History of STEEN'S Taco Mini-Bikes

[Hellion]

http://steenstacominibikes.com/STEENS_History.html

A short history of the Steen's TACO mini-bikes which grew out of the go kart craze. The go kart or GoKart came first with the introduction of Art Ingel's first ever go kart creation in 1956 which set the standard and mini-bikes came shortly thereafter.

By 1962 the GoKart Manufacturing Company had gone bankrupt. The company had grown so fast in the five years it existed that it financially over-extended itself into bankruptcy.

The Flexo Products company in Los Angeles, a newer and much smaller catalog like STEEN’S, purchased The GoKart Manufacturing Company’s patents, tool and dies for all their GoKarts and Mini Bikes.

The Fox Corporation (GoKarts and Mini Bikes Mfg.) bought the GoKart trademark name and Logo.

.....

 

[Functional Artist]

Hey Hellion,

Kool nostalgic info

The go kart ad mentions a box mount suspension
...but, the ad doesn't show "it" too well

I tried Googling it
...but, just got a bunch of go karts (buggies) with suspensions

Any more info on this box mount suspension (pics, diagrams etc.) would be much appreciated

 

[panchothedog]

Really enjoy seeing the old adds. The kind that you used to see in Mechanics illustrated , Boys life, and even Hot Rod magazine. Incredible how prices have changed. Tried to buy a go kart in 1960. Local toy store said they could order it. Cost $100. I remember the manager telling me, don't forget the $4 sales tax. Went home and told my parents " I'm 12 now, I think I'm big enough to have one "
Needless to say my parents didn't agree. Got my first one at 59 or 60.

 

[Sparkwizard]

Reading the description of the "box mount suspension", I can only guess it was a solid axle with rubber blocks or cushions in the bearing mounts. I am also trying to find a description of what it actually was.

 

[Hellion]

There is, I believe, a similar suspension tech with some of the early McCulloch karts that had an interchangeable rear end that was also lightly suspended or shock-absorbed.

Ah yes, at around 5:46 minutes:

Looks like "box mount suspension" to me....

 

[ezcome-ezgo]

Deputy Fife never gets old.

 

[Sparkwizard]

Without Andy to add some common sense, Barney was just useless. I would love to live in Mayberry!
Never any traffic, could have raced Karts on the paved streets.

 

[ezcome-ezgo]

Citizen's arrest!! Citizen's arrest!!

 

[Sparkwizard]

Let's just nip this in the bud!
and get back on topic.

 

[Hellion]

Back on topic, fellas.

 

[Hellion]

First go kart and Art Ingels the guy credited with its genesis. https://www.vintagekarts.com/kart1.htm

This is the first kart ever, built by Art Ingels, the father of karting in late 1956. Art, who was a veteran hot rodder and a race car builder at Kurtis Craft (where he built many a winning Indianapolis car) picked up a surplus West Bend 2-cycle engine and devised a rugged tubular chassis that was simple but strong enough to withstand his 210 lb body weight. Mounted on a set of semi-pneumatic tires, and driving one rear wheel via bicycle chain, he surprised himself and his friends when his little creation took off like a banshee across a neighborhood parking lot. Wherever Art drove his little car, on back alleys, parking lots or around tennis courts, he attracted crowds of interested onlookers who wanted to know where they could get one.

​

This is a rear shot of Kart #1. The West Bend - made surplus lawn mower engine drives one wheel via bicycle chain drive.​

Three interested Californians, Bill Rowles (a surplus dealer), Duffy Livingstone (a hot rodder and driver-builder of sports car specials) and Roy Desbrow went on to form the Go-Kart Manufacturing Company in 1957. Ingels in turn left Kurtis Craft to co-found the Ingels-Borelli Kart company and produced the spectacular Caretta kart. Innovations they brought to endurance racing via the Caretta kart in 1961 at Tecate were in large part responsible for the enduro kart as we know it today.




Sorry kiddos, not for kids. That kart was designed to "fit" a 210 lbs man. Probably 6 feet tall too.