History Vintage "Cageless" Midget Picture Thread

Thanks for the replies guys, I am feeling really stupid now....I was going threw a pile of stuff that came witht he midget & guess what was wrapped in an old blanket? the torque tube,u-joint & clamshell to go over the drive shaft thats already in the rear,Duh! Since I bought the stuff i really haven' had time to un pack all the crap so it looks like I have what i need. One thing I don't have is a plan on disassembling the rear. Does anone have an exploded view of a model A rear they could email me. the rear is rusted were the driveshaft slips into the keyway since the outer tube was left off?
Paul

 

THAT is sweet!

 

Check e-bay for neat unusual body style Hillegass

Item # 320609866992

 

Got a few T/Q shots from Atlantic City....Rich

 

I've got a fresh Chevy II in Indy that would be great for a vintage midget. We are looking to upgrade to an aluminum engine I will try to post a pic of the engine tomorrow. PM me if any one is interested, I have the build sheet on it. It is very clean and was built right.

Bob Shutt

 

Did you get my PM?? I'm interested.

Blacki-Suede

 

Stan,THANK YOU!!,I Had a great time Sunday at your Get together,and also meeting the fellow HAMB members that were there and putting their faces with avatar names....Rich

 

Here are some photos taken of prewar cars that I have. The motor mounts might be similar to what you'd like to use on your car. If you have any questions, feel free to ask.

 

Have you guys found any more history or info on this one yet....Rich

 

Kurtis Kraft #331:

http://item.mobileweb.ebay.com/viewitem?itemId=160509025819&index=6&nav=SEARCH&nid=49693202328

 

when did CAE in & out box's start showing up in midgets, what year?

Paul

 

I like the engine slung under the tube deal, also looks like it makes a good hand hold for pulling the engine out?

Paul

 

Awesome thread... and have been following it since the beginning.
Don't wanna be a "highjacker" and only looking for some information in regards to a TQ Midget I purchased a while back.

Apparetnly, it's a late 60's Floyd Blakely built car out of the Fresno CA. area. Full 4-bar set-up, water cooled Konig 2-cyl., quick change with "F B" cast into the cover, appears to be Crosley Spindles, lots of chrome (now rust and chrome), and complete. I was told that the cage was added and did not come with the car... although it sure looks like it is an integral part of the rear suspension.
Is anyone familiar with Mr. Blakely and or his cars?
Any help is much appreciated.
Thanks in advance,
Roscoe

 

Ok I have another question for you guys, I'm gonna run a midget crank driven water pump on my v8-60 (re-pop) I am also making my radiator. I assume since the crank pump has one inlet that then splits to each side all I need is one lower hose mount in my bottom tank? I only ask this because I saw a picture of a stock v8-60 radiator and it looked to have 2 upper and 2 lower ports for hoses. I wasn't sure if i still needed 2 ports tee'd together then feeding the sngle water pump inlet for better flow or is one lower port enough?

Paul

 

One bottom outlet is all you need into the pump. Then two outlets going from the pump into the block. You'll need to build manifolds for the side of the block going into the water jackets just above the pan rails. If he's still in business, Norm Rapp, in San Francisco, used to sell a real nice pump and manifolds.

 

Here’s a simple alternative for a V8-60. Forget the water pump altogether. Do an “evaporative cooling” or thermo-syphon like the old engines did. I ran my previous Vintage midget for 11 years this way after fighting overheating for the three years previous. Learned it from Dick German’s K1 car, now in the museum at Belleville, KS.

First of all it’s best with the Offy heads with the manifolded water outlets taking water off the head at three points.

Then using the stock water inlets on each side of the block at the front, install ¾” pipe elbows. Carefully locate (by removing the frost plugs and feeling and looking) and tap drill for 3/4” pipe thread for two more elbows spaced on the side of the block. Be careful tapping, the wall of the block is very thin and the water jacket not very deep. You may need to grind off some of the bottom of the tap to get good threads. Install ¾” pipe elbows in these four tapped openings.


Now build your radiator with six 3/4” outlets on the bottom tank, three to each side. Run a length of ¾” heater hose to each elbow. You have eliminated the need for the water distribution inlet manifold.

Now build a large overhanging (to the rear) top tank on your radiator. You want the two outlet hoses from the heads to enter that tank as low as possible and still have them slope upward to the tank.

The V8-60 is built like a fire tube boiler. Use this to your advantage. If water boils in the cylinder head a law of physics called the “latent heat of vaporization” causes the water to absorb 970 BTU’s per pound to do that as compared to 1 BTU to raise the temperature of the same pound, 1 degree Fahrenheit.

The temperature gradient of the water in the system will gently circulate the water. If water boils in the head, the steam will go to the top tank and most of it will condense when it passes through the cooler water in the tank. You will add water after every on-track session..

By running a vented system, no pressure, you will never get hotter than 212 degrees, never boil, never blow a hose and scald the driver and you can use the nylon elbows from the hardware store that have a nice molded flow path through them.

