rearenginekarts.com

Hi Guy's and Girl's
Does anyone have a photo of what a 1971 margay cheetah single engine kart is supposed to look like. Trying to verify for sure what I bought yesterday. These are not in my memory bank being an old SAE guy just don't remember what they look like. Never paid any attention . Thanks in advance for any help.
Later Mike Anderson (317)729-2418 fleagle14@embarqmail.com

hi mike,
was that the one posted on vintage in indianna?
if so you bought a rare one.
the one on vintage is a cheetah mk1 with front bumper and front steer.
they were available as a rear and sidewinder.
it might be a late year model as the bolt on stub for the swing mount isn't there.
the later triangle tube is in place on the second picture on craigslist.
the mk2 has a front porch extension with rear steer and the mk3 has rear steer and the front porch with foot guard.
there are other differences but the front steer is iconic and specific to the mk1.
i have a few margay so feel free to ask questions but Tom Davis (texas) is the go to guy.
margay.com is a big help too.
dave

David,
There are at least 50 people with far more knowledge on this subject than I am.
Honesty should always the best policy. The guru's on vintage era Margay's have forgotten 3 times more than I will learn in this short life.

But ....I think it's great when someone can ask a sensible question and have 3 or 4 members jump in with multiple choice answers. Kinda makes you stop and think before you ask again!!

At least for some people.
Tom

Tom,
Thank you also for the feedback. If you have seen the kart posted which I purchased, please give me any info you might be willing to. If you need more photos to identify it let me know and I can send them. I am an old karter from the 60's and 70's but had nothing to do with Margay's so have little to nothing in the way of knowledge.
Thanks Mike Anderson (317)729-2418 fleagle14@embarqmail.com

Mike,

Here is what my 1971 Cheetah looks like. It is all original except for the paint which was matched to the original by my powder coater.
Steve O'Hara

Hi Steve,
Thanks for taking the time to send your photos. Very nice piece. Mine is not like that it has front steering, must be an earlier model than yours. Thanks again.
Later Mike

Mine is earlier than that with the short Dart style front bumper & the bolt on side piece to hold the swing mount.

Hi Rob,
Now you are talking, that is the way this one is made. I need to give you a call, we can talk about this thing and the mufflers.
Thanks Mike

Hey Mike-
I believe yours in the Cheetah kit kart based on the front bumper (no front porch), fiberglass nassau panel, and shape of the fiberglass seat. It was the transitional kart between the New Breed sidewinder and the Concept/Cheetah Mark II. It shares a lot in common with the New Breed in terms of front bumper, steering hoop and I think it used the New Breed sidewinder motor mount. I've seen it run both rear mounted and offset, either works. Roger Mulkey out in CA has one and run's it in the rear configuration. Check the VKA site in the past events pictures on the West Coast, there should be some shots of it.

Roger's Margay Cheetah Kit Kart with a revised steering pitman arm set up. I checked the caster and concluded it had 16 degrees. Margay said they never built a Cheetah Kit Kart with 16 degrees of caster. That's why I took a photo of this one. Maybe somebody changed the front axle at some point? Regardless of how it ended up with that much caster it was the worst steering kart either one of us ever drove.