Projects What Do I Call This Mini Dirt Track Racer/Roadster/Rod

More photos...





The most recent owner was a master fabricator...



The original builder was...



Steering box and frame are going to require some attention



At this point I'm not sure what to "fix" and what to leave as is...

 

What ever happened with this car?

 

I'd call it Butch on a good day and ***** on a bad one.

I guess I would just call it a mini car or a car or ??? If you really want to out it in a box go back with the Bantam drive train and call it a clown car.

 

Actually, it's more the size of a 'Half Midget'. (remember the "Junior size Midget race cars that ran motorcycle engines, early '50s?)
They were for teenage kids, graduating from the Quarter Midgets...Dean Lowe would remember them, as he was a Quarter Midget champ.
The Half Midgets were portly, out of proportion cars with smallish wheels/tires, strictly for cl*** specifications. Frank Kurtis NEVER built and Half Midgets.
But this is that size...with tall wheels/tires.
Shirley Temple @ 7-10 years of age used to cruise Universal Studios' lot in a mini-roadster this size...a known coach builder in Southern Calif built it, and it was perfection...Anybody got any info on it?
There was a short film clip, wish I could have seen more.

These smaller cars have lured me since puberty. There was a kid (15, pre- drivers license) whose Dad built him one in Santa Clara, 1952. (His last name was Dias)
Car had a tapered cowl-to-hood, (half-'cone', simple roll) and cutaway doors, rear rolled turtledeck, with a Cushnan motor scooter engine in rear. He used to drive this little beauty on the street!
Wheels were 10" or 12", boat steering wheel, about 12". Maroon car really grabbed the attention.

 

It's a Wee Bucket.

 

Looks like an SU carb on the motor,,,Brit' Austin stuff.

 

There was a do***entary or is about Shirley Temple where they show her in the little roadster and she is talking to the camera about her life on the stage. then she motors off. it would be cool to find info and pics of that little car. I wonder if Ms Temple-Black got it or it was the property of Universal.

 

any updates? would love to see it with the baby hemi installed.

 

Too many projects. The wee car and baby hemi were both sold (to different people).

 

I would be happy to call it MINE ! You are blessed to have the opportunity to call it YOURS!....or I gues you would call it "mine" ....meaning ......well you get the idea! Enjoy it!

 

Anybody still interested in finding more information on this little car
might want to post over on the cycle car thread , Lots of info there.
Just a thought.

..................................... Jack

 

I acquired this little Austin last August from a car restoration chap in wales.
It is just about to undergo a sympathetic restoration here in west Sus***, united kingdom

 

A little update is a new front spring perch and frame boxing plates.
This is a mock up picture, the front is lowered by 3 1/2" and wheel base stretch of 7 1/2"

 

I would call it COOL! HRP

 

A couple of pics of how alan is looking now stretched wheelbase and model A drop beam

 

More updates, engine mounted, steering box and shafts fitted looking longer and leaner

 

Fantastic save!

 

Dang! That looks like fun. Glad someone got ahold of it that wanted it back on the road and not back in a yard.

what drivetrain etc did you use ? Would love to see more

 

Thanks for the positive feedback guys.
I wanted something a bit unusual for the motor and bearing in mind this is not a single seater and space is at a premium, I've opted for a moto guzzi air cooled V twin.
It fits like a dream but only time will tell if it's enough hot rod...if you get my drift.

 

Really good little mill. & actually a great choice - much better than Harley. Had a 750 yrs ago. Not a hi-rever, but lots of torque, factory built like a hi-$$ race mill(of the times), tractor tough ... . Bike gearbox was a bit slow-shifting, but also tractor-tough. Hemi heads, dual carbs, nicasil-cyls, insert bearings, etc. None of this is new now, but when the mill was introduced, it was some top-engineering & building. & they weren't cheap. Could idle all day long & go wot w/o overheating or any other issues. Unique at the time. Factory did offer some hipo parts, so does(did) the racing guys. You should be able to easily get enough power to scare yourself into a change of undies. If not when NA, there is always supercharging of many types.
IIRC, these are a 30's design, maybe as late as the 40's. Something I read yrs ago, gave me a smile concerning the engine design vs the time-frame it was designed/built : "Designed & built like a F1 engine, for tough tractor-like reliability". Not my quote & of course, not applicable to either this or recent F1 engineering, but relatively true for the times.
Looks like a perfect match for that car.
Happy to follow this thread.
Marcus...

 

oh man! as a fan of small cars, i LOVE this thing!

It looks so much better with the wheelbase stretch, and I dig the motor too!

keep up the progress!

 

Many thanks for the info Marcus , I have fitted a new barrel, new rings and one new inlet valve due to the engine sitting idle for a number of years.
Looking forward to getting it fired up real soon.

 

Thanks man I really appreciate your kind words

 

@BigJoeArt your car deserves its own thread!

 

Love it! I would really like to see a Tech article on that axle. Too much..

 

Changed it from a kid size toy to an adult size toy?

 

PM sent.
Marcus...

 

Very cool! How are you connecting the dots the the rear?

 

The guzzi is shaft driven so it's an easy one off prop to join the two.
The only added extra will be an electric reverse motor connected directly to the pinion output , this will sit out of sight under the very minimal seats.