Midget 85 Posted June 22, 2009 Report Share Posted June 22, 2009 A little sandwich action here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jakdad Posted June 23, 2009 Report Share Posted June 23, 2009 Just like the big guys................................. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midget 85 Posted June 24, 2009 Report Share Posted June 24, 2009 Awh come on Jim, You didn't do that did ya..?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edirt Posted June 24, 2009 Report Share Posted June 24, 2009 John Casey Midget85 i came across these pics on another site. they are 3/4 TQ Midgets from Lancaster Speedway in New York. they raced the TQ Midgets in the infield at the 1/4 mile track. Cars were built by Gordon Reinig. John Fitzgibbon eDirt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jakdad Posted June 24, 2009 Report Share Posted June 24, 2009 Those cars look like a handfull........................... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midget 85 Posted June 25, 2009 Report Share Posted June 25, 2009 Next best thing to a full blown OFFY! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edirt Posted June 26, 2009 Report Share Posted June 26, 2009 (edited) Nice Midget shot! Midget action! eDirt Edited June 26, 2009 by edirt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midget 85 Posted June 26, 2009 Report Share Posted June 26, 2009 Fun Days As I look at these photos, I can remember the thrill of driving one of these little midgets at an early age. Although small midgets, it certainly felt as though you were one of the big boys and the challenge was just as great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midget 85 Posted July 2, 2009 Report Share Posted July 2, 2009 Now wait a minute fella..no free rides here!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edirt Posted July 16, 2009 Report Share Posted July 16, 2009 midget 85 some shots of a vintage midget. sorry no info. you might recognize something! enjoy! eDirt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edirt Posted July 16, 2009 Report Share Posted July 16, 2009 eDirt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jakdad Posted July 16, 2009 Report Share Posted July 16, 2009 A genuine Flat Tail!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midget 85 Posted July 18, 2009 Report Share Posted July 18, 2009 Don, It's good to see some of these old midgets. The pictures above are relating to the full size midget that stormed the ovals in the 30's. This could really be a collector piece and a great project for the serious restoration perfectionist. Finding the parts would also be a challenge for someone out there. Jim is right, it is indeed and old flat tail full size midget of long ago.. It appears this car was registered under the association at one time even in 1956, it was a classic car ! Took some real drivers with no fear to drive these beast, Nice find and great photos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edirt Posted July 23, 2009 Report Share Posted July 23, 2009 midget 85 midget i saw on another site. built in the '50s. bsa single push start. nice little midget! eDirt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midget 85 Posted July 24, 2009 Report Share Posted July 24, 2009 Don, This would be a "Micro Midget" of the 50's that simply took motorcycle engines from Triumps, BSA's and other 50's motorcycles and turned them into roaring midgets. Many of these midgets were raced on 1/10 mile tracks and were pretty mean machines as I witnessed. This is a good example of the popularity of Mid-century midget racing sought after by the popularity of big midgets like the OFFY's. It all had to start somewhere.. Remember, these were the days way before mass production of parts and factory cars were even available. Everyone wanted to race in some form or fashion and what a cheap way to get a start. Midget racing in the 50's was very popular.. Perhaps it was the showmanship of being seated in these open cock pit racers that focused on the awesome pilots that drove them. Drivers were the stars and were visible to be seen as well as the fancy paint jobs applied to these cars. Micro midgets could seat a full grown driver and were equivalent to the 1/2 Midgets later put into production by manufacturers like Moss and Kurtis Kraft. I am estimating this midget to be built around 1954-1956 This is an awesome find and a great looking Micro Midget! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jakdad Posted July 24, 2009 Report Share Posted July 24, 2009 Were these the forerunners of the TQs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midget 85 Posted July 24, 2009 Report Share Posted July 24, 2009 Jim, Probably both.. 1/2 Midgets and 3/4 Midgets came later and probably inspired by the Micro motorcycled powered midgets. In those days, any power plant and creative ideas to race was just the beginning of scale down racers. It just got more refined and you had to build your own with whatever you could. There was a race track right off Hardy Road in Houston near Sam Houston High School where I saw the first Micro Midgets race and was usually on Sunday afternoons. Most were local guys with an itch to race somethin ...or anything as it was.. The first home made 1/4 midget that I had was actually built in one of the racers garage. He had the fiberglass mold for both a 1/4 midget and a mold for a somewhat 27 Ford roadster scale down micro midget. That was 1955-56. The "NMMA" (National Micro Midget Association ) was the formation league and was carried through much of my days of racing the quarters. Yes, Quarter midgets in the beginning were sanctioned under this league until the QMA was formed later in the 50's. So, the Blue #7 car of mine was built there. I broke it in on the same track that the Micro midgets raced on but there were no other 1/4 midgets to race against then... so, we drove to Dallas every weekend to the Devils Bowl 1/4 midget track just to race. Those were some days.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midget 85 Posted August 3, 2009 Report Share Posted August 3, 2009 Another Shot of 1/4 Midget Action Before the caged days, this driver might have had bells ringing from the right rear wheel. Here's the actual sequence and the cage saved the inside driver from a roll over in bottom photo. The little fella below shows how it get's done and the rewards afterwards are all too sweet! The style here is no different than the BIG Guys. What a way to start the racing scene.. In those days you had Captain Kangaroo, Mickey Mouse, Elvis on the radio and a challenge to be a little star during the introduction of 1/4 Midgets! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midget 85 Posted August 3, 2009 Report Share Posted August 3, 2009 Changes are visable as cages are in place and body styles begin to change during the 70's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midget 85 Posted August 3, 2009 Report Share Posted August 3, 2009 Pacemaker Midget Late 1950's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midget 85 Posted August 3, 2009 Report Share Posted August 3, 2009 More from long ago.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midget 85 Posted August 3, 2009 Report Share Posted August 3, 2009 Racers strapped in the cockpits.. Dad's pose with sons and were very much part of the sport. 1960's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickHolt Posted August 3, 2009 Report Share Posted August 3, 2009 What a valuable service everyone who posts in this thread is providing the rest of the world. Almost an on-line museum for quarter midgets... Nick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midget 85 Posted August 9, 2009 Report Share Posted August 9, 2009 Doug McBride 1960 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mlewis Posted August 12, 2009 Report Share Posted August 12, 2009 Do any of you have a classic quarter midget that you would be willing to bring to the Austin quarter midget track one of these day? Our kids would love to have a sit down with one of you and hear stories about quarter midget racing in the beginning. I noticed a picture of a flyer from a Grand national event in Huntsville from the 50s or 60s. We just got back from this years Grands in Huntsville and had a great time. The track we went to was just built a few years ago. Also if anyone needs help finding Deco Continental parts I can help locate almost anything. We still run Deco classes now and use the original blocks. Most of the parts that we buy now are "improved performance parts" and we have converted most of the motors over to MSD ignitions. Some guys still have some of the older stuff in garages that were left in older cars that they bought. Let me know if you need something specific and I can start looking. If you do another reunion we would love to have you do it at one of our races. Maybe at the Grands next July?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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