Solar Midget

Last updated

The Solar midget car was a type of midget car racing vehicle produced by the Solar Aircraft Company immediately following the end of World War II. The first midget car to be mass-produced, [1] the vehicle was designed by Elmer Ross using a car body designed by Curly Wetteroth; [2] the car was developed as part of the company's 1944 Craftsmanship Contest; [3] production was approved in October 1945, with twelve pre-production vehicles being constructed as a manufacturing test; they utilised aluminum frames and stainless steel bodywork. [2]

The twelve pilot kits sold rapidly; [2] full production was approved; at a cost of $670 USD each, over 100 vehicles, primarily using Ford flathead V-8 power, were sold during 1946. However, the rival Kurtis Kraft midget designed by Frank Kurtis proved superior to the Solar vehicle in competition, and at the end of 1946 Solar ceased production of the midget car kits. [2]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kit car</span> Automobile that the buyer assembles into a functioning car

A kit car is an automobile available as a set of parts that a manufacturer sells and the buyer then assembles into a functioning car. Usually, many of the major mechanical systems such as the engine and transmission are sourced from donor vehicles or purchased new from other vendors. Kits vary in completeness, consisting of as little as a book of plans, or as much as a complete set with all components to assemble into a fully operational vehicle such as those from Caterham.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MG Cars</span> Car brand and former British car company

MG is a British automotive marque founded by Cecil Kimber in the 1920s, and M.G. Car Company Limited was the British sports car manufacturer that made the marque famous. Best known for its open two-seater sports cars, MG also produced saloons and coupés, with engines up to three litres in size and 3.5L in the case of the MGB GT V8. The marque is now owned by Chinese state-owned automaker SAIC Motor Corporation Limited.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reliant Motors</span> British car manufacturer in Tamworth, Staffordshire

Reliant Motor Company was a British car manufacturer based in Tamworth, Staffordshire, England. It was founded in 1935 and ended car production in 2002, the company had been known as "Reliant Motor Company" until the 1990s when it became "Reliant Motors" and then finally became "Reliant Cars LTD" after production had ended of the Robin as the company was restructured to be a car import business. It is now a dormant company and the only entity left is a separate parts company created called "Reliant Partsworld" which produces parts for Reliant vehicles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nash Motors</span> Defunct American motor vehicle manufacturer

Nash Motors Company was an American automobile manufacturer based in Kenosha, Wisconsin from 1916 until 1937. From 1937 through 1954, Nash Motors was the automotive division of the Nash-Kelvinator Corporation. As sales of smaller firms declined after 1950 in the wake of the domestic Big Three automakers advantages in production, distribution, and revenue, Nash merged with Hudson Motors to form American Motors Corporation (AMC). Nash automobile production continued from 1954 through 1957 under AMC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Madman Muntz</span> American businessman and engineer (1914–1987)

Earl William "Madman" Muntz was an American businessman and engineer who sold and promoted cars and consumer electronics in the United States from the 1930s until his death in 1987. He was a pioneer in television commercials with his oddball "Madman" persona; an alter ego who generated publicity with his unusual costumes, stunts, and outrageous claims. Muntz also pioneered car stereos by creating the Muntz Stereo-Pak, better known as the 4-track cartridge, a predecessor to the 8-track cartridge developed by Lear Industries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Golf cart</span> Small vehicle designed originally to carry golfers

A golf cart is a small motorized vehicle designed originally to carry two golfers and their golf clubs around a golf course with less effort than walking. Over time, variants were introduced that were capable of carrying more passengers, had additional utility features, or were certified as a street legal low-speed vehicle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Muntz Car Company</span> Former american car manufacturer

The Muntz Car Company was an automobile manufacturer based in the United States.

