Historic Karting

[Leo D]

For many people , Karting was their introduction to competing in Motor Sport. Some stayed in the sport, others moved on.... many have fond memories of their Karting days.

Historic Karting is enjoying a rise in popularity world wide. Machinery from the past is being brought back to life... the unit below is one such example.... powered by 32 year old twin Parilla Reed engines, you can read about its restoration here

http://www.kartsportnews.com/content/2011/feat_twin-kart-restoration.html

http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/6374/pic35loadedtrailer.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/4/pic35loadedtrailer.jpg/)

Many people don't consider Karting real racing, but I suggest you look at this short preview clip from the movie "Senna"..... and note who he considers "The greatest driver he ever raced against"...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFpDmvsYtOA

A karter.... Terry Fullerton, 1973 World Karting Champion........

[Shano]

That's a fantastic looking machine.

I saw the Senna movie on Sunday and came away drained after a couple of hours of intense adrenaline rushes. The footage of Senna taking his first win at Monaco, in a Toleman, in torrential rain, had the entire theatre gasping it was so intense.

And yes, at the end of the movie it shows Senna recalling his tour to Europe for karting as the best racing of his life. Pure racing, no money, no politics (in his F1 days Senna went head-to-head with Jean Marie Balestre, President of FISA and came away with some pretty big bruises, although he had some wins in the boardroom as he did on the track.)

[Steve Holmes]

Awesome Leo! What sort of Kart is that? I remember a couple of guys at my club racing twin engined karts in the open class.

[Leo D]

The kart in question is a "Demon X8" manufactered by Drew Price Engineering in the late 1980's.

DPE began manufacturing karts in the mid 1970's, and continue to do so to this day. The first karts were branded know as "Ace" karts which then evolved into the "Demon" range, and are now known as "Arrow" karts.

http://arrowkarts.com/

Drew Price first became involved in karting when he purchased Eric Walsh tuning here in Melbourne at the start of the 1970's.

The business was originaly run from the garage at the back of his fathers house. The business now occupies a large manufacturing facility where they produce karting products for not only the Australian market, but a large export market as well.

[Rod Grimwood]

Leo, is that the same Drew Price that raced the Toyota sprinter at Bathurst and other Aussie races ?.

[Leo D]

Correct Rod. Drew was a member of the official Toyota Racing Team, and team mate with John Faulkner, who went on to V8 Supercars.

Drew also spent time racing in Formula Holden, and V8 Supercar driver Shane Price is his son.

[Leo D]

For those in NZ that may be interested.... 3rd & 4th of September 2011

http://www.vintagekart.4t.com/blossum_sprint.html

[nigel watts]

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[Habu]

Baypark 1968 kart grid

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[AMCO72]

Yes, and look at the Kids gathered around......all future race car drivers. Dont see much of that anymore...too interested in X-box, or whatever it's called. Other sporting codes are always going on about getting the youngsters involved, and I guess motorsport is the same. If your Dad didn't do it, is unlikely that the family will get the bug. And of course today the machinery is SO much more sophisticated......and expensive.

[Oldfart]

Now it's the rich dads who, in some cases, never made it that are the cheque books for the kids. I guess it's not too practical for dads to race and have the kids follow. It's a bit sad that they all want to be pro race drivers instaed of doing it for fun and the cream rising. Even sadder watching the kids have to be the successes that some of the dads never were.

[PaulieG]

check out kart 115, some serious camber on that front wheel! Methinks wheel failure imminent! Looks a hell of a lot of fun, and could be quite cheap!

[bry3500]

Pics and descriptions from the Nelson photo News
February 3, 1962

The machines used by go-karters might lack the zest and zoom of their bigger counterparts but they provide just as many thrills for driver and spectator as the boys on the Tahuna back beach. We called in at the circuit on Bolt Road during the holiday season, and found the lads (all smoking a popular brand of cigar-rettes) having a rip-roaring time.

[bry3500]

February 4, 1967
Go-Kart Club's course at Redwood's Valley

[bry3500]

February 4th 1967 cont'd

[bry3500]

May 31, 1969
They might be small and close to the ground, but the little go-karts taking part in the Rothmans GoKart Grand Prix meeting on the reclamation at Port Nelson were certainly not slow. At times the powerful little machines reached speeds well above 60 m. p.h. Major placings in the big event went to South Island karts and drivers, Robin Wilkinson (Christchurch) taking first place. He just pipped Nelson's Robin Greig who took second place. Another Christchurch driver, Phillip Mills, was third (at left). The only untoward incident in the big race was a collision involving several karts. Our photograph above shows the merry mix-up as karts sort themselves out after the collision. Behind the straw bales the driver of one kart lies on the road while the crowd scatters.

