Kart ID help

[Pat Seidl]

Can anyone give me information on this kart?

[Rob Voska]

Almost positive it's a Bird. They were advertised in the back of Boys Life magazine. Not really a race kart.

[Pat Seidl]

Thank you, I don’t own the kart but a picture was sent to me and I didn’t have a clue. This is my bird kart in progress.

[Terry Bentley]

That kart in your garage looks like a Blackhawk, not made by Bird Engineering.

The kart ID in question, I dont think is a Bird. It does appear to be a racing kart. But uses the steering wheel commonly seen on Bird karts.

One thing that sticks out is the side rails for seat. They appear to be original and not added on. They closely resemble the rails on second generation Caretta, minus the louvered sheet metal covering.

The welded joints of tubing are not fish mouthed, but slightly flattened. Takes less time to build this way, but also weaker.

After closer examination, I now see this kart has a live rear axle. It is enclosed and probably only 3/4" diameter. But that was common on some early model karts. including the Caretta. Not completely sure about this one but someone can chime in and correct me.

The rear brake setup uses pusher pads against one side of sprocket hub. Again common on early Caretta and Go-Kart, if memory serves me correctly. Circa on this frame is 1959-60. You notice the left sprocket hub is absent and brake only controls the right side wheel. Being a live axle not a problem. The linkage is set up with a cantilever to work either or both rear wheels.

The straight front axle is interesting that it utilizes riding lawn mower style spindles which lowers the frame. These spindles are what really kills the kart. Otherwise it is no too terribly thought out for the time.

[Pat Seidl]

Thank you for the input, I don’t own the black kart but was just curious to see if anyone could identify the kart. The one in the shed I do own and found one just like it made by Bird Engineering, some called this one The Slingshot is something else I read somewhere?

[Terry Bentley]

After a closer look of your kart, I was totally wrong. I guess your kart is a much later model Bird than ones I am usually checking out. Way past the rear engine racing time period. From a glance it looked to me like a Blackhawk, until comparing them side by side. My bad.

[Pat Seidl]

No problem..