History Vintage "Cageless" Midget Picture Thread

George Wagner at Freeport Speedway

 

In the late 80's Don Kischell owned the DiMattaeo midget, and various drivers drove it for him in WRA events. While it is a beautifull midget, it is generally regarded by everyone who ever drove it as one of the most ill handling midgets ever built. Cal Niday likened it to pitching a wheelbarrow into a corner. Roy Prosser was less kind.

 

Another thing most people forget or never knew is that my mother started the custom uniform trend in 1963 when she was tired of t-shirts and mechanics overalls on drivers.

 

racerbillyc, Is your Mom still alive and if so in reasonable health? Denny Z

 

Dean Lowe,




While looking back thru this site, you posted a picture of Gib Lilly in the Donald O'Connor Midget Pg 3, 3-11-2009. I have a couple pictures of this car at Bonelli Stadium in 1946 and I never noticed the rear springs. Yesterday I was Arlens shop and asked him if he knew his dad had built a rear eliptic spring car and he said no but his dad would build whatever the customer wanted. This was also the first midget built by KK after the war with a Ford V8-60 Motor. This was a rare car at the time and still is if it's still around.

 

The Gib Lilly midget was the second K.K. midget to appear, debuting on Mar.17,1946 at the L.A. Coliseum.
The two tone blue car was equipped with quarter elliptic springs front and rear.Predictably, Lilly could never get the car to handle.
Lilly sold the car to Eddie Bourgnon at the Thanksgiving day race at Gilmore for $12,000.00! That is the the reason Bourgnon put a number 12 on the beautiful red, black and gold Offy that debuted at Deer Park L.I in March of 1947.
Phil Walters (Ted Tappett) couldn't get the car to handle and it was sold to Ken Hickey. Hickey sold the car to Stan Frankenfield. After Frankenfield's death the car was purchased by Jim Barclay for a restoration. Unfortunately Barclay replaced the original chassis!

 

The front and rear 1/4 elliptical springs were stated options on the Kurtis price list. The way I interpret it, rears were an option only with the fronts.

Since the car doesn't know what kind of springs are acting on it, only the spring rate of the leaf, torsion bar, coil, air bag or whatever, one might conclude that the spring rates were not proper or that other suspension geometry associated with the springs and/or possible need for panhard bar/s might have been at fault.

I saw this car last March at Ed Rachanski's museum in Las Vegas.

http://fabulousracers.com/kurtis_offy.html

 

The former Gib Lilly V8-60 as it appeared after being purchased by Eddie Bourgnon. The great Ted Tappett in the Bourgnon Offy at Deer Park L.I. 1947.

 

Why the two ropes on the Wheeler #21?
Jim Graybeal

 

Well I don't see a push bar on the back so maybe it was a tow start but not with two ropes with half hitches around the axle.

That would have been exciting.

Lets assume it got towed in off the track, or was being towed to build oil pressure, not start the engine.

 

Thank You gentlemen, you are a great source of information. After receiving your post I went back to my KK Genealogy book and found the car in the middle of the book. I was looking at the front of the book as this had to be one of the first few KK's built do to the elliptical spring setup and the sharp pointed rear side nerf bars. I know that KK stopped making cars with this setup as they did not handle very well and most drivers could not get them around the track. It is a shame the origional frame was cut up and exchanged with a copy. I guess some builders call this progress. I know I would have restored the origional frame as it was very rare.

 

Also should mention the Angell Park Video I spoke about on post # 3347 has some brief footage of midgets being pushed off by the pit crew, probably mid to late 30's

 

Here is a picture of Don Kischell driving it.

 

To Flubyu,

Van Johnson was still in California for part of 1956. Here is a picture of Van in the George Newnam V8-60 at the 1956 Gardena race you were asking about.
Please excuse the poor photo quality.

 

Van I believe lost his life at New Breman speedway here in Ohio, please corrrect me if Im wrong. And thanks again for posting the photo and the info.

 

Van was killed at Williams Grove in July 1959 in a two car crash with Joe Barzda. It was the last Champ car race held at the Grove.

 

Can anyone ID driver or car? Sorry. Old faded pic.

 

Jim Hendrickson..?????.. maybe.....Denny Z

 

Does look like him.

 

Are those cars front wheel drive, or is that just a strange setup, maybe for indoors?

 

definitely Jim Hendrickson

 

Yes, the late Gentleman Jim Hendrickson.

They are rear wheel drive TQ's, with an indoor set up.

I don't think that's the famed Savona Roadster, which he often drove .. but then I could be wrong.

BTW Kris .. Until you posted that earlier picture, I never knew that George Wagner ever drove a midget.
THANKS for posting that.

 

There you go. Good call Mr. Z. Thanks.

 

1956 U.R.A. Midget yearbook on ebay, check it out!

 

MIDGET WHEELS!

A while back.. Months. I was talking to one of you about buying some Early Midget wheels. You had a set for sale for a good price and I agreed.. BUT! I started traveling, and time got away and my mind kicked it out! IF YOU ARE STILL OUT THERE please contact me.

IF any of you have any, I still need a set. Early 12" dish is prefered, and narrower the better. I AM NOT looking for the 13" windowed style.

Thanks guys,

J Shaw

Want some like this:

 

that is the Norm Smizer roadster,driven indoors by Len Duncan

 

Somehow, Mr. Ryan, I think I'll disagree on that being the Smizer roadster. From whaat I can recall, his roadster was better looking. Also, looking at that exhaust - a "Cycle" engine in that car? Pretty sure Mr. Smizer had a Crosley power plant.

 

no posts in three days??? I'll fix that! These are more of the Ralph Morse Life Magazine Pics from Kingsbridge Armory 12/47 except the last one...

 

What a great barn for indoor racing.

Doc

 

Kingsbridge Armory (Bronx, NY) still stands and from what I understand is going to be renovated .... but there is no parking to speak of in the area today.