History Vintage "Cageless" Midget Picture Thread

A little off track here .. this was a pretty famous TQ in it's day .. the Werle Crosley sidewinder/roadster .. driven mostly by Tony Romit & Johnny Coy.

BTW -- also from the Ken Brenn show in Warren, NJ this past September.

 

A quick view of only SOME of the open cockpit cars at Ken Brenn's show.

 

Way off base here BUT WALLY DALLENBACH SR'S. sucess in midgets, sprints, dirt champ cars, Indy cars and later as a top ranked CART official speaks VOLUMES.

Few know &/or remember that stock cars (one of his pictured below) were his early roots.

This was again at the annual Ken Brenn show in Warren, NJ.

A quick flash back .. if I might. A split show one night at the Islip (NY) Speedway. ARDC midgets & NASCAR modifieds (plus other divisions). Wally's ride for the night was in the #29 Hophan Offy (I think). .. Anyhoo he also climbed into a strange car .. the Fred Harback backup modified (#X-90) and started dead last in the modified feature. Need I say that he deftly trounced all the Islip NASCAR modified regulars by winning the feature (again from dead last).

I've forgotten where he finished in the midget main that night.

 

I love this shot of the State Fair Grounds. They held the Charity Newsies bike races there for ever it seemed, but the outlaw motorcycle clubs had their way, and by 1980 it was all over (at the fairgrounds anyway). Somewhere here I've got a shot of Glouster, Ohio native Tomcat Morrison beating the best in the nation one day in the mid-70's. It also shows the lack of crowd control. As an aside, I think Bob Hope was from Akron.

 

ORIGIONALLY POSTED BY HUTCHO

Hi it is Ron from Australia,

Sorry guys it is not a 1969 or older but I have just purchased a 1977 ex Larry Rice (R.I.P.) LTC Midget with Scat engine that Larry bought and ran in the U.S. before taking to NZ where he won the World Derby.

I do have some history coming but I would appreciate any information you can help me with. I am keen to replicate his race suit and helmet for display purposes. The livery of the car as run by Larry is as per the photo.

I remember seeing Larry drive when he first paid a visit to Australia, absolutely sensational and a good bloke that made many friends here.

Cheers
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Origionally posted by HUTCHO

Can someone tell me the signifiance of the signage Larry Rice used on his helmet he used on midget tour to NZ 1977.."Rice a Roni"? Don't suppose anyone has a picture of it? Had the Gatorade flashes on it.

 

Quote: racer5c

Rice-a-roni was a nickname dunno if they have it in Australia, but it is a instant flavored rice mix in a box in the USA, gatorade was the sponsor on his USAC Sprint car a few years <!-- / message --><!-- sig -->
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Quote: Brian26
<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=6 width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: 1px inset; BORDER-LEFT: 1px inset; BORDER-TOP: 1px inset; BORDER-RIGHT: 1px inset" class=alt2>Originally Posted by racer5c
Rice-a-roni was a nickname dunno if they have it in Australia, but it is a instant flavored rice mix in a box in the USA, gatorade was the sponsor on his USAC Sprint car a few years
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Didn't Gary "Preacher" Patterson give him that nickname in Australia?
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Quote: racer5c

don't think so I remember everyone calling him Rice-a-Roni long before he started going down under <!-- / message --><!-- sig -->__________________
Proud Member of the S.C.T.A. Road Runners, and Indianapolis 500 Oldtimers

Quote: HUTCHO

Not aware of Rice-a-roni product in OZ.After Larry & Gary became friends in NZ the were promoted here as the Preacher & the Teacher,thanks guys. Robbie has the helmet hoping to get a pic soon.
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Can anyone here help HUTCHO (Ron from Sydney, Australia) with a picture of "Rice A Roni's" (Larry Rice's) helmet with the Gatorade colors???

THANKS!!!!

 

On eBay .. Beautiful Kurtis Copy V8-60 Powered Midget Race Car ..

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Beau...ce_Cars_Not_Street_Legal_?hash=item2a01dcfcf2

 

Yes .. the plot thickens

Quote: vintageracer37
<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=6 width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: 1px inset; BORDER-LEFT: 1px inset; BORDER-TOP: 1px inset; BORDER-RIGHT: 1px inset" class=alt2>Originally Posted by vintageracer37
I'll check with the source (I'm still in touch with all the parties). It's possible that Bob didn't get the car from the Stroud family (my assumption). I'll get the real scoop!

Sean
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Quote: vintageracer37

OK, Strait from the horses mouth! Just got off the phone with Bob Olds. Seems he went to California with Johnny Tolan (ex RMMRA driver and USAC champion) in search of a midget to buy. His original intention was to buy the Leanard Faas Edmunds Sesco. Faas wanted to run the car a while longer, so he wasn't ready to sell. He did mention another car that might be for sale; The 1969 USAC championship car, the Jack Stroud Edmunds Offy. Tolan knew Stroud well (Bob not as well), so they went back to Denver, got a trailer, and went to St. Louis and got the car.

Bob coroberates the story about Edmunds not knowing about the car being built. Seems Edmunds was in South Africa with the modifieds, and Jerry Weeks, Tattersal and Stroud built the car in his absense. An interesting side note: Bob told me that after he got the car, Edmunds called him and offered him a BRAND NEW car in exchange for the Honker! Seems even though it was a USAC championship car, he wanted it back so he could cut it up and pretend it never existed! Again, this strait from Bob Olds!

Bob claims that he doesn't know about the Australia car, and states that his (now in the hands of Leroy Byers) is the Stroud Honker II.

