Carter bros mini monster

#1
So how many of us remember this? I picked this up a few years ago and I think I’m going to finally start working on it. I saw this in a go kart shop when I was a kid (Fastrak go karts). And I fell in love and told myself I had to get one in the future. The chance came and drove 2 hrs away and got it.
5hp flathead with electric start, dual band brakes. The guy that had it “monkeyed” with it so it’s not 100% original. No big deal. Not looking for that. I’m debating on either fixing up this Briggs or buying a “7hp” Duramax electric start engine and going from there. I was lucky enough to find a truck body this past week (mind the paint) and fits almost like a glove. So anyone and everyone give me your input and advice on this go kart. C3342560-F504-4DED-8F4B-6EAD49B86128.jpeg 8AEBF37B-E42E-4171-B7AD-A6B03479FF6E.jpeg E95B1FE5-BDEF-41FC-AA77-E64EA1097ED5.jpeg 49ECCF0C-AA26-40DF-B2AE-25E43CA2FC53.jpeg
 
#3
If that Briggs Fun Power is not seized up, you can easily get more power out of it with a cam, and maybe a billet rod and flywheel if you really wanted to get some juice out of it. The sky is the limit on aftermarket parts for those, and they run pretty good stock. Best of all, it's already installed in the machine, everything is done.

As enticing as a new $200 engine is, it will require some work to get it installed. I would definitely keep it as stock as possible, not because it's going to be more valuable someday, but because it's the easier, and less expensive route, and will result in roughly the same machine.
 
#4
If that Briggs Fun Power is not seized up, you can easily get more power out of it with a cam, and maybe a billet rod and flywheel if you really wanted to get some juice out of it. The sky is the limit on aftermarket parts for those, and they run pretty good stock. Best of all, it's already installed in the machine, everything is done.

As enticing as a new $200 engine is, it will require some work to get it installed. I would definitely keep it as stock as possible, not because it's going to be more valuable someday, but because it's the easier, and less expensive route, and will result in roughly the same machine.
Yes sir it is a Fun power engine, that’s good to know about the parts to “amp” up the motor some, I love a flathead sound but haven’t had much experience with rebuilding one, I’ve tried but more or less failed with it, you have a point though, everything is there just a couple extra bonus parts to wake it up some should fall close in the range of a new motor.
Thanks Dave
 
#5
This type of kart doesn't require or even benefit from a lot of power. You could never drive it very fast, and it's geared for any hill you'd take it on. The flat head stock has plenty of power. Is there something wrong with the engine now? The only weak link is that Pulsa Jet carburetor. Sometimes the lower pick up gets clogged with varnish, and sometimes the pump gasket (that square area on the carb) fails.
 
#7
This type of kart doesn't require or even benefit from a lot of power. You could never drive it very fast, and it's geared for any hill you'd take it on. The flat head stock has plenty of power. Is there something wrong with the engine now? The only weak link is that Pulsa Jet carburetor. Sometimes the lower pick up gets clogged with varnish, and sometimes the pump gasket (that square area on the carb) fails.
I kno:( ima speed junkie. Just an awesome kart that doesn’t go fast, But no sir. Last time I started and rode it (2015) it ran ok that I remember just was slow. And from the past Briggs that I tinkered with definitely were a pain to get the carb out to clean. I did look at the hearing setup earlier this evening and it’s crazy looking compared to what I’m use to seeing, basically I bought this go kart and rode it once and it’s been sitting since then. But now that my Baja is done, on to this cool little rig :scooter::scooter::scooter:.
 

Harquebus

Well-Known Member
#9
Pfffft, Briggs and the Pulsa-Jet carb are easy to get running; they're so simple. I just like how it has a built in fuel pump and it's always pumping when running. No need for a gravity-feed tank.

My advice is to stay away from E10 gasoline or ethanol-gas in any concentration. Bad news for carburetors. I use 100% gasoline or Avgas.
 
