05-09-2018, 08:45 AM
(This post was last modified: 05-09-2018, 09:05 AM by John Wolkiewicz.)
Starting a long time ago 1975, my Dad would take me on a tour of his old neighborhood Hicksville NY and we would go to the fireman's drill team meet, each and every Memorial Day. On that walk he would point out his old home, elementary school, and every year he brought me to Mr. Kalendrero's house and he would show me his racing go kart. My Dad loved seeing that kart and would tell me that he would like to race a kart one day. That image was cemented in my mind, and later years my Dad and I built a go kart ourselves to fool around with at the train station parking lot. I would even while at Hampton Raceway would go down the dirt road and watch the karts race. I have been into anything with a motor for a long time and restored a few cars, bikes, and even Lionel trains, in the back of my plans was always a go kart. Every once in a while would look at pics of vintage karting and check ebay but I never pulled the trigger. Well last September it was time and I bought as some of you know an all original BUG WASP and picked it up in PA, well I was put in contact with Mike from NH, and he really wanted the kart. Mike and I struck a deal and he ended up with the kart and I ended up with a project kart to build. I spent the better half of the winter welding, grinding, sanding and scouring the continent for all the parts needed to put together the Bug pictured. The process was awesome and I made a bunch on new friends along the way, the help that so many of you supplied is truly appreciated. I presented the community with my kart at Nicholson and the compliments are truly humbling. Now my Dad and I have a kart to play with and can't wait to have some fun with the old man fulfilling his dream of racing go karts. I will let the story of the build process be told in pics, hope you enjoy.
