This go kart was designed and manufactured by F.W. & Associates to closely resemble the then-current Chevrolet Corvette, the third generation or C3 model.
Power is provided by a 208cc WEN four-stroke single-cylinder engine, providing plenty of go, and it has a centrifugal clutch for easy operation.
The styling of the body is unmistakably based on the C3 Corvette, and it does a great job of capturing the model’s sweeping lines running front to back.
F.W. & Associates
F.W. & Associates was based in Mansfield, Ohio, the history of the company is difficult to uncover, it seems they went out of business some time ago, but it is clear that they had a major impact on the US go kart industry while they were still in operation.
The company build a remarkable variety of karts, almost all based on the designs of current automobiles in the 1970s and 1980s. Some of these designs included the “Mini Vette” shown in this article, there were also mini versions of the Pontiac Trans Am, first generation Ford Thunderbird, Fox-Body Mustang, AMC Jeeps, and even Chevrolet vans.
The go karts from F.W. & Associates all seem to have shared similar or perhaps even identical underpinnings, with a tubular steel chassis, a rear-mounted engine operating the rear axle, and a fiberglass body of the vehicle the kart was built to replicate.
In the years since they left production these karts have become serious collectibles, with enthusiasts sometimes paying thousands for a good example. It’s common to see owners of the full size car seeking to buy the F.W. & Associates mini version for their son or daughter, making for some great garage and driveway photos side-by-side with the real thing.
The “Mini Vette” Go Kart Shown Here
The “Mini Vette” shown in this article is based on the design of the C3 Chevrolet Corvette, and it does a good job of miniaturizing the original 1980s-version of the car down into go kart form. It has been recently refinished in fresh black paint, and it has front and rear license plates, Corvette logos, faux front and rear lights, side markers, and a rear spoiler.
The Mini Vette is sized so that it’s really only suitable for children, it also has a centrifugal clutch making for nice easy two pedal operation.
It’s powered by a WEN 208cc OHV four-stroke single-cylinder engine powering the back wheels. Braking is by rear band brake and it rides on 6″ wheels with bias-ply tires. The go kart has a single seat upholstered in white with a lightning bolt motif.
If you’d like to read more about this unusual Mini Vette or place a bid you can visit the listing here on Bring a Trailer. It’s being offered out of the Village of Palmetto Bay, Florida, on a bill of sale.
Images courtesy of Bring a Trailer
Articles that Ben has written have been covered on CNN, Popular Mechanics, Smithsonian Magazine, Road & Track Magazine, the official Pinterest blog, the official eBay Motors blog, BuzzFeed, Autoweek Magazine, Wired Magazine, Autoblog, Gear Patrol, Jalopnik, The Verge, and many more.
Silodrome was founded by Ben back in 2010, in the years since the site has grown to become a world leader in the alternative and vintage motoring sector, with well over a million monthly readers from around the world and many hundreds of thousands of followers on social media.
