Monday, September 14, 2015

The Fox Kart

Chapter 2 of Beltsville Shell: You Are What You Drive lays the foundation that go karts played in the formative years for me and all my buddies in Beltsville.  

Over the years I owned a few nice karts, but the ultimate was a 1962 Fox MAK Kart that I purchased from Dan Holbrook.  It had the McCulloch MAC 8 100cc engine.  It had a "Candy" blue paint job, satellite seat, the "swing" engine mount with the engine centered for good balance, Le Mans magnesium wheels, Bendix drum brakes and a Max-Torque clutch.

I loved that kart so much!  As I said in the book, karting was the season of my life that afforded me my greatest (childhood) joys!  (I suppose you can tell that from from my smile!)


I didn't realize at the time, but the Fox Kart was an international success.  In 1961, at the International Kart Championships in Nassau, Bahamas, the Fox brand won 1st place in three different classes.  Manufactured in Janesville, Wisconsin, Fox Karts won more International Champion titles than almost all other brands combined!

For years I have searched high and low to try to find a kart like the one pictured above with no success.

Nan had more success.  She was working hard to surprise me with a Fox Kart this Father's day and she struck gold.  Through perseverance she located a few people in the vintage karting circles, and in particular Randy Gryczkowski, also of Wisconsin.  Randy has a hobby of finding and restoring vintage karts.  When Nan approached Randy to explore building a replica of my old Fox Kart  she was unsure of which options Randy offered.  So she encouraged me to reach out to Randy directly.  After phone calls and email exchanges I discovered that Randy had recently sold the exact kart I wanted to a collector in Hilton Head South Carolina.  I had missed out!

But then a few weeks later I noticed a kart for sale on the internet by a guy named Tracy Schooler that looked exactly like the kart Randy had restored.  


Here is the video describing the kart that was for sale:
      1962 Fox Kart


You guessed it, Tracy had purchased Randy's restoration and it was now for sale.  Tracy and I quickly sealed a deal and Tracy threw in a treasure trove of karting memorabilia.  

The Fox Kart arrived in Carlsbad today.  But I'm not allowed to play with it until my birthday!


I love that go kart!

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15 comments:

  1. AnonymousSeptember 15, 2015 at 8:42 AM

    OMG !!! A real 'kid' again. Congrats on the 'find' and procurement !!! Bill G

    ReplyDelete
  2. jeff smithSeptember 15, 2015 at 11:26 AM

    Great memories "re-experienced!"

    ReplyDelete
  3. Dwain ParksSeptember 16, 2015 at 8:49 AM

    BEAUTIFUL kart!!!! I'm very familiar with Randy's "G"'s work. He's about as good as it gets!!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cary ThomasSeptember 16, 2015 at 9:32 AM

      Hi Dwain. Yes, he restores an AWESOME Kart. I think I need a second one as a "driver"!

      Delete
    2. Dwain ParksSeptember 16, 2015 at 2:18 PM

      Hey Cary!!! Well, that shouldn't be a problem!!! He is ALWAYS working on one !!! If he doesn't have what you want, we could certainly find it for you. I fool with right many karts as well, but mostly more towards vintage racing (they don't have to be quite as :perfect" as the stuff Randy builds!!!) Give me a holler sometime, I have a couple of 'ole Corvettes too!! 336-392-3780

      Delete
  4. UnknownOctober 7, 2016 at 6:16 PM

    Hey Cary, if anyone else in your area is looking for a Fox kart, I have a nice one for sale.

    http://www.vintagekarts.com/forum/view_topic.php?id=15983&forum_id=3

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. UnknownFebruary 26, 2021 at 10:29 AM

      for some reson when I enter the page,it says error.

      oh! and by the way....does the one for sale the same like the one in the photos?

      Delete
    2. UnknownMarch 1, 2021 at 8:14 AM

      for some reson I cant acsses the file.

      Delete
  5. AnonymousNovember 7, 2016 at 5:11 PM

    Had the same Kart...same time period! I lived for karting!

    ReplyDelete
  6. UnknownDecember 10, 2017 at 2:56 PM

    Still Looking For The Vintage Fox 2100 Go-Kart. Red With White Seat. Right Hand Drive 2.5 H.P. Clinton With Carb At Drivers Right Elbow. Three Holed Per Spoke Steering Wheel. Three Holed Gas And Brake Pedals. With The Four Inch Fox Mag Wheels And Fine Tooth Treaded Carlisles. Dead Axle. Scrub Brakes. Contact newbornknight@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  7. mgormanNovember 8, 2019 at 9:48 AM

    I have a 60’s Fox cart also and considering restoring it back to original condition
    Mark 661 714 7571

    ReplyDelete
  8. UnknownNovember 13, 2020 at 1:17 PM

    I just bought a used unrestored fox ksrt yesterday.It was raced in the new jersey aria I think. Kart has double trouble and #35 hand lettered on the #panel. Anybody know anything about this machine ?

    ReplyDelete
  9. FAP333April 19, 2021 at 6:00 AM

    In 1972, as a freshman in High school, i wanted a Kart. My dad picked me up early out of school on a rainy September day in Southern Wisconsin. We drove to the Fox factory in Janesville to try to find a Kart directly from the factory. They were in the process of going into Bankruptcy, but let us in and gave a short tour. I was allowed to pick anything remaining in inventory and we paid cash. I chose a Blue Kart wit the 5 HP Tecumseh and friction brakes. We had a 1/4 mile long winding driveway at our Fontana house and I must have put 20K miles on that Kart until the next year, when i turned 16 and got a drivers License. Should have kept it....great memories.....

    ReplyDelete
  10. AnonymousJune 30, 2024 at 4:48 PM

    I raced in a Fox Kart with a McCulloch, Mac 9 engine for a few years in Fremont, Nebraska. Those were wonderful years. We lived in Lincoln, but the track was in Fremont.

    ReplyDelete
  11. AnonymousNovember 22, 2024 at 12:56 PM

    Had to sell my late brothers 1963 fox kart chassis a few yrs ago, now I’m regretting selling it and looking to purchase another one,anyone out there selling maybe just the chassis?

    ReplyDelete

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