Caretta Kart ID

[Scott Grundfor]

I just purchased an early Caretta on ebay. It appears the rear axle is wrong/modified. Also, would the front extension and side rails be correct? Was it originally a dead axle kart? I would like to know the year. Any help/info would be appreciated. I would like to restore it with period correct parts, engine etc. Here is the link
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0304617016

[Rob Voska]

Start buying the early karting magazines Hot Rod and Rod and Custom. That would give you some pics to help. Mark Shepard in Michigan is very sharp on Carrettas. I think you can PM him on here.

[Scott Grundfor]

Good idea, thanks

[Dan Flanders]

Hi Scott-
Hard to tell exactly what year, but I would venture a guess that it is probably a '60 or '61 because it still has the exposed steering shaft and first generation Go-Power rims After about '62 Art and Lou went to an enclosed steering shaft. The back end looks to be in pretty rough shape. The enclosed axle tube was cut off at some point and all the Caretta specific stand-offs for the pin drive are missing as is the the original 4" fixed Alpin drum brake.

Depending on what type of restoration you are going for, the missing axle tube maybe a blessing. Some later Carettas were set up without an enclosed axle tube so they could run gear boxes. These models allow you to run a swing mount and juice brake and do not require all the Caretta specific drive, motor mount and brake parts. If you want to restore it back to OEM specs, it would be a fair bit of work to recreate all the Caretta parts dictated by the enclosed axle tube.

If you are looking for an example of what the kart looked like, Vince Hughes' is about the nicest early example I've seen and it was featured in pictorial spread in a recent vintage kart magazine. Mark Sheppard's is also beautiful original example of the post '61 configuration. My '61 is pretty rough, but I would be happy to send you pictures. Also, I have a template for the louvered side panels that I got from Vince as well as a set of the original upholstery if you would like pictures and measurements. The April '61 issue of Karting World has a review of this particular kart.

Dan

[Ronald Cubel]

I would think this is a early 59 ish dead axel coverted with live axel convertion kit. The front wheels give it away? HotRod mag had test in 1960 I think...Ron

[Scott Grundfor]

I was thinking it might be a dead axle kart because of the front wheels also. They appear to be the same design steel wheel used on the dead axle carettas. Any photos would be appreciated. Thanks to all for your input. Scott

[Tom Smith]

Ron is correct, that for sure is a hacked up early dead axle Caretta. Even butchered it's still a historical Caretta Kart in it's current state. There is a picture of Art Ingels with his similar Caretta on page 11 of The Complete Book of Karting. By this model the jackshaft had been deleted and the motor was mounted next to the right wheel.

[Tom Smith]

Some Caretta history, before Rod and Custom coined the term "kart" Carettas were advertised as "Super Little Cars" which is what Caretta means.

[Tom Smith]

E. Duncan A. Ingels.JPG

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Picture of Art with one of the T/Q midgets he built with Everett Duncan circa 1950. Picture courtesy of Mr Everett Duncan.

[Scott Grundfor]

Thanks for the input. A further question is how early is my Caretta? I have some Rod and Custom mags and the first ad I see for the Caretta is from July 1958. My Caretta has a front "bumper" and side rails at the seat. The 1958 ad shows no rails or bumper. I have a very early "surplus" west bend that looks like the one on Engels first Kart from 1956. It would look great on the Caretta. Would it be correct? Great photo the midget. Scott