Nelson drivers relax in the pits: Denis Bradley, Mike Fisher, Jim Bradley and Kevin Jones.

Only woman driver was Lavinia Triplow, seen here with her father, Roy, the national president, and another driver

[bry3500]

May 31st !969 cont'd

[GeebeeNZ]

83288327
Even the Buckler Car Company in the UK produced them.

[bry3500]

April 29, 1972

[bry3500]

April 6, 1968
Many machines entered in the first Nelson Kart Grand Prix had engine capacities in excess of 200cc, but none was able to get close to the 100cc machine of Ian Miller, of Christchurch, as he took an early lead in the 18-mile event on the reclamation, and increased it lap by lap. The main event over a tough course tested the endurance of the karts and the drivers' skills to the utmost, and before the finish the course took its toll - 14 of the 20 starters did hot finish. The day itself was a memorable one for go-karters, and it is now hoped that this event will not only become an annual one, but will embrace all New Zealand. The go kart club and Nelson Jaycees are to be congratulated on their enterprise in staging such an event.

Des Kelly (Timaru) takes a spill and his badly bent machine and helmet provides a youngster with entertainment.

[bry3500]

Some karts, such as this, had three engines.

[bry3500]

top -Timekeepers Bill Dodds, Jim Bonnington, Murray Kenning, Ross Benbow and Warren Higgs on their lofty perch
middle -Laps were recorded on a tape recorder by Garth Robinson.
bottom - Bill Munn looks a little dubious.

[bry3500]

April 6th 1968 cont'd

[bry3500]

August 17, 1963
Judging by recent attendances, go kart racing in Nelson is improving in popularity. Members race on the Sunday on their course by the airport and many families having a Sunday run in the car call in to see these wee bombs in action. These pix were secured for us by Johnny Hughes.

[jamie]

Hi Bry3500 Karting has just got stronger and faster most of our top race drivers today came from A Karting background Jamie

[Milan Fistonic]

This an advert for karts built by Sinton Engineering. It was in the Auckland Star dated January 2 1960.

Imagine driving a road-registered kart from Auckland to Dunedin.

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[Allan]

I remember reading an article in Popular Mechanics magazine in the 1950s about karting in the US where they called them "Micro Midgets"

[Steve Holmes]

This an advert for karts built by Sinton Engineering. It was in the Auckland Star dated January 2 1960.

Imagine driving a road-registered kart from Auckland to Dunedin.

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That is cool!

[BMCBOY]

Back in 1973 when I was just starting to shoot some motor racing photos I decided to get a bit of on track experience by attending some races at a couple of local kart tracks. The Mt Wellington track was very close to where I lived so I went along with my camera and a couple of rolls of film to see if I could get a few action shots. I approached an official looking chap about going on to the inside of the track as there seemed to be no one else with a camera anywhere in sight. He said I was welcome to do whatever I liked, as long as I didn't get in the way and was careful where I stood.
So I just wandered on to the inside and blasted away at whatever was happening!
After a couple of weeks a few people asked me if I had any shots of themselves racing, so I printed some off and was brave enough to sell them to any competitors who wanted them.
After a while I had people requesting I get shots of their kids or their husbands, etc as there had been nobody taking photos for quite a time. They suggested I also go over to Rosebank Rd and take photos there too, which I did on the alternate weekends, and got a bunch more orders.
I think I did this for about a year, until I was able to get press passes to race meetings at Pukekohe and also got pretty busy doing work for the Auckland Car Club Bulletin. Great experience for a budding motorsport photographer!

Anyway I dug out a pile of negatives I still have from those days when I saw this thread. Hopefully they are of interest to some people. These shots are from Rosebank Rd February 7th 1974.
I can print some more off if people are interested - they have been good to see again after all these years.
Unfortunately I don't have a clue who the competitors are, but I'm sure others will recognise a few people.
Interesting cars in the carparks also!!

