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Vintage Gokart ID help.. Dad's old kart..

Posted: Thu Jun 22, 2017 12:21 pm
by DevioussPete
Hey guys, I

(skip past the txt if you arent interested in the story behind how i got this kart. If your interestd, read on. Thanks for help with the ID.)

I need help with Identification of a vintage gokart that my father has had,

squirreled away since he was 16 ( 41 years ).
He never said much about it, and we werent allowed near it as kids. So in the

back corner of his panelshop it stayed, and eventually it was forgotten

I recently asked him about this gokart.. After an hour of him telling me how fast

it was, how he used to ride it around the streets, and get chased by police.. He

told me he brought it off a relative who used to race it in the late 60's early

70's, and that it had won more than afew trophys.. besides that, all he knew was

it was a "Mcculloch racing kart..."

I left his house that evening not thinking much about it, thinking he may have

gotten rid of it when he had retired and closed down his panel shop,.. The very

next day, I get a message from my dad to come to his house straight away..
It turns out really loves this thing, the cheeky old bastard stayed up until 3am to

find every single peice of that gokart.. ( including getting the frame out from

behind a massive pile of vintage car goodies by himself. )


Ive done abit of google, so many vintage karts look-a-like.
Im honestly confused now..

All we know about this kart besides the above is :

It was a light blue colour, has second engine mount bracket...

The engine is a Mc91b/1. (We believe the engine was upgraded to this during his

racing days, as the frame is definately 60's and the 91b/1 were from '70 on i

believe..)

Also please note, that rear bumper on the kart is not stock. it seems to be a homemade job. ( its slid into the frame and has a screw in the top) for protection during racing maybe?

any help with ID would be muchly appreciated.. ( I have more pics if required )

Cheers guys,

Pete

Re: Vintage Gokart ID help.. Dad's old kart..

Posted: Thu Jun 22, 2017 1:27 pm
by Rob Voska
Hi Pete
It's a "Bug" kart from CA. Looks like it has some major modifications to make it a swing mount chassis.
Your right on the early kart & later engine. Wheels are "spider" and hard to come by. The frame has a bracket added for a master cylinder but all I see is a mechanical disc brake caliper. Neither bumper belongs.

Does it have a 1/2" or 5/8" diameter steering shaft?

It's a cool kart! Always like to see "barn find" pictures!

Feel free to ask more questions as I am not a bug expert by any means.

Thanks Rob

PS; Please change your name to your real first and last name.

Re: Vintage Gokart ID help.. Dad's old kart..

Posted: Thu Jun 22, 2017 4:38 pm
by ted johnson
Like Rob says, '62 or '63 Bug product, heavily modified. The rocker swing mounts and the high kickup on the lower frame rails aft of the seat, as well as the squared-off seatback make me think it may have begun life as a "Little Red Bug", but I could be wrong. The rounded ends on the spindle hangers put it at later than '61, as does the square seatback. The Little Red Bug was Bug's attempt at a very light and flexible kart. The frames were susceptible to breaking behind the seat. Though I sold a couple as dual engine karts, they were more suited to a single engine. Google, and you'll se a pic of a somewhat modified example. The frame might be a '62 Cool Cart also from Bug. It would've come with a mechanical "Trophy" disc brake, and in '63 it would've come with the Spider wheels. An option was an Airheart juice disc brake.
I think I'm wrong The upper rails are actually continued past the seatback. I'm now guessing Cool Cart or late '62 Wasp. Sorry 'bout that. Ted