History Vintage "Cageless" Midget Picture Thread

Sad news indeed about Ken. Heard about it from Marty Himes earlier today

 

So sorry to hear that.

 

Great guy, our collection of history is greatly diminished!

 

So sorry to hear about Ken Shou passing away, he was a great historian and a great help in promoting our show at Hinchliffe Stadium.
He will be greatly missed.

 

R.I.P Ken ! I'll miss you on here. Prayers go out to your family.

Andy Cardinale Jr.

 

Ken was a great guy. He will be missed.

 

Slowly we're losing folks that came up with racing starting back in the 40's. Some of us, in an attempt to preserve some of it's history, have articles out there for others to read. Websites, such as this one are a great help, that's for sure!

 

I am so sorry to hear about Ken's passing. I had not known him long, but found he treated me like a long time friend. We will all miss him very much.

Doc

 

If anyone can find and post a link to Ken Shou's obituary, I would deeply appreciate it.

Doc

 

Me Too, I would like a link to Ken's obituary so I could leave a message. Denny Z.

 

R.I.P..Ken.....

 

Almost an aberration today.

The stock block midget heat at the AARA Washington Court House, OH two day meet in mid May, 2012.

The first photo shows the start with three in line six cyinder powered cars, two V8-60's and a Crosley TQ powered car as well. The #7 is a Studebaker and the #47 is a Continental both owned by the Bradel family as well as the TQ. They have another Studebaker perhaps we'll see next year as well. The #6 is my Stude running without a hood to get some air flow.

Note the 6 exhaust ports on the Continental while the Studes have four and breathe on the right side.

 

28, Can you tell us more about this meet at Washington courthouse please? It looks like a good place nearby to me to get some time in my big car. Who sponsors it? thanks.

 

Would anyone on this site have any info regarding micro midgets in the mid to late 50's in the SoCal area. I have found a micro that has an M on the front grill and is in its origional race condition. I am wondering if it could have been Mike Mosleys as I knew he raced in So Cal in TQ's and Midgets for Bob Bogan in the early 60's. The car has #64 on it and is red and white. Any history or info would be appreaciated, please PM me. Sideways27

 

Sideways, look here.

http://www.b2-design.biz/Racing/bogan_racers.htm

maybe what you are looking for is here. TQ's etc are toward the end.

 

If you're on the facebook, you might find something here:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mike-Mosley-the-racer/273807306842

 

The AARA (Antique Auto Racing Association)

http://www.antiqueautoracing.com/

which started this whole thing does it's events on the old county fair tracks. They also did Van Wert, OH in late June and have Lima, OH coming up Sept. 21 and 22.

There are car restrictions so check out their website and/or communicate with their listed officials.

 

He guys, haven't posted in a while I took a break from my midget restoation to do some re-restorting of m vintage dragster for an up coming reuinion. Anyway I was showing a guy pics of my midget project and he right away said I had a Pop dryer frame rails or one's styled like his? I thought my frame rails were old rails from a car but he said mine were purpose built (stamped/bent) for a midget and resemble a dryer style early 1940's rail frame? anyone have pics of such a frame so I can compair it to mine? were the dryer style frames mass produced & sold to the general public for building a midget at home or did you have to buy a whole car from his firm or firms like his back in the day?
just trying to piece together some chassis history to shed light on m cars origins?

paul

 

Thank you 28dreyer. I think I should be good-to-go as long as the tech guys deem my junk a reasonable replica.

That and some nomex undies.

 

Thanks Jim & Rootie,

Thank You but they were the first two places I went, but could not find anything regarding Micro Midgets. I know that most of the guys that I raced with in the 60's drove micro's as they were a great step before going into TQ's or Midgets. Dean Thompson, Bobby & Mike Olivero, Danny McNight and many others all ran Micros. When I started running TQ's in the late 60's they were all there and I did not stand a chance with them as they were so far ahead of me at that time. Mike Mosely had already left TQ's and was driving Midgets and Sprints I was told he claimed he was much older than he was. Mike was born in 1946 so he had an early start in the midgets and sprints.

