If you are an eBay addict (c'mon, admit it), you've probably noticed the King Midgets that occasionally show up in the "Other Makes" listings. The construction of the King Midget is simple, and the accomodations are probably best described as spartan. (We've been told that the King Midget is a good choice for an amateur or "first time" project -- because its body has no compound curves and simple hand tools can manage most of the project's needs.)
Four interesting King Midgets have appeared on eBay this week -- in varying stages of finish. Two describe themselves as mechanically complete, but lacking the body, the third is listed as completely restored (to show car condition), and the fourth is a "factory woody version." (That's news to us.)
The set (as of April 15th)
Restored 1966 King Midget
1955 King Midget Project
1956 King Midget Project
3 comments:
Back in the '40s it was my dream to own a King Midget, get it in a box and assemble it myself. But it cost way more than I could manage then. In 1987 my youngest daughter, just short of 14 years old, was at the Southwest Unique Little Car Show with me in Las Vegas. Nancy & Nelson Gnepper had their King Midget there, and let Shawnee drive it in the parking lot. It was he first car she ever drove, and she still talks about it 21 years later. 2 weeks ago I was at the SW Unique Little Car Show in Prescott with the 1970 Subaru 360 van we have been driving sice 1975. Parked directly across from me was that same King Midget, it had changed owners a few years ago but still brings back great memories.
Paul Gorrell in Burlington IA has one of the earliest King Midgets, the 1-seater.
Somebody needs to build a modern simple, economical, easy-maintenace car like the KM in these days of $4. gas-gouging!
Ed Parsil, Tucson AZ
I remember drooling over the King Midget ads in Popular Science or Popular Mechanics -- imagining what it would be like to be tooling down the street in my very own car. (It never seemed to worry me that I was too young to have a license.) I was never very practical...I was also trying to decide how I could get one of those autogyro kits too.
I live in King Midget deprived Vermont. I have owned 4 cars two 67's a 64 and a 54. all need work. They were a lot of fun to fix and and get back on the road and most repairs were simple,, brakes, carb, some adusting here and there. The 1st car a 67 I found in Hemmings and was in Barre, Vt about 35 miles from house. The 3 other cars came from a collector in New Hampshire. I sold 3 and am keeping the 54.
Lot of fun to take to car shows or tool around town. The 54 with only a 7.5 hp engine has a top speed of about 30.
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