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04-07-2018, 08:10 AM
(This post was last modified: 04-07-2018, 10:41 AM by Sterling Brundick.)
I'm curious how the Bucket Bug rated as a competitive kart. It was my introduction into the karting world for the little bit of time I was involved in it. So I thought I would ask those much more "in the know" and see what they have to say. I bought mine from the track director of the 103rd Street track in Jacksonville, Fla. where I grew up. It came with a Mac 91B1 and an oil bath clutch. I don't recall the make of the clutch. I loved the kart and spent a lot of time on that track. My mom was NOT happy about it. My dad, who raced karts in the early 60's drove it one time and said "you're going to kill yourself in that thing but if you want it then go ahead. Mom's going to cuss me out".
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Sterling, I used to drive one, and I liked it a lot. A number of karting greats drove them. If I'm not mistaken, the inimitable Lynn Haddock had a Bucket Bug for a time. Ted
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I bought my Bucket Bug new in 1974 and have raced it both as a rear with a Margay gearbox and as a sidewinder. It worked great on short dirt tracks with the Margay box. The sidewinder setup didn't work out for me because it couln't keep up with wishbone karts that were taking over at that time.
What I like most about it is that you can play with the seat mounting position to adjust the weight distribution. I had to modify the seat mounting system to get more adjustment. When I was running dirt I had about 70% rear weight and got it to turn in with lots of stagger.
I'm now running it in the 6.1 rear class with the Margay box, but might go back to the sidewinder configuration if the straight axle class ever got enough interest that I'd have some guys to run against. It sucks being the only one in your class!
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04-13-2018, 09:40 PM
(This post was last modified: 04-13-2018, 10:49 PM by Terry Bentley.)
I have both a Bucket Bug and Stinger. Did race one back in the late 70's a few times. Thought they handled fairly well on hard tires. But I would not go soft rubber on them or would likely end up on my head. Maybe ask Lynn Haddock what he thinks. He drove them back then. You can find the ad in Karter News(circa 1974/75) on one of the covers.
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Location: lindenhurst Il 60046
ran a million laps on my bucket bug with a mac and vintage speeds.. then i put a k78 with a wider axle and some stickey tires and almost ended up on my head at newcastle a few years back
i liked that kart with a mac
tk
GEARBOX
