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History Vintage "Cageless" Midget Picture Thread

Discussion in 'Traditional Hot Rods' started by KKx125, Feb 22, 2009.

  1. kevinnewman502
    Joined: Feb 9, 2011
    Posts: 11

    kevinnewman502
    Member
    from Kentucky

    here's a couple more of Tommie...
     

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  2. tractorguy
    Joined: Jan 5, 2008
    Posts: 894

    tractorguy
    Member

    28Dreyer.......thanks for the info on Lue Holland and the great pictures. I heard he had passed away several years ago and I heard all about the "last ride" from some friends in Iowa. I sold Lue some stuff years ago including a midget that I bought in the 1980's because I needed the Chev II that was in it.
    What happened to all his cars and parts. I was told that their was no auction or sale after his death but that the family and friends were holding on to all the stuff, but I see the comments on Jim Etter getting the two banger ?
     
  3. JOHN EVANS
    Joined: Dec 30, 2010
    Posts: 93

    JOHN EVANS
    Member

    Hello Ken, you were wondering what happened to Joe Csiki's "worm".
    The last time I ever saw the car was at Monadanock Speedway in N.H in the early 70's. Eddie Dunn dumped it big time, luckily escaping injury. The car was owned at that time by Larry Cavanaugh. He is the guy bent over by the cage area. Russ Klar is looking on. I never saw the car after that. The roll bar and brake handle do help identify it........John

    The crash scene is a Bob Miour photo.
     

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  4. Ken_Schou
    Joined: Oct 6, 2009
    Posts: 822

    Ken_Schou
    Member

    OUCH!!! .... That answered that question.

    THANKS MUCH John. :)
     
    Last edited: Feb 9, 2011
  5. Ken_Schou
    Joined: Oct 6, 2009
    Posts: 822

    Ken_Schou
    Member

    Jody ..

    Did you ever find this info?

    If not I might have it some where, but I'd have to look .. so let me know.

    Interesting to note is that .... back when, the ARDC also had an office in Manhattan (Times Square area I ?think?) and a sound vehicle that I've seen pictures of, but I can't remember if it was a panel delivery truck or a sedan .. with speakers mounted on top.

    Anyhoo .. let me know if you found the info that you were seeking.
     
  6. Jim Nise
    Joined: Oct 31, 2008
    Posts: 1,210

    Jim Nise
    Member

    Wasn't that truck Harvey Tattersall's? And wasn't he the first President of ARDC?
     
  7. Ken_Schou
    Joined: Oct 6, 2009
    Posts: 822

    Ken_Schou
    Member

    We're lucky to have people like Ronnie Evans's son John .. Joe Csiki's son Mike .. Len Fucello's nephew & Len Duncan's cousin Mike .. Tony Bonadies's son Tony, Jr. here .. Dutch Schaefer's grandson Ken & King Carpenter's daughter are also lurkers (and there are others I'm sure). .... Now were lucky to have Tommie Elliott's step son Kevin Newman here on the H.A.M.B. with us.

    W E L C O M E Kevin!!!
     
    Last edited: Feb 11, 2011
  8. Ken_Schou
    Joined: Oct 6, 2009
    Posts: 822

    Ken_Schou
    Member

    Not a car .. but none the less an interesting picture.
     

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  9. kevinnewman502
    Joined: Feb 9, 2011
    Posts: 11

    kevinnewman502
    Member
    from Kentucky

    THANKS for the welcome Ken...anything I can learn here will be fun...Tommie Elliott's midget career was Short and Sweet, other than a few special events, his midget days only lasted about 2-3 years...mostly the Nascar Midget Division and mostly the Polo Grounds...like the "cool breeze" that he was he blew-in and and just as quickly blew out...if any one has stories and pictures to share I'd be interested!...Kevin Newman
     
  10. CTtoPA
    Joined: Jun 17, 2008
    Posts: 252

    CTtoPA
    Member

    Bill Schindler was the first president of ARDC.
     
  11. kevinnewman502
    Joined: Feb 9, 2011
    Posts: 11

    kevinnewman502
    Member
    from Kentucky

    the Great Joe Kelly...love the choice of footwear to go along with the fine Italian Racing Suit...
     

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  12. Ken_Schou
    Joined: Oct 6, 2009
    Posts: 822

    Ken_Schou
    Member

    I haven't found the book I'm looking for (yet) .... but I believe that Justin's correct with Bill Schindler.
     
  13. TommyA19
    Joined: Dec 3, 2010
    Posts: 240

    TommyA19
    Member

    I know this isn't back to 1939 when the ARDC was formed, and I don't know if you'll be able to enlarge what I'm going to link you to, but here is a signed agreement between the ARDC and Victory Speedway in Middletown, NY about racing at the track 1942.

    http://www.victoryspeedway.net/images/1942letter.JPG

    I'd venture to say that most of those that came aboard in 1939 were still around in 1942 - maybe? Hope this helps!
     
  14. memaerobilia
    Joined: Mar 24, 2004
    Posts: 195

    memaerobilia
    Member

    History section of ARDC website is sparse, but it DOES include the full list of presidents. Noteworthy to those on this thread, are the early ones and the long length of office held by Schindler & Schaefer.
    *1939-1946 Bill Schindler
    1947-1948 Mike Joseph
    1949 Joe Barzda
    1950 Eddie Allen
    1951 Steve McGrath
    *1952-1968 Dutch Schaefer

    Thanks for the 1942 list, (really good!)but still looking for the first year, 1939, list of all of the board & trustees and other officers, and especially, a list of all the (founding) members..
     
  15. Surfref32
    Joined: Sep 25, 2010
    Posts: 61

    Surfref32
    Member


    Thank you for posting that! I can imagine how exciting it must have been to anticipate running a brand new state of the art race track. I'm excited just thinking about it. What track in Philadelphia was referred to in the letter?

