Part of the reason I liked and do like this kart is the "raked" look of the chassis.
I also like it for the use of square tubing. I'm an SAE aficionado, so square tubing works for me.
Another thing I liked was that the kart was built to use a Palmini hydraulic brake unit, which I thought was quite an innovation back in 1960, and the one on this kart was complete and working at the time the kart was purchased.
It did, however fail after one lap at the Blue Max Kart Club in Davis, CA during it's first ever outing, due to the disintegration of the piston-side puck (which was paper thin it turns out - remembering that this was my very first vintage kart, and I was as ignorant as a rock about vintage karts)).
This build has only just begun, but the key to it will be that it will springboard off of the single Palmini hydraulic brake unit to be augmented by copious Palmini hardware, to become a "Palmini Special", including:
- Dual Palmini brake units, incorporating motorcycle brake cable actuation with a ba1ance bar at the initial point of the cables so as to equalize the pull on the cables to get uniform braking from both units
- Palmini sprocket hub (only one, since the drive will be through a jackshaft mounted beneath the rear of the chassis - i recently acquired a perftect 2nd generation one, after buying two first-generation hubs that needed work)
- Palmini engine accessories, including:
- Palmini chain guards
- NOS Palmini exhaust headers
- Palmini intake scoops (got one, need another - anyone?)
- Palmini seatback tank (I have three of these at present, and only need one, so let me know if you need one)
- Palmini Taper Lock rear wheels and tapered-end axle
- Palmini 4" front wheels (similar to the rears in that the outer rim can be removed to change or repair a tire or tube without actually dismounting the inner half that is integral to the entire wheel hub - Bob Palmini was rather inventive)
- Palmini steering wheel (if I can ever find one)
Similar to the first edition, this edition will have a front porch, so that I can actually sit in it and drive it. My design was tested on the first edition, and works well, though I will probably make this one just a bit longer, and mount the pedals differently on this edition for yet a little extra leg room.
For a bit of additional driver space, it will probably have the seat back reclined a bit, and the steering hoop canted forward a bit.
This kart lost its steel floor pan, so it will probably get a bolted-in aluminum floor pan.
Rear steer will be in order, similar to the first edition.
For motivation, this kart will be equipped with dual, 5-Port West Bend V700 engines, left and right - driving down to a jackshaft just under the frame in the back.
I have all the needed parts, excepting the long-desired Palmini steering wheel, and a difficult step has already been accomplished, that being getting replica upholstery done up. thanks to a Chet Yashuk and Steve Shaw referral, I got new seats made for the first and second editions done at the same time - also thanks to the fact that the original upholstery was still in this kart to serve as a pattern. The upholstery design is quite unique given the underslung seat, so this was a very fortuitous circumstance.
Now, as of this writing, my daughter and wife have decided that it is time to relocate our family a few miles north and east to get out of the high-rent San Francisco Bay Area, and to be closer to our son and his wife in Sacramento, so progress on this project is going to be delayed for a bit. Hopefully I will get started in 2018.
I also like it for the use of square tubing. I'm an SAE aficionado, so square tubing works for me.
Another thing I liked was that the kart was built to use a Palmini hydraulic brake unit, which I thought was quite an innovation back in 1960, and the one on this kart was complete and working at the time the kart was purchased.
It did, however fail after one lap at the Blue Max Kart Club in Davis, CA during it's first ever outing, due to the disintegration of the piston-side puck (which was paper thin it turns out - remembering that this was my very first vintage kart, and I was as ignorant as a rock about vintage karts)).
This build has only just begun, but the key to it will be that it will springboard off of the single Palmini hydraulic brake unit to be augmented by copious Palmini hardware, to become a "Palmini Special", including:
- Dual Palmini brake units, incorporating motorcycle brake cable actuation with a ba1ance bar at the initial point of the cables so as to equalize the pull on the cables to get uniform braking from both units
- Palmini sprocket hub (only one, since the drive will be through a jackshaft mounted beneath the rear of the chassis - i recently acquired a perftect 2nd generation one, after buying two first-generation hubs that needed work)
- Palmini engine accessories, including:
- Palmini chain guards
- NOS Palmini exhaust headers
- Palmini intake scoops (got one, need another - anyone?)
- Palmini seatback tank (I have three of these at present, and only need one, so let me know if you need one)
- Palmini Taper Lock rear wheels and tapered-end axle
- Palmini 4" front wheels (similar to the rears in that the outer rim can be removed to change or repair a tire or tube without actually dismounting the inner half that is integral to the entire wheel hub - Bob Palmini was rather inventive)
- Palmini steering wheel (if I can ever find one)
Similar to the first edition, this edition will have a front porch, so that I can actually sit in it and drive it. My design was tested on the first edition, and works well, though I will probably make this one just a bit longer, and mount the pedals differently on this edition for yet a little extra leg room.
For a bit of additional driver space, it will probably have the seat back reclined a bit, and the steering hoop canted forward a bit.
This kart lost its steel floor pan, so it will probably get a bolted-in aluminum floor pan.
Rear steer will be in order, similar to the first edition.
For motivation, this kart will be equipped with dual, 5-Port West Bend V700 engines, left and right - driving down to a jackshaft just under the frame in the back.
I have all the needed parts, excepting the long-desired Palmini steering wheel, and a difficult step has already been accomplished, that being getting replica upholstery done up. thanks to a Chet Yashuk and Steve Shaw referral, I got new seats made for the first and second editions done at the same time - also thanks to the fact that the original upholstery was still in this kart to serve as a pattern. The upholstery design is quite unique given the underslung seat, so this was a very fortuitous circumstance.
Now, as of this writing, my daughter and wife have decided that it is time to relocate our family a few miles north and east to get out of the high-rent San Francisco Bay Area, and to be closer to our son and his wife in Sacramento, so progress on this project is going to be delayed for a bit. Hopefully I will get started in 2018.
Jim Waltz, West Sacramento, CA