This popped up on CL yesterday for about the price of a happy meal so I could not pass it up. At first glance I thought it was a home built and probably not worth the effort, then I got to looking close at the frame and it appears to be either a kit or a commercially sold Kart. It sits low, about 2" ground clearance and the steering geometry is pretty good for all of the slack. My guess is it was originally built for racing and around the 1958-1960 time frame. I searched online and found a pic of a similar frame with dual engine mounts but no info on the maker. Any help identifying it would be greatly appreciated.
I call it Death Wish
- Thread starter cl350rr
- Start date
A little more info from the ad of the orange cart in the pic above:
"This is a vintage twin engine racing kart. I cant remember the manufacturer but, they were only produced in New York and New Jersey. I used to have a vintage ad with the info on this but, I can't find it at the moment."
any ideas who built it?
"This is a vintage twin engine racing kart. I cant remember the manufacturer but, they were only produced in New York and New Jersey. I used to have a vintage ad with the info on this but, I can't find it at the moment."
any ideas who built it?
Apparently someone had one of these at the Rear Engine Kart "TBO" meet in Ohio in 2013, 2014, and 2015. looks like the same Kart each year but painted silver in 2015. I found this same orange color under the black on my frame. the wheels are the same as on mine and the engine is a Clinton.
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With the help of member Jim Donovan, I was able to contact Frank Weir to see if he could identify this kart. I got a response back within an hour congratulating me on owning a Bilbrook, built by Bilbrook MFG of New York, NJ.
Apparently the Karts were produced from some time in the late 1950s (earliest ad I have seen is in the December 1959 Quarter Midget and Karting World magazine), through 1965 and manufacturing may have moved to Connecticut at some point. Frank provided the attached ads and from them and a bit more research I am convinced that My Bilbrook is a very early example dating to 1959 or 1960.
If anyone has a copy of December 1959 Quarter Midget and Karting World magazine, I would really like to get a copy of that ad, or any earlier ads for Bilbrook.
The Yellow (then painted silver) cart I posted pictures of above is a later model of the Kart as it has a tube framed seat back and steering column support vs the solid rod squared off design of the early karts.
Note that the cart in the second ad does not have scrub brakes, mine had them added at some point but was originally equipped with a single drum brake.
Apparently the Karts were produced from some time in the late 1950s (earliest ad I have seen is in the December 1959 Quarter Midget and Karting World magazine), through 1965 and manufacturing may have moved to Connecticut at some point. Frank provided the attached ads and from them and a bit more research I am convinced that My Bilbrook is a very early example dating to 1959 or 1960.
If anyone has a copy of December 1959 Quarter Midget and Karting World magazine, I would really like to get a copy of that ad, or any earlier ads for Bilbrook.
The Yellow (then painted silver) cart I posted pictures of above is a later model of the Kart as it has a tube framed seat back and steering column support vs the solid rod squared off design of the early karts.
Note that the cart in the second ad does not have scrub brakes, mine had them added at some point but was originally equipped with a single drum brake.
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