I am trying to decipher a Kurtis-Kraft midget race car serial number. The dash tag shows "Built By Kurtis~Kraft Inc, Los Angeles, Calif. with stamped number F039SW36. The second digit might be a letter or a numeral). We think this car was a 1946 or 1947 build and possibly a kit from Kurtis. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.
Good luck, that info will be needed by others, this reply will put your post back on top. Welcome to the HAMB! Just noticed you posted under the "Antiquated" section. Find the race car thread and post the question there, more likely to find the right guys with the same interest. Bob
History - Vintage "Cageless" Midget Picture Thread | The H.A.M.B. (jalopyjournal.com) This thread may be of some help. Bob
Not sure what those numbers and letters might mean on that tag. I had a Kurtis ch***is a few years ago and did some research on the numbers. There are several books on the subject of Kurtis midgets......I have them, but can't seem to find them. I will keep looking. Most serial numbers that I have ever encountered are simply numeric starting at 001 and going up from there. This tag may have also included some numbers for the engine ?? if it was an Offy. The most common and authentic way to determine a Kurtis midget pedigree is hopefully a number stamped on the rear crossmember at/near/under the fuel tank. I will try to find my books and give you an update. Have fun Allan
Thanks, Allan: All the Kurtis ID's I've been able to see/identify seem to be three-digit numbers which would support your comments. The only three-digit number could be the "039" following the starting letter "F" as shown in my original post. The "O" could be either a capital letter or a numerical zero (it is double stamped on the K-K plate and can't be certain of which it is). Thanks for your response: I appreciate any other info you might uncover. (Note: The vehicle is not immediately available, but I'll see if I can visually inspect the rear cross-member.)
Something in the back of my mind tells me Kurtis didn't number the ch***is, a worker did, or the guy that bought the Midget Business from him. I want to say Johnny Paul, but I'm not sure. Where is Dean Lowe when we need him? Gordon White wrote a book about Kurtis, maybe he has some number info. Bob
I did just find both of my Kurtis Kraft books by Bill Montgomery. On page 13 he talks about Ch***is Markings and Dash Tags. He says that a letter prefix designated engine type......O Offenhauser......F Ford flathead. The number after the serial number would be a double digit number designating the year of production. Besides my mention of the number on the rear crossmember, page 14 mentions that a serial number can also be found "on the upper surface of the main frame member between the two small pieces of tubing that form the cowl hoop on both the right and left side of the ch***is" Also mentioned is the statement ....."author and historian Gordon White has researched the evolution of the dash tag and is currently producing facsimiles". Also mentioned......."tags before 1948 were red and after 1948 were black" With all of this, I am still at a loss as to what your tag really says and what it may mean. Keep digging . Have fun
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