History Vintage "Cageless" Midget Picture Thread

You might be right, Buildy, but I ain't sure. I know that is Jiggs on the pole and you can see Barclay's 39, Lowther's 77 and Same Traylor's 55 in the back. I thought it may be 1959.

 

Could be,mine was just a guess.

I was born in 57 so before my time.

 

Does anyone have pictures of the Bob Lockard, Chevy II, midget #69, that Merle Bettenhausen drove in the late 60's, maybe early 70's? Would be a single tube Edmunds. Could use history on the car as well.
Thanks
Blacki-Suede

 

The Lockard # 69 was puchased in the late 60s? by Trevor Morris of NZ. He ran it painted black # 58. he was very successful with the car winning NZ Championship in a match race with Barry Butterworth ( NZ 14 ). The car was restored by former NZ racer John Stanley as Trevor had raced it. It was sold and the buyer moved to the US, taking the car with him. As best can be determined it is somwhere on the west coast. It was beautifully restored in keeping with it's fine history.

 

Pics of the restored ex Lockard Chevy 2 # 68 as raced in NZ by Trevor Morris.

 

Got this thing the other day, I am needing some help nailing down the era??? The car was driven by Frank Door arounf SF bay area, and was told he raced midgets from the late 30's to the 60's. to me the chassis and body look to be pre war, but the front end looks newer??? I am looking for info on what type rearends they run in the pre war cars and I am going to need one?? It might be later than what I think but I am wanting to start looking for parts to peace it back together
Thanks RC

 

.....'Wow, 'They did a beautiful job of restoring that Lockhard Chevy II; including going with the newer Edmunds nose and grill. That is, providing that we are talking about the same car??? I can't say for sure. Whereas you can see, when Merle ran the car for Lockhard, the car was nowhere near as nice. Both cars are spring front because the very next year (1970) Lockhard went to a more modern 4-bar chassis with the coil-over shocks on the front and the car had a cage on it.

 

R.C.

The car looks like Mid/late 30s vintage to me. Others will have to advise on running gear for it.

 

Blacki
I may have more pics of that around here. It was a single tube like yours, but full bar rear if I remember right..I was young when we hauled it all over the country. It was ugly, but racing three times or more per week made it hard to do anything but straighten Merle's bent items. Trevor did a great job on it.

 

To all of you that posted info and images of the Bob Lockard/ Bettenhausen midget. Thanks, this thread is incredible. The info means that while my midget has some specific traits that are found on the Lockard car, my car is not that car. Back to the drawing board!

Blacki-Suede

 

Wasn't sure if the bubble was going to be possible. Turned out nice.

 

Posted by racer5c on the Cageless Sprint Car Thread.

QUOTE racer5c
<HR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #e5e5e5; COLOR: #e5e5e5" SIZE=1> <!-- / icon and title --><!-- message -->
I hate to report that Crocky Wright passed away today, there will not be a service as that is what he requested.

He will be creamated and his ashes will be sent to the Eastern Museum Of Motor Racing at Latimore Valley.
I will miss you Crocky
R.I.P.
<!-- / message --><!-- sig -->__________________
Proud Member of the S.C.T.A. Road Runners, and Indianapolis 500 Oldtimers

I'll try to put together the other postings there re Crocky & copy them over here.

 

QUOTE Blacki-Suede
Crocky was one of the 'originals'. I knew him in the 70's when I promoted the 'Burg, then we crossed paths recently when I retired to Florida and he and I wound up members of the Living Legends of Auto Racing (Daytona Beach). Crocky lived up to the billing - he truly was a legend.
RIP Crocky
Blacki-Suede
~~~~~~~~~~~
QUOTE indybigjohn
A lot of us are going to miss Crocky. It was always entertaining to be around him. Crocky didn't make any bones about his preferences. He didn't like cars with fenders and/or wings, and he didn't like engines in the rear. RIP old friend.
__________________
When the green flag drops, the bullshit stops...
~~~~~~~~~~
QUOTE lloyd roberts
Crocky was truly unique and whilst legend is a term that is often over used, he was a legend. My dad first met him in the mid 60's when he came and stayed in Adelaide (Australia) for a while and back when keeping in touch was a bit more involved than message boards etc he stayed in contact for over forty years. There werw many great Crocky quotes but my favourites were the picture of him jumping a bike through the wall of fire and the business card he gave me that said "the only man ever fired from Indy for going too fast".
The Benny family will miss him. RIP
Rang my dad to tell him, he reminded me that Crocky would refused to go to heaven because angels have wings!
~~~~~~~~~~
OUOTE ZOOOM
Last year I managed to finish the history of the Bettenhausen family, "GO!".
Through out the book flows the story of "Crocky Wright".
His real name was Ernie Schlausky. While racing motorcycles he deceided to run an outlaw race and needed a different name so he wouldn't get caught.
He chose the name Wright from a passing delivery truck from Wright Truck Lines...
He DID get caught, but he apparently liked the name...
ZOOOM
~~~~~~~~~~~
Quote:
Originally Posted by lloyd roberts
Rang my dad to tell him, he reminded me that Crocky would refused to go to heaven because angels have wings!