 

Roscoe,
I believe you have what was called a Micro Midget. Floyd B was very active at the old Lemoore Jet Bowl. It was a 1/10 mile dirt track. The memory bank of old racers from there is dying away. PM me and I will give you a couple of names of people should be able answer your questions about your car. Lemoore still runs Micros from May to September.

 

Car Owner Marty Himes, Himes Museum of Auto Racing Nostalgia
Offy Midget, former driver Mario Andretti at Fort Dix Speedway, NJ
Rick Holmberg having fun hot lapping with Marty at Riverside Park MA. 1987?

 

kholm65;
First photo is Mickey Rooney?

 

yes, that is correct.

 

Funny, I don't remember Mario owning a midget, and a carburated one at that? What's the story on it and the name?

 

The #25 pictured was one of the two Gene's (Celeberti - spelling?) Offy team cars from here on Long Island, NY and is in "as run" condition. The other was numbered 52 and is/was the car that Larry Rice (NOT the California one) was killed in at the Islip (NY) Speedway.

The #25 was once owned by Smokey Secundo (spelling?) from upn the north east. It has a some what shorter wheelbase than most midgets.

The late Roger Bailey, from Patchogue, NY, often drove one of the team cars when the ARDC ran weekly at the Old Bridge (NJ) Speedway in the 60's, if I remember correctly.

I do not know if Mario Andretti ever drove either of these cars, but I guess it is possible?

Marty Himes knows the complete history of the #25, from the day it was built.

 

I haven't had a chance to sit down and type before this .. and better late than never.

THANKS to Stan Lobitz for another GRRRRRRREAT shindig. I truly enjoyed myself.

I'm sure that I'll forget a few, but I enjoyed meeting folks from here on the HAMB like Rich Bunning (RABs32), Joe Fiore (Wynns #1), mlight9, the late Jerry Karl's nephew - Tony De Seta (Buildy), Spike Gilespie and others.

Rich gave me a CD that I haven't had a chance to slip into this machine yet, but i KNOW that I'll enjoy!!! I'm guessing it's some of the superb pictures that were taken over the years by Rich and his Dad. (THANK YOU Rich!!!) .... Spike had some wonderfully detailed models (open cockpit of course) that he made.

It was great to see folks like Doug Post (Sprinter 2), Denny Zimmerman, Billy Courtwright, Ken Brenn, Johnny & Dottie Mann, Dick Peterman, Jimmy Maguire, Tom Cochrane, Marty Himes and again others.

90 year old Chris Ecomomacki hasn't missed a beat!!!

Although we were both there all day, somehow Frank Filocamo and myself missed one another. Understandable because the turn out was so LARGE!!!

I didn't know Harley Gene was there. I sure would have liked to have met him. .... Maybe next year?

What rounded my wonderful day off was the ride up & back with Irwin .. who owns a former Rollie Helmlings midget that was driven by Kenny Schrader, a young Jeff Gordon and other famous chauffers .. plus an Edmunds sprint car and the former Ken Brenn #20 (later the #1) Edmunds midget and the multi talented Harold Seaman. .... Harold spent a good part of the day giving tours of the infamous Lobitz barn, that is stacked high with vintage race cars. You may have met him?

The only thing I don't like about Stan's parties, is that each time I go there are fewer of us grey &/or bald headed folks (from my era - so to speak) with our toes still on the green side of the grass. But that makes it even MORE IMPORTANT to attend.

If you haven't attended one of Mr. Lobitz's affairs yet (or in awhile), start making plans to attend next years .. which will be (as always) the second Sunday in November.

Once again THANK YOU .. Stan Lobitz!!!!!!!!!

 

I'll have to ask Marty about Mario driving that car? I'm gettin old so I may have dreamed that part up? LOL But I know my brother sure had a blast hot lapping that car with Marty that day!!

Ps. Thanks for the info about that car Ken.
also a shame that car received some damage in the fire at the museum a few years back. <!-- / message -->

 

Here is another of Mickey Rooney alittle younger

 

kholm65, Gene celebreti and Mario Andretti can sound pretty similar. Perhaps just a hearing transposition?????

 

nope my hearing is fine, just asked Marty Himes and he said Mario Andretti drove that car for Gene at Fort Dix Speedway, NJ. he was not sure of the year. Jim, I guess ya learn something new everyday

 

Just for you ARDC guys. Name the players and the track. The photo says 1963 Onteora but I think it is either Owego or Vineland although I am sure of the year. Enjoy

 

Here is one more.. These are Eli Roth photos from the ACOT collection courtesy of Pete Poodiak

 

In the first photo Russ Klar is in Gray 4th from left side. He is also on the far rt on the 2nd photo.

In the first photo I think Bert Brooks in Red to the Rt of Russ.Maybe King Carpenter in Yellow Shirt, to the left side of Russ.

In the first photo I believe Ed Dutch Schaeffer (SP)is 2nd from far rt side.

Jim Nise will probably correct me if I guessed wrong.