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Quarter Midget Racers from Late 50's/early 60's


GINGERBREADMAN

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MORE REUNION PHOTOS..

 

Larry Schild and Larry Robertson

 

The original "Lead Foot" Larry Schild was in attendance along with fellow race driver Larry Robertson.

 

Larry, son of Charlie Schild drove the "Flying 1" Viper 1/4 Midget in honor of his Dad's number.

 

It's been awhile since I've seen both of these guys especially Larry Robertson.

 

Larry Robertson drove the Yellow #8 Midget

 

The reunion couldn't be complete without seeing these two drivers of long ago.

 

I have included a NOW and THEN Shot to reflect the times gone by..

 

Larry Schild / Larry Robertson - Quarter Midget Reunion 2008

 

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Larry Robertson / Larry Schild in 1960-San Antonio

 

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I feel like a party crasher but I am getting a late start in Quarter Midget's with this late '50z Wohlborg. I have just found the rite Continental AU 7R and now have all the Hands Eng. wheels so it's time to start the resto. Will post pic's as I go if there is any interest! Hardest part will be picking the color combo! Thanks, Lon

 

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Lon,

 

There are no party crashers on this thread..

 

If it's about Classic Quarter Midgets then nothing can crash it.

 

Matter of fact, we are glad to see your progress on the Wahlborg and really looking forward to seeing this classic restored!

 

The Hands Mfg. Wheels are a great find.

 

So, tell us your secret on finding the Continental Engine so quickly. Some boys in Texas are looking for some themselves.

 

Keep the information and photos coming and once again..Welcome to Texas!

 

-Randy

Midget 85

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HOUSTON CHRONICLE CLIPPING 1958

 

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The article above reflects on additional information on the Quarter Midget Craze in the late 50's.

 

Note the photo on the right showing Denny Burton in my old midget #7 that has been repainted Blue and White with the #56.

 

This would be Denny's introduction to Quarter Midget Racing at his entry. The photo also shows Don Burton (Dad) kneeling beside Denny.

 

I remember this day as if it were just yesterday..

 

The photo on the left is Mr Moss himself sitting in a Moss Midget and shaking hands with track promoter Bert Lynn, Jeff Lynn's Dad..

 

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A line up of Wahlborg Midgets get ready for a few rounds of action at the newly built track!

 

(Coggie Pearce is in car #7)

 

 

 

Photos taken in 1958 - Gulfgate Race Track

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THREE DRIVERS READY FOR ACTION - PIT SHOT

 

Danny Woods - Rod Green - Doug McBride - Pacemaker Midget

 

Grand Prarie, TX - 1963

 

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MODIFIED PACEMAKER

 

We believe this is Doug McBride in his modified Pacemaker

 

Photo Courtesy - Doug McBride

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DOUG McBRIDE - PACEMAKER 500

 

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Jim,

 

Very good question.

 

To my knowledge most ( Factory Built ) Quarter Midgets ran adds in popular magazines like some of the ones posted on this thread advertising their midgets with features related to the car and their name plastered on the add.

 

If you were around Quarters, you became familar with the characteristics with the body styles, roll bar designs, and other giveaways as to manufacturer.

 

The "Wahlborgs" had the famous "W" in the bumper and accelerator pedal for instance.

 

The "Pacemaker" had the "PM" in the grill insert.

 

The "Moss" had the "Knock Off Hubs" on the wheels and so forth.

 

They all had their own identities mainly by design and you would eventually know them by heart once you spotted one.

 

There were probably about 8 to 10 major manufacturers in the early days and each one had their own design personalities by the creators obviously.

 

Other small manufactured midget companies were only in the business a short while.

 

Here are some of the well known midget brands..

 

Wahlborg

 

Viking Craft

 

Racecraft

 

Kurtis Kraft

 

Grand Prix

 

Viper

 

Offyette

 

Pacemaker

 

Moss

 

Mantz

 

Razzi

 

Cherokee

 

Speedway

 

 

Remember also that many build yourself kits were available with several different body styles per kit offering.

 

I have one of those bodies I recently purchased.

 

In summary, I know of only one way to correctly identify the midgets and that was to have raced against them as well as drive them in some form or another.

 

Many of the midgets over the years have been altered or lost their original looks to some degree.

 

I recently came across a Readers Forum discussing that someone had found a Moss Midget that had been in storage for over 40 years and was discovered in an estate sale.

 

I have posted many of the different ones from the early days on this thread for reference and hopefully that will help many of our readers identify them.

 

All in all, I would say the Wahlborgs were probably the most plentiful midgets due to their initial cost and also for their looks. I know of no known tags attached to the midgets, .. just character.

 

At least in this area, that was true.

 

Thanks for the inquiry!

 

85 :)

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1960

 

I need help with this photo since the driver was from San Antonio so, maybe Doug McBride will recognize this driver or anyone else that sees this shot.

 

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This is Rod Green from Irving, Texas.

 

This was in a parking lot race in San Antonio to help raise money for a new track.

 

 

 

Doug,

 

I have stumbled onto this site only to find that my friend Doug McBride is still around. This has been pretty cool looking at pictures and reading some of the posts. I certainly remember you and have thought about you over the years. I am still racing today: sprint cars and go-karts. I would love to hear from you. Send me an email.

