Karting Mugs
Description: Rupp Industries was born in 1959 when Mickey Rupp began assembling and selling go-karts from his basement in Mansfield, Ohio. Originally called Rupp Manufacturing, the name Rupp Industries was adopted in 1971. In that year Rupp employed 400, with 23 engineers in the R&D department and sales in the millions. In addition to their popular go-karts, Rupp began producing minibikes and snowmobiles in the early 1960s. Mickey Rupp sold the company in 1973 when it ran into financial trouble as the market turned. Although the Rupp would continue to produce dirt bikes, minibikes, and snowmobiles, they would never regain financial stability and by 1978, went bankrupt.
Description: Chestein Wynn was a 70-year-old retired attorney who had an interest in chemistry and it was in his dilapidated garage in San Gabriel, California where he came up with a formula to reduce engine wear by reducing friction. In 1939 Wynn started giving bottles of his 'friction proofing' oil to friends and, eventually, began to distribute his product at local service stations. Rationing and conservation efforts during World War II prevented Wynn from producing and marketing his unique oil, but he used this time to continue to research and improve the formula. In 1946 production resumed in Wynn's garage and now with his son Carl on board, they were able to increase production, hire salesmen, and talked their product to a national audience.