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[BMCBOY]

Mt Wellington Track 1973

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[Habu]

"Mt Wellington Track 1973"

Thank you for posting these images BMC BOY - very much appreciated. Loving the ones from Auckland / Rosebank as well. When I was a kid in the early/mid seventies we used to go to Rosebank Rd because my Father had a control line pulse jet he flew in the middle of the speedway track. We would wander over to the kart track and watch the racing when not being entertained by the jet attempting to tear the Old Boys arms off ;)

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[Habu]

WOW! Those images are awesome. Please keep them coming if your have any more.
Really enjoying these, as I'm sure a lot of other people are, especially from the NZ Historic Karting fraternity.

[John McKechnie]

Thats a big thumbs up from me also.
A friend Peter Kitchen raced there, also we used to fly control line planes there 1969-70, so the karts were a great sight.
Habu- man, a pulse jet, thats the Marsh dragster of model engines,same principal as in the Nazi V1 Doodlebug.. What a sight with your dad !!!!!!!!!! Was it on a Combat Wing with the long streamers behind ?

[BMCBOY]

Thanks Guys, I have enjoyed revisiting the photos myself.
What has amused me most is the "crowd control" and "safety fencing" or lack of it.
Try and park a car right next to a track fence now or stand on the wire or posts!!
Different era I guess and no doubt the karts are very much quicker now.
Lots more Dads and sons sharing a kart back then too which was less pressure.

[Habu]

Thats a big thumbs up from me also.
A friend Peter Kitchen raced there, also we used to fly control line planes there 1969-70, so the karts were a great sight.
Habu- man, a pulse jet, thats the Marsh dragster of model engines,same principal as in the Nazi V1 Doodlebug.. What a sight with your dad !!!!!!!!!! Was it on a Combat Wing with the long streamers behind ?

Ha ha - no John, the pulse jet once running (which is an art form / rigmarole on its own), is timed by the number of "laps" it completes if I remember correctly. No ribbons, and no sissy nylon control lines. Jet lines are made from braided steel "for real men" and the fuel for it used to be made and delivered by a friend who was an industrial chemist - so probably a bit Marsh like. Think the Old Boys one used to have an average speed of over 130mph.

Yes, V1 technology - the noise must have been terrifying during WW2, as I can still remember the noise it made.

The real treat, is to see one flying at night :cool:

[Habu]

Thanks Guys, I have enjoyed revisiting the photos myself.
What has amused me most is the "crowd control" and "safety fencing" or lack of it.
Try and park a car right next to a track fence now or stand on the wire or posts!!
Different era I guess and no doubt the karts are very much quicker now.
Lots more Dads and sons sharing a kart back then too which was less pressure.

Yes, so not PC compared to all the hoops we have to jump through today.

A much simpler time....

[928]

like driving a kart on the road. the LVVTA would have fits if that was presented for certification now.

[BMCBOY]

Final post of these photos - I have quite a few individual kart shots too. If people would like me to search for anyone in particular PM me and I can have a look.

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[Habu]

[QUOTE=BMCBOY;48905]Final post of these photos - I have quite a few individual kart shots too. If people would like me to search for anyone in particular PM me and I can have a look.

Just look at those motors - Komet, Parrilla's and I'm guessing TD Yamaha stuff? Wow Thanks a heap BMC BOY.
Are there any photos from the late 70's / early 80's anywhere by any chance?

Many, many thanks

[Ross Hollings]

Couple of Karts i owned 1977 on,raced at Rosebank Rd and street races. 545 had a YamahaT100 motor i think it was called and 250 was a Honda CZ.The 250 kart was built by Ron Robinson to a Peter Bruin design,quite unusual in its double chassis rail,made it quite ridged.Big wheels on the front were also unusual,[also front disc brakes]handled well and went like stink.Raced it at road circuits and also Taupo [small track] and club circuit at Pukekohe.Interesting to see the 1974 photos 306743067530676and the my shots,how quickly design had changed,the 250 and Yamie would have been around 78-80.
I used to make a lot of the Kart seats ,wings and front fairings ,in fibreglass in those days, hence the 3 colour [all gelcoat] seat on 545.

[BMCBOY]

Superkarts were just as fast as Formula Pacifics around Baypark at this time.

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[Habu]

Hi Ross, Nice photos! The 545 karts engine is definitely not a Yamaha KT100 - its a reed valve engine, so could be a Dap / Corsair. Please post anymore they're great

[Habu]

Nice superkart photos! Is that Chris Heron in kart #25?

[Ross Hollings]

Definitely a KT100,had one of the first ones that came on the market,got sick of my Macs blowing up.Never had a Rotary,those guys were considered,or considered themselves F1 drivers ,anyway was always to heavy for that class !!

