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Behold, the holy 1962 caretta. Back in 1959 a guy in california came up with the idea of a small four wheeled, suspentionless vehicle we know today as the go-kart. He built this vehicle out of scrap tubing from the race car plant at which he worked, a West Bend 2cycle off an old non-rotary lawn mower, and small 5 inch wheels. When he showed it to his friends, they built copies and it wasn't long before every one in town wanted one. He quit his job and started producing Go-karts, or as he called them, Carettas. This man's name was Art Ingles. Three years later he built this model, and it survives today.
Although this macchine is 37 years old, it is very similar to the go Karts of today. The 1 1/4 inch welded chrome moly frame is now adorned with red and blue metallic paint, although it was origonaly yellow. Although the design is similar to those of todays fun karts, in it's day it was a racing kart and it was designed for fast, twisty race tracks. Todays racing karts use short wheelbases and wide tires, but this kart is designed to use 3 inch to 5 inch wide slicks, the long wheel base handels better with skinny tires, as it is easier to break the rear end loose as needed for turning with the added leverage of the long frame. I can safely say this is the best handeling kart I have ever driven.It has a 7/8 solid steel live rear axle in the back and a hudralic rbass on steel disk brake. It is very wierd, it is the only brake I have ever seen with a free floating disk. The gas tank is on back the seat. The steering gear is tight and nimble with brass bushings throught. The wheels are light, two piece 3.75 inch wide GO POWER magnesium alloy castings, nice wheels. This Kart was worth the 300 I paid for it.
The engine on this baby was added in the mid-sixties by the original owner.
It is a West Bend L820, or, as it is called today a US 820. I rebuilt it in 1996 and it has run great ever since. The engine puts out about nine horsepower(on gasoline!), with my custom header, from it's 8.2 cubic inches, or 135cc's for you metric idiots. A Tillotson H series pumper carb feeds this reed valve 2 cycle with an aluminum block and chrome cylender bore. The engine is a real short stroke and can wind up to 12000 RPM (No Kidding). Giving this go Kart a top speed of 60 MPH with 5.5 to one gearing(12 cluch, 66 spcocket)and a 11.5 inch high tires. Unfortunatly, I had to add a muffler to keep the cops at bay, but I intend to keep this kart in service, no retirement for this thing.
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