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!
OMG !!! A real 'kid' again. Congrats on the 'find' and procurement !!! Bill G
ReplyDeleteGreat memories "re-experienced!"
ReplyDeleteBEAUTIFUL kart!!!! I'm very familiar with Randy's "G"'s work. He's about as good as it gets!!!!
ReplyDeleteHi Dwain. Yes, he restores an AWESOME Kart. I think I need a second one as a "driver"!
DeleteHey 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
DeleteHey Cary, if anyone else in your area is looking for a Fox kart, I have a nice one for sale.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.vintagekarts.com/forum/view_topic.php?id=15983&forum_id=3
for some reson when I enter the page,it says error.
Deleteoh! and by the way....does the one for sale the same like the one in the photos?
for some reson I cant acsses the file.
DeleteHad the same Kart...same time period! I lived for karting!
ReplyDeleteStill 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
ReplyDeleteI have a 60’s Fox cart also and considering restoring it back to original condition
ReplyDeleteMark 661 714 7571
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 ?
ReplyDeleteIn 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.....
ReplyDeleteI 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