Go kart frame questions
- Thread starter hemdog
- Start date
It's a heavily modified Rupp Dart. It appears as if it once had the front fairing covering the steering axle and might have been a 1963 A bone.
Modifications include the front spindle supports you mentioned. Those were used on later karts (didn't look like that) and the frame has been modified with strengthening members scabbed on throughout, easily seen in the rear. I've never seen that seat on a Rupp, but that doesn't mean it wasn't original. Original seats tended to have the Rupp logo on them from ads, but any Rupps I've seen had the seats long gone. Remnants of a Rupp swing mount remain in the rear. The holes in the seat back were used to mount a Chilton tank, and probably many more tanks.
There isn't much there to love from a vintage kart standpoint. It's best use would be a yard kart with an off the shelf engine perhaps, but even then, it's value would not equal the cost of the parts it needs. It's been well loved for sure. There are other kart experts that frequent this site, and I welcome any corrections. @louie figone
Modifications include the front spindle supports you mentioned. Those were used on later karts (didn't look like that) and the frame has been modified with strengthening members scabbed on throughout, easily seen in the rear. I've never seen that seat on a Rupp, but that doesn't mean it wasn't original. Original seats tended to have the Rupp logo on them from ads, but any Rupps I've seen had the seats long gone. Remnants of a Rupp swing mount remain in the rear. The holes in the seat back were used to mount a Chilton tank, and probably many more tanks.
There isn't much there to love from a vintage kart standpoint. It's best use would be a yard kart with an off the shelf engine perhaps, but even then, it's value would not equal the cost of the parts it needs. It's been well loved for sure. There are other kart experts that frequent this site, and I welcome any corrections. @louie figone
As respectful as I can be, I would not spend money investing in parts with the frame you have. You can find Rupp frames and projects out there in better shape if you keep your eyes open. Your frame is far beyond "exact specs" because it needs most of it replaced.
To answer your question: You need to replace the axle, the axle bearing cassettes, bearings, sprocket, wheels, engine mount. etc. You can piece them together, or get a kit. I just did some checking around and see a few. Before you spend any money though, you need to ensure that frame is up to the task. You can find far better frames for not much money.
Go Power Sports has a live axle kit. Not sure if the link will work here, but Google it. Also, "Go Kart Alley" makes a neat kit. Here's the parts from a vendor who will sell Azusa parts as a kit. Looking at the various kits will give you a pretty good idea if what you need. No matter what, you aren't going to be able to do this without a welder and some light fabrication skills.
There are vendors around who are producing Rupp copies to exact specs. But to do an old kart to racing specs is close to $4K. I've done two of them.
If your questions and goals are more towards building a yard kart, then the above applies, but you'll need to weld on an engine mount. Otherwise, your Rupp came with a swing mount that mounted to the front on that bracket in the middle rear of the kart, on rubber grommets, and the rear of it contained bearings and it rode on the axle. You can find them too, but again, they are expensive.
The old vintage kart forum apparently crashed, and here is the new one. I'm not on Facebook, but I am sure a lot of them are there. Some of them old geezers, (grin) will gladly lend you a hand, but are probably going to recommend you do something different with that frame. https://www.vintagekartforum.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=3 If I can be of further help, shoot me a PM, and I'll send you my email address.
To answer your question: You need to replace the axle, the axle bearing cassettes, bearings, sprocket, wheels, engine mount. etc. You can piece them together, or get a kit. I just did some checking around and see a few. Before you spend any money though, you need to ensure that frame is up to the task. You can find far better frames for not much money.
Go Power Sports has a live axle kit. Not sure if the link will work here, but Google it. Also, "Go Kart Alley" makes a neat kit. Here's the parts from a vendor who will sell Azusa parts as a kit. Looking at the various kits will give you a pretty good idea if what you need. No matter what, you aren't going to be able to do this without a welder and some light fabrication skills.
There are vendors around who are producing Rupp copies to exact specs. But to do an old kart to racing specs is close to $4K. I've done two of them.
