Cates Kart

Dominic Salvato · Post by **Dominic Salvato** » Sat Feb 23, 2008 3:57 am

I'm amazed at a 1961 Cates with hollow aluminum axle and other modern features.......

Tom Smith · Post by **Tom Smith** » Sat Feb 23, 2008 11:38 pm

I've been told that Lynn Cates was an engineer at Bell Helicopter and he and some of his pals at Bell designed the kart. He sure knew about Lutz 33% steering reduction and kingpin/scrub radius geometry.
GEM ran a Cates enduro that had dual 8 cubic inch GEM Macs of course on a Margay gearbox. It was the first kart I saw in person that had Airheart front brakes and bushed hollow tube front spindles.
GEM sold the kart to Lakefront and they ran it with two Collier West Bend 820s. Ken Fox drove it for GEM and Bob Fuller drove it for Lakefront. I was on Fullers' pitcrew. He drove like Rupp did, flat out untill something blew which was usally one of the rear tires.
Chuck Powell who was the IKF Grand National Champion driving a Caretta borrowed Tom Medleys' Cates kart somewhere and soon after that ride he switched to driving Cates Karts and became the Cates dealer for California. His Cates was the first kart I saw with hand operated front brakes as well.

Dominic Salvato · Post by **Dominic Salvato** » Wed Feb 27, 2008 4:44 am

Stock Mac6........

Dominic Salvato · Post by **Dominic Salvato** » Fri Jun 13, 2008 6:44 am

Ready to roll.........

Cates Kart

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Re: Cates Kart

Re: Cates Kart

Re: Cates Kart