Clark 440 Project

[Jeffn]

I'm new to the forum - actually found this forum while trying to identify the go kart we just bought. My oldest daughter wanted to "rebuild an old gokart" with me, and my 12 year old twin daughters wanted to learn to drive before they turned 15, soooo we started looking for something with a cool vintage look. I've determined it's a Clark, either a 440 Cyclops or 460 Rebel (it does have orange paint under layers of white, black, and pink).



I have a few questions for the Clark experts out there:

• Does anyone have a pattern for the original seat cover that I could use to create a new one?
• Can someone post or send close-up photos of the linkage from the pedals back to the point the rods connect to the cables? I've only got one and it's not correct. I figured out how to make my own, but want to make it as original as possible.
• Could the kill switch panel below the steering wheel be original? It's riveted to the back of the hoop, but it's pretty well done - doesn't look like a backyard job.
  
  
• The tabs to each side of the seat look like they were for a seat belt. I don't see them in any other photos of Clarks I've found. Could they be original, or are they just an add-on?
  
• The pedals look original and I've seen them on other Clarks. I've also seen pedals with a serrated surface that have "Clark MFG" cast into the side. Were both types used? Are the serrated pedals older?
  

The motor is a Robin that's coming off and being replaced with a 4hp Kohler K91 from the early 60's that my father in law had sitting in the shed waiting for a project. Just need to rebuild it. The floor pan is rusted out and needs to be replaced, but other than that it just needs to be cleaned up and painted.

I also may have a bead on another Clark 440. There's a frame listed locally, and another seller that has a set of manco wheels among other odds and ends go kart parts. Anyone interested? If so I'll see what I can find out.

Thanks for your help!

 

[Hellion]

...Welcome, N00b! Sounds like a fabulous project for sure.

I was cringing as I was reading up to the point where you mentioned engines and was gratified to hear you not say Predator or clone.

To my minuscule knowledge those are (also) Kartco pedals so your guess is as good as mine. I am most familiar with the serrated pedals as well.

The thing about the whole seat back has me confuzzled. The high back doesn’t look right to my classically tuned eyes, but what do I know?

Seat belt slots also look out of place.

 

[Jeffn]

You're right about the seat back - it was clearly added on at some point, and not done all that well. However, I kind of like the look of it so I plan to clean up the ugliness and keep it. Going to mount the fuel tank to the back of the seat. Got it mocked up today; I'll post a photo.

 

[Hellion]

Wait a second. On second glance it is clear that the upper hoop of the seat back (what I thought was integral) is a separate piece that was tacked on.

I'd seriously cut that off and restore the classic lines of the kart frame. No doubt you've looked through all the old Clark threads and seen the 330s and the 440s.

I think you ought to do a white seat with racing stripe....

 

[JTSpeedDemon]

You're right about the seat back - it was clearly added on at some point, and not done all that well. However, I kind of like the look of it so I plan to clean up the ugliness and keep it. Going to mount the fuel tank to the back of the seat. Got it mocked up today; I'll post a photo.

Your kart's PO and my karts PO must've known each other!!
I have a similar situation, with ugly custom parts on a cool vintage frame, poorly executed.
I feel ya, brutha.

 

[Jeffn]

Definitely want to do a white seat with racing stripe ala original. I'm hoping someone with an original seat can help me out with a pattern or good close up photos.

Here's a shot with the Kohler mocked up.

 

[Jeffn]

Definitely want to do a white seat with racing stripe ala original. I'm hoping someone with an original seat can help me out with a pattern or good close up photos.

Here's a shot with the Kohler mocked up.
View attachment 111561

 

[Hellion]

You want to go ‘a la original’ with a white seat made from an original pattern/measurements but Crikey! you’re using the seat back/roll hoop as a holder for your fuel tank. I’m confused.

If you’re leaning in the direction of a resto-mod, dare I say “restoration”, you should mount the fuel tank on the engine similar to the Tecumseh in the brochure photo.

I’m gonna go ahead and tell you to procure a flathead Tecumseh but since those are fairly rare nowadays, ye olde Briggs 5 horse (or a 4 or a 3) would be a good substitute.

 

[retroracer]

I grew up in Clark Mfg Co.

I just randomly came across this thread and was surprised to learn our Go Karts were so sought after. I'll give you some brief history and try and answer some questions and if there is interest I may offer a Zoom webinar to host a Q&A.

Clark Mfg Co was owned and operated by Clifford M Clark and was located at 1718 Hwy 138 Conyers Ga. The original plant is still there and you can see it on google earth. The co. was started by his father Robert E. Clark and originally made 2 cycle lawn mowers. It had nothing to do with Clark fork lifts in any way whatsoever

"Cliff" Clark (Pres) was a single man with no children. He and my Mom dated for many years and I came on the scene at Clark MFG at around age 14-15 - Mid 1970's as I am now 56 and live in Atlanta.

We made a wide range of Go-Karts, (there was even a 550 that was gloss black with racing slick tires) and near the end of production we made an adult sized version called the Bobcat which was orange and a very early version of what would become the popular "4-wheeler" (I have some pics of me testing a prototype in a field beside the plant that I'll dig up and post. We also made Mini-bikes and tillers.

