1999 CRG/Kali Kart "Red Barron" Rebuild

[winnn420]

If someone knows more about this kart that I'm trying to bring back from the dead, please feel free to share. From what I can find online and going by the current components and numbers stamped on the chassis, it's a 1999 Red Barron that was made by CRG/Kali Kart. Someone at Accelerationkarting told me it's a CRG after I gave them the numbers stamped on the chassis. The F&R brakes are identical to CRG ven99 brakes but they have R.B. etched into them which I haven't found on any other CRG brakes. I purchased all of the seals for CRG ven99 brakes and they are a perfect fit. There were two "Red Barron" decals on the front of the chassis, apparently CRG made karts for Red Barron in the late 90's but I can't find anything online about them. I'm only able to find one other picture online of the exact same chassis, and the owner is pretty much just as clueless about his as I am about mine.

I got it with a running 1998 KX125 engine for $450 because the previous owner wrecked it into a curb, and the chassis did appear to be useless. Also the brakes were badly in need of a total rebuild but they're now ready to be re-assembled and installed. I chopped off the bent lower front bumber, replaced the front upper bumper and will probably have a new lower bumper welded back on. I'm sure it won't be a race kart ever again but it will make a good play kart. I'll be sure to take more pics than I have been.

The parts I purchased so far are:
new tie rods & tie rod ends
front upper bumper
spingle king bolts & bearings
brake seals, shims & missing hardware
exhaust gasket
throttle & clutch cables
throttle return springs
header wrap for exhaust
& plenty of other misc hardware

Here is how she sat when I bought her...

 

[winnn420]

Here are some before pics of the brakes and pics of them ready to be re-assembled.

 

[winnn420]

Here are before & after pics of the front floor pan. The larger floor pan is also done. Wasn't fun at all scraping off the old clear coat!

 

[winnn420]

Here's a shot of the chassis after I chopped off the bent lower front bumper. I also had to chop off a portion of the brake peddal since it originally mounted to the lower bumper. I plan on using the bodywork so I need to have a lower bumper welded on, which is pretty much the next thing I need to get done so I can then throw some paint on the chassis and re-assemble the kart.

I think the hubs are the only remaining parts that need the faded blue anodizing removed, which will be done soon.

 

[anderkart]

Cool, looking good man

 

[winnn420]

thanks! It's really starting to look like I different kart. I should have taken some better pics before I started tearing it down but I never take enough pics when I start a new project. I got it down to the bare frame last night, if time allows I'll be degreasing it this evening after work and starting to prep for paint. I'll be sure to take pics

 

[winnn420]

Didn't seem to get very much done last night though I was working on it for a couple of hours . Degreased the chassis, which definitely had 14 years of grime on it, and degreased/scrubbed all the remaining hardware that needed it. This weekend its prep for paint, and hopefully there's time to paint it. Then it will cure for a week or so while I strip off any faded blue anodizing and polish the remaining parts. I have to get a new wire brush wheel for my bench grinder, I already wore out the old one on this kart...

I still need to fix a couple of cracks in the right side pod and repaint all of the bodywork...fun stuff!

 

[winnn420]

Coming along...The motor is cleaned and new gaskets installed. I went through the top end this weekend and the piston, rings & cylinder are in really good shape. Yet another thing that I wasn't planning on doing but I found a $40 Vesrah top end gasket set on ebay for $17 shipped because it was opened and missing the exhaust gasket. I didn't need the exhaust gasket so I figured why not.

Also got the front brakes re-assembled this weekend but I didn't take any pics yet.

 

[landuse]

That engine cleaned up nicely.

 

[winnn420]

I thought it turned out pretty good...good enough for a 15 year old motor that probably spent a good portion of its life in the dirt.

Calipers are assembled and ready. Assembling the master cylinders tonight which should be simple, and I still have to polish the rest of the braided lines.

I didn't start prepping for paint this past weekend because I remembered that I want to put a lower front bumper back on it. I ordered a KG lower that I think will work, it should be here in time to get welded on this weekend.

 

[winnn420]

The chassis is almost ready for primer & paint, probably an hour or so left of sanding to do. I'm debating going with a different color instead of green, I did already buy some green paint but we'll see. The KG lower bumper won't work for me so I'm going to go ahead and paint it for now.

