Seventy-five Years of King Midgets

More than 70 microcars descended on Bowling Green for the 30th annual King Midget Jamboree. This year's meet celebrated the 75th anniversary of Midget Motors of Athens, OH. 

The King Midget, manufactured in Athens, Ohio from 1946-1970, was advertised as the "World's Number One Fun Car" and initially had 7.5-horsepower before later models had 12-horsepower motor. They averaged 50-70 miles per gallon and reached a top speed of 50 mph. At one point, it was the the sixth-highest-selling car in America. 

The Perils of Racing Little Cars

There's nothing more exciting than racing a car that's so close to the track that you can almost reach out and touch it. (But don't do it!) 

H-Modified was a racing class that existed from about 1953 to 1967 or 1968. In its early years (1953-1963) it was for cars with displacement of 500-750ccs. In 1963 or 1964 displacement was increased to include cars up to 850ccs. It was an exciting time for small-bore racing, and it wasn't unusual to see 15-20 cars racing wheel-to-wheel. And it was a starting point for many mechanics and drivers -- cheaper than the bigger racing cars.

In a resurgence of the class (in vintage racing) there are five cars registered to run in this September's Put-in-Bay Road Races. Don't miss it.

Cartoon by Joe Puckett.

Not Too Late...1959 Piaggio Vespa 400

This 1959 Piaggio Vespa 400 went unsold at RM Southeby's Labor Day auction in Auburn. Not sure what the reserve was, or how close bidding came to it -- but the owner chose not to accept the high bid this past weekend.

That's not good news for the consigner...they went to the trouble of getting the car to Auburn and preparing it for the auction...but it could be good news if you're looking for a clean looking Vespa.

Mini Turns 60

The Mini, introduced in 1959, came to be a truly iconic vehicle -- with sales of about 5.3 million of the original two-door Minis.

The Mini introduced a new design that was copied by multiple other manufacturers -- transverse engine, front-wheel drive -- freeing up space for passengers and luggage.

OSCA -- The Other Italian Car Company

This Tipo S OSCA was delivered to Briggs Cunningham and raced by the Cunningham team in 1959 and 1960. With a 750cc OSCA engine it was a very competitive car in the H-Modified class. (Similar cars won the H-Modified National Championships in 1959 and 1960.)

O.S.C.A. was founded in 1947 by three brothers, Ernesto, Ettore, and Bindo Maserati -- who all left Maserati to start their own company. Not a very catchy name...OSCA stands for Specialized Auto Construction Workshops -- in Italian.

The car was displayed at Pebble Beach in 2018.

Devin Crosley

A popular body -- to turn a sedan or sports car into a unique fiberglass special -- was the Devin. Based in California, Devin made bodies from 1955 to 1964, in 27 sizes to fit most cars.

There is a Devin Crosley on eBay (September 3, 2019). The Devin body is mounted on a 1950 Crosley frame, with a modified 750cc Crosley engine. (Twin Tillotson carburetors and exhaust headers.)

Not as Easy as it Looks

We all have stories about push starting a car. And every time we tell the story, it sounds easier and easier. Turns out it's not always all that easy -- particularly if you've got a high-compression car.

This Effyh f3 car seems like it would be no problem to push start. It's only about 500 lbs., manual transmission, and the engine is only 500ccs. But coordinating everything can be a challenge. (By the way -- they did get it started...eventually.)

Another one that got away

A 1964 Peel P50 was listed for sale last year.

But it looks like it might need a little work -- well...a lot of work. And it had an asking price of $75,000. (But that's OK -- it's only $75k Canadian.)

It was listed on Barn Finds. And from the looks of it, it was in the barn for quite some time. But, wouldn't it be worth it to have one of the smallest production cars ever made? And a car made famous by none other than Jeremy Clarkson?

Allard Atom - Sold at Auction

Darn! I think we missed it. The Allard Atom, the "world's smallest race car" was sold at auction this past June. (It was sold in the UK by Coys, so I probably couldn't have made it anyway.)

