Help Identifying Kart

[Wade Reynolds]

Picked this frame up at a yard sale this weekend. Was wondering if someone could identify make/model and approx year or point me in the right direction. Thanks for your help.

[Rob Voska]

Narrow hoop Dart 300 fun kart. Cut the mount off & put a swing or unimount on it.

[Wade Reynolds]

Wow that was fast. Thanks for the info. Just retired so I thought this would be a good hobby for me and my grandson. I have no idea what should be cut off and what a swing mount is. I see I really need to read up on this stuff. Any ideas of where I can get a lot of info quickly without pestering this group to death?

Thanks again for your help.

[ted johnson]

Wade, first off, don't worry about pestering. Most of the vintage crew are glad to help a newcomer! What Rob was referring to is the sheet steel engine mount. Cut that off carefully and grind the welds smooth. A swing mount is an engine mount that rides on ball bearings on the rear axle, and has a rubber cushion at the front, where it attaches to the frame. Look at REAR's home page. Near the top, above the photos is a reference to parts and resources. click there and find "Robron". Rob Stanton reproduces Dart Kart parts. He can supply you with a swing mount and bearings. Don't forget to ask him for the rubber mount and hardware. Ask questions! That's how we learn. If you get the chance to buy old karting magazines on eBay, they're the best reference material you can get. Ted

[Wade Reynolds]

Thanks Ted. I am sure I will have a lot of questions. My frame is bent from the front of the seating area forward. Someone either very heavy or landed very hard or both I think caused the bend. What would be the best way to straighten the frame, heat, come a long and heat, etc. I would say that when the seat pan is level, the front is 2-3 inches up.

Thanks again.

Wade

[ted johnson]

Since the D300 is basically a fun kart, and I'm totally un-knowledgable on Dart Karts in general, I'm not sure if the chassis is mild steel tubing or chrome molybdenum. One of the other REAR contributors may be able to help there. Chrome moly is best bent cold, but be advised that it has an amazing amount of spring-back when bending. There again, Rob Stanton at Robron knows Darts very well, and should be able to give you an intelligent answer. TJ

[Rob Voska]

If ya got a sway back don't put any money into it. It's not a hard kart to find & will just rebend easier every time you straighten it. Sorry to bring bad news but it's cheaper in the long run.

[david a luciani]

the karts are all a special mild steel as per rob stantons post on vintage a week or three ago.
if you have the skills to cut out the bad tubes and replace Rob will bend new ones for you.
otherwise i agree with Rob Voska keep it as a fun kart.
there's alot of rupps out there in nicer shape.
they made zillions.
dave

[Jeff Campbell]

After seeing that photo here, my initial thought was that this kart was not a Rupp fun kart, because the way the 4 cycle mount plate is welded on looks like a quick and dirty cob job (no support on the one corner of the plate). I looked through my photos, and I guess that is they way they welded on the mount plates! ... but in looking at photos I found this infamous magazine cover photo that appears to show a cross brace tube running diagonally behind the seat. Is this brace there to support the motor due to the way the mount plate is welded on there? Did the motor bolt to that brace?

Jeff

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[ted johnson]

Jeff, are you sure that's not just a black plastic covered throttle cable running across? TJ