Growing up, I had visions of what I expected out of a go-kart, much of which was based on what I saw police cars do in movies and on television. We’re talking dust clouds while hauling ass, the ability to throw the tail out and spin the tires at a moment’s whim, and tire scream and smoke on demand. I was disappointed when I drove my first ex-cop car, and I was seriously disappointed with each go-kart I’ve driven to date. The only time I swing the tail out is when I overstep the grip of the tires right before a fellow racer punts me into the crash barrier. That isn’t drifting, that isn’t burnout power, that isn’t what I wanted. I wanted to drift around the neighborhood while terrorizing the other kids. Hm…amazing how little has changed over the years.
The go-kart fiends at CarsandCameras have been working on a vintage Crue Cut Indy 500 go-kart, and have decided to skip the step of putting in a three horsepower Tecumseh block in favor of a 212cc Predator that is putting out a whopping nine horsepower. Sounds weak, right? Remember that this is more-or-less a plank with four wheels and a place to sit your hide on. Nine horsepower on something this small and relatively light will be a riot to rip around, even as a single-gear setup. Any go kart that can burn rubber better than most police-spec Dodge Diplomats is alright by us!
A friend of ours has a Model T similar to the one shown in brochure in the video. He used to drive around the neighborhood with his dog in the back.
When I was 15 I put together a go kart kinda like this. Drive on one wheel .Brakes on the other side. I put an old Briggs 14HP on it. I could do burnouts all day. I was doing just that one day on an outdoor basket ball court area. I was too tall for it. So I rode with one leg sticking out the front. While doing a burnout donut. It spun out and went head on into the basket ball bank board post. Broke my left foot. I had to go though drivers training later that summer with a cast on my left foot. From a crash no less.