Features VINTAGE SPRINT CAR PIC THREAD, 1965 and older only please.

I have heard that Hanks made more money running that midget than anyone did just driving one car, as comparied to driving more than one car. Forgot[or never knew it was a Richter car] The Southern Star was a Richter built car. I have the book about Richter [can not rember the name of it]., and am in Florida and can not look it up but it is a good book.
Jim

 

That car is Restored BEAUTIFULLY in the Bob McConnel Collection. I never knew about it untill I saw it in his collection. Mr. McConnell said the same thing.. Junior didn't like seeing the wheels and being out in the open.

JD

 

Chuck Porter died in his KK midget at the Indian Dunes play track, near Magic Mountain. He suffered a heart attack during a "play day" with the WRA. The car ran off the track, but with nothing around to hit, was basically un damaged.

 

The story goes that on 5 mo. mid-west swing Hanks won over $18,000(1939 dollars!) with the car. Of course, in those days, payouts were strictly cash and by the end of the trip every nook and cranny of his 39 Merc convertible tow car was stuffed with cash!

 

My best guess is that "in todays dollars", that figure would be eyeballing $300k.

 

A guy could pay his tire bill and still have some beer money left, with that kinda loot!

 

The Richter / Hanks #5 midget was a piece of racing history and Chuck Porter did a fantastic job restoring it.
Regarding the Richter midget on the internet, I called Art Bagnall and asked how many midgets did Roy build with a Henderson motor. Art told me, Roy only built one in 1938 and that was the one for Geno Contessotto but the motor was changed to a V8-60 shortly after. Looking at the picture of the car in his book it has a different nose (which could have been changed to the newer style) Who knows.
As I was told by an expert one time "If you don't have the history it is just old parts".
Even though they are rare parts? If the price is right I would think it would make a nice midget for show. They don't make these any more and there's not many around. Interested in seeing what it goes for.
I love the old midgets and their history. That was the good ol days of racing I only wish I could have been there to see them. Hell if I keep talking like this I may reconsider and bid on this puppy.

 

Rootie, many thanx. Same car, but different photo. The photo I have as my screen saver (but I have no way of knowing where to find it on my computer) is of that car on "track" at a vintage race. Probably the same day. Many thanx again... Gary

 

Finally located the first shot... Love this car. The Don Lee Spl. Gary

 

A Kurtis 2000S. On of my favorite Kurtis designs.

 

Jim, I think you're right about the money Hanks won with that car. I heard of one BIG race in the Los Angeles area the paid really big. On the theft of one of Sam Hanks' midgets, the story I got from Bob Hall (the first promoter at the Louisville Fairgrounds) was that it was missing for a year or so, and they first located it because of the louvers. Somebody commented at a race where he saw it that it was the only midget he'd ever seen except Sam Hanks' which had louvers in the underpan. The guy running it loaded up quickly and left. After that they tracked him down, and the story was that the fellow who made the upholstery identified it.

 

The midwest lost another great one, Roy Bryant of Wichita, over the weekend. Shown here with Laverne Nance, Roy was every bit at home in a sprinter as a super modified. RIP

 

I absolutely love this car.. I have always wanted to build a street replica of this car.. I would love to find some more pics of this car.. front side rear pics..If anybody knows where i can find some please point me in the right direction... Ryan

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Other-Vehicles-Trailers_Race-Cars-Not-Street-Legal__RARE-Original-1936-British-Skirrow-Chain-4WD-race-car_W0QQitemZ120375700382QQddnZOtherQ20VehiclesQ20Q26Q20TrailersQQadiZ2792QQddiZ2828QQadnZRaceQ20CarsQ20Q28NotQ20StreetQ20LegalQ29QQcmdZViewItemQQptZRace_Cars_Not_Street_Legal_?hash=item120375700382&_trksid=p4506.c0.m245&_trkparms=72%3A317%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318
A tidbit for those with deeeeep pockets, that walk the road less traveled. From the background, would be interesting to see what else is in the garage.

 

Ryan
Don't want to dilute this site with supers, but I think this car is a sister to the one shown with Roy Bryant, both were Nance built supers. The 88 was Olds powered since it was sponsered by an Olds dealer. The 88 is owned by Tom Barclay, president of the Kansas Antique Racers 620.538.4641 [email protected]
He could probably provide you with any and all info you need.

