Midget 85 Posted July 13, 2012 Report Share Posted July 13, 2012 Our appreciation to Bart Stevens from Irving, Texas for the invitation to join in on the fun on September 22, 2012. We hope all of the past Quarter Midget drivers will make plans to attend this important event. For more information, copy the link below and paste in your header bar http://radiusnation.net/ Plans are coming together very well for this year’s Racers Reunion Banquet on Saturday September 22nd. We will be back at PCS Productions in Irving, TX on their beautiful 9000 sq. ft. sound stage. This year we will have Paul Page as the Master of Ceremony since one of the feature presentations this year will be about our regular Master of Ceremony, 3-time Indy 500 winner, Johnny Rutherford. The second presentation will be about the history of Quarter Midgets, a craze that swept the Nation in the 1950s. We will have folks here who drove these cars during this alluring time. We will also have a large number of vintage quarter midgets on display in addition to the other vintage race cars that will be on display. In the afternoon we will have activities for you including Bench Racing, scrap books, a Racing Movie on the big screen & break-out sessions about historic racing. It is hard to believe we could top last year’s event but we have so much planned for this year I hope you are here to be a part of this amazing day! Tickets will go on sale August 1st. Keep an eye out for more details very soon. Bart Stevens 214-293-3003 www.RadiusNation.net Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BW Stevens Posted July 14, 2012 Report Share Posted July 14, 2012 (edited) Thanks Randy! There a couple reason why we chose to feature Vintage Quarter Midgets and one of them was the stories I have read on this thread over the last couple of years. We are looking to have a great time and all who have participated or just love this type of racing are invited to attend. We still have room for a few more Vintage Quarter Midgets to display. They can be survivors or restored cars, just needs to be a roller. There will also be an assortment of other vintage race cars. We have a Larry Rice Champ car coming from OK and a sprint car coming from Kansas. Please contact me off list at bart.stevens@verizon.net with questions. Did I mention this would be a great time to get a picture of Johnny Rutherford with you & your own Quarter Midget! Bart Edited July 14, 2012 by BW Stevens Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fasternu97 Posted July 17, 2012 Report Share Posted July 17, 2012 The Quarter Midget track at Schole's Field, Galveston, TX today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fasternu97 Posted July 19, 2012 Report Share Posted July 19, 2012 A few more survivors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KGB911 Posted July 25, 2012 Report Share Posted July 25, 2012 What a Find! A Walborg 1/2 Midget with a 2 cycle! I remember the day Dad finished the 1st Pacemaker 1/2 Midget with the Mac 10, It was so cool to see him smile behind the wheel! Danny Ruth Pacemaker #1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midget 85 Posted August 6, 2012 Report Share Posted August 6, 2012 Great Photos! Where are these midgets? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midget 85 Posted August 6, 2012 Report Share Posted August 6, 2012 More information on Irving reunion Tickets for this year’s Racers Reunion Banquet hosted by Paul Page are now on sale. We are returning to the beautiful PCS Productions sound stage in Irving, Texas on Saturday, September 22, 2012, for a full day of activities, good times and informative historic presentations. Bench racing, a display of vintage race cars, scrap book tables, a racing movie on the big-screen and break-out sessions will start at 2:00 pm. Dinner will be severed at 7:00 pm prior to the feature presentations about Vintage Quarter Midgets and the Living Legend -- Johnny Rutherford. Purchase your tickets soon because a sell out is expected early this year. Identified groups who buy 6-8 tickets will be guaranteed a table together. More details about how you can pay by check, credit card or PayPal and a map are at www.RadiusNation.net. You will not want to miss the special guests who are coming to town to help us honor Johnny Rutherford. Continue to check the Facebook page for announcements and updates. We will see you there! Racers Reunion Banquet Saturday, September 22, 2012 PCS Productions 1551 Corporate Dr. Suite 125 Irving, TX 75038 Doors open 2:00 pm Dinner & Feature presentations 7:00 pm Tickets $30 each More info at 214-293-3003 www.RadiusNation.net Bart Stevens Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casper deuce Posted August 23, 2012 Report Share Posted August 23, 2012 (edited) I bought this little Wahlborg last Saturday about 10 minutes from my house. A local Fresno car raced from 1958 to 1964. it has a nice running AA Continental motor. The original owner was getting pretty sentimental about selling it when I was leaving his house with the car in the back of my truck. I told him.... I only live a few minutes away and he could have "visitation rights" whenever he wants and then I drove off before he changed his mind !! Edited August 23, 2012 by casper deuce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoGo22 Posted September 1, 2012 Report Share Posted September 1, 2012 These are really great - this looks like the 500 model but can't tell without seeing the front.I currently am in the process of doing a teardown of a '57 300 in hopes of spending my winter restoring, repairing and (hopefully not much) replacing items and materials on my midget that I had since I was a kid.Unfortunately, the motor is no more. The motor was out of the car and a new crank