Identification of kart

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Adam Carr
Posts: 16
Joined: Sat Jun 05, 2021 6:25 am
Vintage Karting items owned: 1961 Bug Lightning
1973 Margay Concept
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Identification of kart

Post by Adam Carr » Sun Jan 29, 2023 6:43 pm

Can someone assist in identifying this Rupp, year and model?

Thank you!
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Rob Voska
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Joined: Fri Jun 15, 2007 9:04 am

Re: Identification of kart

Post by Rob Voska » Mon Jan 30, 2023 7:18 am

Adam, Whatever it started life out as it was not a Dart. Look at Clark 440 fun kart or something like that. Heavly modified & has a very small look to it. Front spindle hangers are wrong along with the rear axle bearing carriers. The whole seat back loop thing is wrong also to be a Dart.

Adam Carr
Posts: 16
Joined: Sat Jun 05, 2021 6:25 am
Vintage Karting items owned: 1961 Bug Lightning
1973 Margay Concept
User Agreement: Yes

Re: Identification of kart

Post by Adam Carr » Wed Feb 01, 2023 4:51 am

Thank you Bob, I appreciate the info!

Rob Voska
Posts: 1646
Joined: Fri Jun 15, 2007 9:04 am

Re: Identification of kart

Post by Rob Voska » Wed Feb 01, 2023 5:35 am

The big wheels might be making it look small.

Terry Bentley
Posts: 126
Joined: Wed Nov 10, 2010 3:21 am
Vintage Karting items owned: Kavalla Rupp Hornet Bug Margay Cates, Ala Kart
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Location: East of DFW

Re: Identification of kart

Post by Terry Bentley » Thu Feb 02, 2023 11:38 pm

This is an interesting kart. But a Clark most likely is not.

The Clark does use a lot of Azusa components. It also has narrow steering hoop. Rear bumper is a wrap around piece of tubing, not like on a Dart.

There are very specific Dart style components on this kart.

Pedals are Dart, used from 1961 and up.

The rear crossmember/bumper behind axle is very similar, but not exactly same bends.

Front bumper looks similar but larger diameter tubing and slightly larger radius bends.

Rear crossmember front of axle is setup for dual swing mounts, like Dart uni-mount and steel swing mounts. But the mounting points are just flat strap instead of formed angle like used on a Dart.

Bearing hangers are copies of Dart. But without the additional holes punched out for lightening. The left one looks like additional material is there for mounting a caliper.

I have seen these particular style bearing hangers for sale in the past.

Spindles have little or no kingpin inclination at all. Nothing like on any Darts.

It looks like someone tried breeding a Go-Kart 800 and Dart. This is what was spawned.

Those tabs welded for floor and seat pan was something that didnt get really popular until late 60's.

The only thing looking really goofy is the seat hoop. Like someone attempting to take ideas of the two karts adding a personal touch then calling it their own design.

The larger Azusa wheels were likely added along with those turf saver tires when motor mount was welded on for a 4 stroke.

I would almost bet this is a manufactured kart for racing. Probably about the time sidewinders were starting to show up.
Last edited by Terry Bentley on Fri Feb 03, 2023 1:44 am, edited 3 times in total.

Terry Bentley
Posts: 126
Joined: Wed Nov 10, 2010 3:21 am
Vintage Karting items owned: Kavalla Rupp Hornet Bug Margay Cates, Ala Kart
User Agreement: Yes
Location: East of DFW

Re: Identification of kart

Post by Terry Bentley » Fri Feb 03, 2023 12:01 am

After closer examination of pics, I can see the components are also mostly Azusa. Including spindles, steering wheel and shaft, wheels, motor mount plate and sprocket hub.

What I have seen people do in the past is bolting the rear axle bearing flangettes on both sides of bearing hangers. They are completely wrong this way. One more thing needing corrected.

If you look on back of the seat there is an early Burco Racing sticker. One of the other stickers is a Tibikart, but this is not one.

The brakes appear to be Paul Martin. So those have been changed out sometime later on. Someone probably converted this to race on dirt back in the early 90's.

I sure sold a bunch of older karts back then. People spent too much money trying to make competitive on the local outlaw dirt tracks that sprang up everywhere back about that time.

Adam Carr
Posts: 16
Joined: Sat Jun 05, 2021 6:25 am
Vintage Karting items owned: 1961 Bug Lightning
1973 Margay Concept
User Agreement: Yes

Re: Identification of kart

Post by Adam Carr » Sat Feb 04, 2023 4:00 pm

Here’s some additional pictures. The brakes are MCP. I thought the same thing that someone modified this for dirt track racing. There was a ton of dirt around the engine when I removed it.

It was located here in So Cal not far from Azusa.
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Adam Carr
Posts: 16
Joined: Sat Jun 05, 2021 6:25 am
Vintage Karting items owned: 1961 Bug Lightning
1973 Margay Concept
User Agreement: Yes

Re: Identification of kart

Post by Adam Carr » Sat Feb 04, 2023 4:01 pm

They used an Airheart hub/rotor as you’ll see in the pic

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