History Vintage "Cageless" Midget Picture Thread

Ken, it's the best kept secret in the East. I don't know when all it is open, but Stan probably does. I know Paul has real busy lately as he is writing a book. The man does it all !

 

I posted this on the Vintage Sprint thread ....... looking for an I.D.
ARDC, Flemington Fair 1968

Stan Lobitz said "Al,
I think it might have been Freddy Charles (Fred Heydenreich). I don`t know the driver, but his Kurtis Roadster was #33.
Stan..................."

Anybody know the driver?

 

That was Freddy Charles. He was my long time friend. He and I raced together. That car was the former Vatis Kurtis roadster. He past away this past fall. I still think about him everyday.

Spike Gillespie

 

Very sorry for the loss of your friend, Spike....

 

More stuff

 

I got to know Freddy in the early days of the SMRC.
He was real good people!!!

 

Hey Rim Ryder, How about some pics of the whole car! Looks like a very nice piece!

Sean

 

I've been following this post off and on... maybe one of you guys can help me out....

I bought this TQ Midget last fall and I'm finally getting to a point where I might get started on it....

this is where I need help.... does anyone know what kind of car this might be? I was told that the guy who built/raced the car put it together in the late 50's and it originally had a Harley 45" engine in it? My big question is does anyone know where I can find a tail? I would like to have a metal one but a fiberglass one would work. I would also like to find a couple of matching wheels for the back... I picked up a couple of 13" halibrands but I think they are really to large for the car... I just really want to get started restoring it. but I would like to have all my parts gathered up.

any help would be great!

 

Might try here:

http://www.vintagetqmidgets.com/Home_Page.php

 

yeah I've tried him...
I talked to him once, he was a really nice guy and he asked for photos of the car. He said he call me back when he got them... that was about 5 months ago. I tried to contact him again, but I haven't had any luck?

 

This car has been debated thanks to Stan Lobitz over the past few days on two UK sites..oldtimespeedway..and on..Midget Car Panorama.
You can see messages on both without having to register...that's only needed if you want to put up messages or photos.

 

What car????

 

This link originally posted by gnichols in "Auto racing 1894-1944"

Possibly of interest to some people here.

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For you model builders, two new Midget kits in this press release. Gary

http://downloads.hobbico.com/misc/rmx/2010_FallBrch.pdf
__________________
Change is inevitable. Struggle is an option.
http://public.fotki.com/kitbashr/

 

.....'Obviously, in the days before he hooked up with Red. I wonder if Dean Lowe raced against this guy?

 

I think I already posted this but goes along with the above photo.

 

.....'Yes, you had previously posted that pic RimRyder but hey, I'm glad you did; good to see it again! You can see Red right behind Bobby in the blue jacket. That was right before Red took the Offy out and put the SESCO in that Edmunds chassis. And, for a short time, they were running wings on the midgets on the 1/4 mile at Ascot. 'Would love to see more pics just like that.

 

Yes I did, many times. Also his older cousin Mike Olivero.

 

Just went to a local car how here in Rhinebeck, NY over the weekend and saw that ACOT was there with their midgets. I took a few pictures and will try to post them up when I have some free time.

 

We'll be looking for them .

 

Would also like to see them. (Did you have any luck finding Harry Hull items for the sixty midget? At one time I had a bunch of his parts, just realised I still have a honeycomb radiator that may have come from that car, and a few other bits as well.)

 

Here's a shot of my first hot lap in a midget.
The significance of this shot to this site is that this is the former joe csiki midget. This was 1979 and I had just passed Midge Miller for fifth when I saw the temp guage pegged and pulled in, Midge finished second that day. The fact that the car was still that competitive thirteen years after Csiki owned it shows how fast it was in it's day. Also the car behind me is none other than Ernie McCoy.

 

my dad in mataka car at essex junction Vt

 

J conklin 75, Have you looked at entry#1 on page 1.This car belonged to Harry Conklin in the USA before being brought to australia by Bob Tattersal in 1960.It was sold down here and raced for many years .I restored it to its appearence when it came Down Under enjoy Gordon

 

Hey Uncle Billy,that shot looks familiar....Rich

 

.....'racerbillyc! That #98 car you're in, is that a 6 cylinder Ford Falcon engine? And the Mataka car that your Dad drove; the same Mataka Bros. that Andretti drove for back in the sixties? And if it is, was that before or after Mario drove for them? I remember they used to run a car with a "?" as the car number. Thanks billy.

 

Seems to me they took the Sesco out and put the Offy back in. The hood has the cut out and my memory is faint but that is what I recall. I remember every once in a while an Offy would come back and kick but. The Shonawan Offy (spelling?) came to Vegas and lapped the whole field. The only Offy that night I think. Butcher I think drove it.

 

The late Bill Mataka on the left in the picture.

Your Dad, Bill & Ed Mataka all GOOD people!!!

I've been putting off a trip to the Mataka Raceweld shop to visit Ed for a good while now, because I can't get things coordinated between Harold Seaman, Stan Lobitz (and others too) who also want to go .. but if I can't get them together on this SOON, I'm just going to give Ed a call and take the ride on my on.

 

SHUCKS!!! .. I didn't know about the Rhinebeck, NY show &/or of ACOT's participation in it. My own fault I guess for not checking ACOT's Web Site.

I'd liked to have gone to it, as I've never been to the Rhinebeck Aerodrome, PLUS ACOT being there with vintage midgets, etc. would have really added to it.

If my senior memory serves me right, I've heard about a speedway that once existed in Rhinebeck, NY some years ago.

I too would love to see the pictures that you took!!

 

.....'That's great that you mention that Rim Ryder. I can recall that weekend very well that you're talking about. Art Shanoian took his Benson/Offy down to the USRC race at the old Craig Road Speedway in Las Vegas for a Sunday afternoon show after running BCRA at Fremont (CA) on Friday night. They scored a clean sweep in 'Vegas and were paid off in all silver dollars! And his driver was your name-sake: Chuck Gurney! The year was 1973. As far as the Red Caruthers Offy, it was actually the SESCO that the hood had to be "notched" for. Bobby had a fantastic 1971 season in USRC and after that was when Red went to the SESCO.

 

Hey Ken, just let me know when.....Rich