was suppose to be installed. Bad timing and a nasty garage fire finished off the little Continental motor.My hope is that I get the rest of the midget completed and that next year I can start my quest to locate a new motor.This is a 300 series Wahlborg. The 500 had a more rectangular nose and also known as the "King Size" Wahlborg.Midget 85 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casper deuce Posted September 1, 2012 Report Share Posted September 1, 2012 (edited) Wow !! That is a nice car GoGo, I don't see many Wahlborg's with an aluminum tube front axle, but I know they came from the factory like that. Does anyone out there know the year or option differances between a 300 model with the aluminum axle and a 300 model with the I beam steel axle? Please tell me you are not going to re-paint your car !!! This is one I am going to get next weekend... Edited September 3, 2012 by casper deuce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midget 85 Posted October 31, 2012 Report Share Posted October 31, 2012 Yes indeed that is a nice Wahlborg midget! As to the front axles, if I recall correctly that the I-Beam axles were on the first series of these little midgets which were being manufactured late 56 early 1957. By 1958 the round tube axles were standard on the Wahlborgs. I drove many of these little stormers! Weren't the best handling little midgets but sure resembled their Bigger Brother OFFY's during that time. The bodies were well designed to look like the big midgets... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casper deuce Posted November 19, 2012 Report Share Posted November 19, 2012 (edited) I have been cleaning up and organizing the toy room .... Edited November 19, 2012 by casper deuce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casper deuce Posted November 19, 2012 Report Share Posted November 19, 2012 a couple more... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KGB911 Posted November 26, 2012 Report Share Posted November 26, 2012 Well! got all the molds of the original Pacemaker in tacked and a front body and belly pan mold pulled off a Pacemaker roadster and to my surprise what appears to be the original tail mold for the Viking Craft Roadster. I also got a box of Pacemaker Grills in perfect condition. The story goes that they were sold first in the mid sixties to someone in Washington State and that guy sold them to a fella in Tennessee in the nineties and the guy I got them from was in Michigan, they got some miles on them! They are in Great shape and just need waxing and there ready to pull parts from. I will try and find a buyer for the Viking mold and keep looking for a Pacemaker roadster tail that I can pull a mold from. I would like to sell a complete body kit (3 pieces) with grill for $750 and I will make more grills as needed. I have been collecting parts to build my new clones and hope to start dad on them soon. Danny Ruth Pacemaker #1 DANNY..PLEASE GIVE US CONTACT INFO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midget 85 Posted December 17, 2012 Report Share Posted December 17, 2012 Love this!!! Count us in Danny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casper deuce Posted January 1, 2013 Report Share Posted January 1, 2013 I drug this one home last weekend...It is a 1956 Stevenscraft with functional exhaust pipe on the side and non functional curved glass S.W. gauges. Has a sweet little virgin stock Continental motor... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KGB911 Posted January 17, 2013 Report Share Posted January 17, 2013 Well! got all the molds of the original Pacemaker in tacked and a front body and belly pan mold pulled off a Pacemaker roadster and to my surprise what appears to be the original tail mold for the Viking Craft Roadster. I also got a box of Pacemaker Grills in perfect condition. The story goes that they were sold first in the mid sixties to someone in Washington State and that guy sold them to a fella in Tennessee in the nineties and the guy I got them from was in Michigan, they got some miles on them! They are in Great shape and just need waxing and there ready to pull parts from. I will try and find a buyer for the Viking mold and keep looking for a Pacemaker roadster tail that I can pull a mold from. I would like to sell a complete body kit (3 pieces) with grill for $750 and I will make more grills as needed. I have been collecting parts to build my new clones and hope to start dad on them soon. Danny Ruth Pacemaker #1 I can be reached kgbusa911@gmail.com Lets build some Pacemakers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotty4511 Posted February 9, 2013 Report Share Posted February 9, 2013 The 1/4 Midget photos below were captured we think in California with the driver's name known to us as only "Hagemann" Note the beauty of the carefully thoughtout designs reflecting the bigger brother midgets. The photo is dated 1960 #85 the driver of this car was named marvin webster. he had a chrome car out of california. he later got a new kurtis like the one richard shoji drove . marvins kurtis was chrome too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KGB911 Posted July 18, 2013 Report Share Posted July 18, 2013 Been awhile! Dad started building a continuation Pacemaker in March with just some simple dimensions I had aquired and low and behold I get contacted by a fellow Old Timer whom is part of the Mac O Chee group that has been featured in this forum in the past. Doug Plank whom currently lives in South Carolina had bought a stash of Vintage 1/4 midgets a few years back and in that stash was a Pacemaker survivor! We worked a deal and I got this complete unmolested car just as if it was parked after one season of racing in 58-59. I now have a car to copy every detail and build our New Pacemakers exactly as they were built in the 50's. The car has Precision 5 Spoke mag wheels a Goodyear Bluestreaks and Carlisles and is all Virgin but the steering wheel. I have not decided if I will restore it our just clean it up as I don't have any pedigree on it. Maybe someone here knows the car. It is Dark Metalic Blue and has a 8 on it that is white and red like a ribbon. Danny Ruth dan@innovativerodding.