newbe needs help with my rupp dart

[Mel Ruffner]

   
HI everyone, new to vintage karting and purchased a rupp dart that I think is a early a bone. I use to race a margay kart back in the late seventys in ohio. I been lurking on a couple vintage kart sites gathering alot of information but decided to ask a few questions. I don,t know for sure if my dart is a a bone or what year. The only piece of seat upholsterty is the back, which is a off white. Did the a bones come in white? My wheels are not turbine and don,t know what they are. Also my gas tank is round chrome and fits behind the seat, is that what they came with? I plane on geredoing it and maybe run it at a few vka events . Thank you so much for your help, there is so many wonderfull informed people on this site

[ted johnson]

I'm not a Dart guy, but those wheels are earlier Azusa wheels as came on many Go Kart 800's. They were not original equipment to Darts. They're hard to find, and command a good price! Good luck with the Dart, and welcome to a site with lots of smart guys who are happy to help. TJ

[doug tenney]

I'm definitely not the expert, but I can see that it is a very early Dart (guessing 1960-1962). I say that based on the frame rails forward of the steering hoop being parallel, whereas they taper inward slightly on the later Darts. Also, based on absence of front bumper and 1/2" steering shaft, and the upright, wide steering hoop.
Check for frame sag where the steering hoop meets the main rails. Common problem (repairable with some effort).

[Chris Marchand]

The seat shown is early , prolly 1960/61 . If you have the steering wheel and its original to that kart that will help identify it.

[Tim Exley]

Looks like my frame. The experts on Darts tell me that if it has the 1/2" steering it's a '61.

[thomas kelley]

im guessing it should have 4" front 5" rear turbins but scott elkes would know for sure
tk

[Chris Marchand]

Dico s , Hands , Go Powers on early Darts, Turbines in 63 maybe ?

[David Luciani]

Mel, hang onto the rims they are rare and valuable but they are also era correct for the kart. plus they look cool!!darts did come with white upholstory . yours looks early my guess is the wheels are original to the kart or were swapped in when it was new.
to me worrying about the year is alot of effort for not much return. restore/build the kart as you want. if you want it era correct you've made a great start.
remember there wasn't much in the way of actual "factory standard specs" .
these were racing machines and the frames were sold without an engine at leastr 1/2 the time. "the manufacturers" often were working out of large garages or even chicken coops. Rupp was one of the few with an actual factory. regardless standards were loose and design changes wewre done when they were invented no model year b.s. with racing karts.
aaaand if rupp had an order for say 20 karts and ran short on rims they'd buy whatever was available and ship.
same went for paint and other things. so like i said stay era correct if you wanna show it don't worry about remaking an "exact" factory restoration!!
have fun

[Scott Kneisel]

It is definitely a 1961 frame. It would have come with Go Power wheels, 4" front and 5" rear.
First Rupp with a floating engine mount and that mount was changed to a different style in 1962 so it was a one year only mount.

I have one just like it but made a couple modifications to give me more room, it is a very tight kart.
1962 brought a different frame all together that had the seat moved back a few inches which made the kart driveable for a taller guy. 1962 also brought the turbine wheels.

Have fun with the restoration.

Here is mine....

[Mel Ruffner]

Scott your kart looks great I, be happy if mine looks half as good as yours.Thankyou everyone for your Imput. I got a lot to learn.What did we ever do without Internet, so much info and you guys are great