1968 MTK1 – Montesa
Year: 1968
Engine: Montesa M100
Condition: Restored
Displacement
Power
Transmission
About
The MTK-1 Montesa is a key chapter in Spanish motorsport history. This kart represents a moment of transition: the final competitive years of Montesa’s 100cc kart engines and the emergence of Miguel Tapias, a figure who would later become one of the most influential kart manufacturers in Spain.
At its heart lies the Montesa M100 engine, a direct-drive 100cc unit derived from the Brío motorcycle range. While modest by today’s standards, the M100 was once a dominant force, achieving international success in the UK and across Europe at the dawn of organized kart racing. Robust, simple and mechanically honest, it powered an entire generation of karts.
The chassis was designed and built by Miguel Tapias in collaboration with Jorge Fuentes. The MTK-1 was developed in an era of scarcity. With virtually no karting components available domestically, most parts were engineered and manufactured in-house. Wheels, pedals, steering wheel and engine plate were cast from aluminium; the fuel tank and seat were made in fiberglass; and select components were ingeniously adapted from period cars and bikes. The result is a machine defined by creativity, craftsmanship and functional elegance.
The MTK-1 gained international recognition when it competed in the legendary 24 Hours of Brignoles in France, often described as a “mini Le Mans” for karts. Despite being the first fully Spanish-built kart to enter the event, it proved competitive, reliable and remarkably well engineered, completing the endurance race with the same engine it started with.