The plot thickens!

BTW, I have been around this car since I was 16 (1974), so I have every reason to believe the story.

Sean
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Making chicken salad from chicken shit since 1970!

 

Here are some photos of a classic KK Midget that was at the Hershey Car show last week.
Photos by Buildy(me).

I have been told this car is one of the most original of the KK midgets,as it only raced for about one year and then was parked. Built in 1948. Never painted.




Driver wearing correct gear for the era!




Engine set up with Riley carbs.

 

From Stan Kalwasinski's Chicagoland collection. Tony Bettenhausen at Soldier Field in 1957.

 

I recently purchased a Edmunds, or good Edmunds copy, midget to restore. Pretty complete car, probably originally '68 or so. Has a bolt on cage (sorry about that). It will come off soon. Any info on the car would be appreciated.

Blacki-Suede
aka Carroll Hamilton

 

A few more pics geared to identification.

Blacki-Suede

 

The car was a California car that was run for a very short time and then stashed in some guys basement for decades. When it finally saw the light of day Frank Kurtis himself verified the car. Arlen Kurtis later purchased it and then sold it to someone here in the East. That guy put mirrors on it and did all sorts of crap. When it was sold again it was restored to its original look.

I'll see if I can't find a picture of it with the mirrors somewhere.

 

Check this out! Ride along with a vintage midget. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2MfbZLImXA

 

Frank Mantello in the Bob Olds "Honker", and a shot of Olds and Don Wilson with the same car now #62. Sean is correct, when I worked for Bob Olds in the summer of 1985 he told me the same story. Edmunds hated that car, and I think the first ever race under Olds ownership may have been the "Hut 100" with Jim Beckley at the wheel, but I can't remember if that's right. My records indicate the car first ran with the RMMRA in 1971, with Mantello in the #93, after that it became #62 with Don Wilson up for 72' and a couple more years. Oh yeah, according to Leroy Byers, this was the car that Doug Wolfgang had his first ever ride in a midget with. Byers has a photo of Wolfgang sitting in the car, some years after Byers had bought it, and taken the roll cage off of it, Wolfgang was in Denver for a WoO sprint show and posed for the photo, sometime in the 1980's.

 

Some more interesting insight into the Edmunds, "Honker" midget.
http://www.autoracingmemories.com/forums/showthread.php?t=107

 

Every once in awhile, a few friends and I go see a guy's car collection. In his office, he has one of these midgets sitting in the middle of the room. I was all over it, like a kid at a candy store. The lil' racer is black with the knock offs, just friggin' cool.
If I was filthy rich with disposable income, I'd buy it on the spot.
A bumper sticker I saw, it read: "dirt is for racing, asphalt is for getting there"

 

...you guys got me thinking and yes, I took a picture of it.
The racer is surrounded by vintage player pianos. The number painted on the body is no. 38. I don't know if this number or car has any history to it, maybe someone in the audience knows?

 

Here is an Offy heat at an AARA track in Ohio. Thats a trotter horse racing track.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylkmHp93xZw&NR=1

 

Looking for some pitures of Tuffy's #25 Offy Midget either in the pits or on the track. Current owner Fred Johns is looking for this to complete his documentation. Any help anyone?

 

Hi Buildy that KK is one of the nicest midgets I've seen. The contour of the slicks are interesting.In the 60's we used to run similar looking "Hardies Slicks" kart racing.

 

This information was graciously given to me tonight by Graham (see attachments).

Honker 11

Graham & his good friend Mike Stroud went to Leroy Byers to buy that car but was to no avail.Graham has some pics sitting in the car with Mike...When Graham bought his Honker 11 with the help of Mike,Mike gave Graham a heap of original parts the Strouds had kept throughout the years including the body moulds,rollcage etc.Of interest Graham became friends with Jerry Weeks the man who built both HONKERS......cheers Ron

 

"Hi Buildy that KK is one of the nicest midgets I've seen. The contour of the slicks are interesting.In the 60's we used to run similar looking "Hardies Slicks" kart racing."

Some more detail photos of the car.





LT front shock detail



Hand pump to pressurize fuel tank.



Win Stickers

 

Found this pic of Tattersall



http://vintageracingphotos.smugmug....Photos/2387890_5DVrh/1/125126170_pLpsZ/Medium

 

check out short movie clip Offy powered midget wins at orange show spdw
https://openwheelracers3.com/Short_Movie_Clips.html

The car is a Walt Reif built space framed car, Offy Powered with a Benson fiberglass nose hood combined by Jack costella on it probably.
aXe

 

California dirt track proably Vallejo? 1960's Dick Atkins with Trophy Girl Wilda Mimms
Sim Clark ChevyII

Crew L to R Rudy Farburger, Dick, Wilda, Rick Dedman, Sim & Ken Talley
That Chevy was the hottest out there for years even won the first USAC National midget main event at Vallejo Ca. on 2/14/1965 by a chevy II with Mel Kenyon driving it.
aXe

 

MIDGET....had to...

 

I have a question about midget axles. I have a later Halibrand 31 splined axle that is a 44-1 I assume. It is 16" from center to the bird cage flange on the left side and 18" to the ledge on the right. Everything on the left side fits fine in my midget, but the right side has a ton of extra splines on the right side before the threads for the nut. When I get the wheels spaced out to be in the right place, the axle sticks out flush with the outside of the wheel and looks a little out of place. Does anyone know if there is a different splined axle that was made that will not have all the extra spline on the right side? Or does anyone have a tapered axle and hubs for a National/Halibrand rear?
Thanks,
Bzneil