#10
Pfffft, Briggs and the Pulsa-Jet carb are easy to get running; they're so simple. I just like how it has a built in fuel pump and it's always pumping when running. No need for a gravity-feed tank.

I didn't say they were difficult to get running, what I said was that if these carburetors were the weak link. And they are.
 
#11
Aright guys. I haven’t abandoned the mini monster, just have been to busy to start messing with it, So we’re these originally 1 wheel drive or 2? The guy I bought it from told me “ he put a straight axle on it”. Which when I looked, did not look like a go kart straight axle..........appeared to be Hot Rolled bar stock
 

Harquebus

Well-Known Member
#12
...So we’re these originally 1 wheel drive or 2? The guy I bought it from told me “ he put a straight axle on it”.....
It appears they were 2-wheel drive/live axle and I wouldn't have expected anything less. Maybe the PO just put a new (live) axle on it and just made it sound like an upgrade?

Is yours the model 1806 Mini-Monster? This is what I made my determination with. Neat extended wheel hubs...

http://kartingdistributors.com/pdfs/carterpdfs/1806.pdf
 
#13
It appears they were 2-wheel drive/live axle and I wouldn't have expected anything less. Maybe the PO just put a new (live) axle on it and just made it sound like an upgrade?

Is yours the model 1806 Mini-Monster? This is what I made my determination with. Neat extended wheel hubs...

http://kartingdistributors.com/pdfs/carterpdfs/1806.pdf
Dude!!! I have no idea how u found that........but that’s excellent and exciting!!!! Great job. But yes. It it the mini monster model. Looks like a Jeep
 
#15
So I have swapped out the old Briggs for the 7hp electric start Duramax engine and a new torque converter......... the Briggs motor still runs but wanted something new. As I said before the original owner did some chop shop stuff to this including the wiring and other things. So I’m trying to start fresh, but I will need to figure out how to disconnect the switch on the motor and hook it up where it needs to be on the inside of the kart. I am terrible when it comes to wiring things of any sort so this will be a bit of a journey.
 

SAS289

Well-Known Member
#17
Made an exhaust for it, need to burn off the galvanized coating to paint with Hi temp black paint
I thought I heard it's not a good idea to weld galvanized?

I'm currently messing around with an exhaust and wanted to try 3/4" conduit because it is slightly larger than the inlet pipe on the stock muffler. But before I welded I took off the galvanized coating with muriatic acid. That was like chemical warfare but it worked well. Use that stuff at your own risk.

What cc is the Duramax?
 
#18
I thought I heard it's not a good idea to weld galvanized?

I'm currently messing around with an exhaust and wanted to try 3/4" conduit because it is slightly larger than the inlet pipe on the stock muffler. But before I welded I took off the galvanized coating with muriatic acid. That was like chemical warfare but it worked well. Use that stuff at your own risk.

What cc is the Duramax?
It definitely isn’t!!!!! The fumes can make you sick, I ground off and wire wheeled the galvanized coating, but that doesn’t always get it out.
i forgot about using chemicals like acid, vinegar can also do wonders with some metals. I’ll try to remember that next time, buying solid steel couplings aren’t exactly cheap, but a $4 fittings is hard to turn down when it’s local. But yes absolutely you must be safe and careful with acids , those burns don’t go away.

i think it said 208cc on the pull starter, I’ll have to check later.
 
#19
Bringing this back from the cold dead threads of this forum.
After years of “not working” on this mini monster I finally finished it, my kids decided they wanted the pink truck body instead of the Jeep one.
With weeks of me looking at videos and asking several people, I decided to take a whack at the wiring and electrical side of this. I’ve never done this before so it was trail and error for me.

I used 2 lighting coils for this Duromax engine to light the LEDs and hooked up a rectifier to charge the battery, put a new starter switch and light switch.
After a few hours of running and checking wires I got it to work. Cleaned up the wires, wrapped them in the cable/wire loom, zip tied and taped it all up so it looked nice, put butt connectors on the LED lights so I can unhook them when I remove the body. Here are a couple pics. She’s dirty but I knew the kids would get it dirtier.
 

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