Rupp Chevy Monza Jr Go Kart Found On Craigslist – Coolest Kart Ever?


Rupp Chevy Monza Jr Go Kart Found On Craigslist – Coolest Kart Ever?

When it comes to old school go karts the name Rupp is still the one everybody looks for. From competitive racing karts to karts built for kids to goof around on, Rupp was the premier name of the time. If not the highest end, Rupp was certainly the best known and that is why Chevy approached Rupp in the 1960s to build a cool miniature version of the beautiful Monza SS show car in go kart form to be used in a series of giveaways at events where the car was displayed. While we are not sure how many of them were won by lucky kids at car shows, we do know that Rupp got permission to sell them to the public after a couple years and they were marketed as the Chevy Jr.

In reality we’re looking at a Rupp “Dart” chassis with the Monza SS styled body on it and a nicely upholstered seat. The engine and all of the components are the same as they would have been on any other Dart meaning that it had a Tecumseh 3hp engine, single rear brake, etc. The wheels were unique to this model with their cool turbine look and we have never seen one come up on Craigslist before. We have seen them at swap meets and other events and every time, the money has been significant. This seller is looking for $2,000 and that is on the lower end of what we have seen with respect to asking prices.

We can imagine that lots of the bodies were wrecked in low speed crashes with trees, walls, and other fixed objects when young drivers were playing, driving the price of an intact machine up pretty high. The bodies could be the best looking pieces ever hung on a go-kart chassis. They are very true to the Monza SS show car, especially in the rear where they have the concave shape and four tail lights, details that certainly cost money to design and finish well.

Is it wrong to want this thing so bad even though we couldn’t possibly fit in it?

SCROLL DOWN TO SEE THE KART AND CL AD LINK –

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5 thoughts on “Rupp Chevy Monza Jr Go Kart Found On Craigslist – Coolest Kart Ever?

  1. Scott Liggett

    The perfect object to be totally envious of your kid and the fun he is having. I say go buy it.

  2. Phil Blackmer

    As an “old” kart racer, I remember Dart Karts very well, there were two Rupp dealers near me.

    Mickey made a good kart, I never had one, I kind of went with the west coast stuff.

  3. ImpalaGuy

    These are very cool. Do want! They are particularly prized in the Corvair community. The last Corvair convention I went to there were two restored models on display inside the convention hall and one that the owner was allowing to be hot lapped around the hotel parking lot, late into the evening. The front end “pushes” at speed. Ask me how I know.

    “Honey, you how you always say I don’t have room for another car….”

  4. Chris DiNardo

    I love the karts, I own 3 of them.
    My dad bought us kids a used one back in 1970, I have been restoring it sence 2009. Me and my two brothers beat it up when we were kids.

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