If your questions and goals are more towards building a yard kart, then the above applies, but you'll need to weld on an engine mount. Otherwise, your Rupp came with a swing mount that mounted to the front on that bracket in the middle rear of the kart, on rubber grommets, and the rear of it contained bearings and it rode on the axle. You can find them too, but again, they are expensive.
The old vintage kart forum apparently crashed, and here is the new one. I'm not on Facebook, but I am sure a lot of them are there. Some of them old geezers, (grin) will gladly lend you a hand, but are probably going to recommend you do something different with that frame. https://www.vintagekartforum.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=3 If I can be of further help, shoot me a PM, and I'll send you my email address.
Thank you for your knowledge and honesty Dave, I truly appreciate it. I picked it up for $50, so I figured I could throw a little at it and not be upset. It would for sure be a yard cart, but I'm going to price things out and figure out what I want to spend on it vs getting a different one. If not, I think I should be able to get my money back out of it. I've got a Cat 300X that I'm also redoing (along with a '73 JD 110 that I'm rebuilding with my son), so maybe I'll just put the money into that.
No worries hemdog, over the years I've had plenty of knowledgeable folks give me advice, and I'm happy to pass it along. As a yard kart, assuming you do any and all fabrication and repair yourself, you could get by on probably $500 including a HF engine. On the Rupp I restored, I had to repair so much on the frame, I might as well have bought a repop.
Here's the frame all cut up and ready for new DOM pieces to be spliced in.
Here is the finished kart with the wrong tires on it. I later installed some Vintage Speed kart racing tires. I sold this kart delivered for $1800. The buyer sold it a year later on B.A.T. for $6600, so I am not the best source of how to sell stuff.
Here's the frame all cut up and ready for new DOM pieces to be spliced in.
Here is the finished kart with the wrong tires on it. I later installed some Vintage Speed kart racing tires. I sold this kart delivered for $1800. The buyer sold it a year later on B.A.T. for $6600, so I am not the best source of how to sell stuff.
That was a killer build & paint job,, Dave !
Had a 70' CT- 70 that I - ''still to this day regret selling'',, back in the mid 90's,,, & the Guy ''shortly after'',, turned around & re - sold it for 4 times more.
Also gave me a spiel when he bought it,, that it was for his son.
Definitely learned a lesson on that one .
Had a 70' CT- 70 that I - ''still to this day regret selling'',, back in the mid 90's,,, & the Guy ''shortly after'',, turned around & re - sold it for 4 times more.
Also gave me a spiel when he bought it,, that it was for his son.
Definitely learned a lesson on that one .
Dave, hemdog, the more I look at that frame I am leaning toward it being a 1961 Rupp K junior kart, the axle braces were on the K junior, the K junior did not have a jewel pad, the spindles look to be K junior. The frame has been modified in the rear, the fixed motor mounts were removed, an angle was welded on the crossbar to utilize a swing mount. Attached is a picture of the K junior kart, your frame sure looks like it is a K junior. Your frame has had the steering tie rods replaced , the K junior used a long tie rod with a shorter drag link. I have a brochure on the K junior if you want to see the rest. The K junior came with a Rupp steering wheel, yours has an Azusa steering wheel, they also had steel wheels, 4 inch front, 5 inch rear. The fuel tank may have been the Rupp aluminum tank mounted between the frame rails behind the seat or may have been a small metal tank mounted in the same location.
Dave, nice job you did on that kart and your right, you never get the money out of them that you put into them, except the flippers, they have it down.
Louie
Dave, nice job you did on that kart and your right, you never get the money out of them that you put into them, except the flippers, they have it down.
Louie
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You guys are amazing, thank you for your insight. That looks spot on Louie. It definitely looks like it was modified for someone along the way.
So, what to do? All being said, worth putting $4-500 into it? I have several different older Briggs I can put on it, so no need to buy an engine. Thoughts are that it will be something nostalgic that I can play with but also get my kid involved with building.
-Joe
So, what to do? All being said, worth putting $4-500 into it? I have several different older Briggs I can put on it, so no need to buy an engine. Thoughts are that it will be something nostalgic that I can play with but also get my kid involved with building.
-Joe