Any help identifying go kart frame?

[erchuero]

Hello everyone, so I built out and then sold an old Manco Intruder 2, then moved on to my next project, an old racing kart.

Bought it off FB market with no info, just listed as 2010 kart, which I figured it wasn't that new. But now I'm feeling like it's probably 30 years old. I've attached a picture of the frame to help. The frame rail OD is 1-1/8".

My biggest pain point is the spindles. The right spindle's lower bearing and spindle wall was eaten through and the king pin bolt bent. But I cannot find replacements that match this size. Forgive my lack of nomenclature knowledge, but the shaft is about 4.5" long and 5/8" diameter, and the piece where it connects to the frame with the kingpin bolt is about 1.5 inches tall. But the thing that is baffling me, the kingpin bolt is about 9.3mm thick, and the bearing in the spindle is about 9.4 mm.

The closest match I could find was the bintelli xk spindle, but it is 8mm hole, and doesn't list the KPI, which mine looks to be 15 degrees.

So if I can't find any parts for this I think I'm just going to scrap their frame and consider it a loss, because the worst part is that the frame is slightly bent... Ugh.

 

[Denny]

That is a Gokart frame, but I can’t be of anymore help than that on it. Wait for Anderkart he’s our resident expert on racing karts.

 

[anderkart]

I'll try to help I.D. & locate a replacement spindle, but I need more clues:

I need to see a side view pic of the entire kart.

A close-up pic of either side of the brake caliper might be another good clue.

Are your steering column support bars chrome plated by any chance, or are they just bare metal or painted silver?

What diameter is the axle? 1", 1-1/4". 25mm. 30mm. or 40mm?

Also, check if it has mostly all Metric, or mostly all Imperial/inch-size nuts & bolts?

 

[erchuero]

I'll try to help I.D. & locate a replacement spindle, but I need more clues:

I need to see a side view pic of the entire kart.

A close-up pic of either side of the brake caliper might be another good clue.

Are your steering column support bars chrome plated by any chance, or are they just bare metal or painted silver?

What diameter is the axle? 1", 1-1/4". 25mm. 30mm. or 40mm?

Also, check if it has mostly all Metric, or mostly all Imperial/inch-size nuts & bolts?

I knew the axle question, forgot to post that. It is 1-1/4" diameter.

I have attached pics for the rest, and the steering support is chrome. The brake caliper says enginetics on it.

As for bolt sizes, I have no clue, but I needed one of these so I ordered a bit size checker, so I'll get back to you on that.

Thanks so much for the help! I had found a site, can't remember what it was called, that had thousands of pics from tons of manufacturers of different karts. I must have looked through a thousand pics and couldn't find one that looked like this. The most unique feature I was trying to identify was the motor mount second frame portion that does not go all the way forward to meet with the middle of the frame.

 

[Denny]

According to the sticker it might be a Cougar by Margay? Look for a serial number then try to contact Margay.

 

[erchuero]

I have scoured the frame for a serial number, nothing. Also checked in the spindle's c mounts, nothing there. Not sure if those are just third party stickers placed by a previous owner.

Does Margay still monitor their email to help with identification?

 

[Denny]

Last I heard they do. Anderkart would know for sure though.

 

[anderkart]

That site you mentioned with all the vintage race kart pics was probably this one:

INVADER KART

THE INVADER STORY

www.vdm46.com

You can click on their Chassis I.D. link for other brands of racekarts.

I think yours might be one of the 1990-era Invader brand sprint karts.
Invader was one of very few racekart brands that took the time & effort to chrome plate the steering column support bars...

Your frame looks very similar to 2 of these Invader models:

PS:
That site sell used to sell Spindles for Invader karts...
You could try emailing them your pics for positive I.D. and ask if they have your Spindles for sale

 

[erchuero]

That site you mentioned with all the vintage race kart pics was probably this one:

INVADER KART

THE INVADER STORY

www.vdm46.com

You can click on their Chassis I.D. link for other brands of racekarts.

I think yours might be one of the 1990-era Invader brand sprint karts.
Invader was one of very few racekart brands that took the time & effort to chrome plate the steering column support bars...

Your frame looks very similar to 2 of these Invader models:

PS:
That site sell used to sell Spindles for Invader karts...
You could try emailing them your pics for positive I.D. and ask if they have your Spindles for sale

View attachment 145056

That vdm46 site is the one I found, and forgot, with all the different chassis pics. I must have looked through a thousand before giving up. That invader kart definitely is the only one to have a similar motor mount where the second inside rail doesn't connect forward to the main chassis.

However, if you look at where the spindle hangers are welded to the chassis, on the invader kart, they are mounted off of the forward most rail, but on my frame they are mounted off of the main chassis rails. Also, the side skirt (whatever that thing on the right is called) forward mounts on my frame are mounted on the straight portion of the chassis main rail (kind of close to where the gas tank would be, under the steering column), but the invader kart are mounted on the angled portion of the main rail. Lastly, my frame does not have that extra 3-hole-support welded between the forward steering shaft mount bars.

Thanks so much for all the hard work, but the hunt continues. I still contacted invader karts to see if they can start an email chain so I can send them pics, maybe it is some variation of their frame. I will update if I hear back from them.

Thanks!