[Habu]

Definitely a KT100,had one of the first ones that came on the market,got sick of my Macs blowing up.Never had a Rotary,those guys were considered,or considered themselves F1 drivers ,anyway was always to heavy for that class !!


Sorry Ross, I said reed - I meant Rotary, but you already picked up on that. Whats got me confused is the carb is mounted to the outside of the barrel closer to the rear wheel and the ignition coil looks like a red one from a motoplat mounted on the front. Regardless, its still a cool looking kart.

[Ross Hollings]

Hell i hate when i am wrong,yes Habu you are correct,looked at the original photo and it is a carb,i bought this kart of my nephew and he was running a Rotary,so long ago think i must have run it in a couple of meetings then put the Yamaha on.Memory going maybe on my part.545 was his number,Brett Oakes.Can not remember what i did with the motor,probably used it as a trade in. !Good spotting.Checked out the local kart shop in Rotorua..........wow they are a work of art now these new karts,had a look at the track here,a very fine track it is,with all the timing gear etc,thought about having another go in seniors but felt the technology was a bit complicated for me now.Some of the rigs they have were amazing.Have to say it was some of the best racing i have enjoyed in motorsport. RH

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[Habu]

Hell i hate when i am wrong,yes Habu you are correct,looked at the original photo and it is a carb,i bought this kart of my nephew and he was running a Rotary,so long ago think i must have run it in a couple of meetings then put the Yamaha on.Memory going maybe on my part.545 was his number,Brett Oakes.Can not remember what i did with the motor,probably used it as a trade in. !Good spotting.Checked out the local kart shop in Rotorua..........wow they are a work of art now these new karts,had a look at the track here,a very fine track it is,with all the timing gear etc,thought about having another go in seniors but felt the technology was a bit complicated for me now.Some of the rigs they have were amazing.Have to say it was some of the best racing i have enjoyed in motorsport. RH

I know exactly what you mean! Its a cool kart - and a cool motor. Yes, modern karts are certainly complicated compared to what was around years ago.

[Habu]

Geez BMCBOY you keep outdoing yourself with these. They are superbe. Pretty sure I was there for this event. The colour just brings a whole new dimension to these

[GD66]

....thought about having another go in seniors but felt the technology was a bit complicated for me now.Some of the rigs they have were amazing.Have to say it was some of the best racing i have enjoyed in motorsport. RH


Is there no interest or facility in karting for historic racing along the lines followed by motorcycles and cars ? The chassis aren't very big and wouldn't take up too much room in the attic....

[Ross Hollings]

Interesting idea,but think you would be hard pressed to find old,original karts,most got dumped or cut up and tube bends used for other fabrications.Dont think i would want to run a Mc Culloch Motor again,sods of things ,used to call them hand grenades,the Honda was ok. RH

[Habu]

Is there no interest or facility in karting for historic racing along the lines followed by motorcycles and cars ? The chassis aren't very big and wouldn't take up too much room in the attic....

Yes! There is a register for Historic Karts in NZ. Events are held throught the year, and the "demonstrations" attract a vast array of interesting and unique machinery. I have a vintage kart and usually run it at the Christmas meeting at Auckland each year. Lots of fun, and like cars "the karts are the stars"

[rf84]

There is indeed a very strong vintage karting movement in NZ. There have been a number of races for vintage karts run in conjunction with other meetings (eg the Blossom Festival meetings since about 2008), Taranaki Gold Star, Hamilton a few weeks ago etc.
In March 2015 there was the first ever NZ Vintage kart GP meeting held at Hastings which attracted some Aussie competitors. The Australians won the Trans Tasman challenge, not through their prowess on the track but by winning the pie eating/beer drinking race.
There is a "Facebook" page and a vintage section at www.kartsport.org.nz At last count there were about 130 vintage karts registered.

[GD66]

Excellent ! That might be the way to go, Ross. At least to roll up and talk crap in the pits.:cool:

Cheers, lads.

[Ross Hollings]

Just found this,thought it had got lost,Rosebank Rd,around 1978, myself in front,[but not for long,Graeme Wade coming up fast behind and along side Adele Ineson/Karlsson.60421

[Roger Dowding]

Just found this,thought it had got lost,Rosebank Rd,around 1978, myself in front,[but not for long,Graeme Wade coming up fast behind and along side Adele Ineson/Karlsson.60421

Classic Ross - Having a great time ..

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