HISTORIC KART: DISCOVERING THE 1998 TONY KART EXTREME CHASSIS

Tony Kart Extreme chassis consists of mixed tubes with diameters that range from 30 to 32mm. The smaller size distinguishes the front of the Kart: front tube, front crossbar and the two longerons which connect the front part of the kart to the rear. All tubes in this area have a diameter of 32mm. Analyzing the frame’s design one notices, compared to modern chassis, the transverse tube which connects a “C” to the other one. The appearance is similar to that of a removable front bar, but the crossbar is in a fixed position, thus leaving no room for any adjustments. No maneuvering room for both “Cs” either, lacking the modern adjustment systems for the caster and camber. The only adjustment possible for the front is that of the height, to be modified through the use of classic spacers to be inserted underneath or above the stub axles.
Also the central part of the chassis, in the seat area, is not conventional: in the first homologation, dating back to 1997, the tubes formed two triangles on the sides of the seat larger than those in the photographed model (which was from 1999). Additionally, there was a single tube which crossed the chassis from left to right, in which it was possible to install the removable bar. In 1998, the second version of the chassis used a decreased size of the triangles, while the following year a double tube was installed below the front area of the seat. The tube, 32mm in diameter, allows for the possibility of inserting a removable bar that is flat and increases the stiffness.