SPECIFICATIONS

Manufacturer: Midget Motors Manufacturing

Origin: Athens, Georgia, U.S.A.

Production: 5,000 (all types)

Motor: Wisconsin 1-cyl., 4-stroke, L-head

Displacement: 380 cc

Power: 6 hp

Length: 7 ft. 10 in.

Identification No. N/A

The little King Midget was one of the most successful cars of its type, and in fact, it was manufactured continuously for nearly a quarter of a century.

The King Midget was the brainchild of Claud Dry and Dale Orcutt, two civil air patrol pilots during World War II who conceived the car as an accessible, inexpensive runabout. From 1947, this accessibility took the form of small advertisements in widely read publications like Popular Science and Mechanix Illustrated, as well as its availability as a $270 kit car. Customers purchased the cars directly from the factory. Through the “Rider Agent Plan,” the new owners could demonstrate the car to prospective buyers, earning a small commission. The name derived from its close resemblance to the Midget-class oval-track racing cars.

The kit buyer received a wooden crate containing a frame, axles, springs, steering gear, a moulded “radiator,” paper patterns for the sheet metal, and an assembly manual. Any one-cylinder motor could be fitted by the customer. From 1949, it could be had as a fully assembled car with a Wisconsin motor for $350 USD. This very rare car has been restored to a high standard and remains in excellent overall condition.