Need help on early West Bends;

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james jessup
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Joined: Fri Apr 17, 2009 12:35 pm
Vintage Karting items owned: 61 dart a bone, 66 bug sprint, 71margay cheetah, 59 caper cart,73 bucket bug, 67 dart gp

Need help on early West Bends;

Post by james jessup » Fri Apr 17, 2009 12:50 pm

Help! I need some info from some of you early west bend guys. I've got a long history in
karting dating back to my first kart with an S-55 mac (pre MC10) in 1959. A bunch of neat
karts now and lots of mc engines but when it comes to WBs, I'm lost. I picked up two
WBs that I'm pretty sure are 510s and would love to put at least one of them on a very
early kart of unknow make, but a legitimate sprint kart with scrub brakes, ackerman steering,
etc. I know it's not a later yard kart, just don't know what make.....getting of track here.
Back to the benders.....they have 9/16" drive shafts! Am I nuts or can't measure, or what?
I though 5/8" was the smallest. So: am I correct? are there clutches available or even
better, direct drive sprockets?, as nobody ran clutches in the 50's, as I remember. And
what about parts? A manual? Anything!! Help me out here, guys! Jim Jessup, Seattle
(Hi Matt, so much for hard core racing, huh) 206 322-2121 jessuparchitect@msn.com

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Brian Thomas
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Vintage Karting items owned: 61 Simplex MKII , 61 Fox Mak , 61 Fox , 67 Lancer,74 Kobra, Gokart 400, Unknown
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Re: Need help on early West Bends;

Post by Brian Thomas » Fri Apr 17, 2009 6:12 pm

I might have a drive sprocket for you Pm me
Brian
Brian , Dottie and Shadow Thomas
Black Dog Vintage Racing
http://www.blackdogvintageracing.com
If there isn't a Black Dog hair in the bag it's not a Black Dog product
"Black Dog" ask for it by name

CarlBuchanan
Posts: 22
Joined: Fri Jun 15, 2007 11:18 am
Location: SoCal

Re: Need help on early West Bends;

Post by CarlBuchanan » Sat Apr 18, 2009 12:59 pm

Hi James,
Vince Hughes has new Comet clutches that fit the WB 9/16" crankshaft. They work great if you are going to run the Kart. The problem with direct drive is finding "pushers" more than once.
Vince Hughes email: http://www.jackshaftjones@cox.net

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