Trying something new… Checkout the video and post your thoughts below.
You know I would. 
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Speaking as the wrench for more than a few years, I have mixed feelings. We started out on a small sprint track with small fields and the only plastic on the kart were number panels and a fairing. That was just fine. At the first attempts at road racing with the same body work, I wondered why the kart was unstable down the long front straight. The answer was areo. Having a nose on the kart was essential. So far we have a no for old time sprint racing and yes for road racing.
Back to sprint racing with bigger tracks, fields between 20 and 30, higher speeds and more aggressive drivers, I’d want my driver to have body work on the kart. We’ve had the side nerf bent by contact from another kart. My opinion is that without the bodywork, the impact on both drives would have been greater.
Bottom line, racing vintage karts without bodywork is fine. It’s a more gentlemen like racing done by drivers out to have fun. Racing anywhere else, we need bodywork.
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I’d use two level nerfs (not single bar) and just have a driver fairing and have at it…
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Thanks to everybody who has responded so far.
To preemptively clarify this isn’t really me saying let’s all go back to racing without bodywork but more so on an individual basis if there was a single class that didn’t run bodywork would you join in?
I just figured it would be an interesting question with so much talk lately about Push back bumpers for with plastic bumpers loading driving standards and so on
Please apply a standard speech to text disclaimer to my above post and perhaps future ones too!
That’s from a short period of time when you had a choice…These were Juniors, at the time sometimes quicker than Formula A because of the low weight, high grip and quick motors. Notice how the rear tyres were way outside the reach of the nerf bars and completely exposed.
(notice the karts in the background with the full plastics)
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There are groups in vintage that race hard and there are more exhibition type groups. In this case I’m talking about the former
Sure, why not. But as a road racer primarily, and one of the bigger guys you’ll find in a kart in general, I can use all the aero I can get.
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The “Pre '89” class in F100 over in the UK is another example of podless pursuits:
https://www.kartpulse.com/article/50/video-setup-and-driving-matter-more-than-equipment
As part of the WingKart testing, I ran my Margay Brava with and without the KG Unico bodywork. At East Lansing (~40s/lap) the kart was about 3/10 s faster per lap with bodywork. I think the nosecone does make some downforce; it had a noticeable push in the middle of Turn 5 when it was absent.
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A class that runs with no bodywork, sign me up. I agree with the road racing folks, aero is required to stabilize the kart and makes it faster (faster is good 
). On a sprint track though, I think the amount of plastic we have on the karts now has led to a bit rougher racing and more accidents. I think less/no bodywork would lead to more respect and cleaner racing.
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I’m along the same lines as @Tony_Z. In addition, if it were one class that permitted it, to include a level of maturity, I think it’d be awesome to see/participate no-fender karts racing again. Wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibility seeing how vintage karters are making it happen. Adams Motorsports Park in Riverside, CA has a pretty big vintage fest. Also, Calspeed in Fontana has had them rolled out as well.
However, the follow on rules, regs, safety, liability etc… would it be worth putting 10-20 drivers out there going +50mph? Safety will no doubt be the pinnacle point of contention depending on track owner and club/series manager. Personally, I’m fine with fenders… just unsure about the dropping front bumpers (separate topic…).
Gentlemen, huh? Not really.
Most modern vintage kart clubs essentially run their events as exhibition races. Could you please elaborate?
I think it varies, and is arguably a point of contention between some of the vintage clubs. Some are interested in pristine restorations and preservations, ala car show, others want to drive and then others want to race the snot out of them.
I wouldn’t, it would make me feel uncomfortable. I know that a lot of people have raced before plastic bodywork and so on, but I am hesitant.
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It is a mixture of Racers, Race Queens, and Enthusiasts.
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It depends on who I was racing against. There are some people who have no idea where the corners of their kart is/they don’t have a good idea of driving etiquette.
If you don’t drive like a knob, no bodywork should be fine!
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