04-26-2017, 09:36 PM
Below is a very nice pm i got from a new member. i decided it was a good post so here it is.
i almost edited out his compliment to me but that seemed to be silly when i thought about it. though i have to say there are guys on this forum that make me look silly knowledge wise so there ya go.
"Hi David, I wanted to let you know that I really enjoy your posts. You truly are a wealth of information on these old Go Karts. I wanted to see if I could pick your brain some on a Go Kart 800 I have. I had it on the classified section earlier but it looks like it may have been pulled for some reason. At any rate I have decided to keep it and do a full resoration on it. I have removed and repaired all of the gorilla welds of previous owners and have it in a very presentable state right now. I am needing to source out some parts and was hoping you may be able to point me in the right direction. At this stage in the game I am needing an original or quality repop rear axle and correct set of rear wheels. I have done a considerable amount of searching but seem to have hit a dead end. Can you provide me with any tips or resources?"
as far as i know we haven't pulled any ads. of course another admin may have noticed your member name isn't a real name. if that happened you should have been asked to provide a real name so when you are posting everyone knows who is posting. we do have a rule to that effect. we don't mind members concealing their info from the net so being a member with a handle is ok while you read stuff.
but when you decide to post that changes.
anyway a gk800 is one of my favorite karts.
the "correct" original wheels were typically the early azusa feather light wheels.
the fronts are usually still on the kart but the rear wheels are often missing. this is for two reasons. first the rear wheels were a double stepped axle. the double step was an early idea and became obsolete within a couple of years. if the rear wheel was damaged or replaced the axle and other wheel would've been tossed and a "modern wheel" put in it's place. another reason would have been tires being made wider and a different wheel and axle inserted.
if you insist on using the exact "correct" wheel be prepared to spend a fair amount of money on them. they are pretty rare and desirable which leads to high prices. they are also hard to find so it could take a year or more.
if you want to make an era correct kart you can substitute any wheel made in the same era. so the azusa tri stars,go-power ,hands and many other rims from that era rims all are considered correct.
the azusa tri star rims are still being made so they typically are the best choice for a newbe who isn't 100% certain of the direction the hobby will take him or her.
they are fairly cheap look good and durable.
the axle is easy any quality 1" steeped axle the correct width for the kart will work fine.
this is a good question better asked on the forum so i will repost it there for others to see.
now the funny story.
so i get a call from a guy who has a frame he picked up from a scrap yard. he normally is building fun karts but knows a little about vintage. he felt this frame might be vintage. he described it as a fox kart needing alot of help. he's know my buddy chris s and said chris thought it was a fox. i bought it sight unseen as he said it had 4 aluminum rims on it. so i get it at the swap meet was happy to see two older azusa tri stars fair condition and two front feather lites.the frame has a farmer browned floor pan part of a "replaced" seat back and a sears lawn mover seat welded in place sort of.it did look like a fox missing the plastic seat. EXCEPT the rims were wrong. as i dragged it to the truck i noticed the front steeering had been modified (no gooseneck) in fact it looked like a gk steering set up had been added?? si i'm thinking wow an early fox set up alot like a gk 800. i even noticed that the rear axle went through a big washer for a bearing hanger. i'm thinking WOW i've NEVER seen that on a fox!!!
so i get it home and notice it has a wide hoop steering instead of the narrow a fox has, so naturally i call dick teal (fox expert) to ask about this fox. he wasn't home thank goodness. so next i call enzo and am telling him about this weird fox kart.
i almost edited out his compliment to me but that seemed to be silly when i thought about it. though i have to say there are guys on this forum that make me look silly knowledge wise so there ya go.
"Hi David, I wanted to let you know that I really enjoy your posts. You truly are a wealth of information on these old Go Karts. I wanted to see if I could pick your brain some on a Go Kart 800 I have. I had it on the classified section earlier but it looks like it may have been pulled for some reason. At any rate I have decided to keep it and do a full resoration on it. I have removed and repaired all of the gorilla welds of previous owners and have it in a very presentable state right now. I am needing to source out some parts and was hoping you may be able to point me in the right direction. At this stage in the game I am needing an original or quality repop rear axle and correct set of rear wheels. I have done a considerable amount of searching but seem to have hit a dead end. Can you provide me with any tips or resources?"
as far as i know we haven't pulled any ads. of course another admin may have noticed your member name isn't a real name. if that happened you should have been asked to provide a real name so when you are posting everyone knows who is posting. we do have a rule to that effect. we don't mind members concealing their info from the net so being a member with a handle is ok while you read stuff.
but when you decide to post that changes.
anyway a gk800 is one of my favorite karts.
the "correct" original wheels were typically the early azusa feather light wheels.
the fronts are usually still on the kart but the rear wheels are often missing. this is for two reasons. first the rear wheels were a double stepped axle. the double step was an early idea and became obsolete within a couple of years. if the rear wheel was damaged or replaced the axle and other wheel would've been tossed and a "modern wheel" put in it's place. another reason would have been tires being made wider and a different wheel and axle inserted.
if you insist on using the exact "correct" wheel be prepared to spend a fair amount of money on them. they are pretty rare and desirable which leads to high prices. they are also hard to find so it could take a year or more.
if you want to make an era correct kart you can substitute any wheel made in the same era. so the azusa tri stars,go-power ,hands and many other rims from that era rims all are considered correct.
the azusa tri star rims are still being made so they typically are the best choice for a newbe who isn't 100% certain of the direction the hobby will take him or her.
they are fairly cheap look good and durable.
the axle is easy any quality 1" steeped axle the correct width for the kart will work fine.
this is a good question better asked on the forum so i will repost it there for others to see.
now the funny story.
so i get a call from a guy who has a frame he picked up from a scrap yard. he normally is building fun karts but knows a little about vintage. he felt this frame might be vintage. he described it as a fox kart needing alot of help. he's know my buddy chris s and said chris thought it was a fox. i bought it sight unseen as he said it had 4 aluminum rims on it. so i get it at the swap meet was happy to see two older azusa tri stars fair condition and two front feather lites.the frame has a farmer browned floor pan part of a "replaced" seat back and a sears lawn mover seat welded in place sort of.it did look like a fox missing the plastic seat. EXCEPT the rims were wrong. as i dragged it to the truck i noticed the front steeering had been modified (no gooseneck) in fact it looked like a gk steering set up had been added?? si i'm thinking wow an early fox set up alot like a gk 800. i even noticed that the rear axle went through a big washer for a bearing hanger. i'm thinking WOW i've NEVER seen that on a fox!!!
so i get it home and notice it has a wide hoop steering instead of the narrow a fox has, so naturally i call dick teal (fox expert) to ask about this fox. he wasn't home thank goodness. so next i call enzo and am telling him about this weird fox kart.
i tell him it has front not rear steer
the axle carriers are big washers
the steering hoop is wide not narrow
theres no gooooooseneck ?????
about 1/2 way through explaining all the things that seem more go kart than fox
a REALLY dim candle lit up.
it illuminated my brain fart stupid dave moment
aaaaaand
i realized that the "fox" was actually a gk800 without the tin.
I really need to get more sleep!!! 
Dave L.