Frank Peter Kurtis was an American racing car designer. He designed and built midget cars, quarter-midgets, sports cars, sprint cars, Indy cars, and Formula One cars. He was the founder of Kurtis Kraft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kurtis Kraft</span> American designer and builder of race cars

Kurtis Kraft was an American designer and builder of race cars. The company built midget cars, quartermidgets, sports cars, sprint cars, Bonneville cars, and USAC Championship cars. It was founded by Frank Kurtis when he built his own midget car chassis in the late 1930s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Offenhauser</span> Racing engine design

The Offenhauser Racing Engine, or Offy, is a racing engine design that dominated American open wheel racing for more than 50 years and is still popular among vintage sprint and midget car racers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Citroën Méhari</span> Motor vehicle

The Citroën Méhari is a lightweight recreational and utility vehicle, manufactured and marketed by French carmaker Citroën over 18 years in a single generation. Built in front-wheel (1968–1988) and four-wheel drive (1980–1983) variants, it features ABS plastic bodywork with optional/removable doors and foldable, stowable, fabric convertible top.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">King Midget</span> Motor vehicle

The King Midget was a micro car produced between 1946 and 1970 by the Midget Motors Corporation. The King Midget company started out by offering a kit to build a car, but soon added completely assembled cars and later only offered completed cars.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edelbrock</span> Company

Edelbrock, LLC is an American manufacturer of specialty automotive and motorcycle parts. The company is headquartered in Olive Branch, Mississippi, with a Southern California R&D Tech Center located in Cerritos, CA. The Edelbrock Sand Cast and Permanent Mold Manufacturing foundries are located in San Jacinto, CA. Edelbrock has two facilities in North Carolina: the Edelbrock Carburetor Division in Sanford, and the Edelbrock Race Center in Mooresville.

The Marmon-Herrington Company, Inc. is an American manufacturer of axles and transfer cases for trucks and other vehicles. Earlier, the company built military vehicles and some tanks during World War II, and until the late 1950s or early 1960s was a manufacturer of trucks and trolley buses. Marmon-Herrington had a partnership with Ford Motor Company, producing trucks and other commercial vehicles, such as buses. The company may be best known for its all-wheel-drive conversions to other truck maker's units, especially to Ford truck models. Founded in 1931, Marmon-Herrington was based in Indianapolis, Indiana, with a plant in Windsor, Ontario, and remained in Indianapolis until 1963. It is now based in Louisville, Kentucky.

Fiberfab was an American automotive manufacturer established in 1964. Starting with accessories and body parts, they progressed to making kit cars and fully assembled automobiles. They became one of the longest lasting kit car manufacturers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Automotive industry in Australia</span> Car making industry in Australia

A substantial car industry was created in Australia in the 20th century through the opening of Australian plants by international manufacturers. The first major carmaker was Ford Australia and the first Australian-designed mass production car was manufactured by Holden in 1948. Australian manufacture of cars rose to a maximum of almost half a million in the 1970s and still exceeded 400,000 in 2004. Australia was best known for the design and production of 'large' sized passenger vehicles. By 2009 total production had fallen to around 175,000 and the Australian market was dominated by cars imported from Asia and Europe.

Justice brothers were figures in motorsports and automotive industry. Founding a company in the oil additive industry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bond Bug</span> Motor vehicle

The Bond Bug is a small British two-seat, three-wheeled automobile which was designed by Tom Karen of Ogle Design for Reliant Motor Company, who built it from 1970 to 1974, initially at Bond Cars Ltd factory, but subsequently at Reliant's Tamworth factory. It is a wedge-shaped microcar, with a lift-up canopy and side screens instead of conventional doors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kit and replica cars of New Zealand</span>

New Zealand had a long history of small garages and vehicle enthusiasts modifying and creating sports and sports racing cars. Out of these interests grew the New Zealand kit and replica car industry with the introduction of fibre-glass car bodies in the 1950s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kurtis Sport Car</span> Motor vehicle

The Kurtis Sport Car (KSC) is a two-seat, aluminum-body sports car designed by Frank Kurtis and manufactured by Kurtis Kraft in 1949 and 1950. Built with numerous components from a 1949 Ford, the KSC was built as both a production car and a kit car. It was sold at a base price of $3,495, and with options it could cost up to $5,000, which was approximately $1,000 more than the then-new Jaguar XK120.

References

Citations
  1. Western Metalworking , Volume 4. Jenkins Publishing Company, 1946. p.27.
  2. 1 2 3 4 White 2001, p.53.
  3. Bangs, Scholer. "Solar Develops Muffler Unit To Meet Lightplane Complaints". Aviation News, volume 5. McGraw-Hill, 1946. p.20.
Bibliography