 

Phil Harris

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Phil,

 

I'm glad that you have found this site. I have many memories of the great drivers, as yourself, from the Dallas area.

 

We just attended a reunion of some of great racers from the Houston area and we had an awesome time. I'm glad that you and Larry from Houston were able to continue your racing experience from the QM days.

 

Randy and his wife Molly, have done a fantastic job in preserving the Texas history of QM racing from the 50's and 60's. I have given Randy all of the things that I had, so that they could be posted here. If you have anything to add to this site PLEASE contact Randy, Midget 85, he will help you in any way that he can.

 

I look forward to meeting up with you soon.

 

I'm Thankful for all of the friendships lost and then found on this website.

Have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving.

 

Doug...

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ARE YOU THE SAME PHIL HARRIS?

 

Phil,

 

Did you ever drive a Metallic Red Kurtis Kraft Midget #21?

 

I once met a driver in Grand Prarie when we were racing there in 1960 by the name of Phil.

 

Was curious if this was you.

 

If you are the same driver, I recall a double end over end flip in a Kurtis Midget at the Grand Prarie track known as the Bubble Gum Bowl..the car was # 21 and in the Double AA Feature race when the spill happened. Could that be you or do you recall such an incident??

 

Just thought I would check and see if you are the same Phil Harris :huh:

 

Thanks for the info on the Pacemaker Driver in San Antonio ( Midget 14 ).

That was a fast midget! It also answers my question in the beginning of this thread.

 

I was there that day in the Blue and White 85 Pacemaker and finished 3rd in that same feature race..

 

Randy

Midget 85

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COLLECTORS DREAM!!

 

Lon,

 

This is incredible and an envy for many!

 

The gentleman with this collection was very wise and also had a lot of taste for the classic midgets!

 

I see Wahlborgs, Racecrafts, Kurtis Krafts and a super nice 50's Full size midget.

 

We say thanks for sharing the photos with us. Brings back great memories and looks like we have enough of them here to do a line up for a feature race!

 

We are aware that Classic Quarter Midgets were more abundant on the East and West Coast and the sport kept it's popularity much longer than they did here in Houston,TX.

 

It's hard to find any at all in this area but, it appears people in other parts of the country preserved them well.

 

Great lookin cars! :unsure:

 

-Randy

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Horizontal Shocks

 

A close up of the "Racecraft Midget" here appears to have been modified some. In performance midgets, it wasn't unusual to see modifications performed.

 

The horizontal shock shown here looks like the same one off the Pacemaker Midget.

 

In the early days, Racecraft Midgets were not equipped with this shock..

 

Good possibility this shock was taken from a Pacemaker Midget or purchased from an unknown source and then added to the Racecraft. :D

 

-Randy

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Hello everyone, I have just finished reading every page of this thread and it's really awesome to see the growing interest for these little cars in Texas. I met Lon (straycat) thru another hot rod forum and I sent him some pictures of my small collection (I would have tried to take some better shots if I had known about this site!). I have been looking for vintage quarter midgets for about 15 years and at one time I had over 20, but small as they are... they still take up a lot of room, so I decided to sell of some of the ones that needed quite a bit of restoration work, such as 2 more Racecrafts, 2 Wahlborgs, an Offyette, Overholtzer, Grand Prix, Mantz, Rice roadster, Vikingcraft and several home made cars . I have a weakness for cars in "as raced" orig. condition. My current collection (above pictures) includes.. 1947 full size Kurtis midget chassis #161, the geneology of Kurtis book only traces the car back to Eli Vukovich, but I have found also earlier history, 1958 Kurtis 500, 1957 Racecraft, 1957 Wahlborg, 1956 Stevenscraft, 1961 Lenny Gonsel (pretty rare), Late 50's "mystery" car (looks like a hybred Vikingcraft) and a 1958 Racecraft (the car pictured above with the aftermarket friction shocks) This car has some great history. It was owned and raced by one of the original Mickey Mouse Club members (Johnny) and was passed down to his little brother (Monte) Walt Disney made a 8mm movie about this very car. While I'm on the subject of Walt Disney, I can tell you he was a big fan of quarter midget racing as a matter of fact... Doug Carruthers (Vikingcraft) owned a large trailer manufacturing business in Anaheim, Ca. called Viking Trailer Sales and he built one of the first quarter midget tracks in southern Calif. called the "Jelly Bean Bowl". He soon leased the entire property to Walt Disney so he could build a park called...Disneyland! Walt continued to attend local quarter midget races and at one time there was a little guy and his sister racing and Walt was so impressed with the way this little guy carried himself that he signed him to a movie contract. This kid was none other than Kurt Russell ! Southern Calif. and central Calif (where I live) was a real hot bed for 1/4 midget racing and I still stumble across vintage race cars sometimes although they are not as cheap as they were when I first started buying them. I have ton's of old photo's from the 50's and early 60's when I get a chance, I will try and post some of the better ones. As a new member to this website (just found out about it), I am really enjoying it! Thanks! Kenny.

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Kenny

Thanks for sharing with us. Beautiful cars! The #98 car caught my attention. The #14 is a beautiful car. I noticed that on each side of the 58 Racecraft car is something I've never seen before. It has a carb, fan,and pulleys...What are they? PLEASE share some more with us. I would love to see the motor of the #14 car. Thanks again

PAPA

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