Little buster

[BARTWAYMIRE]

Just picked up a "Little Buster" go kart that looks like a fun project just wondering if anyone knows the background of these karts[/ATTACH]

 

[karl]

The only other one I could find was posted here 4 years ago.
http://www.diygokarts.com/vb/showthread.php?t=28939
You could try to pm him

Cool project, seems complete

 

[Quinc]

Reminds me of the snoopy fun mobiles.

 

[JTSpeedDemon]

Looks like a live axle, so you might be able to make an off roading Little Buster!

 

[hotrod_magee]

I can't tell you how surprised I was to actually find another one of these on the internet. I've done searches before, but today led me to this site and a familiar toy.

I'll try to keep the background of this little guy as short as possible, but I have done some digging to learn the history of it. It was made in Milbank, SD around 1974-76 (from what I could learned) by Or-Land Industries Inc. It sounds like it started as a few guys with a Rupp Ruppster looking at it and thinking we could build something like this. From there the Little Bugger was born. I don't know how long that name actually lasted, but it became the Little Buster (same decal of a bug character). They were sold with a 292 JLO Rockwell snowmobile engine (Rupp was 230) or a Tecumseh 4-cycle engine (sorry I've never ran across one to know horsepower) and had a forward/reverse gearbox.
BARTWAYMIRE what you have appears to be a mostly complete little buster. I know they were sold with (or maybe an option I don't really know) a front bumper, engine cover, and hood with windshield.

 

[hotrod_magee]

Here are a few pics of my Little Bugger. I've owned it for over 25yrs. though it has sat for many of those years. I am currently looking at getting it going again.

 

[mckutzy]

Hopefully buddy responds back.. this is a cool little ride....

HR- Do you have any pics of this F/R shifter gearbox that you describe. I faintly see a glimmer of this in the last pic above...

 

[hotrod_magee]

Transmission is currently removed if you want pics. I don't remember the name off hand but it was made in Minnesota. It is the same one used in an alsport tracker.

 

[mckutzy]

Ya that would be great... Very interesting...

 

[hotrod_magee]

mckutzy, I apologize. I was hoping to have gotten things lined up for this project a little sooner and thus gotten a pic of the trans to you by now. As it looks right now, it will be next week before I can get everything out of storage and get those pics to you. Sorry I didn't get them sooner but wanted you to know I didn't forget.

 

[mckutzy]

Alls good my friend... When ever you got time..
Did some looking on these... Very cool...

 

[hotrod_magee]

Here are the pics of the transmission in my Little Bugger (the one attached to the black metal plate) as well as a parts transmission I pulled out of an Allsport Tracker. Trans is from Apex Gear in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Its just a simple forward/reverse gearbox.

Sorry for taking so long to get the pics. I pulled the trans out of storage only to see how oil covered it was so I cleaned it up first. Any other questions just ask away.