Bill,
The biggest thing to look for when buying a used car is to make sure the updates come with it.
The chassis and engines really haven't changed that much.
Your kart experience will help a lot.
Take a look at Geoff's Bando. Started out as a "Plain Jane" - a few upgrades, some beautiful paint;
Very nice looking car! And it also performs!!!
There is not a lot of info online about Bando cars. This site is quickly becoming the place to share info about Bandos.
Regards,
Steve