History Vintage "Cageless" Midget Picture Thread

Thanks to Ron Hutchinson (Hutcho) from down under .. here's a classic that I haven't seen in years.

ENJOY & SMILE!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WjW7Gs1DhQ

 

How's it going everyone. Been awhile since I was last on here. Had some major computer issues, but that should be taken care of for now anyway. I still have some pictures to upload and will get them on here in the next few days hopefully.

Anyway still trying to find out any information I can on the car my grandfather (Chet Conklin) raced which was built by Harry Hull. If any of you have any information on the car it was the number 37 or can direct in the right direction as to where the car may be that would be great.

 

can anone list what steering box's were used in early midgets (1940's-50's)? I have a home built midget (not a name brand like hillgess or kurtis ect) and it's missing the steering box. being on a budget what other options (steering box's) do i have to put in "period correct" set up with out looking forever or going broke doing it? Being that I have restored a few front engine dragsters over the years i have a couple cast iron "ross" box's laying around, did they run them???

Paul

 

For Sale: Kurtis copy

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...60666395937&ssPageName=ADME:X:AAQ:MOTORS:1123

If anyone wants more info PM me for the seller's contact info and phone number.

 

Paul,
You could probably get away with the smaller Ross box, but a Franklin would be period correct.
Stan...............

 

Didn't they run Evans/Denver steering box's too?

 

Evans Denver, Norden, Progressive and a few others. the difference in price between Franklin or Ross would scare you. Steerings and rear break backing plates are the hardest parts to find for Midgets
I have seen very few railframe midgets with steerings other than Franklins.

 

Hey Stan, Are you still having your get together,If so when is it. I remember Ken telling me about it a while back but lost the info.....Rich

 

You Know best Stan!

 

Rick,
It is always the second sunday in Nov. Always a lot of neat stuff shows up. Lots of great folks. ARDC owners and drivers have their yearly meeting and usually mingle in the crowd. Arlan Kurtis called and told me him and his lovely wife are coming. John Loxton will be there from Brisbane Austrailia.
Lynn Paxton and Dizz Dean Keep things hopping. I look forward to it all year.
October 13 2010 Starts at nine but many will arrive earlier to see what Jim Etter brings.

 

THANKS STAN, can't wait and I'll Bring the wing if you still want it.....Rich

 

WOW great thread! I found this thread accidentally but I had to read all 67 pages. This is definitely the longest thread I've ever seen. Thanks to all the guys that have posted!

I LOVE midgets old and new but the lines on the old cars are just super cool. I have a few pics to post that I don't remember seeing already and I'm interested in any pics any of you might have of my grandfather or my dad. I'm sure you all know who's behind the wheel. The other guy in the picture is my grandfather, Steve Cardinale. My dad was Andy Cardinale Sr. I'm Andy Cardinale Jr.

Thanks,
Andy

 

I don't know how period correct this is but I'm using an early '50s Ford pickup truck steering box on my champ car. It is also known as a Gemmer box. I shortened the steering shaft and extended the sector shaft to make it center-steered. These boxes are also used by many Model A owners who wish to upgrade to a more modern, easier turning steering box. They are relatively plentiful and cheap. I like that.

 

Hi Andy ..

First let me say WELCOME!!!!

Hopefully some here will be able to come up with some pictures of the Cardinale's.

Yes Andy, PLEASE post any pictures that you have. We'd all ENJOY seeing them.

That's Ed "DUTCH" Schaefer behind the wheel in the picture that you posted.

 

Looking for info. re the following:
9-8-10 issue of NSSN, Chris' notes about the vintage cars @ Hinchcliffe.
There is a pic of a red & black midget, #2? & Burd Piston Ring Spl. on cowl.
Anybody have info &/or pix???

 

Hey mlight9 I posted a bunch of shots from Hinchcliffe's show on page 64 of this thread. I posted a few shots of the car your asking about.....Rich

 

Is this it????

 

Ken, I think he's looking for this.....Rich

 

Here's a few more pictures that I shot from the Hinchliffe race car show a few weeks ago. I'm sorry, but I don't have any information on them. Also I've attached one from the first show back in 1979.
Joel

 

Ken, Thank you for the warm welcome! A while back you asked about the "The Worm." These pics are from the 1968 Joe Csiki commemorative book by "Crocky" Wright. My grandfather wrenched for the Bennett Brothers quite a bit back in the day and he is pictured in that book a few times. He gave me the book before he died. I hope I'm not pissing anyone off by posting these pics. If I am, please let me know and I'll remove them.

 

Yes, that's the one. What a fabulous looking car.
Thanks all for your efforts,
mlight9.

 

I enjoyed looking at the pictures of Joe Csiki and some of the other folks in the picture (brought back memories of the good old days). I met him at Old Bridge in the early 60s at split shows me in Stock Cars (the Eastern Bandits) and Joe in Midgets. I got to race with him several years later in Sprint Cars (URC), he was a great person and one hell of a race car driver. Just about a year ago I got to meet his two sons, they are also involved in racing. Denny Z

 

LONG SLAND, NY .... Former modified stock car owner & driver Roy Smith (Roy Namiotka) of Jamesport, NY passed away yesterday, after a battle with cancer.

Roy was a regular competitor on the Riverhead (NY) Raceway asphalt oval, until mid season 1966 (in the pre window net era) when his car (numbered "IV") rolled, pinning his left hand.

With that hand severely disabled, many thought his racing career was over. However he went on to build a new car, a coupe that was also numbered "IV" and continued his driving career for a number of years on the 1/2 mile dirt Orange County Fairgrounds Speedway oval, in Middletown, NY.

