Mini monster truck rebuild

[Possom Point]

Hey everyone, me and my son are going to be starting a project together, we bought a go kart monster truck earlier last year and never really knew who made it until recently. The body was severely busted and broken up but the frame was still in good shape. With this go kart I will need some help from the more experienced members, there is a faint sticker on the steering shaft that says “Action Performance Companies INC”. I’ve never heard of them and I thought this was an older model Carter brothers truck, but it wasn’t. I haven’t found much info about it at least how I typed the search. We found a different truck body a few weeks ago up in West Virginia (worth the drive), but this one fits the road karts, ones low to the ground for asphalt/concrete driving. Please let me know what info you guys have to help us out.
Parts list so far…
Lifan 212 electric start
a set of 2 charging coils
sprocket hub adapter
Vevor forward/reverse gearbox
new 30 series Torque converter
ignition switch panel

 

[Denny]

The tan body is a Subaru Brat. Keep the Chevy truck body and repair it and make a new roof. That’s a cool cart an I’ve never seen one before like it. The full floor board is unique. Post the pictures directly instead of that hidden stuff. Hellion can tell you how.

 

[Possom Point]

The tan body is a Subaru Brat. Keep the Chevy truck body and repair it and make a new roof. That’s a cool cart an I’ve never seen one before like it. The full floor board is unique. Post the pictures directly instead of that hidden stuff. Hellion can tell you how.

The Chevy body is some type of plastic. Not fiberglass. I plan to keep it but I have no idea how to repair plastic. The tan body has some real bad cracks in the gel coat but that’ll get fixed once we get the frame cleaned up, I am also going to have to give the body a body lift of sorts, since this wasn’t a direct fit, I’m thinking of some flat bar, maybe 3-4” tall to clear the tires.

 

[Possom Point]

Post the pictures directly instead of that hidden stuff. Hellion can tell you how.

sorry about that, I do all this with my phone, some reason the format is different

 

[Grizzlymi]

I would have killed for one these monster truck karts as a kid! Maybe not literally, but close to it.

 

[Possom Point]

Finally got around to do some work on the mini truck. Took old motor off and briefly put the new one on for reference.

 

[Hellion]

I would have killed for one these monster truck karts as a kid! Maybe not literally, but close to it.

I think we "waffle" on the karts with bodies thing. First we're like COOL, then we see the body as superfluous and maybe too much trouble, too easily damaged, makes ingress/egress into it (literally sitting in the kart instead of on it) problematic and so forth. But now they're cool and the Carter Brothers Grave Digger and Big Foot mini monsters for example, are beyond cool.

Those mini monster trucks are kind of really rare? Most of us have seen or have experience with the Indy, Stock Car and Model T karts but they seem pretty mundane compared to the monster trucks.

Finally got around to do some work on the mini truck. Took old motor off and briefly put the new one on for reference.

That genuine Lifan motor is kick butt.

 

[Possom Point]

Got some work done. This kart sat for a really long time. Outside.. the wheels were seized up on the axle as well as the brakes, sprocket, bearings, him and snap rings. I hate that I had to do this but I couldn’t get the axle out because the hanger bearings were seaized so bad I had to cut the axle in half
I really wanted to keep this as original as possible as far as main parts but not this go around. I used my torch, Kroil, hammers, wood blocks and steel rods to attempt to loosen parts to get them apart. This axle design is nothing like I’ve seen or dealt with. Check out the pics.

 

[Possom Point]

Back of kart

 

[Possom Point]

Few pics of oddball parts on how this was build

 

[Possom Point]

Unfortunately there was either a pin or a broken bolt that attached the steering wheel to the shaft, I attempted to drill the pin/bolt out with no luck and ended up slipping with the drill and walked off into the plastic. Whoops

If you look at the previous pictures and see how the steering shaft was pinned in place, there was no way I could see getting the shaft out from the bottom and with the sterring wheel stuck I decided to cut the shaft and pulled both pieces out. I have a parts Manco go kart I’m robbing the steering wheel off and using that for the steering.
This go kart almost seemed like it was built to not be worked on very well, at least from comparing to what I’ve worked on in the past.
this is built VERY different than others, even down to the throttle rod connected to a cable that went to the engine, and same way for the band brake.

 

[Denny]

Looks like it was a high quality kart for the time.

 

[Grizzlymi]

Oh the joys of old rusted parts on awesome karts! Little things like that can hold up a project way to long. Cool project and hope everything works out for you.

 

[Possom Point]

Oh the joys of old rusted parts on awesome karts! Little things like that can hold up a project way to long. Cool project and hope everything works out for you.

Right!!!! I was hoping for a easier project but I’m modifying things now that’s it’s all apart so it can be worked on later in a easier way

 

[Hellion]

I just realized the black fiberglass (or plastic) "buggy" in photo #2 is in fact the lower body and fenders for the Chevy stepside. That's a good design. I thought I was looking at a Funderbird or Muskin Dune Cat copy. DErp!

