Bah. Go-karts are supposed to e low to the ground, with racing slicks.
I had a nice little VW sandrail for a few years. Bought it with a T-trailer and a spare frame along with a footlocker ful of spares for about a grand. It'd climb vertical creekbanks, cover the pasture at 60+ mph, turn at 90 degree angles with the turning brakes applied. Street legal, too. Take your time and look around. I imagine there's one in the Thrifty Nickel or whatever little trader paper you have in front of Wallyworld or most rural C-stores in your neck of ETX.
Even a stock 1600 bug motor will make them fly- you're talking about (usually) less than 1000 pounds- mine was about 800 lbs, which isn't much more than these new generation quads. It's more durable than the Chinese junk, you can buy replacement and maintenance parts at any parts store, and if you want to really have fun with it, build up an 1835 cc motor, stick lights on it, and use it for your Saturday car. The little things are QUICK! You can sure surprise yourself and others, especially these little whippersnappers in their NissanHondaYotas witht he big wheels and mortar tube exhausts, especially when you take a hard right off into the boonies after showing them your tail lights.
A word of advice- consider putting wheelie bars on it.
There are a ton of manufacturers and parts available. VW's are, to me, easier to work on than a Briggs and Stratton.
for example-
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=sandrail+partsBesides, they also hold up a LOT better than the Chinese jobbies when you jam a pine tree
Enjoy!
Regards,
Rabbit.