eBay Find: An Awesome 1962 Twin-Engine McCulloch Racing Kart

[cjforumadmin]

http://www.bangshift.com/blog/eBay-Find-An-Awesome-1962-Twin-Engine-McCulloch-Racing-Kart.html

[Vegaman]

Re: eBay Find: An Awesome 1962 Twin-Engine McCulloch Racing Kart

back in the late 70's I went up to the local track and met some guys in the pits who had a racing cart. the guy offered to let me make a few laps in it, after a few easy laps to get used to it I let it unwind on the back straightaway - hit 95 mph before letting off well in advance of the hairpin. at that speed and only about 3-4 inches off the ground it was a hell of a rush ;D

[Wideglid80]

Re: eBay Find: An Awesome 1962 Twin-Engine McCulloch Racing Kart

I had one of these back in the late 70'S with a single McCulloch 100cc racing motor on it. I raced it on dirt tracks. It had a quick change sprocket hub on the solid axle, and with a 20 tooth clutch and a 32 tooth sprocket, the thing would do 80 MPH on the blacktop. I had one of my brothers clock me with his motorcycle, just to see how fast it would go. It is really an awesome ride with your butt only 4 inches off the ground doing 80. Man, I wish I wouldn't have had to grow up!! Oh, wait, I guess I really didn't -much!

[Scott Liggett]

Re: eBay Find: An Awesome 1962 Twin-Engine McCulloch Racing Kart

back in the late 70's I went up to the local track and met some guys in the pits who had a racing cart. the guy offered to let me make a few laps in it, after a few easy laps to get used to it I let it unwind on the back straightaway - hit 95 mph before letting off well in advance of the hairpin. at that speed and only about 3-4 inches off the ground it was a hell of a rush ;D

My Dad used to talk about a pilot he flew with in the Air Force that had a twin engined cart with twin chromed exhaust stacks out back. They timed him out on the taxi way of the base doing 125 mph. This was back in the early 60's when they were flying H bomb carrying B-47's. Dad said he drove it once, just once.

[Brian Lohnes]

Re: eBay Find: An Awesome 1962 Twin-Engine McCulloch Racing Kart

speaking of karts...

http://www.bangshift.com/blog/The-Life-and-Rocket-Propelled-Times-of-Captain-Jack-McClure-One-of-Drag-Racing-s-Most-Incredible-Performers.html

[mustang13]

Re: eBay Find: An Awesome 1962 Twin-Engine McCulloch Racing Kart

I think I may have stained my undees alittle looking at that thing.

What it would have been, to grow up in that era, when carting got it's first wind.

[flandoman]

Re: eBay Find: An Awesome 1962 Twin-Engine McCulloch Racing Kart

Ain't she a beaut? McCulloch only built karts for a couple years, but there are an amazing number of them still kicking around. There is a small yet dedicated community that still restores and runs karts from the 50's through the late 70's. There are events all over the country if anyone is interested in participating.

I believe the early 100cc McCulloch motors produced somewhere in the neighborhood of 7-10 hp each in stock form. Of course guys would tinker with the ports and run exotic fuel mixes that could goose a bit more out them. The later Mc91 series motors were more in the 10-12 range and the 125cc Mc101's were in the 13-15 range in stock form. The 101's could be altered to produce 20-25hp per motor, but they didn't last all that long.

Here are some additional resources if anyone is interested:

http://www.vintagekartclubofamerica.com/

http://www.kartingarchives.com/

http://rearenginekarts.com/

http://vintagekarts.com/

Here's a great video of a dual West Bend 820 kart at the REAR Event. These karts were designed to drift on the hard narrow tires. Heeeeee Hawwwwwww.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EyxC4lo7tQ