    I watched my dad race an ARDC midget at Middletown NY when I was a punk kid in 1976. He finished fifth and was happy as it was one of his best runs at the time. I think the track was 1/2 or 5/8 mile then.
     
  16. TommyA19
    Joined: Dec 3, 2010
    Posts: 240

    TommyA19
    Member

    I would imagine the Philadelphia track could have been the Yellow Jacket Speedway.
     
  17. csiki22
    Joined: Feb 4, 2011
    Posts: 35

    csiki22
    Member

    Man this thread is fantastic! Thanks Ken!
     
  18. TommyA19
    Joined: Dec 3, 2010
    Posts: 240

    TommyA19
    Member

    Over these last few years, I've been in contact with the daughter of the late Johnny Ritter. During our conversations, she made mention that after his passing, her mother and the children went back to the Detroit area. I'm not really sure when that might have been, but she says her mother did take a midget back there with her. Now I know it wasn't the Offy, since that was raffled off. As for the outboard, well, there was one of his outboards that ran in the Johnny Ritter Memorial race that was held at the Hinchliffe Stadium on July 29, 1949, and it was driven by George Fonder. So, the question is: What midget did Mrs Ritter take back to the Detroit area and whatever became of it? Anyone know?
     
  19. Jim Nise
    Joined: Oct 31, 2008
    Posts: 1,210

    Jim Nise
    Member

    Yellow Jacket was gone by then. The racing moved to Langhorne where they had a quarter miler. (and was referred to as Yellow Jackets)

    Schindler had the war years with no racing, 1942-1946

    I don't believe Dutch had the presidency the whole time. I believe Len Duncan was pres a time or two. I know there was a minor revolt in 1961/1962 over Dutch's leadership. (long Island faction vs everybody else)
     
  20. TommyA19
    Joined: Dec 3, 2010
    Posts: 240

    TommyA19
    Member

    Jim, I don't see Duncan listed at all as far as being president. Then again, for a long time they had Mike Nazaruk listed as the 1953 driving champion. Even now, it's hard to figure just who was the 1953 driving champion. Two people that I've been in contact with, and both are quite good at race records, have different drivers as champion.
    List of ARDC's presidents: http://ardcmidgets.com/RecordBooks/Presidents.asp
     
  21. Ken_Schou
    Joined: Oct 6, 2009
    Posts: 822

    Ken_Schou
    Member

    What's interesting to note is that the $900.00 purse mentioned in this letter from 1942 .. would be equal to approximately $12,538.97 converted to today's money value!!!!

    Does anyone know what an ARDC purse is today????
     
    Last edited: Feb 12, 2011
  22. tractorguy
    Joined: Jan 5, 2008
    Posts: 894

    tractorguy
    Member

    TommyA19........do you have any information on the construction of the Johnny Ritter midget that you reference ? I have a rail frame midget basket case that I got in Detroit about 10yrs. ago. It had bounced around the Detroit area for many years but I have never done any real research on it. It has an aluminum body and no engine. It may have been built by Clyde Adams originally.
     
  23. Jim Nise
    Joined: Oct 31, 2008
    Posts: 1,210

    Jim Nise
    Member

    Ok, I give on past presidents, what was Harvey Tatersall to ARDC then?
     
  24. TommyA19
    Joined: Dec 3, 2010
    Posts: 240

    TommyA19
    Member

    Wow! I really have no idea as to who might have made the Ritter Outboard. He did have a couple of them, I believe, over time. About the only thing I can say is that it was yellow in color. I do have a couple of photos of his outboards, but no idea as to how to post them on here.
    If you'd like, you can e-mail me at: [email protected] and I'll send the photos to you.
     
  25. TommyA19
    Joined: Dec 3, 2010
    Posts: 240

    TommyA19
    Member

    Jim, per this: http://www.victoryspeedway.net/images/1942letter.JPG
    he's listed as it's secretary - down at the bottom.

    Also, I'm not positive, but the Tattersall vehicle with the speakers on it - was it either a station wagon or a panel truck? Somewhere I've seen photos of it, but "brain farts" take over, on occasion.
     
  26. cars5752
    Joined: Jun 19, 2008
    Posts: 28

    cars5752
    Member

    Folks, FYI -- I've placed my midget for sale. It's on the Open Wheel Marketplace site if anyone is interested. Photo attached.
     

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  27. Jim Nise
    Joined: Oct 31, 2008
    Posts: 1,210

    Jim Nise
    Member

    Tommy, last picture I saw of the Tattersall truck was on one of Ron Heddendorf's CDs.
     
  28. TommyA19
    Joined: Dec 3, 2010
    Posts: 240

    TommyA19
    Member

    Jim, I think that's where I saw it, too. Unfortunately, all that stuff is in a basement now, and maybe eventually it'll get back out on the Internet.
     
  29. drag
    Joined: Apr 20, 2007
    Posts: 10

    drag
    Member

    Ok folks, I have some good building skills, lotsa time, little to no money, great scrounging ability and a deep desire to build something like one of these... In the sixties I saw them all the time and I have had something like it in the back of my head ever since... What I dont have is a clue as to where I should start or what is involved in one... I can visualize the end product, but I cant break it down in my head and say "I need this and this, and one of those..." Any good books out there or places to get details?? Im not looking to make something to race around in (although I wouldnt mind doing some hot laps at the local track) but something my son and I can build and show off to my grandkids and say "This is like what they used to race around in when I was a kid..."
     
  30. Surfref32
    Joined: Sep 25, 2010
    Posts: 61

    Surfref32
    Member

    I'm posting these Johnny Ritter pictures for TommyA19...
     

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