Sixty-four inch wheelbase, and a single-cylinder, 500cc, J.A.P. engine -- put this car firmly in the microcar category. The auction estimate was £10,000 to £15,000 -- but I can't seem to find the final hammer price. Anyone?
-->

Austin Ulster

How about a 1930 Austin Ulster Replica? The factory racers, or "works" models acquired the Ulster name due to their success in the Tourist Trophy races on the Ards circuit in Ulster -- although Austin described the cars in their advertising as the Austin Seven Sports Model.

The Ulsters were so popular (and easy to replicate), that there are certainly more Ulsters on the road now than Austin ever made -- and new replicas continue to be made from other Austin Seven models.

The photo above is from the 2008 VSCC Lakeland Trials.

Mini Scaling Mighty Mount Equinox

This Mini made quick work of Mt. Equinox (Arlington, VT) the weekend of August 10th.

At 5.2 miles, Mt. Equinox is the longest paved hill climb in the world -- and the Vintage Sports Car Club of America runs an annual event every August, to see which vintage car can reach the top fastest. (While some seriously race to the top -- just getting there is reward enough for others.)

This Mini made it to the top in just over five and a half minutes -- while the best time of the event was turned in by a 1968 Saab Sonnet, with a time of just over 4:51.

The Lane Motor Museum

Took a quick trip to the Lane Motor Museum in Nashville this summer. The facilities are pretty basic, but they have a great collection of mini- and microcars. We only had an hour in the museum before closing time...it's definitely worth a longer stay.

Sima Violet Cyclecar

Sima Violet was a French manufacturer of cyclecars from 1924 to 1929. Their only car was a two-cylinder model. It was manufactured as a two-seat cyclecar and as a single-seat racer.

Fiat Abarth at Lime Rock

1959 Fiat Abarth 850 TC - exiting the left hander and entering the esses at Lime Rock Park. At the 2016 Historics. (Driven by Cam McRae.)

Effyh 500

Swedish-made Formula III racer getting a push start. Driver is Tip Blume.

Very popular in the U.K. And Europe, Formula III was never embraced here in the US. The most common and successful cars were Coopers. Only 6-10 Effyhs were imported to the US. 

Powered by 500cc JAP or Norton engines, these cars are still popular in the U.K. In vintage events.

Remembering HOOP

Artist, "Art Car" designer, Mini/microcar aficionado, and co-editor of this blog -- Steve "HOOP" Hooper passed away on September 22, 2011 after a battle with cancer.

Hoop was a person you couldn't miss, overlook, or forget. His art will be remembered -- and some of it will continue driving around.

His last interview, for AOL Auto News, can be seen at:
Artist Behind Coolest Car Sculptures Ever Faces Life's Greatest Challenge

And, to see some of his work, go to Hoop's website:
HOOPMOBILES from the mind of HOOP

He will be missed.

Three Berkeleys Charge up Kop Hill

Check out this video of three Berkeleys taking their runs up Kop Hill. It's a "non-competitive" hillclimb, but they seem to be making a run of it. (It's great to see the reactions of the crowd.)

Microcar im Schnee mit Stadtpelz

I'll have to admit, I don't know where I got this image -- but, it's pretty cool. (Actually, it's pretty cold, judging by the man in the Stadtpelz.)
This is a signed photo -- printed from the negative to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the car.

Can you tell me what the car is and where it's from?

Getting Around - Italian Style

Bumped into this little Fiat wagon on a street corner in Rome.

The streets are full of Fiat 500's -- mostly the new ones, but the old models are still around in pretty good numbers. The streets of Rome are made for small cars -- no room, no rules, and no parking. I don't understand how the bigger cars can get around.

1957 St. Simons Cup

Not sure exactly where this one came from, but there is a small trophy that's been collecting dust in my office for the past few years.

On the bottom of its plastic (or maybe it's Bakelite) base is the name of the maker -- "Trophies for Champions, by F.N. Noble & Company, Chicago, No. 62".

But, the more interesting information is on the small brass plaque. It is inscribed, "1957 St. Simons Cup, Second H Modified".

Can anyone out there tell me where this race was run?

Better yet...tell me who came in second.