Old Go kart motor

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dave1701

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Got an old go kart motor? I'd really like to see it. Post pictures. Whats the oldest small engine you've had?
 

Blazkowiez

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If I can find it we've got a 1hp Briggs thats over 50 years old. It lives somewhere on the second story of the shop with the bulk of the random stuff we have. I'll check tomorrow.
 

Russ2251

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First kart I had was made of wood and powered by a '53 Briggs 5s.
PTO was only 1/2" so a clutch was out of the question. I ran it direct drive with exhaust pouring straight out of the block. And no...it doesn't hurt it.
I still have it, complete with original decal. Runs like a bastard.
 

Doc Sprocket

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Hey Russ- I looked into those old washing machine engines a couple of years ago. Really interesting!!! How many housewives dropped dead of CO poisoning??? ;)
 

Russ2251

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Russ how old is that clinton? early/mid 60s? its in great shape.
Best guess is 1958 or older. Very difficult to date them. Has a very early Wico ignition. I was very fortunate to find a NOS point set as they are exceedingly rare. Amazing that points worked at all...even when new. Very odd design.
Was not in great shape when I got it. Received it as a box of parts mixed with outboard and chainsaw stuff. I was told that it ran which was BS.
NOS piston, rings, and reed plate had to be located. Has the original J11J (nla) Champion plug. It's about 95% correct and original. Worth several times what I paid for it.
Only a Clinton expert (which I am) can detect what is incorrect about this resto.
 

Kenny_McCormic

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I just picked up a 1959 mercury 6hp outboard for free that only needs a fuel line and maybe a water impeller, the thing runs so good it can be started just spinning the flywheel by hand. I also have an inherited homelite 2 stroke generator, I run it on 16:1 every earth day.

My old man has a couple of 50s tec 5hp engines that were short block rebuilds and never ran, he also has a mini bike he put together with a 250cc Hirth sled engine from the 50s-60s that he set up with a normal clutch using a custom turned adapter. Plenty of other cool old engines and power equipment and engines around my house. 67 Camaro in the garage(complete with a built 327 that should make around 500hp) that will probably get fixed up and back on the road eventually. Unfinished sandrail project that was built with 68 microbus parts. A 48" 2 man chainsaw from the 40s(fully operational).
 

dave1701

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Sweet. Before I die I'm going to collect old motors. Never liked mercurys though.
 

sideways

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I just picked up a 1959 mercury 6hp outboard for free that only needs a fuel line and maybe a water impeller, the thing runs so good it can be started just spinning the flywheel by hand.

In that case, you need to build one of these. I know I would if I had an outboard!

As for old go kart engines, I've got a few old Japs which used to be fairly popular go kart engines, they'd be pretty gutless though. I've got many 1960s 160cc and 125cc Victas which people used to race with (but they are still only mower engines after all). Also a Honda G200 which was the 4 stroke engine of choice in kart racing a few decades ago. Oldest engine? Probably one of the Villiers, I know that was 1950s at the latest those Japs are probably just as old though.

Thanks

Hayden
 

HellSpawn

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Wouldn't say this is a go-kart engine, however, I found a home-made hit & miss engine that some kid made in his jr high shop class while I was digging around in our local scrap yards.

The thing looks like it had a lot of time put into it and its still in great shape, I couldn't help but nab it up and save it from its rusty death.
 

sideways

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Jap used to be a brand of engine? I live where you cannot throw a rock without hitting a lake, outboards are to be used on boats.

Yep, actually called J.A.P, they were a English engineering company that started up in the very late 1800s, Villiers bought them just WW2. I guess you wouldn't see much of them in America, coz Briggs had the small engines industry by the balls over there back then. J.A.P engines are very common in speedway motorbikes, they go like stink too.

Hayden
 

I like karts

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My little engine collection:
1. Black 1972 8hp briggs electric start: Currently in pieces, I was trying to take off the flywheel because this ones missing a few fins, needs a new coil, And I think I'm converting it to CDI and putting a mikuni on it. Should be pretty awesome when done.

2. Red 1980 briggs 5hp. This was the first engine I ever got to play with, it's just sitting around right now because carb was screwing up, it's a longblock right now, ran awesome when it was complete though. I donated the coil to the 8hp, which ruined it because I had to drill extra holes. didn't even work :p Oh well. Oh yeah and this one has been ported and polished

3. Whit 1990 briggs 5hp. This is my main engine that i use for things, only mods are a good tuning, cam advanced 2 teeth, and one of those 3 dollar lowes mufflers with the middle drilled out for straight through flow and a little sound reduction. Sounds pretty good! This is my only running one as of currently.
 

I like karts

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It has a little better top end power, and you can tell the compression is better because it offsets the easy start a bit. It sounds really cool at idle too :D
 
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