Free Birel project.

[s10kid]

So I got this kart for free this past summer and I worked on it a little bit before I went to college. I got the engine running and the kart rolling. So when I was home a few weeks ago I stripped it down to paint it (still have not decided if I am going to or not). I got back to college and my buddy cut some key ways in my axle and I ordered a sprocket.http://www.mfgsupply.com/m/c/4-8247.html?id=yIVrQwfc Ive also done some research and found it is a 1972 birel targa? Can anyone confirm this?

Here it is when I got it

And here is where Im at now except the engine is back on it.

 

[jmadden91]

Looks great mate The chassis looks very similar to mine

 

[s10kid]

Thanks! Im pretty excited about it I just wish I had more than a 5 HP engine haha

 

[Redneck]

These frames looks so cute!... It has "racing" written all over it, accept for the motor of course!

 

[s10kid]

Worked in the shop tonight from 7 till 9:30 tonight. I put everything back together, cleaned some stuff and assembled the rear axle. All I need now is a chain (which Ill get tomorrow) and brakes of course!

 

[Gogo]

Hi Mike

Just came across your kart. Yes your kart is a Birel Targa my father is a vintage kart collector and has a fully restored Birel Targa. I have a question to ask though, would you be interested in selling the steering wheel off the kart? i am happy to replace it with another. Send me an email if you like powlesglenn@hotmail.com and i can show you photos of my father's birel.
Many thanks
Glenn

 

[mike75925]

i'm not entirely sure, but i think you might need the casette bearing that goes next to the sprocket. running without could cause a toe-out effect on that wheel. what motors have you looked into? or have you looked into suping up that briggs?

 

[BriggsTwins]

for a shifter style yes he would, the briggs on the other hand doesnt carry enough torque to tweak things as severly

 

[anderkart]

for a shifter style yes he would, the briggs on the other hand doesnt carry enough torque to tweak things as severly

+1, I agree.

I also think s10kid should hold onto his origanal steering wheel.

 

[BriggsTwins]

maybe, if he is going for aesthetics, otherwise its just a wheel, would be nice to laser cut one of those

 

[anderkart]

This karts old enough where it should be gaining value in the vintage kart market. If that is in fact an origanal steering wheel, it could end up making quite a diference in the karts resale value some day. (i dont think it looks like anything special either but the only reason I'm assuming this steering wheel may be well worth holding onto here is because Gogo wanted it bad enough to of signed up and posted his offer to buy it...)

 

[mike75925]

If that is in fact an origanal steering wheel, it could end up making quite a diference in the karts resale value some day.

true, if original and hard to find the wheel could possibly bring half of the overall value of the kart to the right buyer. i have a cat 350x slingshot that is in rough shape, but most of it is there. a new aftermarket caliper is around $40, so you could ask $50 or more for an original (in used condition) and get it

 

[Gogo]

Hi Mike
I will upload a photo of my fathers fully restored Birel Targa. The original color of the kart for the factory drivers was blue. My family has huge history in karting dating back to 1959 through three generations. My father and I have both raced overseas on several occasions. As i said previously im happy to pay for the steering wheel or replace it with something new. We have a big collection of karts and spare parts for a range of different karts from different years. Parts for that kart are extremly hard to find therfore we may be able to help or trade some parts for exchange of the steering wheel. The kart does not carry any value to a collector in its present state as the kart has been modified to fit that engine. The factory drivers who raced those karts used Komet engines like you see in the photo. Looking forward to your thoughts

 

[anderkart]

The kart does not carry any value to a collector in its present state as the kart has been modified to fit that engine. The factory drivers who raced those karts used Komet engines like you see in the photo. Looking forward to your thoughts

What modifications would keep him from simply clamping the corect mount/Komet engine back on this chassis someday?

I hope you find your steering wheel but think this old Birel's too complete to even consider parting out.

 

[mike75925]

gogo, you might ask in a pm next time

 

[SpyGuy]

Cool ride ........... Fix it up and drive the wheels off it. Don't even consider parting it out.

It doesn't matter what you do to it or if anybody else thinks it's cool or not. (I do, btw.) Bottom line is, whose garage is it parked in at the end of the day? That's all that matters.

 

[s10kid]

WOW! I wasnt on here for a little bit and I get an email saying people are posting in my thread! First off Id like to say thanks for all the comments. I dont think I will be parting it out though because It was given to me by my best friend and as others said its too complete to part out. I would love to find an original engine for it some day. The engine thats on there is not running currently and I dont want to sink more money into than I have to, I already rebuilt the carb and no luck. I may just end up buying a clone for $100 and running that this summer. I did however have it running long enough to drive it a couple weeks ago and I gotta say it was a blast! Gogo whats your reason for wanting the steering wheel so bad? Is it a hard to find part? Also how much do you guys think the kart is actually worth? Just to get an idea of what I have, I dont expect much haha Is it a Targa and the engine is a komet k88?

 

[anderkart]

I'm no Idea of its curent value but you could try posting threads in these forums to get some educated guesstimates:
http://www.vintagepowersport.com/vka/html/forum.html
http://www.kartingarchives.com/

 

[s10kid]

Alright I signed up and hopefully someone will give me some sort of idea of what its worth, not like im going to be selling it or anything but its always good to know. Thanks.

 

[Gogo]

The kart my father has is the 1973 world champion kart and is autographed by the driver all that is missing from the kart is the steering wheel which is extremly hard to find. The value of my fathers kart in its current restoration would sell to a collector for $7000 and in time perhaps more. Everything on Dad's kart is brand new orginal. We have a collection of fully restored karts from the 50's 60's and 70's including a one of six wheel kart. How much do you want for the entire kart? it's a waste of great vintage kart if you have no intention of restoring it properly.