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Reflections on vintage karting growth in the last few years.
#11
Nicely done David. It really is about the PEOPLE and the sport. To continue and be all the above it takes the right people. People ruin many things in life so let's all be aware of our presence.
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#12
Good job David, a real nice piece!

One evening about 15-16 years ago, I thought "I wonder if there're any Mc engines or go-karts on ebay?"  I had previously never thought to look...

I hadn't had any connection to karting since I traded away my Mc F1/200 kart, Mc 9, a Mc 91 & a box-full of go-fast parts.  Like many other things in life, I got the kart 2nd-hand, and there was no active racing in my life, other than what I could get away with on the streets of Detroit (NOT MUCH!) or when my brother could drive me to a parking lot somewhere.

Well I did find an engine on ebay, being sold by Brian Espeset (sp?) and somehow or another, I made contact with Rob Voska & Bob K (who ALSO sold me an engine).  Somewhere along the way, maybe on Bob Dinozzi's (sp?) forum, I found the dilapidated remains of a Mc R1 chassis & some bits, and I was on my way to restoring a vintage go kart.  It was a mostly completed project around 15 years ago, just needing some details to complete the job:

[Image: frp_101.jpg]

That's pretty much where my allowable time & money for vintage karting stopped, and reality took over (moving, giving up a career of more than 3 decades and starting a new business, building a house 1100 miles away and another move, blah, blah, blah).

While I'd see the kart collecting dust in the garage, and DECIDE to mess with it every once in a while, I just couldn't get those #$@%& carbs to act right to save my life!  I didn't know of any nearby vintage karters to come to my rescue, but when I heard there was going to be a VKA event less than 2-hrs away, I started scheming...

I had hoped that if I registered for the event last January in Bushnell, I could find someone that'd take me out behind the barn and show me how to set the carbs right (I could NEVER make them POP OFF).  Mike Birdsell was one of the first to offer help, and Tony Severino got the carbs (2) whipped into shape in probably less than 5-minutes each!  As soon as I put them on, the engines lit right off!

By the end of the weekend, I'd participated in 2 practice sessions and 3 heat races, with the kart coming off the track under its own power for every time I went out!

I had the time of my life, and yes, it beat the hell out of me all at the same time!  

Point is David, other than being an organizer or reproducer of new kart parts, I feel like I can identify with just about every point you bring up in your opening post.  I'm glad to be a participant in this vintage karting movement!

With any luck, I'll be able to make a play-date at Bushnell next month, and I'm hopeful the VKA has another event there early in the new year.  If things go extremely well, I'd like to also make the event held at Barnseville, Georgia too, just have to wait and see.
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#13
Wow great to hear things are coming along. The last few years I have been solely focused on building my home out in the middle of nowhere. It is a reality now and soon to be finished enough for me to finally move in. Been building it completely by myself as time has allowed. It is a real labor of love. But any other interests/projects/toys have taken a back seat. Including an Austin Healey 3000. The karts will hopefully get farther along when this cabin project is done. Maybe even getting a kart finished, before another one that needs some tlc shows up. Anyway one of these days, I will make it out to an event. I really enjoy reading the coverage and looking at all of the pics.

Even tho the rear engine karts were a thing long before I was born, have always loved playing with the stuff. Back when it was left over obsolete, I loved getting the junk running and heading to the local track for laps. No reason to race it, if the afternoon was spent just driving around the track. Spent my free time doing this every chance I could even before getting my drivers license.

My biggest obsession was to put together a dual engine anything, just for the fun factor. Finally happened in 1981. Lucked in to a nearly pristine 1974 Margay Panther dual chassis. Then paid $100 for a pair of matching BM 104's, modified by APPCO. Got everything put together and spent every weekend making laps. I still have the motors, but that kart was sold during the dirt racing hype in the early nineties. BTW the first time driving this kart I actually experienced tunnel vision. Wow what a rush!

Right now my favorites are 2 Cates karts, with either dual PPAH61's or Mc 6, 8, 10's. They are so much fun to drive. Another project I picked up last year is an unknown dual chassis with 2 Clinton E-65's. Every kart is in need of work, but so does everything I own. Always enjoy catching up on the forums. Maybe one day I will meet some of you guys in person.
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