1949 Kurtis Kraft Midget

History

Despite its odd proportions and relative obscurity, the Kurtis-Kraft Midget is a bigger car than its name suggests… Well, actually its name is perfectly apt at describing the car's diminutive dimensions. But that innocent little label doesn't even begin to hint at how successful and formidable a racing car the Kurtis-Kraft Midget was. Now a largely unknown car from a largely unknown maker, the Midget was effective and efficient in its time as it lapped the small oval racetracks on which it competed. Neither pretty nor prestigious, the Midget possessed a trait more important than either of those characteristics: authenticity. The Kurtis-Kraft Midget was an authentic racing car, purpose-built to dominate the increasingly popular field of midget car racing. Simple and unpretentious, the Midget was a timeless (and long-lived) example of an idea that just worked—and that idea worked well enough to earn Kurtis-Kraft a reputation for building one of the finest and most accomplished midget racers of the time.

Kurtis-Kraft was never a household name. Predominantly a builder of focused racing cars to compete at major events (most notably the Indianapolis 500), the company's production figures were never high. But, at least amongst car enthusiasts, Kurtis-Kraft deserves recognition for its success. Its Indy cars, powered by the famed Offenhauser four-cylinder engine, won the Indianapolis 500 in 1950 and 1951, and then again in 1953, 1954, and 1955.

The Kurtis-Kraft Midgets never earned victories as prestigious as those attained by their Indy-winning big brothers, but the smaller cars were nevertheless extremely successful in their field. Midget racing simply didn't have the same cachet as full-size automobile racing. The cars were not as glamorous as the larger racers and usually didn't come from high-profile brands. But Midget racing was, as it remains, a hugely entertaining and exciting form of motorsport appreciated by droves of spectators and superb drivers. Midget racers of the Kurtis-Kraft Midget era didn't feature the same safety precautions as today's machines, but still possessed explosive power-to-weight ratios. Hot engines and low weights ensured that these midget machines, even at half a ton, provided a whole handful of thrills.

Fred Kurtis founded Kurtis-Kraft as something of a compulsion. Driven from his early years to build a car capable of winning the Indianapolis 500, Kurtis lived out the gearhead's ultimate dream of creating a focused, independent company to produce distinctive and successful sports and racing cars. The building of chassis for midget racers was one of his earlier automotive projects, and the Kurtis-Kraft Midgets represented the ambition and dedication of their creator.

From around 1946 to 1962, Kurtis-Kraft produced approximately 550 turnkey Midgets. Another 600 or so units were sold in kit form. These cars were highly successful, remaining competitive even after the end of their production run. The Offenhauser engine used in many Kurtis-Kraft Midgets was responsible for a large part of the cars' success. This advanced engine featured dual overhead cams and four valves per cylinder. The block and head were incorporated into a single casting, eliminating the need for a head gasket and enabling the use of high compression ratios. Even more significant than its use in midget racing, the Offenhauser engine realized relentless success at Indianapolis, where it powered the victorious Kurtis-Krafts as well as winners from several other manufacturers.

With its legendary engine and successful racing record, the Kurtis-Kraft Midget meets two criteria for becoming a very collectible—and expensive—piece of automotive history. Yet the obscurity of the Kurtis-Kraft marque, as well as the car's tiny size and conventional midget racer shape, has prevented the Midget from appreciating into the realm of unobtanium. Kurtis-Kraft Midgets occasionally turn up at major auctions, and they do not bring the big money associated with similarly-pedigreed but larger racing cars of the same era. For this reason, the Midget provides an almost unrivaled opportunity for affordable entry into the rarefied league of historically-significant racing car ownership.

Sources:

'1947 Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser Midget.' RM Auctions. n.d. n. page. Web. 21 Jun. 2012. http://www.rmauctions.com/featurecars.cfm?SaleCode=JG08&CarID=r229&fc=0.

White, Gordon Eliot. Kurtis-Kraft: Masterworks of Speed and Style. St. Paul, MN: MBI Publishing Company, 2001. Print.

By Evan Acuña

Midget racing was gaining popularity in the post-War era, and many racers were finding it difficult to compete due to rule changes and escalating expenses. The governing bodies had imposed an engine displacement limit of 100 to 140 cubic inches, and for many Midget racers, the start-of-the-art Offenhauser engine was too expensive. Alternatives were found, but most were sourced from larger motors that were 'sleeved' or machined down to the required sizes. This often meant that power output was compromised.

In 1937, Ford announced a new 136 cub-cinch V8 engine that promised 60 horsepower. This became an economical alternative to the larger-displacement 85 horsepower V8 engine. One of the drawbacks of the V8-60 was that it had an overheating problem. Overheating aside, it was one of the first alternatives to provide a challenge to the Offenhauser powerplant.

In 1941, Ford replaced their V8-60 with an inline six-cylinder engine.

During the late 1940s and early 1950s, Frank Kurtis made auto racing more accessible to many aspiring racers by producing approximately 550 completely assembled Midgets and another 600 examples in kit form. The Midgets had an innovative chassis design and were powered by the 'Offy' engine or the more affordable Ford V8-60.

Kurtis, who also invented the dominant Indianapolis roadster design of the 1950s, was notable for being the first non-driver inducted into the National Midget Hall of Fame.

By Daniel Vaughan | Jun 2012