 

Hi all from Perth Western Australia.

I hope I have not multi-posted, as at 63, computers and I are distinctly incompatible!

Is there any HAMBer out there, who may have built or still may have a Challenger TQ / Mini-Sprint from the 80's?

I bought a set of front engined chassis plans from Challenger in 1983 or so, after reading an article in "Open Wheel" magazine, but was not in a position to build. I am now setting about building a "retro-Q", based on these plans, but need some details as to the clutch & countershaft set up.

The feature car had a Weslake or Godden 500cc Speedway solo motorcycle engine fitted and I am seeking that detail.

Hope someone out there in the HAMB community may be able to assist.

Kind regards,

Brian

 

Hi Brian, just so happens I started to build one of those for my, then, teenage daughter. About the time I got the frame built she 'discovered boys' and pretty much lost interest. I hung the frame up in the garage rafters where it still resides. I changed the roll cage to simpler design but the basic dimensions are pretty much as the plans called for. I don't know much about Godden motors and had planned to use a 4 stroke side mounted Honda engine. I'm pretty sure I still have those plans somewhere and still have the same OW mag. If I can find the prints I can scan what you may not have.

 

My memory is not cooperating right now but before the micros went to all four cylinder engines the importer of the speedway engines, Bobby ??. came to Lemoore a couple of times with his side mounted engine. He, Bobby, moved up to CRA for a while. Engine shook so hard it cracked one of the cross braces in the frame. The car did run pretty good.

 

You're probably thinking of Jim Busby, he was involved in the Challenger mini sprint deal and was, at one time, the importer of the Godden Speedway motor.

 

Does Bobby Cody sound right?

 

Hi and thank you; I have the plans, but was looking for the "Open Wheel" article as I cannot remember what the counter-shaft looked like!

I too intend to modify it to a cageless car similar to an Edmunds... I went to buy a rear engined car here in Perth on Saturday 21st, but my bloody arthritic legs didn't take to kindly getting through the top of the cage and my bloody rrs, was too big for the frame rails!.. Loved the car though and am still tempted as I have been thinking about it.. but it still has the engine in the wrong end!!

Thanks so much for the quick response and if the article is scannable, I would love to get the countershaft detail or even a pencil sketch.

Sincere Regards,

Brian

 

No problem, however the pics in the article really don't show much detail and the article itself doesn't address the clutch at all. As can be seen, the jackshaft is direct driven off the motor. Speedway bikes typically use a 'divorced' dry clutch so I assume it is connected to the end of the jackshaft or between the j/s and rear sprocket. Possibily under the cover indicated in the second pic.

 

If anyone could help me with a few pieces Im needing to find it would be a great help. Im putting together a old BCRA car and am in need of a few things if anyone on the board may have. Needed Halibrand calipers 2) single 2) double, Halibrand 101 lower rear end shaft 6 spline, 2 Halibrand tapered tapered axle hubs, Norden Steering box and a complete in & out box. I have a nice CAE but its the type that mounts to the bellhousing w/ clutch fork of a v8 60 but I plan to cut the bellhousing and need foot space Im needing a smaller unit and prefer complete so I know how the internal workings are assembled. The car is the former Porter & Moe Goff/ Bob Rosen car and plans are to put it back to its 1962 Mike Mcgreey #20 as complete as possable. Thanks to all who forwarded and posted photos last fall when I found the car & sorry to use the board to attempt to locate parts.

 

Thanks so much for that.. there are a lot of solo riders & bikes around so I will have to go and take some photos. I really appreciate the response from you and for taking the time to find the article.

Kind regards

Brian

 

H\Singles sort of do that due to vibration. Anyone pondering a 4-stroke single would be wise to mount the cradle onto Mackay 60 ton mounts as used in setting beds on large capacity machine tools. They are small, cheap and handle the buzz factor exceptionally well, whilst having good mechanical strength when the odd inversion occurs!

The HAMB & this cageless midget thread are absolutely priceless, as is the knowledge & dedication of all those involved.

Take care

brian