Just who invented the Go Kart?

Ron & Sue Hardwig

Dec 19, 09:43 PST

Dear Sir,

I would like to right a wrong.  Art Ingles did not make the first Go-Kart.  While it has been said that they THINK Art Ingles made the first Go-Kart in August 1956, I can prove that I made the first Go-Kart when I was 14 years old.  And to prove it I submit the above picture that was on the bottom of the front page of the East St. Louis Journal on Tuesday July 24, 1956, which was 8 days after my 15th  birthday on July 16, 1956.  I had made the Go-Kart in the spring of 1956 and had it running by the summer of 1956 as noted in the newspaper article.

The frame was made out of a old 1/8 inch x 1 1/2 inch angle iron bed frame.  I used a 2 HP Briggs & Stratton gasoline engine.  The engine had a centrifugal clutch with a V belt to a jack shaft with a final chain drive for a total gear reduction of 4 1/2 to 1.  Braking was done by a steel band covered with  leather that could be tighten around the outer disc of the centrifugal clutch.  Steering was done with an old car steering wheel hammered onto a 5/8 inch rebar with an aircraft cable wrapped around it, with pulleys to guide the cable to the tie rod on the front wheels.  The rear live axle was 5/8 inch dia.by 36 inches long with ball bearing pillow blocks.  The tires were 12 inch semi pneumatic wheels.

Just for the record.

 Ronald B. Hardwig, Professional Engineer