Hemmings Daily: The King Midget makes a return, sort of, for its 70th anniversary

Provided photo. No factory has been constructed. No supplies stockpiled. No new engines developed, not even an LLC formed. Still, an effort to revive the two-seater King Midget will launch next month in conjunction with the American microcar's 70th anniversary celebrations. Three members of the International King Midget Car Club who are behind the revival - Bob Vahsholtz, Lee Seats, and Randy Chesnutt - decided to relaunch the Model 2 in a manner entirely consistent with the original ethos of the car: as a set

View in Browser | Subscribe Friday, July 22, 2016 The King Midget makes a return, sort of, for its 70th anniversary Posted by Daniel Strohl - Provided photo. No factory has been constructed. No supplies stockpiled. No new engines developed, not even an LLC formed. Still, an effort to revive the two-seater King Midget will launch next month in conjunction with the American microcar's 70th anniversary celebrations. Three members of the International King Midget Car Club who are behind the revival - Bob Vahsholtz, Lee Seats, and Randy Chesnutt - decided to relaunch the Model 2 in a manner entirely consistent with the original ethos of the car: as a set... Read More Hemmings Find of the Day - 1967 Buick Wildcat sport coupe Posted by Kurt Ernst - >From the seller's description: Where to start...this 1967 Buick Wildcat sport coupe is truly one of a kind, in beautiful condition, runs super strong and probably handles better than when she was new. This is a numbers matching car with it's original Owners Manual, Protect-O-Plate and original keys. Every effort was made to keep her original and period correct, with the exception of upgrading the front drum brakes to discs, upgrading the a/c compressor, and adding new oil, temperature and volt gauges. This engin...Read More Moving Pictures: The WeatherTech International Challenge at Road America Posted by Hemmings contributor - Vintage race cars roar into the Village of Elkhart Lake under police escort for the Nationwide Insurance Concours d'Elegance. By William Hall. Photos by the author. The pinnacle of vintage motorsports in the Midwest occurs every mid-July at Road America in Elkhart Lake, WI during the WeatherTech International Challenge with Brian Redman, presented by Hawk. This year's event, held from July 14-17, was larger than ever in both fan attendance and racer registration, and even the weather cooperated to give the ca...Read More The $5,000 Challenge, adventure-filled road trip edition Posted by Kurt Ernst - No great road trip story ever ended with, "and absolutely nothing went wrong on the entire trip." Epic stories are filled with drama, punctuated with intervals of sheer terror, and wrapped up with a "but we're better for surviving it all" ending. Sure, one can drive a new car from coast to coast on interstate highways, staying in major hotels and eating bland-but-safe food from chain restaurants, but the real fun lies in taking the back roads, staying in inns you've never heard of (but may have seen in a late-nig...Read More 2016 Buick Regal GS AWD - A familiar badge returns with some contemporary twists Posted by Terry McGean - Photography by author. Buick has dusted off its GS badge many times since it first earned its creds during the muscle era, and though some post-'70s Gran Sports haven't really upheld the creed, the most recent revival shows a bit more promise. Shortly after the dawn of the new millennium, GM seemed to recognize that some of its overseas divisions were producing interesting, engaging vehicles that were closer to the leading edge of the industry than much of what was coming out of Detroit. It made sense to bring...Read More Brockport, New York, 1972 Posted by Daniel Strohl - Date: October 1972 Location: SUNY-Brockport dormitory quad, Brockport, New York Source: New York Heritage Digital Collections What do you see here?...Read More THIS DAY IN AUTOMOTIVE HISTORY 7/22/1894: First Auto Race (Paris and Rouen, France) UPCOMING EVENTS Hill Country Swap Meet July 29, 2016 - Fredericksburg, TX Goodguys 29th Wesco Autobody Supply Pacific Northwest Nationals July 29, 2016 - Puyallup, WA Uniontown Lions Club Festival Car Show July 29, 2016 - Uniontown, OH CARS on the GREEN July 29, 2016 - Plymouth, CT Cruisin' the Heartland with XFINITY July 29, 2016 - Elizabethtown, KY Cruisin' with Cops July 29, 2016 - Lincolnshire, IL See All