Zip Kart ID Help

[Craig Butt]

I've always wanted a Superkart and I ran across this one in Michigan and drug it home as a project.

OK, I know it's actually a 125cc Superkart, but I could not find a photo of a Zip with the same bodywork. The rear wing a a late addition. The seller seemed to think it was mid '80's vintage. But can anyone get me a little closer on year and model of chassis? ALso, I understand Rotax built 124cc / 126cc motors both with rotary valves and reed valves - any insight on this one would be appreciated as well. Thanks!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/craig71188/sets/72157629162920277/
_________________
Craig Butt / Ohio Valley Region SCCA

2003 Italkart Supersonic / CRS (x2!)

[Robert Lawson]

Hey Craig.

Never thought I'd see that rig again!

I did the body for Brad Hunt, he owned it before your seller. It was once Dennis Berniers and maybe Greg Stamm before that.

It has a Swift nose, Anderson pods and I made the wing and airbox on the left side. It was a replacement for a similar kart that he had wrecked at Road America, that kart had the original Zip "batman" type 1 piece body. You can see them all day long on UK karting sites. Lots of them in older videos from over there as well.

Early to mid 80's for sure. It's definately vintage!!!!!!!

That was once Scotty Fieslers Rotax, I think it's a 129. Not sure Scott would remember either!!!!

Heard a story that that kart was put out to pasture.....literaly. A farmer bought it and was running it around the yard, up and down a dirt road......

Hey, it's still in 1 piece!

Ian and Sam will be able to ID it for ya.

RPM

[John Benson]

Hi Craig,
I can't help much on the Zip, but the motor is a 128 with a "GP" cylinder . I can't see if it is a side load gearbox , but if it is ,it probably has a digital ignition also.Rotax went to the 129 -130 engines in 1993 (?) . Good motor, but hard to find parts for now , and apparently can't run with the newer Pavasi. JRB

[Ian Harrison]

Hi Guys

Zip Bandit 1, I believe.

My first kart was a Zip Bandit 2, which was almost identical, except the diagonal tubes running forward from the front crossrail had splits in them and a clamping system, so that you could alter the chassis stiffness. Also the calipers of the Zip "self-adjusting" brake system on the 2 were black anodised not natural finish.

I'd agree with JB about the motor, it does have the Digital ignition and I would really like to own it!!

Trying to see the clutch levers. The red cable is a push-me-pull-you for the shift, 2 pedal for sure and an extra front rad

I just missed a kart with a Rotax 129 installed on UK Ebay a few weeks back(forgot and missed the finish time!!), and it went cheap

Good luck with your restoration project and if you get fed up . . . . .

Best Regards

Ian
_________________
Ian Harrison
Viper Racing UK
www.viper-racinguk.co.uk
sales@viper-racinguk.co.uk
+44 7984 225 564
+44 161 343 2009
Championship winning Superkart race team 1997-2012

[Craig Butt]

[Craig Butt]

[Dennis Bernier]

Craig,
This is originally a Zip Bandit kart which had a one-piece
body. It was purchased from Franklin Motorsports by Don Hupp
for his daughter Donna in 1986 and I bought the kart in 1988. I sold
the kart to Brad Hunt, I believe around 2003 and as Robert Lawson
mentioned, he built a newer and more attractive body for the kart.
Later on, Brad traded the kart to Harry West and was eventually sold
to a farmer. When I owned the kart, it had the Rotax 128 engine with
the GP cylinder, but I believe Brad Hunt swapped out the older 128
engine with a newer Rotax 129 digital ignition motor. Good to see
the kart again; restore it and put it back on the track. PM me, if I
can help.

[shaun everard]

Hey Ian just read ur post on the zip bandit are u still looking for one and does it have to be a bandit 1 or 2?? With or with out engine etc

[Ian Harrison]

Hi Shaun

It's more the Rotax 129 that I'm looking for, but thanks anyway.

Hi Craig and you Guys,

I'm not an early Rotax specialist by any means.