The reason it is so hard to find the alum. cast wheels is because we owned the design and the dies to cast those wheels. The dies where held by a contracted forging co and we tracked production to die wear to keep them honest. All original early engines were B&S and in later years some were Tecumseh. All the tires came from Taiwan (also contract mfg exclusively for us) and the seats were made by an upholstery co in Tucker Ga. The floating axles were cut at a machine shop in Peach tree Corners Ga. Everything else was made in house.

All of the Karts were hand made. I could draw a layout of the production plant process if anyone would be interested to see it. I think I had every job in that plant at one time or another. Welders would be on station as whatever model they were jig welding. As they finished a kart someone (me) would walk between welding stations and hang the kart frame on the stat line (Electro-stat paint line) where the kart would go hanging through an acid bath, then rinse, then dry, then through paint booth and on upward into the ceiling furnace for the baked enamel finish. At which point it would come around to a staging loop and be taken off and hung in a production rack. Mind you, this is all open warehouse floor space.

Rupp was never part of Clark Mfg. Rupp was a separate company that went out of business and Cliff bought all their dies and jigs to keep them off the market so no one could start up Mfg again. I was about 16 at this time and didn't know much more. Basically, these dies from another company showed up and some of their left over mini bikes and it all went onto racks in the lower W'hase and were never seen or used again. That was the end of Rupp.

There were 4 build stands with two people on each. That was the production line. They were built one at a time by two people each from start to finish, hand boxed and placed in shipping with the model and color written in sharpie on the outside of each box. The serial numbers were on notebook paper and turned in at the end of each day.

Clark Mfg ceased operations around 1985. The influx of Honda and other recreational vehicles made competition difficult. Liability insurance was increasing. We would get law suits over dead children because someone was standing on the bar behind the driver seat holding on to the back seat arch and of course the kart doesn't steer very well this way and kids ended up in streets under cars. (PLEASE don't let you kids do this) single karts are for one rider only!!!

And, Cliff was getting tired of manufacturing. He and his best friend from H.S. Pat Vincent went on to start Kids- R-Kids day care and then Cliff branched off and started Discovery Pointe Child Care. He is in his mid 70's now. Clark Mfg is where I learned everything in my early years about how a business operates. Today, I am a developmental business consultant. So amazing to see this thread. We were the largest Mfg of Go-karts in the US for a long time. Still, I wouldn't have guessed that this many years later there would be a community around our products. I'll leave the story here for now and if there is interest to know more or ask questions or to have a Zoom webinar - let me know and I'll see what I can do for you. Have fun and BE SAFE! Oh - some of the ads I see you guys posting. I made the mock ups for those during the summers and after school. We had a photography room and we also took all our own product pics, made the ads for dealers - everything.

---------- Post added at 08:35 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:29 PM ----------

The back hoop is a separate piece. All tube steel was "fish mouth" cut on a punch press and shaped with manual tube benders at first and then power benders later. The seats had a pouch style pocket on the back that slipped down over the seat hoop then snapped to the frame.

 

[Hellion]

That is an outstanding back story, Mr. Retroracer!

What a valuable contribution to our knowledge base...which is often so lacking. A hearty thanks for wandering in and sharing such a great story.

Everything else that you’re offering to share is a yes as far as I’m concerned. Looking forward to more information.

 

[retroracer]

Hi Jeffn - Look for my longer first post for update.
The kill switch is not orig and neither are the belt hoops.

The linkage is based on rack and pinion design.

---------- Post added at 08:51 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:42 PM ----------

Hi Hellion - Glad you enjoyed. I'm still processing there is a community around this. I'll dig up some pics and check back in a few days to see who all might be interested in a Sat morning Zoom Q&A with me. Glad I could offer something of value. So cool to see these things again. I don't even own one myself lol!

 

[Hellion]

Oh yes sir, there is a community. Basically any brand of manufacturer from that “golden era” of go karting is admired. The mini bikes too. Only via the internet has there been a resurgence I would guess, via the free flow of information, of photos and especially the old advertisements being made available again through electronic means.

Clark is one of those brands to look out for for certain. I’ve got my eyes peeled for one.
I only own go karts made by Ken-Bar and Manco, certainly the arch enemies of Clark Mfg.

 

[JTSpeedDemon]

Retroracer - Awesome!!
Now I just need someone from Bird Engineering to pop up...
I'm curious, in your opinion, which was better- Briggs or Tecumseh? Personally I like Briggs, but what's your unbiased opinion?

 

[itsid]

Look for my longer first post for update.

Just read your first post, and I am sorry
We will have a crapton of questions and demands for more infos and
every single pic you have (and we will ask for more even if your nose starts bleeding I'm afraid)
So in advance: sorry.. we're kind of obsessed with these things.

Great post, and thanks a ton for joining.

'sid

 

[Jeffn]

Retroracer,
Thanks for all the info! How great to come across someone so knowledgeable. I see you're in Atlanta - small world, I'll be in your neck of the woods this weekend for a british car show. I'm sure I'll have more questions for you, but I do have a couple that come to mind. Also I'd love to see any photos or ads that you have!

1. Did the Cyclops come in orange, or were only the Rebel 446 karts orange? Mine has no tags left, and no trace of the rebel flag sticker, but it was clearly orange.
2. You mentioned that Clark held the design and the dies for the wheels. My kart has the same wheels as the Cyclops in the add posted on this forum, but I've seen them elsewhere called Manco wheels. Did Clark ever outsource the wheels, or did Manco buy the dies after Clark closed down? Or maybe some other explanation?

Thanks again for posting on the forum!