anyone driven a twin engine vintage kart?

Brian Mead · Posted: Sun May 31, 2009 9:16 am Post subject:

Shaun - All this stuff has been around since forever. Transmission karts, water cooling, front brakes, aero stuff (IKF FKE classes), used by really quick innovative people. More now is mass produced.

shaun stafford · Posted: Sun May 31, 2009 10:45 am Post subject:

I know it has car wise, I just didnt realize they were using it on karts back in the early 70s. I'm use to seeing the old pics of karts with drum brakes. I guess that would be 60s?

Jeff Campbell · Posted: Sat Jun 27, 2009 6:35 am Post subject:

Since this thread asked about what it was like to drive a dual engine kart, I thought I would post this here.... I just produced the dual rear engine kart video that is on this webpage:

http://vintagepowersport.com/?page_id=513

...this was shot at New Castle Motorsports Park last weekend (June 18-20), its a combination of slow motion and regular video with a view of the starting grid and racing action. There is also a lot of photos from that event on the same webpage, including photos of the even faster Dual Sidewinder karts with Foreign engines (B-Bombs & BM-130s).

I drive both dual rear and dual sidewinder karts at vintage events, it's a great experience I would recommend for any skilled driver (these karts are a handful to drive).

Jeff
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al nunley · Joined: 13 Nov 2006 Posts: 3038

Jeff Stamper · Posted: Sat Jun 27, 2009 6:59 am Post subject:

Nice job buddy. You all know who the number 1 kart was right ? If you have been around racing for years, you would have recognized the helmet. If you havent, it was who I think is the best driver (kart) of all time. Still the smoothest and coolest head on the race track at any time from the 60's until 2009 ! It is always a pleasure to watch the

1978 World Champion ** Lake Speed
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Troy Brown · Joined: 21 Jun 2002 Posts: 20

Stewart Willis · Joined: 24 Oct 2008 Posts: 368

My dad bought Walt Meyer's Proline Twin 100cc Parilla Reed valve back in 1989ish. I only got to drive it at Amago when the first shifters started showing up. It was designed for a 200 lb man. When you put a 130 lb teenager in it, it was ridiculous!!!!!!! I think Robby Mott drove it once as a junior in quite an amazing fashion.

Jeff Campbell · Posted: Fri Oct 01, 2010 10:05 am Post subject:

Here is another one for this thread, I shot this video with my helmet cam at the recent TNT Kartways 50th year Anniversary Vintage Karting event. Dual B-Bomb and BM-130 powered vintage karts in action....

Link to C-Open helmet cam video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nk2b8zcC7YQ

direct link to High Resolution big size version:
http://www.youtube.com/v/nk2b8zcC7YQ?fs=1&autoplay=1&hd=1

It's hard to see through all the Smoke, but at the 50sec mark, the grid line-up before the start was Left to Right by row:
front row: Craig Bennet & Lake Speed, 2nd row: Terry Traeder & Troy Brown, 3rd row: Kurt Burris and Bob Lapke, 4th row: Me & John Griffin .. I think Gary White and his brother. There were 10 or 11 karts in the class, and about 1/2 of them finished each of the 6 lap heats, LOL! When they go, they go fast, then they break!

More photos, info, and videos from the TNT Kartways vintage event at the Vitnage Karting Association website: http://VKAKarting.com

Jeff Campbell
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Vintage Karting Association - President 2012
http://vkakarting.com]
http://vintagepowersport.com]

Ronnie Cryer · Posted: Mon Oct 04, 2010 10:47 pm Post subject:

Back in the mid 60's we had a go kart track in western Oklahoma (Clinton to be exact) where there were a few twin engine karts that raced there. My dad had a Simplex which I think had twin McCulloch's on it. I remember the gas tank was built in behind the seat and the rear slicks were wider considerably larger than the front ones. The first time I rode it my dad disconnected one of the chains and fixed the throttle on the other motor where it wouldn't open up all the way. Being around ten years old it still scared me. I screamed when it screamed. After about a year or so he started letting me drive it with both engines. I could never keep my foot in long enough to give an accurate assumption of how fast it would go so I faked it which everybody knew. I think I still have the brochure that came with it somewhere. That's the kart that has kept me in touch with kart racing every since.I was a dangerous ride for me but my dad and his buddies who had them would fly. They were scary to watch back then and somewhat dangerous as well. Then we blew one of the engines and and never fixed it but played with it for a couple more years. It was still pretty fast. We sold it to a guy in clinton for $50.00 and he finished wearing it out over the next two or three years before he parked it. I believe the simplex's were made down in Louisisana. They were an awesome matchine back in the day. Never did know what kind of
R's it turned but it had to have been way up there.