The wake / viewing will be held at the

De Friest - Grattan Funeral Home
13805 Main Road (Route 25)
Mattituck, NY 11952
(631) 298-4016

Visiting hours will be tomorrow (Tuesday, September 28th) 2 to 4 PM and 7 to 9 PM.

On Wednesday (September 29th) services will be held first at the funeral home at 10 AM, then at the grave side at 11 AM , at the Jamesport (NY) Cemetery, which is located at Main Road (Route 25) and Manor Lane in Jamesport, NY.

Cards and notes of condolence can be sent to .... The Namiotka Family, P.O. Box 87, Jamesport, NY 11947

Condolences can also be left for the family on the funeral home's Web Site at .... http://www.defriestgrattan.com/condolences.htm


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ (SEE BELOW) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

NOTE:-

Many of today's racers & fans know one of his four daughters, Peggy Smith (Peggy Namiotka) who recently retired from modified competition at Riverhead.

Peggy is also a former Grand Am late model champion at Riverhead, late model Rookie of The Year at the Freeport (NY) Stadium Speedway.

Peggy became one of the "Long Island Bad Guys" when she campaigned a Pete Petraitis owned / Artie King wrenched TQ with the American Three Quarter Midget Racing association (ATQMRA).

She was also honored to wear the driving uniform of the first woman to compete in the Indianapolis 500 .. Janet Guthrie .. for a major portion of her career.

 

The Next Old Timers event I have on my calendar is ...

THE OLD BRIDGE (NJ) STADIUM SPEEDWAY REUNION at the Thomas Warne Museum .. 4216 County Route 516 (Old Bridge Matawan Road) .. on October 9th & 10th .. 10 AM to 4 PM.

Do you remember the ARDC midgets, URC sprint cars, the modified & sportsman stock cars, the Old Bridge Drags? Well stop by and re-live the THRILLS and FAST CARS from yesteryear!!

Films, Racing Historians, Dioramas and Memorabilia Collections all celebrating "THE FASTEST TRACK IN THE EAST"!!!
Food & Fun!!!

$5.00 for adults ..... $3.00 for children under 12

For more information ..
1-732-566-2108 or http://www.thomas-warne-museum.com

The Thomas Warne Museum is the home of the Madison Township Historical Society, serving Old Bridge Township, NJ

 

This message came up on the Racing History board I`m on.

" MacLeod Offy No 20 Vintage Midget"

"I am the custodian of the above Vintage Midget as owned for over 60 years by Blackie LaMacchia. It is now residing in New Zealand and I am keen to get more details of its history from 1947 to the present day. We have some photos and info but there are a lot of blank years and any leads on past feats, contacts etc would be most appreciated. Blackie has done a beautiful restoration job on the car and it is a very valued reminder of USA Midget history in our country."

I will send the owner the link to this thread if any of you have any info on the car he will see it on here.

I know Johnny Thomson drove the Mac Leod #20 early in his career,but that is all I do know.

 

Johnny drove it quite well, winning 40-50 races a year.

 

He's already on here:
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=511122

 

QUOTE Surfref32 Ken, Thank you for the warm welcome! A while back you asked about the "The Worm." These pics are from the 1968 Joe Csiki commemorative book by "Crocky" Wright. My grandfather wrenched for the Bennett Brothers quite a bit back in the day and he is pictured in that book a few times. He gave me the book before he died. I hope I'm not pissing anyone off by posting these pics. If I am, please let me know and I'll remove them.

WOW!! I have Crocky's Joe Csiki book some where. I haven't looked at it in years. I'll have to find it, dust it off and enjoy it again.

Geez, in ways it almost seems like 1968 was yesterday. How quickly time passes!!!

If your Grandfather wrenched for the Bennett Brothers in the time that Csiki was teamed with Dutch (and before), I'm sure I knew him.

Your NOT pissing anyone off by posting those pictures. KEEP THEM COMING .. PLEASE.

Denny also bring backs some GRRRRREAT memories of the split shows at Old Bridge (NJ), whether they were midgets/stock cars &/or midgets/URC sprints. Memories of similar shows at the Trenton (NJ) mile also flash through my mind.

I remember an ARDC 100 lapper at Old Bridge .. the Bennett's owned Csiki's car, he was still driving it for them .. Joe Ciski lapped all but the second place car (Ray Brown). If the race was 5 laps longer, he would have lapped him too. I agree with Denny, Joe Ciski was a great guy and one hell of a race car driver.

Somehow I never got to watch Joe Ciski race his sprint car (which I believe is still here on Long Island, together with his midget), but the cars he built and what he was able to do with those Ford 6 cylinder engines, continues to impress me.

I didn't know his sons are involved in racing. I wonder if Denny can tell us a bit more abouth them & there involvement?

 

Joe took a bad ride at Williams Grove in 1964, the URC race, part of the Jimmy Maguire benefit show. On a heat start, the flagman waved off the start and the front row got off it immediately and joe ran over a wheel and went end over end. He was busted up pretty well.

Joe was something in that falcon midget.

 

I don't have much info on Joe's sons. I first met them in 2005 at the Hall of Fame banquet when Joe was inducted into the HOF. Then near the end of season last year at Whip City Speedway they bought a Quad4 and one of them drove it. Then as I understand during the winter they sold it. I met them again this year at Whip City and they told me they bought a Super. That's all I know so far....tell you what, next time I see em I will try to get them to join this site, I bet they have lots of interesting stories. Denny Z