Events FEATURED CLASSIFIEDS Sponsored By: 1949 DeSoto Custom $3,900 1970 Dodge Challenger $23,500 1967 Chevrolet Impala $46,900 2009 Pontiac Solstice $25,800 1967 Mercury Cougar $16,000 1953 Allard K3 $125,000 1979 Lincoln MK 5 $12,000 1972 Mercedes-Benz 250 $12,000 Roof 101 Cyclone OHV and Manifold, Four Port, FORD NEW $3,000 View All Classifieds FEATURED IN THE BLOG Everything old is new again with period-correct mild mods Inspired there, replicated there: Italian builds homage to Edsel Ford's 1934 speedster See All Featured Blog Posts FOLLOW US: View Newsletter Archives WEEK IN REVIEW Thursday, July 21, 2016 A tale of two Mustang Boss 302 Trans Am cars unfolds in Monterey Posted by Kurt Ernst - The 1969 (L) and 1970 (R) Boss 302 Trans Am Mustangs from the Jim Click Collection. Photos by Patrick Ernzen, courtesy RM Sotheby's. In mid-August, a pair of Boss 302 Mustangs will cross the auction stage at the RM Sotheby's sale in Monterey, California. One was raced by a roll call of Trans Am greats, including Peter Revson, Dan Gurney, Sam Posey and George Follmer. The other, prepared in-period as a back-up car for the Bud Moore team, later saw action with barrier-breaking driver Wendell Scott in the IMSA GT se...Read More Hemmings Find of the Day - 1986 Subaru Brat GL Posted by Kurt Ernst - >From the seller's description: 1986 Subaru Brat GL with a dealer-installed at delivery, Subaru Serial No. 20047 Snug Top low profile shell. My BRAT (Bidrive, Recreational, All Terrain) was purchased new on January 26, 1986 at North Hollywood Subaru Imports, Glendale, California. My Subaru Brat has 147,650 actual miles and that computes to approximately 4,900 miles a year. Options are factory air conditioning, twin opening or removable fun roofs," Subaru AM-FM radio and two rear window sliding glass doors that pr...Read More America's Automotive Trust honors Rob Myers with the Nicola Bulgari Award Posted by Kurt Ernst - Rob Myers. Photo by Aaron Summerfield, courtesy RM Sotheby's. Each year, America's Automotive Trust (AAT) board member Nicola Bulgari personally selects someone from the automotive community for the award that bears his name. Candidates are recognized for their efforts to preserve America's motoring heritage, and past winners include Rick Hendrick, McKeel Hagerty, Dr. Fred Simeone and Ed Welburn. For 2016, the Nicola Bulgari Award will be presented to Rob Myers, chairman and founder of RM Group, which include...Read More Midweek Matinee: Your Safety First, 1956 Posted by Ed Heys - All photos are frame grabs from video below. Imagine if you will: It's the year 2000, and the whole Jetsons scenario has finally come to fruition. You're making do with your late-model, mostly-self-driving and -self-flying car, though there are a few remaining buttons to which you must manually attend. Sigh. You look a bit like Mr. MaGoo, your car is woefully out-of-date, you read the 3-D animated magazine ads and dream of a better life: But cheer up, buddy, the 2001 models are out! An...Read More Ford's 4 x 4 forever: 1972 Ford Bronco brochure Posted by Mark J. McCourt - Images are from the brochure collection of Hemmings Motor News It was a half-century ago, 1966, when Ford took a chance on creating an International Scout- or Jeep-like on/off road "all-purpose vehicle" that would quicklycome to dominate the burgeoning 4 x 4/sport-utility category that took off in the 1970s. This truck was initially available in open-top, no-doors, folding windshield Roadster form, as a pickup-style Sports Utility with doors and roll-up windows, and as a Station Wagon, with a full-length steel ...Read More Ferndale, Michigan, 1949 Posted by Daniel Strohl - Date: 1949 Location: West Nine Mile Road, Ferndale, Michigan Source: Ferndale Historical Society, via Flickr What do you see here?...Read More Wednesday, July 20, 2016 1934 Bugatti Type 57 takes Best of Show at Keeneland Concours d'Elegance Posted by Kurt Ernst - The Best of Show 1934 Bugatti Type 57 Franay rumble seat convertible. Photos by Larry Neuzel, courtesy Keeneland Concours d'Elegance. Designed as a grand touring automobile by Ettore Bugatti's son Jean, the Bugatti Type 57 was produced from 1934 through 1940 in a variety of forms, and with factory-supplied or coachbuilt bodies from Europe's finest shops. Paris-based Carrosserie Franay is known to have rebodied several Type 57s, but reportedly just one in rumble seat convertible form with dual rear-mounted spares....Read