I got the rest of the small parts cleaned/polished this weekend. Some of the hardware is new, that I already had. The only parts left to do are the 4 hubs, exhaust & radiator bracket..and I need to paint the radiator.

 

[Rob Kozakowski]

That chassis is a Red Baron "Germany" frame.

There weren't a lot of them around, but if you had one, you'll always remember it because of the unique design of the "waist" of the frame. I've still got one in my garage that was purchased brand new back at the start of 1998 or 1999 that I used for 125 shifter racing.

A potential source of information on it might be available from theracelab.com

The owner of The Racelab used to be an importer / distributor of the chassis back in the late 90's in Canada.

I think most of the Red Barons in the USA were sold through KRC out of California, who had their own "series" with those karts. I think they used mostly the KX125.

As far as I can tell, the brakes are basically the CRG Ven99's, but I think the pads (rears at least) are a bit different than the Ven99's. The brake seals are definitely the same.

If you're interested, I've got a set of used front brakes and probably some new front brake pads kicking around that I could probably be convinced to box up and send to you. Let me know if you're interested.

 

[winnn420]

Thanks so much for the info!! That would definitely make sense considering it has a KX125 engine. Luckily both my F&R pads were in great shape so I don't have to spend the $$ on them but I'm sure I can convince you to sell the front brakes if I have any issues with mine once I get them back on the kart.

What are your plans for the Red Baron in your garage?

 

[Rob Kozakowski]

It's hard to find much info on these karts, so when I stumbled across this, I figured I'd share what I know.

I raced the kart as a shifter for about 2 years (maybe 10 races) in the late 90's, then it sat in my garage for over 10 years. I finally decided to go racing again a couple years ago, and threw a 4-stroke onto the frame (hence the reason to ditch the front brakes).

I was thinking of upgrading to something newer, and selling this kart and letting this old race kart become more of a "toy", although there's no reason it can't still be raced.

 

[winnn420]

What size is your front stud pattern if you remember or could possibly check. And if its the same do you have any extra wheels you could let go? Mine is weird, it's 3 x 63mm or 2.5" (outside to outside), with 6mm studs and 55mm center bore. I can't find replacements anywhere so far. Luckily the minor damage to one of my fronts is fixable but I'd still like to get more wheels if possible.

 

[anderkart]

Winn, they're exspencive but I think the "CRG front" rims you need are avalible here: http://www.cometkartsales.com/store/wheels/wheels.htm

PS: You might find those rims at a lower cost from another racekart shop, but you need to be measuring the bolt pattern from the center to center points of 2 studs, not from "outside to outside" .

 

[winnn420]

Winn, they're exspencive but I think the "CRG front" rims you need are avalible here: http://www.cometkartsales.com/store/wheels/wheels.htm

PS: You might find those rims at a lower cost from another racekart shop, but you need to be measuring the bolt pattern from the center to center points of 2 studs, not from "outside to outside" .

They're close and you would think they're right but those are not the right size. The stud spacing a bit smaller than mine (mine is 63mm those are 60mm) and they us 8mm studs and mine use 6mm. Thanks for the info though! I thought the same when I found those on Comet.

 

[winnn420]

Actually comet uses center to center instead of outside to outside measuring so mine are 57mm bolt center to center and the ones on Comet are 60mm. Still off my just a hair.

 

[winnn420]

The brake system is officially done! The equalizer was major pain to polish but I finished it last night...really put the dremel to work

 

[winnn420]

I got my new 5"x5" front wheels, found a pair of polished Circle Racing wheels on fleebay from a guy who found a bunch of them in a storage locker, new in the package. Got them for $45 for the pair! He has 7 pairs of 6" also for only $40 a pair which I would buy if I was keeping the kart becuase they are really an odd size and I probably won't find them again anytime soon. Circle called the bolt pattern "big metric", and they are definitely different from the CRG fronts listed on Comet or anywhere else I've found. 6mm stud holes vs 8mm stud holes and slightly different spacing. Dumb luck that I found the only 5" pair listed on fleebay!