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Hi All

Seeings as I have been out of carting for so long a time I am not familiar with a clutch I can use on my Mac 6 powered Caretta. I have been really thinking of setting it up as I originally raced it without a clutch. Fact I never seen a clutch on a race cart in 1961. As the Caretta motor mount and axle sprocket are fixed and cant be moved I would need a clutch that mounts the sprocket as if it were just a keyed fixed sprocket sitting on the taper.

An update on the Caretta restoration. The frame has now been returned to what it was in 1961 with the installation of a proper Caretta 1961 designed brake. I have also replaced the front axle. All extra holes in the frame have been plugged and dressed off. Its a shame that the only thing I have left of the Caretta brass badge is the two holes were it was mounted. Does anyone replicate them?

Bill Pryor emailed me and said the new upholstery will be completed next week. Seeings as my cart still had the original floor carpet we had several of them made up one for my cart and others for guys that don't have them. I did deviate from original design in the new rear axle in that its made of titanium. I also used one inch material stepped turned it so the axle sets the clearance for the wheel bearings not the nuts on the end of the axle. This way the wheels are locked solid to the inner race of the wheel bearings so there is not wheel wobble.

I have found out what happened to the cart when the front axle was badly damaged. Seams Bob VanBeek hit the wall in front of the stands at the Jansen Beach track around 1968. In doing so he ended up in the hospital for some time. The cart was setup as a twin at that time using a clamp on Caretta mount on the left side. I dont know what happened but I was told that Bob hit the wall at near 90 mph. Seams he ended up with both legs broken a broken arm and other injuries. The only damage to the cart was the right front axle was folded back against the frame. Bob later tried to repair it but it was a botched job at best. Really ugly after I got the bondo off it. Not safe either. Geometry was off some also.

Any help on the clutch idea would be appreciated.

Thanks

Dennis

VanBeek used Kart Lab stuff, I think all you need is a Kart Lab third bearing with direct drive.

As to a outboard third bearing none of us used them in 61 as we drove right off the crank as is. I also used some Cart Labs stuff but I also used some of my cousins stuff. Van Tech was owned and operated by my cousin Leanor and here husband Bill down in Ca. I did not know they owned Van Tech till some years after I got out of carting.

When I ended up high point leader for the state of Oregon in 61 I was using a Cart Labs Mac 20 carb set up for alcohol on my Mac 6.

The Caretta I am restoring I purchased from Al Lader older son of the former Cart Labs owner. Al's younger brother Randy was one of my main competitors and he did go onto the Nationals that year and finished second. I was also qualified to go but job and funds prevented a broke 19 year old from doing so.

In the dozen or so boxes of stuff that came with the Caretta I got from Al there is a lot of old stuff from Cart Labs and I did find some third bearing mount castings.


We used an out board crank shaft extension on one the flywheel side for the Caretta twin we sent to the nationals in 61. Bob VanBeek was there with Dick Weatherspoon the driver along with Ross Heart who I think was funding the trip. I also drove this cart and it was offered to me if I could drive it but I could not handle all the power it had. I had only been on an A standard single and climbing into a 105 pound cart with 37 HP was just a little scary given the tires we had then. It seams I could not keep the front end in front of the back end coming off a turn. Bob could not drive the cart either but for some reason Dick had no problem with it. I think Bob and I were to used to treating the throttle like an on off switch and that just did not work on that twin.

Sorry for all the reminiscing guys. Just that some times all the memories just come flooding back.

Turk

I remember those guys but I was only 13 years old then and could only race bushing class karts. My dad was one of the owners in Beeliner's kart track in Vancouver. I never raced a bushing class kart but ran a twin Mac 20 Dart A-bone with Vantech 8 reeds on it.
Which one of those guy's ran the blue Caretta? I remember seeing the engine and motor mount laying on the ground where it broke off when Caretta's had that mount that was welded only to the rear axle. That was a Petite's Jantzen Beach track where they used the infeild and part of the stock car track. What was cool was the track had lights and some of the races were at night.

I did not know that Jim or Jean had anything to do with the Jansen Beach track. I hated that track as an A standard or even a A supper cart could not gear for it. If you would gear for the back straight and the South turn you were bogging in the infields tight turns. I never did do well there. Fact The very first race I ever watched was at that track in 1959 or 60 and Jim Pattit was driving a Bug. Why I remember it was that at that time Jim having polio when he was a kid had very little use of his legs. At that time Jim and father Jean had mounted both peddles on the right side and he only used one foot. When I started racing in late sixty Jim had his cart setup normally buy then. I know at some of the races Jim's dad would lift him off the cart after a very difficult race.

I never ran up in Vancouver and I don't really remember a track up there. I don't remember any blue Carettas in 61 though they may have been some later in the year. The Caretta I have has the weld on motor mount like you are describing but it has no cracks or re-welds. Fact other than the damaged right front axle the frame is near perfect.

I never ran at Jansen Beach at night on a cart but some years later I raced auto cross there a number of times and still had trouble with that track. I was driving a Myers Manx dune buggy setup for auto cross. I was hitting 80 going into the South turn and using three gears then into the infield and ran second gear there. Was a fun track for cars but still had trouble with gearing.

Still need help with a clutch idea guys.

Dennis Turk

We ran $15.00 Max Torque clutches in "61" with standard McCulloch pull starters.

Dennis,
You can get a new Max Torque outboard clutch directly from Jim Donovan at Max Torque. I purchased 2 to go on Leon's twin Mc20s that I built for him for his Fox at Bakersfield this weekend. They look almost identical to the original ones but no decal and they hang out a bit further on the shaft. Bill Prior installed the engines on the Fox and put 3rd bearing supports on just to be sure. These new Max Torques are based on the Draggin skin design inside but are set up for a Mac as far as engagement. They are reasonable also at $145 a pop.

I have twin Mc6's on my R1 kart and used inboard rev grip clutches but the sprocket is really close to the boss that sticks out around the PTO on those engines. I haven't run it yet but I am hoping the chain doesn't chew up that boss.

cheers

Hi Scott

I have not talked to Bill in a week or so and when I asked him about clutches he was kind of vague. Gunna have to get on his case a little. Bill lives about 30 miles from were I do. He is only six miles from were my business is. Bill is the one getting the upholstery made for my Caretta. We have the carpet already. I just last week I got three clutches from Jim Donavon that I had him build for Clinton chain saw motors so I will give him a call on Monday and see what he has. The problem with the early Carettas is that with the factory motor mount and with the sprocket mounted to the wheel you have very little that you can move the motor for chain alignment so really need a clutch with the sprocket no more than 3/16 from were it would be with a simple sprocket. These I have and may end up using direct drive

Thanks Scott

Dennis

Wow,
If it needs to be that close to a direct sprocket, that's a tough one. The Max torques hang out further than that. Jim D might be willing to make you a special one with an offset hub and special nut. It might be possible. It would be pretty cool if he could do it. I would be interested in a couple of those. Seems like the sprocket may have to be bigger though to allow for a bearing which would make a decent ratio tough for the 6 which doesn't have much power. Let me know what Jim says.
Good luck,
Scott