 

Look here, there's probably more.

http://www.racingfromthepast.com/

 

I love the looks of this car, I just have to sell, or at least finish some other projects first, to many irons in the fire, but Is suppose I could always start collecting parts...Hello honey where did we put the kids college fund???

 

Rusty rail; Thanks for the plug. I know you were just being curious about it and not negative. I figured...How many 70 year old race cars are still in original form after 70 years?
Its a real time capsule/machine. We always liked the oddballs. We just found out that a couple of our other unusual racers have recently gone into museums, after changing hands numbe of times, since we last saw them, years ago.
Hate to see it, but it is rumored the "other" unrestored Skirrow survivor sold (for More than this) for just the engine. That special J.A.P. racing engine is what the Brough Superior motorcyle used. A quick check of recent and past auction results shows Many of those Brough Superiors selling for 100-200 grand. One Superior is described as being "built from a collection of parts gathered over several years" brought $52,000 at Bonham's Auctions, last Sept. Of the limited number of Skirrow cars made, they raced all over the world with success.

 

Hi, I,m Bill Zipay and my dad and I owned and raced this car for many years and this picture of it is the only year that we ran a chevy . We still have the Leffler car and it now has the gurney-eagle back in it to run some more.

 

Right about not being negative. Because of the uniqueness and price of this little jewel, I posted the link since a wide section of the sport are on here at times. All gearheads like to look at how other people go about building a car. And, I would much rather see a racer or true collector get it, than some pizza parlor turn it into a salad bar.

 

Rusty; I see we both have oil in our blood. Since you asked..AND back on topic, You can see a lot of other stuff that is, or was in the garage/shop/warehouse, and now in my home, too. Most in the past, but still have enough stuff that I could not make a list if I lived another 50 years
And see there are a lot of newbies since I was last visiting the forum with any regularity, so..Anyone who would like to see a couple hundred photos of his/our old race cars, and race car restorations, just go to my website/tribute to DAD the Master etc at;
www.memaerobilia.com Obviously you then hit the tab for Race Cars.

 

Glad to hear from ya Bill. I like how you Introduced your self and what ya did.. I wish more guys would do that. I read guys comments for pages and it sometimes takes me a while to know who they are or where they came from. Not that it matters.. I was never there for any of this, I just like it. A LOT!!!

Now, Where is a picture of this SBC car your talking about!!

JD

 

Help bring a midget into the world.


Kurtis Midget question-

I need plans and a body source. I just checked out a guys shop and found he was very serious about building a Kurtis copy midget. He's got everything but a body and a frame! He'll settle for fiberglass but he'd like aluminum if reasonable.

Any ideas?

 

Vancraft in indy has plans and builds bodies and frames, he has the original Kurtis jigs!!!!

I got a set of plans from Don Edmunds of his version of a Kurtis style midget frame, I don't know how different the are from the Kurtis. I roughly measured a Kurtis and they seemed pretty close to the edmunds plans. He sells them on his web page.

I think Mac miller said he has some Kurtis molds for bodies.

 

I have a brand new, never used Kurtis fiberglass tail. Pm me if you're interested.

 

VANCRAFT, VANCRAFT or you could try VANCRAFT!




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THANKS Al Consoli.. Damn that's good.

 

I like Edmunds cars more, but I'm not the customer here. This guy is an old drag racer, and interestingly he was one of the very first alliance members on this site. His computer crashed one day and he just never got another one.

I hear a lot yeah-yeah on race cars, but after seeing a Brand new Torrance, CA Halibrand midget rearend, brand new front spring axle, enough parts to build 4 v8-60 flatheads, and a lot of stuff I can't talk about, I realized maybe he is serious.

Who knows, maybe his sickness may lead to other dirt track cars! He is already talking about a jalopy like the old days in Dallas.

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VANCRAFT it is!

 

My uncle was laid to rest today in Ohio. I just wanted to thank you all for
providing this window to the racing world before my time.I grew up at the
drag strips except for a few short years hanging out with the Pools by
Harvey Hunter crew in Tulsa in the 80's. Any recollections of the car, the
drivers,or my uncle would be appreciated as I'm going to send my cousins
a link to this thread.
Godspeed Wilbur G. Hawthorne. Owner of the #35 Hawthorne Special
http://www.morningjournalnews.com/page/content.detail/id/508431.html?nav=5007&showlayout=0

Thanks for the pics of his car from earlier in this thread.

 

Sorry to hear that. He was the REAL DEAL.