1938 Detroit Midget Racecar

Specifications

Engine: 188 ci. in Side-Valve 4-Cylinder Continental Engine

Horsepower: 88 @ 2,400rpm

Transmission: In/Out gearbox

Suspension: Live Axle Suspension with Transverse Leaf Springs

Midget racing was first introduced in the 1920’s as an opening act to big car races. This style of racing was entertaining to watch, due to the speed these cars were capable of achieving, along with their great handling characteristics. In Chicago, midget car races drew huge crowds to the Chicago Amphitheatre, Soldier Field and the Chicago Armory, where fans adored the racing with its highly competitive nature.  

Midget car racing was officially born on August 10, 1933 at the Loyola High School Stadium in Los Angeles as a regular weekly program under the control of the first official governing body, the Midget Auto Racing Association (MARA). After spreading across the country, the sport traveled around the world, first to Australia in 1934 at Melbourne's Olympic Park on December 15, and later to New Zealand in 1937. Early midget races were held on board tracks previously used for bicycle racing. 

Orville Lane was the owner of Deluxe Motor Service in Detroit. He is understood to have built this car in approximately 1938, using a relatively stock format, with Continental 4 Cylinder power. This midget car was originally run with four-wheel drive and was later modified to power just the rear wheels. In the early 2000s it resurfaced when it was acquired by British Ford Model T experts the Tuckett Brothers as part of a group of cars bought from the U.S. It passed through a series of owners in the U.K., and later returned to the United States.