More Hemmings Find of the Day - 1957 Dodge Custom Royal Lancer D-500 convertible Posted by Daniel Strohl - 1957 Dodge Custom Royal Lancer D-500 convertible for sale on Hemmings.com. From the seller's description: The Carter four-barrel carburetor topped the 325-cu.in. Hemi V-8 block. It produced 285 hp and 345-lb.ft. of torque at 2,800 RPM from its 3.69 x 3.80-inch bore and stroke and 9.25:1 compression. The vehicle has the TorqueFlite push-button automatic transmission and also features the independent torsion bar (Torsion-Aire) system under the front end. Some cosmetic bodywork was performed about five years ago...Read More Dragster pioneer Art Chrisman dies at 86 Posted by Daniel Strohl - Photo courtesy Petersen Automotive Museum. Legendary drag racer, hot rodder, and land-speed racer Art Chrisman - whose dragster set the pattern for many other quarter-mile conquerors and who racked up a number of honors over the last few years - died last week at the age of 86. While best known for his No. 25 flathead- (and, later, Hemi-) powered dragster from the mid-Fifties, both he and the dragster got their starts in racing on the California dry lakes in the years just after World War II, assisted in no sm...Read More Saving Sijan's jet Posted by Hemmings contributor - Photos courtesy of Janine Sijan-Rozina and the author. Lance Sijan lived an All-American life. Raised in 1950s Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the young Boy Scout and athlete dreamed of one day becoming an Air Force fighter pilot. A star football player, he struggled with academics. But his determination took him to military prep school where he studied hard and was accepted to the Air Force Academy, with the end goal of receiving a commission as an Air Force officer. He would accomplish that, and so much more. It w...Read More An abbreviated history of the Baby Benz, from the 1940s to the 1960s Posted by Hemmings contributor - Mercedes compact design study from 1948. Photos courtesy the Mercedes-Benz archives. Mercedes-Benz made global headlines when it presented the 190 (called w201 internally) in late 1982. To the public, the Baby Benz was a big surprise. To insiders, however, it was the result of numerous unsuccessful attempts at expanding the company's lineup towards the bottom. The Stuttgart-based firm resumed thinking about launching a small car after the second world war. In 1948, Mercedes engineer Josef Mller des...Read More New York City, 1960 Posted by Daniel Strohl - Date: circa 1960 Location: West 58th Street, Manhattan, New York City Source: found photo via Mark Susina on Flickr What do you see here?...Read More Tuesday, July 19, 2016 A slightly different look at the 2016 Forest Grove Concours d'Elegance Posted by Hemmings contributor - Thomas and Ronda Taffet's 1935 Mercedes 500K, the 2016 Forest Grove Concours d'Elegance Best of Show. Story and photos by Don Homuth. Among the 300 or so cars displayed on the lovely grounds of Pacific University for the 2016 Forest Grove Concours d'Elegance, the 1935 Mercedes 500K owned by Thomas and Ronda Taffet of Tigard, Oregon, would have stood out in any crowd. It was the poster car for the event, and this year's "Allure of the Autobahn" theme alone would have suggested much official recognition. The ca...Read More Hemmings Find of the Day - 1960 Chevrolet El Camino Posted by Mike McNessor - The El Camino sedan pickup kicked off in flamboyant fashion for the 1959 model year, came to an abrupt end in 1960, then resumed production in 1964 on the mid-size Chevelle/Malibu A-body chassis, where it would remain until 1987. Chevrolet's El Camino sold well in its inaugural year, but its numbers flagged against the smaller Ford Falcon Ranchero, so, the El Camino and its stablemate, the sedan delivery, were both phased out in 1960. Because the El Camino was based on the sedan delivery, it incorpor...Read More EAA AirVenture Shelby GT350 Mustang pays tribute to Old Yeller, the fastest P-51 Posted by Kurt Ernst - The 2016 EAA AirVenture Mustang is a Shelby GT350 finished in the livery of Old Yeller. Photos courtesy Ford. Robert A. "Bob" Hoover just wanted to fly airplanes, and over the course of a six-decade career in aviation the "pilot's pilot" has amassed accolades too numerous to mention. It's fitting then, that Ford would select Bob Hoover and his Old Yeller P-51D Mustang (which still holds the prop-driven coast-to-coast speed record of 5 hours and 20 minutes) to honor