The Corgi Hermetite Zip Karts . available in blue and orange finish. Corgi in detail...

The Corgi Junior Shazam . available in yellow finish. Corgi Junior in detail...

The Corgi Junior Hot Rodder . available in yellow finish. Corgi Junior in detail...

The French Dinky Kart Leskokart Midjet Kart. Advertised in the 1962 French Dinky catalogue, the Leskokart, 512, a 34mm long model cost 3.00 fr. (new francs). As the smallest Dinky Toy produced at a scale of 1:43, it was sold in the smallest box. The blue cast chassis and silver engine came with a moulded plastic, bucket seat and plastic driver came in three colours; red, yellow and light blue.

In 1956, an American, Arts Ingels, had the idea of assembling pieces of tubular steel on four wheels and powering this primitive vehicle with a small, McCulloch lawn mower engine. Some versions of these early go-karts were even powered by chain-saw motors. French Dinky chose to model the Leskokart, because George Lescovac produced the first all French Kart in a workshop at St. Ouen, in a northern suburb of Paris. Powered by a 50cc, two-stroke Lavelette engine, which cost 950 fr. (new francs), the Kart could reach speeds around 40kmph.

Cost 3.00 fr available in blue finish at 1:43 scale. French Dinky in detail...