Hello
The kart I have was professionally engineered around and under a vintage Rupp corvette body, was built in the late 60's / early 70's. It was meant to go down dragstrips and at were at one time somewhat popular. It is powered primarily by a peroxide and 3 other liquids rocket motor. They were somewhat popular back in the day, but some had a tendency to go airborn and into the stands at around 170 mph in the 1/4 mile. The ones who made it, and nearly all of them did, usually ran over 200 mph. They had no more of a fatality rate then dragsters. Some of the builders were not big on spoilers and airdams back then to keep them on the ground. Ok, so the NHRA said no more 1/4 runs for these and they were starting to think that these should be allowed, so they got restricted to the 1/8 mile. The problem was that even so, they also had a tendency to "blow up on the pad", in other words, at the starting line, blowing the crew and driver to bits and sending them and kart parts all around them and into the stands, making them puke and threaten to harass the NHRA with cheap lawyers. So the NHRA said no more rocket powered karts at all, goodbye, have your fun and get blown up somewhere else. The thing was that it was only a few of the karts that made the others look bad. The maker of the most popular rocket motors on these karts got thrown into prison, and, if you ask me, was a little overblown. My attitude was "lets not argue and bicker about what killed who", etc. This is racing.
So, I ended up with the kart. I updated it a little with a magnesium steering wheel from a vintage fighter jet and a real carbon fiber seat. Both of the rear tires had separated on the edges on the tail end of the run and were obviously not meant for those kinds of speeds. I think he had a close call and his wife made him get rid of it but that is just a guess.. My question is that does anyone know a source for small hi-speed tires. The specific size is 11.0 x 6.5 on a 5 inch wheel, otherwise put on the tire sidewall as a 6.5/11.0-5.
The problem I am having is finding that exact size because it was a size made for the old days and not current anymore. Although they can be found on ebay from time to time individually, I have yet to find a matching manufacturer new pair with the same compounds. Plus meant for high speeds. Racing slicks obviously.
If anyone has a source for such tires, it would be a big help to me and I will mention you in my will. I swear it.
thanks all... mike
The kart I have was professionally engineered around and under a vintage Rupp corvette body, was built in the late 60's / early 70's. It was meant to go down dragstrips and at were at one time somewhat popular. It is powered primarily by a peroxide and 3 other liquids rocket motor. They were somewhat popular back in the day, but some had a tendency to go airborn and into the stands at around 170 mph in the 1/4 mile. The ones who made it, and nearly all of them did, usually ran over 200 mph. They had no more of a fatality rate then dragsters. Some of the builders were not big on spoilers and airdams back then to keep them on the ground. Ok, so the NHRA said no more 1/4 runs for these and they were starting to think that these should be allowed, so they got restricted to the 1/8 mile. The problem was that even so, they also had a tendency to "blow up on the pad", in other words, at the starting line, blowing the crew and driver to bits and sending them and kart parts all around them and into the stands, making them puke and threaten to harass the NHRA with cheap lawyers. So the NHRA said no more rocket powered karts at all, goodbye, have your fun and get blown up somewhere else. The thing was that it was only a few of the karts that made the others look bad. The maker of the most popular rocket motors on these karts got thrown into prison, and, if you ask me, was a little overblown. My attitude was "lets not argue and bicker about what killed who", etc. This is racing.
So, I ended up with the kart. I updated it a little with a magnesium steering wheel from a vintage fighter jet and a real carbon fiber seat. Both of the rear tires had separated on the edges on the tail end of the run and were obviously not meant for those kinds of speeds. I think he had a close call and his wife made him get rid of it but that is just a guess.. My question is that does anyone know a source for small hi-speed tires. The specific size is 11.0 x 6.5 on a 5 inch wheel, otherwise put on the tire sidewall as a 6.5/11.0-5.
The problem I am having is finding that exact size because it was a size made for the old days and not current anymore. Although they can be found on ebay from time to time individually, I have yet to find a matching manufacturer new pair with the same compounds. Plus meant for high speeds. Racing slicks obviously.
If anyone has a source for such tires, it would be a big help to me and I will mention you in my will. I swear it.
thanks all... mike