Model T fiberglass body go kart project

[Stew]

jonboy - I've been keeping that in the back of my mind too, after the body is done I'm going to figure out some kind of chain guard for it. Not only will that keep things from getting tangled in the chain but it will also keep the oil from continuing to splatter on the back side of the seat and my shirt!

I've been going back and forth about how to remove the paint and finally decided to give paint stripper a try. It is working pretty good, and will save a lot of effort and four letter words. I tried it on an area I already sanded and still ended up scraping off a pile of old paint. Once it's all scraped off it'll just need a light sanding and then prime/paint.

Still making progress

 

[landuse]

I hate using paint stripper, but it really does work well

 

[Functional Artist]

I have found that automotive brake fluid removes some kinds of paint really well
...kinda like "poormans paint stripper" (less fumes too)

I was changing a master cylinder on a car years ago
…& a couple of drops of fluid dripped, on the fender

I didn't notice it or wipe it off
…& when I did (when the job was complete) the paint wiped off with the fluid
...(2) drip spots "clean down to the metal"

* I've used it on other stuff since (on purpose)
...but, it doesn't seem to work on power coated stuff to well

 

[Stew]

It seems I have myself a little Scooby Doo mystery on my hands. First, the rest of the paint came off the top pretty nicely right down to the shiny gel coat finish...

But after I scraped the last, literally the last little spot of primer off, I found someones name engraved into the gel coat. This would HAVE to have been someone involved in making these back in the day, since every single picture of this body I've seen came painted up in the Krogers livery like in the first post of this thread, you couldn't get them bare gel coat and finish them yourself.

So Mr. Jon Foster from FW & Associates Mini Cars, I would appear to have your custom signature edition Model T body.

 

[landuse]

Interesting!

 

[Bansil]

cool, let us know what you find out about him

 

[Stew]

Still making progress, I hate removing the old paint. I did find that I can scrape the paint right off without using the paint stripper, it chips off the smooth gel coat fairly easily. Also after removing paint from the side you can see what looks like adhesive residue where decals used to be, I can't tell what the letters used to spell though.

Also it looks like Jon Foster had a couple friends... The first one I can't make out but him and Jeff R also carved their names right on the gel coat.

 

[landuse]

Very cool

 

[Brianator]

Tom perhaps?

Neat machine you have there! Remember that old school leather wheel wrap? I bet that would look great on that and fit the theme nicely!

 

[Stew]

Landuse - Thank you

Brianator - I bet that's it, Tom! You know what, I was actually thinking about getting one of those exact type of covers because that leather cover I put on is surprisingly uncomfortable, it's very hard, not that I'll be exactly spending a lot of time driving it though haha. I remember those old wheel covers being a soft plastic material though, maybe they came in several styles.

Also as I removed paint from the back I was able to make out some of the wording... Market Express in the arc on top and something something 'shopping' on the bottom right. I will just have to re-create this when I re-paint it, it will go perfect with the color scheme! Looks like I was wrong in the first post, it isn't a Krogers go kart after all but the body is the exact same, if anyone knows anything about this kart let me know.

 

[Stew]

Quick update: The old paint is 98% removed. I've been dragging my feet on the body but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel now. A rag with lacquer thinner removes the adhesive residue stuff nicely if you look towards the upper right area. It's getting there...

 

[Hellion]

Hope it is not too late... to turn it into a HEARSE. That's my vote, especially after seeing the pics from post #1 with the skeleton mirrors.

Ideally, you could have several iterations for this thing, with removable signs. Use placards on the sides that are removable with the help of those neodymium magnets.

 

[Denny]

Hellion, magnets don’t stick to fiberglass. But I do agree with the hearse idea. How did I miss this?

 

[sargentjay]

Quick update: The old paint is 98% removed. I've been dragging my feet on the body but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel now. A rag with lacquer thinner removes the adhesive residue stuff nicely if you look towards the upper right area. It's getting there...
View attachment 126770

I can tell you exactly where this go kart came from , my father inlaw was a manager at Kroger from Steubenville oh , he won it in a raffel

 

[Rat]

New guy here, last night I picked up a used go kart with a fiberglass Model T delivery van body.

View attachment 126665
View attachment 126671

From what I've found it started life as a promotional go kart raffled off by Krogers and looked like this:

View attachment 126666

Not much information out there about it, don't know how many were made or how rare it is. The one I picked up was heading down the rat rod path but that's not really my thing so that will change, I'm not going to restore it either, it is missing too many original parts and I don't want to be forever on the hunt for them.

