Engineer Carl Fromm had the notion of going into the go-kart manufacturing business in 1951 and we’re told he built two prototypes of the Fromm-Mobile. Apparently, the project never got off the ground and go-kart #1 has stayed in the family all these years. It’s time for it to move on as a project for someone to get it going again. You’d be the only kid on your block to have one! Located in Lutz, Florida, this interesting post-war artifact is available on eBay where the current bids hover at $2,800. How does Barn Finder T.J. keep coming up with these things?
If you Google Fromm or the go-kart online, you’re not likely to find anything. So, we’re going by what the family shared with the seller about the background of this little runabout. As the story goes, Mr. Fromm lived in West Bend, Wisconsin, and worked for a farm equipment company. He aspired to go into business for himself and built two of these Fromm-Mobiles (see the tag in the seller’s photos). To build capital for his venture, supposedly he gave the second one to entertainer Frank Sinatra. Old Blue Eyes must not have been impressed and the project went nowhere. No word on whatever became of the second Fromm-Mobile.
Fromm’s daughter inherited this model, and his son got the molds and building materials. This sale doesn’t seem to include the latter and there’s no word on how to get hold of those if you wanted them, too. On display at the daughter’s home until recently, we’re told the motor (what is it?) spins over, but it doesn’t run and hasn’t for some time. Somehow the tires still hold air, and it does steer.
Some work may be needed on the body and the paint has more than its fair share of scrapes, scratches, and likely dings. If you decided to restore the go-kart, you may have to improvise on replacement parts although we suspect the mechanicals were not created from scratch. But if you were looking for a new addition to your extra-large man cave and didn’t care if it ran, is this kart for you?
Hi what are the dimensions please
I think you don’t know how this site works…You need to go to the listing on eBay and ask your question there.
Hello and it’s about 29” wide and about 83” long and the body from the ground is 20” tall.
A neat little go-kart project, but one limited factor I see right off the bat is adults not being able to fit in the cubby hole of an interior. Great for little kids, but not us ‘big’ kids!
Well if Frank Sinatra fitted ????
Ol’ Blue Eyes was pretty scrawny
I’m gonna guess it has a Muculloh 2 stroke engine from what I can see.They were popular with go karters in the 50’s and 60’s.Cool display piece or man cave art like the author said. Cool story too.Glwts.
Close, pretty sure Tecumseh made the “Power Products” line.
Yes, they made Power Products 2 strokes. Muculloh (spell?) and West Bend were the other 2 strokes I remember racing then. The Power Products that powered the Kart I raced in 1958 at the Karting Kettle in Elkhart Lake was red. The track has been gone for 10 years now. I raced at Road America yesterday, same neighborhood.
WARNING: Do not drive it on the freeway!
the frnt inner fenders are the foot rests? & that’s the steering post & ‘gas peddle’? Where’s the brake peddle?
It could be the “brake” pedal is the tall lever on the left side of the kart. Looking at the e-bay photos, there are 84 of them, it has what appears to be an expansion brake on the rear axel. Being as it is chain drive, should not be much more difficult than a lawn tractor to work on the motor. It is a 2 stroke engine, my guess is McCullough, as the yellow sticker informs to add oil to fuel. Would be a fun project to restore, just for its’ uniqueness.
Folks, this is easily a 10,000$ go cart. If one looks at all the workmanship and extras like the knockoffs on the wheels. Chrome work leaf springs ,there was a ton of work in this cart. I hope no one gets to restore it. I think k its value is in the way it has weathered . its in better shape than me at the same age. I was unable to tell but I think the lever up top on the left would be TBE brake. Most just used a plate that pushed on the tire. Blow up the eBay photo and take a look at those tires. Unknown age but also a work of art for all the details on the sidewalls for a toy.
I agree 100%, this is a work of art! This little car should be got to run cleaned up and detailed. Do not restore.
buy it 10,000 guy you put the cheaper than dirt price on it, make yourself FAMOUS, I love guys that say things are worth the whales sum but they do not buy. HMMMM
Mickytee, agree with you on the workmanship, which would tend to make me inclined to restore it so as to highlight all that good work. Being just one of two, preserving it would be my priority. There is rust to take care of and the paint peeling off the raw fiberglass isn’t going to last long. As for the tires, I don’t remember ever seeing General tires like these and surly wouldn’t have liked to be the one to make the mold for them. Bet there aren’t many of this type laying around.
Someone asking for dimensions of it means that they want to cut it up and put it on a golf cart frame. Don’t sell it to them if you ever want to see it whole again.
I wonder if Mr. Carl Fromm was related to the german Gebrüder Fromm (Erich Fromm). They were the first to produce condoms industrially in large quantities in Germany. As they were of Jewish origin, their company was “Aryanized” in the 1930s and their assets confiscated. They were at least able to survive and emigrate to the USA. Here in Germany there is a super exciting book about their life story. Was just a thought from me.
Would it have killed them to put a live human or a yardstick or a banana in one of the shots so I could get an idea of scale?