History Vintage "Cageless" Midget Picture Thread

Vineland (NJ) Speedway today ...
Years ago I attended ARDC midget races there
http://www.3widespicturevault.com/FRONT%20PAGE%20STUFF/Vineland_Visit_G03.30.10_.htm

ATCO (NJ) Speedway today ...
After we were banned by the local police from testing the former Joe Csiki Falcon in a local Toms River, NJ school yard .. Johnny Action (John Karklin), his Dad - “Big Carl” & myself would sometimes tow the midget to the long abandoned ATCO (NJ) Speedway, unload it, fire it up and test it there.
That was in the 1970's.
Here’s what the ATCO oval looks like today.
http://www.3widespicturevault.com/FRONT%20PAGE%20STUFF/Atcval_Visit_G0.31.10_.htm

I believe the some where nearby ATCO Drag Strip might be still in operation.

 

Hey here are some Chevy II parts I have. EVM front cover, Ronco 4 cyl. Magneto and Hilborn fuel pump. Hoping some one could use these parts. the front cover has EVM water pump and fuel pump on it as you can see. Let me know guys!

Bob

 

Separate e-mail sent

 

This shot was taken at the 1956 ARDC banquet. Help me identify from left to right, first row #1 second row #1 and #2, third row. #1. I have all the rest. Lets see how many of the others you can remember. When you all have taken a shot I will post the others row by row. good luck

Doug

 

I only recognize Dutch and Ernie. There might be Mike Caruso, and Bobby Boone.

Too hard for me.

 

Hey Doug ..

For me, Dutch Schaefer, Ernie McCoy and I think Ed Darrell .... but not the names of the ones that you're seeking.

Please let us in on the ones that you have already identified.

THANKS!!!!

 

I want to wish everyone here a ....

M E R R Y
​

C H R I S T M A S

 

Thanks for the response Jim and Ken. Here we go by row.
Front row..unknown, Tony Martino, Ed Schaefer, Harry Hespell, Stan Frankenfield
Middle row.. unknown, unknown, Bob Hanrahan, Mike Caruso, Tony Romit, Ernie McCoy
top row..unknown, Walter Mordenti, Bob Boone, Bill Zerillo, Ed Darrell

 

WOW!!!! .... THANKS Doug

Although in the picture their faces are some what younger, then when I got to know them, now that you point them out I can also recognize Walt Mordenti, Mike Caruso, Tony Romit & Stan Frankenfield.

Hopefully someone will come across the picture and be able to identify the remaining four unknowns.

HAROLD SEAMAN .... If you're watching .. two things

1. - Maybe blow up (400%) & print out the picture of the 1956 ARDC Banquet that Doug posted above and take it with you the next time that you visit Johnny & Dottie Mann. I bet they can put names to the four that are still unidentified.

2. - There in the front row is a picture of the man (Harry Hespell) whose chassis you once owned and Joe Fiore (Wynns #1) later so beautifully & faithfully restored as a whole car.

 

Harry hespell owned a granite quarry outside Philly. He had a huge garage for his 4 midgets there. (huge by 1950,1960 sandards.)

He was a very nice gentleman, normally with two old pros and two up and comers driving for him. He always used the ARDC points system to his advantage, moving his top contenders to the lesser car points wise at season end to improve their feature starting positions.

 

Update on 1956 ARDC photo. Bill St George identified row 2 #1 as Wayne Doerstler and # 2 Charlie Wozniak (Wozniak #53 Offy)

 

Doesn't look like Wayne Doerstler to me, but thats a long time ago.

 

do you want to sell these parts and how much, danny

 

Does anybody have any photos they can post of early rear engine midgets, preferably Harley powered ? I'm working on a scratchbuilt model for a group build and have only found two cars in the Fox book "The Mighty Midgets" Also any closeup photos of an Elto that i could cobble together for something really different. How were the chain drives on the Harleys hooked up, i've heard differing stories.

Thanks guys

Rick

 

I would like to wish everyone on the board a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year...

Doug Post

 

Urgent!! Someone please pass me the current phone #s & email adresses for Marty
Himes & Harold Seamen, Or at least ask them to contact me here in FL. I can be contacted by the email address on my website below, or will give phone # in PM on request. Very important to me. Thanks in advance. I only have OLD phone #s. Tell them Jody Gertler needs to talk to them.

 

Jody ..

I called Harold.
He will contact you himself, with both his & Marty's contact info.

 

Thanks a Million Ken.This means a AWFUL LOT to me..Will fill you in when I see what develops..

A very Merry Christmas to YOU and all the folks on this great thread.

 

Gotta love the racing community and their response to everybody!


Merry xmas to all the faithful and loyal fans. Outside of the military nothing beats racers!

jim

 

Ken, I'm back on the air.....


HS

 

Yo HGS...nice to see you here. Lisa & I hope you & Jayne have a great Christmas.