My thing is more miniature scale versions of things, when I first got the go kart itch I was looking more towards the Shriner Model T parade cars but those were way out of my budget plus I wanted to have fun with something without feeling like I was taking away from it's value, or afraid to use it. So I ended up buying this!

I don't know what direction I'll go with it, I was thinking paddy wagon like this:

View attachment 126667

Which would translate roughly to this:
View attachment 126668

The body is actually in decent shape, just a couple minor cracks, it will eventually be repainted. The wing and side mirrors will go as well. Wheels and tires are getting ditched too, I'm leaning toward all four 4.80/4.00-8 trailer wheels/tires which will look more period correct being a little taller and skinnier.
View attachment 126669

But first things first, I am going to get it running and go from there. I removed the non-original motor and gave it back to the guy when I bought it, I have a brand-new motor for it, and a new clutch is on the way. The frame clearly needs a little tweaking as well.

More to come!
Stewart

Officially that's considered a "C" Cab body... it should be obvious why they were and are still called that

 

[Rat]

And a preview of some bits I got for the body... That front grill including the Ford script is one big sticker, I found a Ford script that will go nicely, still not sure how I'm going to recreate that grill effect with paint though.

View attachment 126734

I can think of 2 options.

Paint it black, and use a chrome decorative sheet mesh/screen from Lowe's as an overlay.

Paint it silver/aluminum and use some window screen like a stencil and dust it with matte black the same way the custom "lace paintjobs" on lowriders and Harleys are done using ACTUAL lace


1912 Ford Model T C-Cab

 

[Rat]

Quick update: The old paint is 98% removed. I've been dragging my feet on the body but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel now. A rag with lacquer thinner removes the adhesive residue stuff nicely if you look towards the upper right area. It's getting there...
View attachment 126770

Personally I'd cut the top out at the back of the C and the windshield frame completely off. Then re 'glass it to close the roof up completely and extend it up to round the C out and give it the correct roofline of what it's pretending to be, as well as using brass (even plated if actual brass is too expensive) for all the visible hardware.

Me being me would cut away the fake lights and fabricate replica lantern lights (recessed ceiling light pots look like about the right size) and set the engine up with coils to actually light them up (obviously with some sort of motorcycle LeD mounted in it. Of course a vintage style Brake/ run bullet taillight stemmed up off the fenser or bumber would be in order as well

 

[agriffith50]

New guy here, last night I picked up a used go kart with a fiberglass Model T delivery van body.

View attachment 126665
View attachment 126671

From what I've found it started life as a promotional go kart raffled off by Krogers and looked like this:

View attachment 126666

Not much information out there about it, don't know how many were made or how rare it is. The one I picked up was heading down the rat rod path but that's not really my thing so that will change, I'm not going to restore it either, it is missing too many original parts and I don't want to be forever on the hunt for them.

My thing is more miniature scale versions of things, when I first got the go kart itch I was looking more towards the Shriner Model T parade cars but those were way out of my budget plus I wanted to have fun with something without feeling like I was taking away from it's value, or afraid to use it. So I ended up buying this!

I don't know what direction I'll go with it, I was thinking paddy wagon like this:

View attachment 126667

Which would translate roughly to this:
View attachment 126668

The body is actually in decent shape, just a couple minor cracks, it will eventually be repainted. The wing and side mirrors will go as well. Wheels and tires are getting ditched too, I'm leaning toward all four 4.80/4.00-8 trailer wheels/tires which will look more period correct being a little taller and skinnier.
View attachment 126669

But first things first, I am going to get it running and go from there. I removed the non-original motor and gave it back to the guy when I bought it, I have a brand-new motor for it, and a new clutch is on the way. The frame clearly needs a little tweaking as well.

More to come!
Stewart

I have this exact same rare vintage Kroger go-cart and it runs. I believe there were only 20 - 25 made. My Grandma won this go cart at an IGA grocery store raffle in the 80’s. Thinking of selling mine, curious how much you paid for this Kroger Go- cart and where you purchased it.

 

[Rat]

I have this exact same rare vintage Kroger go-cart and it runs. I believe there were only 20 - 25 made. My Grandma won this go cart at an IGA grocery store raffle in the 80’s.

Damn, I remember going to an IGA as a young'n... forgot about them.

 

[Denny]

I have this exact same rare vintage Kroger go-cart and it runs. I believe there were only 20 - 25 made. My Grandma won this go cart at an IGA grocery store raffle in the 80’s. Thinking of selling mine, curious how much you paid for this Kroger Go- cart and where you purchased it.

That guy hasn’t been back on here since 2020. Maybe the Rona got him.