QUOTE Michael Ferner
This one made me smile on a gloomy day
RIP, Crocky!
__________________
Visit Indy Car A-Z at OldRacingCars.com.
~~~~~~~~~~

Myself .. I first got to know Crocky in the 60's, I believe "Dutch" Schaefer probably introduced me to him. .. When I saw Crocky, I always enjoyed his company, his stories as well as his books.

I haven't seen a picture of Crocky in a midget in a long time. Maybe someone can find one & post it?

Yes, Crocky used to kind of brag about being the ony one to be fired at Indy for going too fast!! (Driving the tour bus around the track - with passengers in it. ) It's a fact that he had that on his business card and he made sure you read that staement, if he didn't know you and gave you one.

I always listened with great interest about the stories he'd tell about all the race cars (especially midgets) hidden away in the basement of the Indy Museum.

I've heard that Tony Stewart had been quietly caring for him for awhile now. I also heard that somehow in recent years Crocky would somehow drive & find his way to racing flea markets & things in the Indy area, to sell his wares & see his friends, but would sadly need help in finding his way home again.

The last times I saw Crocky was some years ago at the couple of annual "Old Timers" affairs that I attented at Stan Lobitz's catering facility in Hazleton, PA. As always, he made me smile & laugh. I plan to attend next year and was hoping that somehow he'd be there.

A true & loveable character that was a real a part of midget racing history, he WILL be missed by many.

RIP Crocky!!!

 

Too bad about Crocky, enjoy his books, guess he was quite a guy. Thought I'd post a couple more photos from Avon, Ct. One of Bill Schindler racing Johnnie Ringger, and a pit shot with his mechanic. Have a nice Holiday.

 

I feel like Santa got here a day early.

Have a great Holiday hugh!

 

If this has already been posted, I apologize. No cageless midget thread would be complete without Mel & Don Kenyon's "Herbie." The car won 54 features with Mel at the wheel, I'm told.

 

RIP Crocky, I will miss you.
Blacki-Suede, I think Gary Byers was the first to drive Lockhard's #69. He set quick time [new track record, I think] the first time he drove it at Louisville Fairgrounds track in 1966. He belongs to the Midwest Oldtimers Club so he might be able to help on the #69 car.
Jim Graybeal

 

Jim, thanks, but I believe we have determined the early Lockhard car is restored and is living "downunder". The search for history on my car continues. Don Edmunds told me yesterday he is enjoying the adventure. Still leaning toward the car built for Ray Lattie in 1965 (CBM5).

Blacki-Suede

 

Speaking of "Down under"... check this out on the bay...

<TABLE style="WIDTH: 100%" cellPadding=3><TBODY><TR><TD class=infolabel_txt vAlign=top noWrap align=left width="1%">Item number:</TD><TD vAlign=top>270506154195

After just spending 6 years doing my avatar, I'd love to get into this one. Love the diferent cars, not the common ones.

Since I was born in '35, and it is "down under", maybe the good Lord is looking out for me.

Here's how I started.




</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

I was thinking mid to late 30's, the front engine mount is odd, but might help me find out a little more on the car????

 

For deuce3wcpe and Ken Schou,
Regarding your question on page21 about car 73, that is Carl Miller in the Ed Vargo Kurtis while brother Jakes car was numbered 37[reversed]
Happy new year to everyone

 

Gotta be Russ Klar in the 27. Who's in the 26 & 28 ?

 

Spike agree with Klar, looks like Roger Bailey in the 26, he liked that two tone helmut.

Might be vern harriman in the 28.

 

I like it,never knew Russ drove the #27-usually Bonadies.

Any idea what year that would be?

 

It has to be about '58 I think.

 

Good call. No roll bars on the 26 and 27.

 

Which Kurtis roadster did Bonadias buy? The 27 Homyer car or the vattis 9? One of them had a suspected soft tube in the frame. After every race the weight would level across the car. I remember Tony saying it, can't remember which car he was driving at the time.

Would the #28 have become the Lori B car? If thats true then the picture is 1957. Bruce Homyer ended up marrying her in the early 60's, but they both died in the plane crash in 1963??? was the year???. Vattis then took over the Konstant Hot stuff.

 

Anyone know who's in the 82?

 

THANKS wynns #1

 

Quote:
<table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody><tr> <td class="alt2" style="border: 1px inset ;"> Originally Posted by LittleFauss
.....'Wow, 'They did a beautiful job of restoring that Lockhard Chevy II; including going with the newer Edmunds nose and grill. That is, providing that we are talking about the same car??? I can't say for sure. Whereas you can see, when Merle ran the car for Lockhard, the car was nowhere near as nice. Both cars are spring front because the very next year (1970) Lockhard went to a more modern 4-bar chassis with the coil-over shocks on the front and the car had a cage on it.
</td> </tr> </tbody></table>
Anyone know who's in the 82?
Gary Bettenhausen