Rupp kart differences in 1963/64?

[Dean Seavers]

Thanks for the replies guys!

Ed has a '63 GP that he brought out to Davis a couple of months ago. I didn't look super close, but it was a one piece frame, no bumper and 4" fronts. Up until then I had just assumed that all GPs had the two piece frame. So that just got me curious about the running changes to the GP specifically and Dart Karts in that era.

All the best,
Dean

[George Sellon]

So, if I'm following this right I think I have a 63 A Bone.
It has,
No front bumper,welded on mounts for pedals on front of axle.
Two short tie rods.
4" fronts.
Steel welded floor pan and seat back.
Wide hoop welded number panel with Dart Kart logo and 2180 stamped on plate.
One piece frame.
Right side tab for uni-mount and no rear center bar.
Chrome drum brake.

That sound like a 63 A Bone to you guys?

Thanks and Happy Holidays
George & Pat Sellon

[Tom Hatcher]

George,I have a 63 A Bone that was given me by the original owner.He purchased it at the same kart shop I purchased my 62 A Bone at.We raced at the same track,different classes,in 62 and 63.It is tag number 2216 and has one piece steel seat back floor pan,one long tie rod short drag link,dual swing mounts,no bumper,4 inch fronts,wide hoop.I have been told that the tag numbers cannot be tracked.Happy Holidays to all.Tom Hatcher

[louie figone]

Tom, the only literature I have on the Brand X is from a press release in the Oct 1963 Karting World, came as a single (X15) or a dual (XX15) Fire engine red, Grand prix wheels, 4 inch front wheels, welded on number panel, A-bone type steering wheel, swing mounts, Fox style pedals, the pedals appear to be mounted on top of the front axle, has a front bumper, 5 qt Chilton tank, 6" Bendix brake. appears to have a narrow steering hoop, might not be the same narrow hoop as the later Darts, the number panel is narrow. The steering has one long tie rod and a drag link from the pitman arm to the left spindle.
Tom Smith knows the history why Rupp built the Brand X kart.

REAR, the Grand A was available in '64, can't find any info on these after '64.
I think the tag # was a serial # but although they continued with the # system on the 66 Grand Prix they did not put a serial # on the Chaparral's. I don't know anyway to track those numbers.

George, sounds like you have a '62 or 63 A-bone, at some time the steering was changed to the later style.
Is your welded on bracket a flat piece welded behind the tube or a L shaped bracket welded to the front of the tube. If it has the flat piece someone updated for a uni-mount, uni-mounts came out with the Grand Prix and Grand A models in '64
If anyone has other or more info please let us know.

[Ed DalPoggetto]

Dean,
The grand prix that i brought to Davis, i have owned for six years. In that time this is the info that i have found out about this model. The kart i have still has its original ID plate, and the number is 421, and i would think that this is a very early 63 model. It is a 4130 chrome molly frame, but it looks to be Mig welded. The seat/floor pan is one piece aluminum, riveted to the chassis. My kart was a factory single engine chassis, and did not come with the L-bracket to mount an second swing mount, and i'am pertty sure 64 and up karts came with two L-brackets. My karts also came with an aluminum rear axle, no front bumper, and the pedals are mounted in front of the axle. The tank is a chilton, 6 inch Bendix brake, one long tie rod, and a short drag link, and the number panel is welded to the steering hoop. The Grand prix for 63 was a Top-notch machine, and the start for making the karts lite weight, and stronger by using chrome molly tubing, and aluminum....Ed

[Tom Smith]

One obvious way to tell if a old Dart Kart is a '63 or later is if it still has its' original 3/8" round bar pedals, Rupp starting dipping the tops of the pedals with black plastic in '63.
'61 and '62 Dart Karts had plain chrome pedals.
I am almost certain that the Blue 1966 Grand Prix karts were identical to the red 1965 Grand A karts except possibly for the name in the center of the number panel badge and the color.
My Favorite Rupp Grand Prix karts were Mickey Rupps' Red 2 piece 1965 team karts with dual Collier West Bend 820s and chrome radius rods. Lancers were everybit as good but I liked the Grand Prix flashy red paint and styling more.

[REAR]

Probably a good bet that if you have a 5/8's steering shaft its 63 and older as that became a tech item.

Louie, Do you have factory litature or are you using magazines for dating, I was able to use factory released material for dating? Just curious.

Didn't the 'unimount' karts have the different tab on the chassis then the swing mount karts. Have also seen karts with just one tab.

R.E.A.R.

[Scott Elkes]

Dean,
The grand prix that i brought to Davis, i have owned for six years. In that time this is the info that i have found out about this model. The kart i have still has its original ID plate, and the number is 421, and i would think that this is a very early 63 model. It is a 4130 chrome molly frame, but it looks to be Mig welded. The seat/floor pan is one piece aluminum, riveted to the chassis. My kart was a factory single engine chassis, and did not come with the L-bracket to mount an second swing mount, and i'am pertty sure 64 and up karts came with two L-brackets. My karts also came with an aluminum rear axle, no front bumper, and the pedals are mounted in front of the axle. The tank is a chilton, 6 inch Bendix brake, one long tie rod, and a short drag link, and the number panel is welded to the steering hoop. The Grand prix for 63 was a Top-notch machine, and the start for making the karts lite weight, and stronger by using chrome molly tubing, and aluminum....Ed

THIS AN OLD POST (originally started in 2007). I owned an early 1963 Dart Grand Prix that I raced in 1963-65. The description above is accurate. I had single L-Bracket swing mount, however, a dual L-bracket mount was available at an additional cost. The Chilton tank was a 5 quart capacity (1964 went up to 7 Qt.). IKF mandated 5/8" steering shaft for 1963. The 1963 Grand Prix prototype kart(s) driven for published kart magazine reviews had 1/2" steering shafts and the reviewers were told the production karts would be 5/8". My Grand Prix came with a 1/2" shaft. Upgraded to the 5/8" shaft mid 1964 race season after being damaged and to make IKF tech rules for 1965 (local racing still permitted 1/2"). Added the Dart styled front bumper at the end of the 1964 season and modified "one long-one short" tie rods to "two short" tie rods (to reduce weight). The kart came with an aluminum rear axle, but when damaged in 1963, I transitioned to a steel axle. It was five pounds heavier, but was stiffer and was much more suitable to my driving style.