I Finally Acquired My Dream Car from Middle School: A Two-Seat Go-Kart

      Andrew P. Collins

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      Kismet is a playful way to express “fate.” And the most enjoyable kind of fate is one that presents you with a fantastic go-kart. Hop in, everyone—we’re chasing our eighth-grade dreams of piloting something that merges “toy” and “vehicle.”

      Recently, I was cruising across the county on a task for my partner. During a long, straight segment of country road, I noticed someone pushing a yellow go-kart buggy up a driveway. “How cool,” I thought.

      For the past two years, I've been somewhat enamored with kart-style vehicles, ever since competing against a CrossKart at the Mt. Philo Hillclimb. It was incredibly cute and fast—the epitome of a toy vehicle. Additionally, I’ve longed for a mini sandrail-style go-kart since childhood. I mean, haven’t we all?

      This kart is essentially the smallest vehicle I could fit into with a passenger. Andrew P. Collins

      Surely, I wasn’t the only child admiring Yerf Dogs and other lawnmower-style karts in catalogs, while munching on cereal and pleading with my parents to buy me one. They were very supportive throughout my life, but they never gave in to my requests for a small self-powered vehicle.

      Fast forward to today, and just as the go-kart guy's buggy passed my window, he placed a sign on it that read: “FREE.”

      After checking my mirror, I slammed on the brakes and, moments later, found myself with a new friend and a new project vehicle.

      The kart-giver was cheerful and eager to go into detail about the vehicle, as if he were actually trying to sell it to me. I found it amusing—he could have mentioned, “It might have snakes in the tires,” and I would still have been thrilled to take it.

      “The only issue is,” I said with a sigh, “it won’t fit in my car,” pointing to the Toyota Prius I had borrowed.

      “If you help me load it into my truck, I’ll bring it right to your house,” he offered. At that point, there was no way I could pass up the opportunity to adopt the kart.

      The gentleman explained how he had never managed to get the machine running and that he had a vast collection of other vehicles demanding his attention. Totally relatable! Apparently, he had received it for free as well—while working construction, he had noticed it in a barn corner. When he inquired about it, he was offered it at no cost.

      He promptly fulfilled his delivery promise. Days after our initial meeting, I met up with him again; we lifted the rig into the bed of his Ford Super Duty, and he dropped it off in my driveway along with a home-printed wiring diagram, a detached fuel tank, and an air intake.

      Currently, the buggy is parked on my pad, awaiting the fitted cover I've ordered to keep it protected from the impending snow.

      Since acquiring the go-kart, I've been researching it extensively to decide if it’s worth restoring and what it can realistically be used for.

      It’s a Tomberlin Crossfire—a two-seat, bolt-in-frame buggy of Chinese origin. It features a 150cc single-cylinder engine known as GY6, which is commonly found in small scooters and similar buggies. The motor drives the rear wheels via a CVT and chain drive. It lacks a reverse gear but boasts an impressively intricate suspension system, including real control arms, heim joints, and ball joints, along with an actual steering rack. That’s what first caught my attention when I spotted it in the guy’s driveway—it has a miniature version of the foundational components found in real off-road racing vehicles. Many karts, by contrast, tend to be more primitive, rigid, and significantly less off-road capable.

      If everything is functioning correctly, the buggy should be drivable for me, even with a passenger, as it reportedly has a weight limit of around 450 pounds. Reviews I found indicate that the Tomberlin Crossfire is a solid platform among vintage single-cylinder karts.

      The Tomberlin brand is still around, but their current models resemble golf carts more than the desert race-style go-karts of earlier years. These buggies are indeed relics from the ’80s, ’90s, and early 2000s. Today, when people seek speed, they opt for UTVs rather than building high-performance karts. For something slower for kids, they typically choose compact electric models or even small dirt bikes or ATVs.

      Nonetheless, an adult-sized go-kart occupies a unique niche that other recreational vehicles don't quite fit. It's neither a dune buggy nor a side-by-side, nor is it strictly a child's toy—although