with this year's Experimental Aircraft Associa...Read More Tales from the $1 table Posted by Thomas A. DeMauro - Over the years, when scanning the selection at swap meets and sales, I've learned to even pay attention to the items that lurk on the $1 tables, as they can sometimes be of interest to the vintage vehicle-minded. My latest examples are these mini scores from my local monthly flea market. The GM "Mr. Goodwrench" button was too good to pass up for just a buck. GM's dealership service brand, Mr. Goodwrench, was advertised from the early 1970s to about 2010 when the program was phased out. Stephen Colbert, now host o...Read More Ferrari Club of America International Meet revs up Ohio with vintage sports cars Posted by Hemmings contributor - Stunning cars: a 1951 340 America Ghia (left) and a 250 Lusso. By William Hall. Photos by the author. The Ferrari Club of America held its annual International Meet in Columbus, Ohio, June 18-22, and welcomed a record attendance of vintage Ferraris, including a featured class of stunning 1964-1968 275 series cars. Ferrari enthusiasts from around the world came together for four days of concours, rallies, seminars and track time at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, sponsored by Shell gasoline. The parking lot ...Read More West Hartford, Connecticut, 1960s, part 5 Posted by Daniel Strohl - Date: 1965 Location: Farmington Avenue and Kenyon Street, West Hartford, Connecticut Source: via Joe Sokola What do you see here?...Read More Monday, July 18, 2016 Rare 1930 Marquette scheduled to appear at the 2016 Hemmings Motor News Concours d'Elegance Posted by Matt Litwin - Since its earliest days, the word "quality" had been a hallmark of Buick, keeping their line of cars competitive in terms of both price and quality againstother luxury makeslike Cadillac and Packard. However it's no secret that by the late Twentiesthe cornerstone division of GM had become somewhat complacent with their products.Not only had Buick slipped to fourth in the industry, in the spring of 1929 new chief engineer Ferdinand "Dutch" Bower was steadfast in keeping the ship in line with it's past; never ...Read More Hemmings Find of the Day - 1970 Dodge Dart Swinger Posted by Kurt Ernst - >From the seller's description: This 1970 Dodge Dart Swinger 340 4-speed was one of the original Dodge Scat Pack cars of 1970! Matching #s make this car even more desirable. The car is super straight with a fresh hemi orange respray in 2013. This car is an absolute hoot to drive and turns heads wherever it goes. The car is equipped with the original Mopar 340 cubic inch engine with a 4-speed Factory Transmission. 8.75 - 4:10 posi track rear end. The car runs, shifts and drives extremely well. Mileage indicated is 16...Read More Simeone Museum to host panel on Penske Racing's early days Posted by Jim Donnelly - 1968 Penske Trans Am Camaro. Photo courtesy of Simeone Foundation Museum. In 1965, Roger Penske was a newly minted Chevrolet dealer with a showroom in West Philadelphia. That meant he had to walk away from a stellar driving career in both amateur and professional racing, one that would have likely put him in the lineup of that year's Indianapolis 500. We all know what's happened since then. The Captain made racing a foundation of his business empire, an enterprise of competition that marked its first half-cent...Read More A different kind of inline Posted by David Conwill - "Apple," as the car was nicknamed by the previous owner, wears a 1960-'61 front fender because of accident damage decades ago. Owner Dillon Merkl retained it because he enjoys the "Frankenstein look." Images courtesy Dillon Merkl. You've seen that movie, right? Where the exiled American teenager makes his mark on the Tokyo drifting scene with a 60s Ford stuffed full of Nissan Skyline engine? Well, this isn't that Ford and it isn't that Skyline engine, but it's the same kind of thing and definitely unus...Read More A mystery no more - the Fabulous Ferber Posted by Geoff Hacker - The mystery motorhome is a 1971 Ferber Motor Coach. Photos and scans by Geoff Hacker. I love adventures. Those that have to do with cars, that is. And sometimes, trucks and RV's (like this Ultravan, rescued in 2006). Little did I know that about 2 weeks ago, I would start my next RV adventure. Typically, my co-conspirator in research, rescue and restoration, Rick D'Louhy, and I search for handbuilt American sports cars of the 40s, 