I think that Craig's motor is a 128 from the non-watercooled crankcases and method of head cover retention.

If anyone wants a 129 Rotax parts book, I have it in PDF format. Just drop me your e-mail address.

Here's a couple of pictures of the inlet side of the 128 motor.


Here's a nicely refurbed 128 motor, with Aprilia/Rotax Max type pv bellows/piston and new VHSB silver top carb.


The only difference I can see between the motors above (apart from the spurious water position outlet on the head cover), is the design of the gearbox cover. Both are sideloaders. The lower engine shares the design of gearbox cover with the 129, so I'm guesing it's a later motor.

The 'U' shaped water pipe indicates the lack of crankcase cooling.

Heres an image of the 129 crankcases you can see the water inlet tube (item 5) on the bottom of the motor and see the detail of the internal waterways from the water pump up to the exhaust side of the cylinder.


Craig, a picture of the inlet side would be good!!

If you just look at the head cover, you will see that the head cover on the 129 is secured by bolts around it's periphary and the head insert is independantly bolted down.


Heres the 129 cylinder/head arrangement


This arrangement is also used by Aprilia GP and BRC (except they use 6-bolt insert fixing as opposed to the 5 bolt of the Rotax). See an excerpt from the BRC parts book below and an external image.




Anyone know anything more, I'm glad to hear!!!

Now does anyone know if the 129 base stud pattern is the same as Aprillia and the current crop of watercooled crankcase tandem twins or is it the same as the non-watercooled Rotax. You can probably follow my train of thought!!

Best Regards

Ian
_________________
Ian Harrison
Viper Racing UK
www.viper-racinguk.co.uk
sales@viper-racinguk.co.uk
+44 7984 225 564
+44 161 343 2009
Championship winning Superkart race team 1997-2012

[RUSSELL ANDERSON]

Ian,
129 Rotax: I have one at Castleford that I used to do all the work on our FPE cylinders and in particular the exhausts. Different pattern to the DEA. I have decked the cases to the same as a FPE but you are welcome to have a look.
_________________
Anderson Karts .....tried one yet?
www.andersonkarts.com

[Robert Lawson]

[Ian Harrison]

Hi Russell

Fancy that!!!

I'll certainly have a look and that was exactly my idea!! Makes things a lot easier that having to change 2 of everything all the time.

But was it the FPE cylinders for the watercooled cacrankcases or the FPE Rotax replacement cylinders that you used it for at the time?

The FPE watercooled crankcases have the same stud pattern as the BRC and Aprilia GP. I had assumed that the DEA would also be the same, but from what you say I am thinking that the DEA must use a unique stud pattern??

Something to chat about over a tea, the next time I'm over.

Anyway with the snow coming down hard, lets hope it clears up in time for testing on the 14th at Oulton.



Better see if I can get home!!

Best Regards

Ian
_________________
Ian Harrison
Viper Racing UK
www.viper-racinguk.co.uk
sales@viper-racinguk.co.uk
+44 7984 225 564
+44 161 343 2009
Championship winning Superkart race team 1997-2012

[Riley Will]

Or you could do this:

Aprilia's last magnesium cased RSW with APF cylinder

_________________
Riley Will
BRC Engineering
rwill@brceng.com
(403) 216-0630 wk.
www.brceng.com

[Ian Harrison]

Hi Riley

That would do nicely!!

Or equipped with one of these:



A snip at £3300.00 retail each plus tax. Thats $5200 USD per cylinder kit.

Best Regards

Ian
_________________
Ian Harrison
Viper Racing UK
www.viper-racinguk.co.uk
sales@viper-racinguk.co.uk
+44 7984 225 564
+44 161 343 2009
Championship winning Superkart race team 1997-2012

[Craig Butt]

I posted up anothe half dozen pictures with some better views of the engine and the hand clutch - then realized they were not as high a resolution as the first ones. Hopefully it will let Ian see what he was looking for!
_________________
Craig Butt / Ohio Valley Region SCCA

2003 Italkart Supersonic / CRS (x2!)