 

Harold good to see you back on hamb. Did you get in touch with Jodi Gertler?

 

Hi Stan; (and Merry Christmas)
I'll answer so Harold does not have to get all the way up to "5" posts
Yes Harold & I had a long good phone call. Although he talked almost as long with my wife, first, about "the old days," as they are from the same area and knew so many people in common, while growing up. Thanks, again, to Ken for helping with that contact.
While I'm here..Does anyody know who the seller and buyer were for all those original 1950 and 1951 Raceway Garage/Joe Gertler photos that sold on Ebay last week? Seller from West Harrison, NY, is all I know. Someone JUST told me,this morning, over a WEEK after the auction closed. He thought "I" had sold them on Ebay as, by a very Wierd co-incidence, part of seller's Ebay name was "Jodie". What are the odds? Sure would like to have some of those photos (or at least, scans) for my history projects about Dad, and for my kids, etc. Most of you know I do a pretty fair amount of posting photos of many of his interesting cars. There were a couple of photos in there that I have been searching for for 30 years! I'm just SICK about missing them..I'm afraid the winning buyer may split them up .

 

GOOD GOING HAROLD!!!

If you would, go back to post #1569 (on page #79) on this thread. .... Johhny & Dottie Mann may be able to help Doug Post (Sprinter 2) out with that.

 

I have to mention, that it was not unusual to find a large package delivered by UPS, etc. that contained an aeroplane prop .. or some such .. in my office at the Riverhead (NY) Raceway. Addressed to the Raceway Garage it / they had delivered in error to the track.

Joe & Jody had long moved from the Bronx (NY), to a short distance away from the speedway. I'd call them to come retreive it.

Hey Jody .. this came up in conversation recently. What ever happened to the brand new all aluminum 110 Offy that your Dad had in the shop back then?

 

Hi all,
Uncle Len went out to see Joe years back. I remember him telling me about about all the amazing stuff he had. Here are some pics. Don't know who took them or if they were taken on that day but they were in his album.

 

I've got a quick question for some of the So Cal researchers. When I was a kid growing up in San Dimas Ca. the principal at the elementary school was a man with last name Moore, brought his midget to school one day to show us. This would've been about '55. All I remember is that it was red with white numbers/lettering. I think my Dad said Binks McLean was involved with it as mechanic or engine builder.

 

I'm laughing Ken;
Maybe we did not think it through! moving Raceway in Riverhead, almost walkng distance from Riverhead Raceway Those were good days.
As to "this came up in conversation recently. What ever happened to the brand new all aluminum 110 Offy that your Dad had in the shop back then?"
I have a pretty good memory for historic details. (Dad was a walking encyclopedia on early racing, especially midgets and midget drivers)but am a bit fuzzy on that engine.
I'm probably completely wrong, but I'm getting a sense that we got it fom Joe Gemsa or from hemmings in the early 80s? I would have thought it would end up at Speedy Bills collection. but I think it went to some newby enthusiast ho wanted to try to put it all together and get it running. Since it stayed in a crate most of the time, I did not get to study it every day, like I did all the other rare & early and uniques engines we had on display there. Mostly rare aero engines, though.

Mike; Thanks for the very neat Christmas present of posting those color photos. I DO have tons of the color photos for THOSE years that Dad & I worked together. He taught me how to scratch build every single part & piece of a pre-war style midget and sprint car, other than engines and running gear. (DID teach me how to modify various makes/types of auto running gear the way they were done "back in the day.")
i still have the #4 Elto sitting here about 40 feet from me. Also the Granite St Special sprint car that is barely visible in the center back.
i THINK! That Third photo with # 15 has a flat tail sprint car, an Offy midget, and Elto midget, a V8/60 midget, The Granite St, Sprint, and a new 28? Miller Indy car body & frame with some running gear links etc.
*You can also see the ever present large cardboard fom refrigerator boxes. I always used those to draw the various body template patterns in 3 Dimensions, in full scale, when building/fitting a new body.. And about 175 pre-WWII aero engines on stands in the back, with an original 1911 Bleriot airplane and a couple of other rare planes strored behind them. We were never in danger of being bored..

 

Hi Mike ...

Your Uncle Len (Duncan) kept an album?
WOW!!!!! We'd all love to see that.

PLEASE post as much from that album that you can.

THANKS in advance.

 

Jody ..

I always enjoyed going to your Dad's shop, as it was filled with marvelous things .. and always had interesting conversations with your Dad. Those conversations even continued continued when I went to your Dad's house to measure for some sort of floor covering. I worked late that day, to make up for the considerable time I spent there.

I know you Dad had plans for that very rare all aluminum 110 Offy. He planned to use it .. and its parts & peices .. as patterns to make NEW parts for vintage racers, who were wearing &/or breaking their Offy midget engines.

Your Dad always seemed to be thinking ahead!!!