Keep the Chevy truck body and repair it and make a new roof.

Since Possom P said it was plastic, I don't know how to repair it either except maybe with plastic welding, stitches, staples, Bondo(?) or other, figuring he will have to do overkill on the repair to make it durable. But repair it with what? I say make it a convertible pickup truck and trim the "nubs" (A and B pillars) flush with the body. Could use a windshield though which would be an easy fab.

For the Subaru Brat, here's some past threads:

1978 Fun Wheels Inc. Subaru BRAT Promotional Go-Kart

Hello everyone, new member here with an old kart. I got into the vintage Subaru game about 14 years ago (Real Subarus, not karts). The idea was to find a cheap 4WD car that could get me up to the ski slopes and maybe some light off-roading. One day I stumbled across the USMB and it was as if...

www.diygokarts.com

1978 Subaru Brat Go-Kart For Sale

Hi! I have a 1978 Subaru Brat Go-Kart for sale that has been gathering dust in my garage for years. It's yellow, paint isn't bad, decals are good, tires are good and with some fresh gas it fired up pretty easily. It was running a little rough but some carb adjustments fixed that problem. I...

www.diygokarts.com

Subaru Brat go kart for sale!!!!

I plan on selling my beautiful all original Subaru brat go kart. This has been garage kept for probably 40+ years. Not currently running but I have put in zero effort to get it started. Could be as easy as new spark plug. I live in north burbs of Chicago. Please email with interest...

www.diygokarts.com

 

[Hellion]

there is a faint sticker on the steering shaft that says “Action Performance Companies INC”. I’ve never heard of them and I thought this was an older model Carter brothers truck, but it wasn’t.

Found a site describing the company history and how they manufactured a lot of collectible die cast toy cars and 1/3 scale models...

Action Performance Companies, Inc. -- Company History

Action Performance Companies, Inc. is the leader in the design, marketing and distribution of licensed motorsports-related apparel, souvenirs, die cast car replica collectibles and other memorabilia.

www.company-histories.com

[Fred] Wagenhals also made gas-powered one-third scale cars used in the film Smokey and the Bandit and in the television show Fantasy Island.

In the 1980s Wagenhals was in business with two partners in Tempe, Arizona, to sell these minicars. Wagenhals and his partners Joe Hrudka and Ed Fochtman incorporated in 1986 as Action Products, Inc. This company sold the gas-powered cars as well as pedal cars, electric cars, radio-controlled cars, and something called the "Funder Wheels Go Kart." Action Products was able to sell its minicars to such substantial clients as Coca-Cola, Pennzoil, Dial Corp., and Quaker State. These customers used the cars in promotional events. Action Products also sold a significant number of miniature cars patterned after the vehicle shown in the movie Back to the Future II. Despite the small company's promising sales, with revenues just under $5 million in 1987 and up to $6 million in 1988, cash flow problems plagued it, and Action Products operated at a loss. The company went public in 1989, hoping to raise close to $3 million in its initial stock offering.

Meanwhile, Action Performance continued the sell the one-third scale minicars that had been the prime product of the old Action Products. It also acquired Race Z, Inc. in May 1992, a company that specialized in staging Grand Prix-type races for minicars. Action Performance began to have an extremely integrated business. It sold minicars to companies that wanted to stage races as fundraisers, and conducted the races. Its minicar customers also often bought the collectible models, as gifts or premiums for their clients.

1984 Action Performance Valvoline Motorized Mini Truck For Sale At Auction - Mecum Auctions

View the 1984 Action Performance Valvoline Motorized Mini Truck for sale at Kissimmee 2023 in Kissimmee, FL as X53.

www.mecum.com

Added photo from that site in case it goes *poof*


Overall, info on individual models (photos and such) seems really scarce.

 

[Denny]

What other business did Joe Hrudka start in 1957? It was quite successful!

Mr. Gasket!

 

[Possom Point]

Well done Hellion!!!!!! That’s some great info. It’s always crazy to see a business start. Do good for a while then takes a dive for a short time then comes back to rocket out of the slums. That’s crazy about Action Performance and all the involvement they had with nascar stuff.
Speaking of Valvoline…..


Apparently this was the show truck body, what a shame to have something like this and it got all beat up over the years, this kart is most likely old than I am, from all of this new info, guys thank you so much!! I need to do better about how I search things.

 

[Denny]

I have figured out how to repair that body. Which I would definitely do. I would not use the Subaru body! I would make that body nice by any means necessary. Use it as a plug for a fiberglass mold. And cast a new fiberglass body. Yea, it will be some work but being it is a kind of rare kart it may just be worth it come time to sell.

 

[Possom Point]

I have figured out how to repair that body. Which I would definitely do. I would not use the Subaru body! I would make that body nice by any means necessary. Use it as a plug for a fiberglass mold. And cast a new fiberglass body. Yea, it will be some work but being it is a kind of rare kart it may just be worth it come time to sell.

A friend of mine at work told me the same thing…..

how would you suggest making the pillars and roof?