witha Mac 5(on gas) and went up the board till I quit, all with 2, sometimes 3 alky carks, some direct drive, some with Max Torques...started with K88s in the earliey 70s...odly enough, I can't remember what the class was called ....I ran lightweight with an Open Jefferies K88 on his Big J Lancers for a couple years and got out agin...

I guess I don't remember the weight classes in the early 60s cause I ran Jr.we had NO WEIGHT CLASSES, they called it Big Kids and little kids , but that was age not weight....

gary

[John Swartout]

Don't forget the Ann Arbor class system plan, where the Ann Arbor Karting Club adopted a Power-to-Weight System back in 1961. It worked quite well with classes I through VII to cover the lightest drivers, all the way to the heavyweights.


John

[michael kent]

What about an expansion chamber. Im a newer technology enthusist mainly because of the power increase it creates but I know that pipes werent around for near ten years after my kart was produced. Wasnt it common to use older and newer equipment together for the budget minded? Anyways I know the rules state wet clutch OR pipe but was the concencus among vintage karters? Wouldnt a pipe lead to way faster laps than a wet type clutch?

[Rob Voska]

It depends.... sounds like you are trying to mix more than 10 years together. Are you trying to compare an old GEM aluminum tuned exhaust pipe to a GEM box or a Horstman can to a Gary Hartman Blimp? What kind of engine are you talking about Mac, West Bend or a Foreign engine? What kind of track? Like I said in my first post. What are you trying to do and with what equipment. Do you weigh 125 lbs or 225 lbs? These things all come into it. Face it we can't "unlearn" what we have learned in the 53 years we have been karting.