Where there any rear engine karts with Italian engines?

[Gary Wlodarsky]

Thanks, I haven’t  seen any pictures of rear engine karts with foreign engines and wasn’t sure of the timeline of sidewinders hitting the market. I thought it was mid 70’s when the sidewinders and out, didn’t realize it was a decade earlier.

Paul..just an FYI,,,the foreign motors came to the USA app late 66, some installed these motors on rear karts only to find out 2 things,,  they had considerably more power than fan cooled motors . and didn't last long because they are free air motors..meaning they are cooled by air moving over them...when mounted on a rear kart they didn't get much air( blocked by the driver)..this lasted app 1.5 ,2 years,,,then the sidewinders started coming...

there have been rear mounted foreign motors at VKA, VKCA events but the VKA decided to accommodate the masses vs 1 or 2 guys that built that rear foreign combination....they would still be welcome, but only as an exhibition type kart,,,again, the reason being they make considerably more hp than a fan cooled motor..(couple years ago a famous engine builder put this combo together and put a 130 pound professional driver on it and dominated...destroyed the 6.1 rear class...thats not what the VKA is about)...

Gary