60 Bug Wasp

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ted johnson
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Re: 60 Bug Wasp

Post by ted johnson » Sat Aug 09, 2008 4:48 pm

I'm not sure if the '61 Bug mechanical disc brake was Trophy or Hands. I think Trophy. It was much more "angular" than the "rounded" Grant brake. It used a separate bracket to hold it onto the chassis. I don't think any other than the Bug (Bug, Cad Cart, Cool Cart & Stinger) family ever used that mechanical disc. I believe Ala Kart (and others) used the Grant. I had the Trophy on my '61 Wasp and my '62 Stinger. Pop had one on both his '61 Wasp and his '61 Scorpion. It stopped O.K., but was a bit "grabby". Bug only used the Palmini on the first Wasp in late '59, and on all the Bug family live axle '60 karts. I remember bleeding my Palmini holding it in my hand. It squirted fluid right in my eye. I wore an eye patch to school for a week... Boy was I cool with my patch! BTW, the Sept. 1961 Racing Karts lists the Scorpion track width (CL tire to CL tire) as 32". I'm sure the Wasp was similar. Ted

Tom Smith
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Vintage Karting items owned: 1960/61 Go Kart 800 Konig FA
1961 Max-Torque Special triple
1962 Max-Torque Special dual
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Re: 60 Bug Wasp

Post by Tom Smith » Sat Aug 09, 2008 6:38 pm

Going thru my Bug Pictures to delete and noticed this one has a different style steering wheel then some of the others. Ted, you're right about the mechanical caliper not being a Grant. I think Bug bought Hands out and then renamed that line Trophy. Trophy Engineering was located at 310 Motor Ave. in Azusa, Ca. I've been trying to find an original Trophy steering wheel for a long time.
Bug Wasp Mc-10.jpg
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ted johnson
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Re: 60 Bug Wasp

Post by ted johnson » Sat Aug 09, 2008 8:12 pm

Hi, Tom. My very early '61 had the later steering hoop without the crossmember, but it did have those same very nice pedals and the same dished steering wheel. That picture is one very nice Bug! It has those gosh-awful early taper lock sprockets that we hated so bad! They would spin after 10 laps of hard acceleration. Too bad the Mc10 has the Tilly on it. I wonder if someone in the old days welded the pedal holes in the frame and moved them back. My pedals were definitely further forward. Take care! Ted

Tom Smith
Posts: 388
Joined: Wed Jun 20, 2007 12:23 am
Vintage Karting items owned: 1960/61 Go Kart 800 Konig FA
1961 Max-Torque Special triple
1962 Max-Torque Special dual
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Re: 60 Bug Wasp

Post by Tom Smith » Sat Aug 09, 2008 11:31 pm

Ted, as you said yes it does have the gosh-awful taper loc hubs, the standard seat, the gosh-awful Trophy recapped slicks, the wrong carb etc. but it is an unrestored original Bug Wasp and that means it's way better than a restored Bug Wasp to my eyes. Tom

ted johnson
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Joined: Fri Jun 15, 2007 7:59 am

Re: 60 Bug Wasp

Post by ted johnson » Sun Aug 10, 2008 7:51 am

Tom, I completely agree and the kart is beautiful! I never had the pleasure of driving the "standard" Wasp without the side and jewell pads...I can feel the bruises! It would be worth the bruises for the Bug memories. That photo made me go look at the B$W pix I have of my yellow '61/Mac 20. I changed the steering from the drag kink/tie rod type to 2 short tie rods. Lord knows why! Comet clutch and a recoil. Only kart I ever had with a clutch back then except my first Deluxe dead axle Bug/A-400. Man, those were good days! Ted
Picture 088.jpg
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ted johnson
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Re: 60 Bug Wasp

Post by ted johnson » Sun Aug 10, 2008 7:56 am

So how do you get the pix to automatically open? Computer literate I sure ain't! TJ

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Russ Smith
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Vintage Karting items owned: 59 BugWasp; 60 GoKart800; Simplex: 60 MKII, 62 MKVI; 69 BugStinger; 67 LilIndian Minibike.
Location: Corning, California

Re: 60 Bug Wasp

Post by Russ Smith » Sun Aug 10, 2008 10:30 am

Tom's photo is of Bob DiNozzi's 1960 Wasp. It was 100% original when he bought it and I doubt he did anything to modify it. He was offered 2 MC10's from the seller (one was NOS) but he turned them down! The engine on the kart was a loaner.

Alan Lindgren
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Vintage Karting items owned: A plethora between '60 and '68.

Re: 60 Bug Wasp

Post by Alan Lindgren » Sun Aug 10, 2008 10:29 pm

Here are photos of my Bug kart. In talking with some of our fellow karters that are "in the know", the consensus is that it's a '60 Wasp. There are some differences from others I have seen in the way the steering hoop is formed out to the side rails. Most of them have a bar straight across and a U shaped hoop welded on that. Mine has no gussets behind the seat back. Instead there is an extra frame rail running back as support. It looks just like the kart in the Nov. 1960 Karting World Magazine except I have raised engine mounts. Any ideas? I think my brake is a Hands. I have found all pieces, disk, spot caliper, mounting bracket to make it original again. Like I say...any ideas on the year, late '60-early '61??? Thanks, Al Lindgren
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Tom Smith
Posts: 388
Joined: Wed Jun 20, 2007 12:23 am
Vintage Karting items owned: 1960/61 Go Kart 800 Konig FA
1961 Max-Torque Special triple
1962 Max-Torque Special dual
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Re: 60 Bug Wasp

Post by Tom Smith » Mon Aug 11, 2008 1:40 am

Faye's Bug.JPG
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Here's a picture I saved when I went thru all the Bug Photos, and there are a lot to shift thru, most are advertising/catalog related and the rest are mostly of the Bug Team Karts. Best one was of the first batch of Bugs ever built all lined up along the curb in a residential setting.
This is the 1960 Bug Wasp that Faye drove at Azusa as far as I can tell. The GKCA tech card is stapled to the steering shaft. Steering hoop is the 1 piece style and check out the side pads Lady Bug got on her kart! I think the motor is a Super 55-A Mcculloch if I remember correctly. If it wasn't this kart then it was the Kart she drove at Tecate that had the Super 55-A. This was about when Mc-10s were first starting to become available.
Al, the brake in your pictures is an H & H disc brake.

Tom Smith
Posts: 388
Joined: Wed Jun 20, 2007 12:23 am
Vintage Karting items owned: 1960/61 Go Kart 800 Konig FA
1961 Max-Torque Special triple
1962 Max-Torque Special dual
User Agreement: Yes
Location: earth

Re: 60 Bug Wasp

Post by Tom Smith » Mon Aug 11, 2008 2:29 am

Hey Ted, how about the sprocket hub and negative front camber on Faye's Bug? Tom

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