Colm O'Higgins · Joined: 22 Mar 2010 Posts: 35

Couple of shots of me in Zip Komets (Goodwood Ontario) Bug Komets (Batavia, New York) and lately Margay BM130's. Always an awesome ride! Just tell me how to upload photos![/img]
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C Open Ruled ! And Apparently Still Can ! New Castle June 2010 Participant - C Open

al nunley · Joined: 13 Nov 2006 Posts: 3038

Gordon Duax · Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2011 11:49 am Post subject:

The last time I drove a dual was about '92 or so.
Double the engines, 4 times the work, 10 times the fun.

Can't wait to get my new one together.

Local sprint track has a 'bracket' class for older non-GaG, I mean TaG karts, clone karts, and shifters.
All the karts besides those run the bracket races.
Dual 100cc allowed, as are direct drive karts.
Kind of like a street race, bring what you have, and do your best.
All karts qualify, and if there are enough, are broken into 2 or more brackets.
When ever I screwed the pooch during qualifying, and didn't make the fast class, I would just request to run it. No one had any problems with me bumping up.
Once in a while a shifter, or GaG kart will come run the bracket class, which is real fun. Laughing

As they say, old age and treachery will win out over youth and enthusiasm.

Richard Thoms · Posted: Thu May 05, 2011 9:23 pm Post subject:

My favorite vintage video w/super slo-mo:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1wL2RDFDaY

Can you say chassis flex and wheel spin...
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gordon friend · Posted: Thu Sep 06, 2012 7:11 pm Post subject: Twin engine kart

I used to race them years back in New Zealand.

Had a special Deavinson Sprint (English chassis) I imported and ran a variety of Parilla rotary valve engines, fixed drive. The chassis was excellent and featured a 3 rail chassis rather than the 4 rail which was predominant of the day for twins. In those days, the weight was 310 lbs minimum for kart and driver, we weighed in at around 310 lbs + 2 or 3 ozs........ Smile

Ran the tire of the day, Goodyear Blue streaks, in a combination of either 5" all round, 5" front + 6 " rear, or 6" all round. Best overall, depending on the circuit, was the 5" all round combo, and I recall we ran wider wheel rims than most did on the Goodyear, seems to work well and may have stopped the sidewall flex on really quick corners.

I was probably the quickest twin in the country at the time and also raced it in Hong Kong 1974 at the big International meeting held in Victoria Park. There were a number of American chassis there, twin Komet K88's, LH & RH motors on clutches and methanol. My motors were both RH and on petrol, but whilst the American set ups had the legs down the straights by a bit, they were no where as quick though the corners through lack of handling......... Smile

so what I lost on the straights, I made up through the corners. It could easily life the front wheels on acceleration if there were any bumps......... Smile

as I recall there were quite a few in Victoria Park.

Only have 1 surviving photo of those days sadly, but they were a buzz to drive that's for sure..... Smile

.............don't know how to post the photo, can anyone help?

Thanks

Rod Balding · Posted: Thu Sep 06, 2012 7:54 pm Post subject: Pics of the good ole days

Here is the C-Open I drove in '76 and '77 a BLAST !!!!!

http://s1103.photobucket.com/albums/g461/rtbalding/1973%20Margay%20Cheetah%20MRK-III%20Dual/

And my favorite was in '86 - '88 , Elite Kart with Parilla TT-25 controlled stock , much better equipment and would take all the wrinkles out of your face and make your ears touch on the back of head .

http://s1103.photobucket.com/albums/g461/rtbalding/1986%20Elite%20Dual%20with%20TT25s/

I have 3 older dual sidewinders still , restoring one now like the C-Open
Margay Cheetah MK III with Bombs and overhead Kendicks , there's
NOTHING any better than stereo 2-strokes !!!!!