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Re: New member Help Identify Vintage Kart

Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2018 9:46 am
by ted johnson
Master Cyl. tab is right where mine was on the repro kart. For tires, either Cheng Shin or Vintage Speed 4.10-3.50 X 5 will do fine. Be sure they are hard compound with square shoulders such as those in the attached pic. Cheng Shins work very well and are inexpensive. Any of the seatback tanks with a flat back will do fine, such as the Matthews. Remember that vintage karts are not like cars. Any period correct aftermarket pieces you find to your liking are fine to use. Most of us switched parts freely back in the day. If you mount your engine in the center of the kart, you will need a floor mount tank. A seatback tank works fine for an engine mounted to the side. Your engine appears to be either an MC49 or a converted saw motor. In either case, that big carb may prove a bit much for low end performance. I recommend an HL Tillotson on an appropriate manifold for all-around running. Also, that appears to be a disc clutch. They are usually not allowed for vintage. A good dry shoe-type unit is fine for the small Mac. A Rev Grip or a Max Torque would be very good. Ted

Re: New member Help Identify Vintage Kart

Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2018 10:06 am
by ted johnson
Here's one of the style of tank that Bug provided as factory equipment back in ye olden times. This is a Bug Scorpion second edition that Steve O'Hara beautifully restored. The frame of the Scorp is very like that of the Sprint. I can't remember the make of the tank, but someone will do so for you. Ted

Re: New member Help Identify Vintage Kart

Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2018 12:55 pm
by Mark Poos
Good morning Ted,
Thank you very much for your response. With the hydraulic brake tab being where it is do you think that my Kart is a Repro Kart then? Certainly hope it's an original. Of course I'll follow your advice to the T about the tires. The right front nylite rim has a piece missing from it however, it holds air just fine. Still I'll need to replace it for show or race. Are they available? The Briggs will go to some sort of mini bike that I have laying around. I'll try to use the McCulloch I have for now as it sits but will be looking for a nice replacement with the proper clutch and carb setup as you recommend. If the Kart a Repro, I won't want to spend as much money on it probably? How can I tell if its original? The paint seems so shiny and nice it made me wonder if it was from the 60s? However the Old Gentleman I got it from certainly didn't look like he would have bought an expensive remanufactured new one. He got it from a friend at work and didn't pay very much for it so I assume it's old. I need to find a seat somewhere as I'm not sure than an upholstery shop could fix something up that looks correct? The amount for the engine is in the middle now however it looks to be movable and pretty original. I would like to go with a tank on a seat back as I always thought they looked so nice. Sorry about all of the questions but, I'd like to get started on it right away. I'm here in Phoenix but don't see any vintage karting events in the area? I'll ask at my Kart shop but they do all Briggs and shifters. Again thank you so much for your expertise and hope to hear from you soon. Happy holidays to all. Mark :)

Re: New member Help Identify Vintage Kart

Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2018 3:49 pm
by Mark Poos
Hello Ted, while I'm thinking about it I want to sincerely thank you for your advice on my bug Kart. Happy holidays mark

Re: New member Help Identify Vintage Kart

Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2018 9:20 pm
by ted johnson
Mark, I'm pretty sure yours is an original. The repops came with Azusa Tri Star wheels. I had Faye and the gang at Bug send mine as a bare frame with steering and upholstery so I could powder coat it myself, as well as installing my own brake, wheels, axle and steering wheel. Bill Parun out in Cali has the kart now. I live in Arizona City, Ron Cubel in Casa Grande, Dean Kanocz and his pop, Joe in Mesa, Larry Brown and Pat Arnold in Tucson and Bill Pryor in Chandler. We all run the big Tucson P1 Musselman Honda track twice a year. You just missed the November event, and we run again April 1st and 2nd. It's a Monday/Tuesday thing, and much smaller than the November thing. Great track, great karters and fast karts. No racing, just fun running. Read your PM for my contact info. Ted

Re: New member Help Identify Vintage Kart

Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2018 11:06 pm
by Rob Voska
Chilton was the name of the tank. Repo's are made now. Personally I like the look of the painted tank. Cheaper than chrome & gives a different look.

As far as the engine goes..... probably not what your going to want to run. More than likely it's 80cc. Clutch is very heavy & will snap the crank. Lots og guys having fun with a stock 100cc mac / 91 style with a big or small tillotson carb, can muffler & dry clutch.

Remember this is about "cool" not what's the fastest.

Re: New member Help Identify Vintage Kart

Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2018 9:29 am
by ted johnson
Mark, this was taken at the award feast at the end of this November's Tucson event. My karts are third and fourth from the front in the left hand column. You're welcome to join us in April for the next Tucson run. If you read your Private Message from me, call or email and I will give you directions in case you want to visit my place here. I would be glad to help in any way I can. Ted

Re: New member Help Identify Vintage Kart

Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2018 1:53 pm
by Mark Poos
Ted,
That's very nice of you. I'll call you when I get a chance. And I would love to come out and see your place.
Definitely will try to make the Tucson event. Hopefully by then I'll have the Kart finished up. And looking at all kinds of post ,YouTube ads Etc I do believe my Kart is original as well. It's got enough meat on the bone to make a nice Runner for Fun and show ,I hope..
Thanks for the invite. Mark

Re: New member Help Identify Vintage Kart

Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2018 3:05 pm
by ted johnson
We try here to keep things light and friendly. Your Bug will fit right in when you add an appropriate two cycle engine to it. Any time you need CAD work done, give me a yell. I have Pro/Engineer here, and am a retired aerospace design guy. I have any water jet cutting of flat parts done at Waterjet Cutting, Inc. in Albuquerque. I can model flat parts and make the needed DXF files for you. I then email the file to Waterjet, they cut the part, send it to you and email you the bill. There is a great vapor blasting shop in Tucson, to bring cast or machined parts back to "like new", and we use Sam Bennett in Merritt Island, FL for burnished "better-than-new" parts. Ron Cubel is a very good McCulloch man, and I'm pretty good with 610 West Bend engines. Arizona Powder Coat in Phoenix is a good powder coating place, as is Kaehr Coatings in Albuquerque in NM. You're always welcome here in AZ City, though my workplace is just my garage. Just for fun, here's a pic of Sue Cubel on my CAD designed Photon kart coming off the turn onto the long Tucson straight. Ted

Re: New member Help Identify Vintage Kart

Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2018 4:42 pm
by Mark Poos
Thanks Ted,
just got off the phone with Dave C. Who was attorney for the old Bug manufacturing company and friend of Kaye P. Of bug and vintage karting Fame. He kept the old phone numbers active and they are forwarded to his land line believe it or not. What a lucky break I found it on an obscure website. He made me aware of a vka event at Adams track in California. Sent me Louie's contact information.( organizer of the event). I'm sure you know of the event and I was wondering if you're going to be heading out that way? As you know it's January 31st through February 2nd. He even invited myself and grandkids to view the old bug collection upstairs in the old Manufacturing building. Of course we are thrilled about it. I'll have to give you a call later , as unfortunately I'm in the middle of a bad toothache and dentist procedures right now. Might be a bit later this week. Thanks a million again. Mark