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midget 85 Posted August 28, 2013 Report Share Posted August 28, 2013 Doug, Keep us posted with the midgets. Bringing back memories to so many. Glad Doug contacted you as I know the racer will proove useful in making the new ones! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casper deuce Posted September 30, 2013 Report Share Posted September 30, 2013 I am looking fopr any info. on these two cars. They are said to be from the Portland, Or. area, I would guess mid to late 1970's. The purple faded to brown car is a Rice brand 80 inch. at one time this car was yellow with orange and red stripes, it still has a couple of really cool Bobby Allison decals on it that look orig. The little green car is also a Rice based chassis (Chrome Rice front axle for sure) and has a handmade metal body (tailcone long gone) that appears to be original 1970's green. This is a short little dude! Thanks, Kenny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midget 85 Posted December 13, 2013 Report Share Posted December 13, 2013 Casper, Based on the photos above, I would certainly say they are later year cars from the 70's. I am not sure how the rules changed during that time period and perhaps someone who was racing in that time would have a better answer for you as to the origin of these cars. They both have a wider tracking stance and seem to be more chassis designed after the Go Karts in that span of time. During this trasitional time period the designs and parts were somewhat being intergrated for both types of racing perhaps due to safety factors, advancement in speed, and most importantly part availability more readily available. One thing to keep in mind with quarter midget racing is the little midgets were the inspiration for the Go Kart style racing or you might say the item that launched Go Kart racing. Go Karts were not thought of until Quarter Midget Racing took off in popularity. It was the ticket for grown ups to become kids and be able to enjoy "Juniors" ride without the restricted fiberglass body restraints ..especially if you were a long legged person. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midget 85 Posted December 15, 2013 Report Share Posted December 15, 2013 Just like the "Big Boys" In our efforts to cover as much information, and photos of the vintage and classic Quarter Midgets, we are always looking for photos and interesting items to keep our thread one of the most viewed items on LSSZ. The "Roots" of pint size racing, the inspiration by Walt Disney, the love of competing and racing were all contibuting factors of Quarter Midgets. Although they have evolved into a different style, it is important to know where it all began. The photo in this caption truly reflects how youngsters had a chance to participate in the sport of midget racing just like the heroes they watched on the big tracks. We watched in amazement the colorful, loud roaring midgets that made such an impact on the young lives of kids and inspired those kids to perhaps have an oppourtunity to experience the same thrill. Perhaps at the same time encourage them to someday have their followers admire them also ..and perhaps on the same track. ( The photos below can best be served as a true example and do not represent the same drivers ) Many legends have come and gone. .. but the thrill of of racing forever lives on .. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midget 85 Posted December 15, 2013 Report Share Posted December 15, 2013 Restored - Wahlborg "300" Quarter Midget This is an awesome restoration of a Wahlborg Midget right down to the correct tire configuration, the added side exhaust pipe ( cosmetic reasons ) and enough zazzle to entice any youngster to write Santa .. We salute the person who brought this little midget back to the recognition it deserves for the mid century toys for all us boys ..oh and girls too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midget 85 Posted December 15, 2013 Report Share Posted December 15, 2013 Restored - Wahlborg "300" Quarter Midget Another great looking Wahlborg 300 Midget Wahlborgs and RaceCraft midgets were perhaps some of the more economical midgets to purchase during the introduction of 1/4 Midget racing in the 50's and probably more plentiful. Not only was the pricing more suitable for the entry level racer but the eye catching appeal that could be related to the Big Brother Midgets that everyone was familiar and could also relate to. These midgets were the fore runners and designed to capture the Big Brother look in identity. Competition now in demand .. From these came many other versions with emphasis on handling, suspension, and last of all the builders own vision and style of midgets to add to the market. We have covered the many factory offerings on this thread and see that many are on the search to find these little cars that so quickly came and went over the years. Some were stored in barns, attics, shops and even in scrap piles ready to be forever gone. The little Quarter Midgets helped set a new form of racing in the mid century and put the trend in motion to move forward in allowing race fans of all ages and genders to experience the thrill of auto racing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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