Chassis: 0-107
Built by Eddie Meyer for Murrell Belanger
Driven by Johnnie Parsons, Sam Hanks, and Joe Carson, Among Others
The 1949 Pacific Coast Champion
Restored by Expert John Ryals
A Famous and Evocative Example of the Legendary Kurtis Kraft Midget
110 CID Offenhauser DOHC Inline 4-Cylinder Engine
Hilborn Fuel Injection
Estimated 145 BHP
Offenhauser In-Out Gearbox
4-Wheel Drum Brakes
Front Tubular Axle with Torsion Bars and Radius Rods
Rear Halibrand Quick Change Axle with Torsion Bars and Radius Rods
Frank Kurtis started his eponymous Kurtis Kraft operation in the late 1930s, and would progress to the pinnacle of race car design in the ensuing decades. Available in component, kit, or complete form, if a competitive Midget was needed to race during the 1940s, Kurtis Kraft was the marque.
This famous Midget Racer, carrying chassis 0-107 and known as “99jr,” was built by famed dry lakes racer, engine builder, and speed shop owner Eddie Meyer for noted race team owner Murrell Belanger. Meyer bought a kit from Frank Kurtis and assembled the car with his typically meticulous and inventive approach. Meyer included innovative changes to the build, like running the front torsion bars on the outside of the body. The car’s most famous accomplishment was winning the 1949 Pacific Coast Championship, driven by Johnnie Parsons, and it carries an extensive roster of well-known drivers. Sam Hanks, Manny Ayulo, Joe Carson, and Tony Bettenhausen are all thought to have raced this Midget at some point.
Circa 1986, Donald L. Weber acquired the Kurtis in disassembled and incomplete form and hired restorer John Ryals to resurrect it. Photos and correspondence from the restoration process are on file and chronicle the extensive work completed. Although it has not run for the past 20 years, this exquisite Kurtis is an evocative reminder of this dramatic period in racing, and it will be the highlight of any discerning racing collection.
*Please note that this vehicle is sold on a Bill of Sale.