50s and beyond. Some were built from aluminum, others steel and most f...Read More Huntington, West Virginia, 1970s Posted by Daniel Strohl - Date: 1970s Location: Marshall University, Huntington, West Virginia Source: starmanseries on Flickr What do you see here? ...Read More Sunday, July 17, 2016 Four Links - Far-Out Pontiac Concepts, Defender Reborn, Imbued with Hues, Auto Camps Posted by Kurt Ernst - With concept cars like the 1977 Firebird Type K station wagon, the Corvette-challenging 1964 Banshee XP-833 coupe and the 1954 Bonneville Special, GM's Pontiac division continually demonstrated a willingness to push the boundaries of automotive design in an effort to attract young buyers focused on performance. Not all of its design concepts are so well known, and with the division's demise in 2010, some of its bolder concepts have been largely forgotten, so Mac's Motor City Garage recently took a look at five examp...Read More Hemmings Find of the Day - 1948 Buick Roadmaster convertible Posted by Kurt Ernst - >From the seller's description: 1948 Buick Roadmaster Convertible, Older frame off with recent cosmetic restoration. This was Buick's premium and best appointed model. Known for interior luxury and quiet operation, there are few other cars like this from this era. One of only 11,503 units produced in that year, this older frame off restoration in Honolulu Blue features a power white convertible top and a beautiful blue interior. Its lines flow gracefully from front to back and are accented by its stainless and chrom...Read More Sunday Cinema - Group B, Rochester Fuel Injection, St. Louis Bank Robbery Posted by Kurt Ernst - This week's piece on the Carrera Panamericana Lincoln brought up the dangers of racing on public roads, and no series in the history of motorsport better illustrated those perils than Group B Rally racing. Introduced by a change in FIA regulations in 1982, the Group B series only lasted into the 1986 season before a string of fatal accidents (some including spectators) re-wrote the rule book. Rally Group B - Tribute, from Icemanrider1, demonstrates the jaw-dropping speed of these cars, as well as the ever-present ri...Read More Hemmings Find of the Day - 1967 Oldsmobile 4-4-2 holiday coupe Posted by Kurt Ernst - >From the seller's description: 1967 4-4-2 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme 8- cyl. 400 Cid/350 Hp 4 bbl. 2 Door Holiday Coupe Factory Original Numbers matching 4 Speed Excellent condition classic Oldsmobile Cutlass Holiday Coupe muscle car that rides beautifully and is truly AWESOME! In 1967, the Cutlass Supreme was the top of the line Cutlass and a step up from the base F85 model. Its distinctive styling includes exclusive Cutlass CS emblems, attractive grille with wide-spaced headlamps separated by...Read More LAST WEEK'S MOST READ Selling vintage Soviet motorcycles, cars and military vehicles - from a showroom in Nebraska? Posted by Kurt Ernst - A model poses with a 1960 GAZ 69 in a scene from the company's calendar. Photos courtesy Arbalet Ukraine. Before the collapse of the Soviet Union, Alenka Miroshnyk earned a living as a fashion designer in the Ukraine. After, without work and without money, a friend visiting from America suggested she sell some things on an online auction site with global reach, and from these humble beginnings, Arbalet Ukraine, a company that specializes in sales of vintage Soviet vehicles and spare parts, was born. Now celebrati...Read More LAST WEEK'S BEST DISCUSSION Make the Switch: 1956 AMC Rambler flyer Posted by Mark J. McCourt - Nash and Hudson both sold a version of the new Rambler for 1956, this model being the first genuine success of the American Motors Corporation. Planned fora 1957 launch but called into service a year early, the new Rambler sedan, hardtop sedan, station wagon and hardtop station wagon were safer, more comfortable and arguably more unique and stylish than their big-selling Big Three competition. We found this double-sided flyer in HMN's brochure collection, and noted that it promotes the Rambler, with no marque m...Read More Hemmings Motor News will not sell or share your e-mail address with other companies. For more information about this newsletter, email webmaster@hemmings.com or write to: Customer Service, Hemmings Motor News, 222 Main St., Bennington VT 05201. If you do not want to receive this newsletter from Hemmings Motor News, you can change your email preferences here.