Midwest Connection

Midwest Connection · 3/9/09, 7:22 AM

Each year I travel to Jackson, Michigan for the Old Timers Reunion, where I get to visit with many of my auto racing friends.

OB Granger is one of those friends I am happy to visit with.

See the photos below that I took of OB Granger and his awesome Offy powered midget # 79 - from racing years past. :Steer

Have a good day...see you at the races :thumb

Rich - Arnold, Missouri

OB Granger

The OB Granger Offy

Some of OB Granger's drivers

TQ29m · 3/9/09, 2:35 PM

I was just posting my growing up around the Justin King Midgets, he had 2, don't know what the numbers were, but his Taxicab shop, was across the street from where I worked, at a Ford Garage, in Columbus, In, when I was in high school, early 50's, always loved it when he was getting ready to go somewhere to race, he'd push em off, and clear them out. before loading them. I think he had a trailer that they set on top of each other, bottom one real low, so the trailer wasn't top heavy, I remembered that a few years later, when I built my go-kart trailer, I used a Corvair front axle, and double stacked them, nice setup. Those were beautiful midgets, I always thought they were V860's, but Offies are OK. Justin didn't spare anything, they were as good as any in those days. Thanks for posting the shots! Bob

TQ29m · 3/10/09, 9:44 AM

BTW, any idea what happened to the other half of the pair, who woulda thought a taxi cab business, in the late 40's, early 50's, in a town the size of Columbus, In, in those days, would have put enough money in a man's pocket, to not only afford one, top of the heap midget, let alone 2. Justin was a dandy tho, at the time, I had a 31 A Ford, duece grill and shell, bored and stroked 59AB Flatdead V8, on a duece frame, man was I in hog heaven, I think Justin was almost as interested in my Coupe, as I was his Midgets. Bob

TQ29m · 3/12/09, 10:55 AM

Just happened to be talking with a friend last night, and the subject of Justin King's Midgets came up. I wasn't sure of the original colors, and the colors I was remembering didn't sound right, but all his cabs were painted a dark green and cream, guess what, my memory was right, the midgets were dark green and cream. The one in the picture was a Kurtis/w Offy, and the other one was a "homebuilt" with a V860. Not sure on the original numbers, either 24 and 48, or 25 and 50. They were both top of the line cars, and the drivers listed were also. Bob

3/9/09, 7:22 AM	#1 Midwest Connection - "The Granger Offy" # 79 Midget
Midwest Connection Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 581	Each year I travel to Jackson, Michigan for the Old Timers Reunion, where I get to visit with many of my auto racing friends. OB Granger is one of those friends I am happy to visit with. See the photos below that I took of OB Granger and his awesome Offy powered midget # 79 - from racing years past. :Steer Have a good day...see you at the races :thumb Rich - Arnold, Missouri OB Granger The OB Granger Offy The OB Granger Offy Some of OB Granger's drivers

3/9/09, 2:35 PM	#2 Re: Midwest Connection - "The Granger Offy" # 79 Midget
TQ29m Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 6,558	I was just posting my growing up around the Justin King Midgets, he had 2, don't know what the numbers were, but his Taxicab shop, was across the street from where I worked, at a Ford Garage, in Columbus, In, when I was in high school, early 50's, always loved it when he was getting ready to go somewhere to race, he'd push em off, and clear them out. before loading them. I think he had a trailer that they set on top of each other, bottom one real low, so the trailer wasn't top heavy, I remembered that a few years later, when I built my go-kart trailer, I used a Corvair front axle, and double stacked them, nice setup. Those were beautiful midgets, I always thought they were V860's, but Offies are OK. Justin didn't spare anything, they were as good as any in those days. Thanks for posting the shots! Bob

3/10/09, 9:44 AM	#3 Re: Midwest Connection - "The Granger Offy" # 79 Midget
TQ29m Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 6,558	BTW, any idea what happened to the other half of the pair, who woulda thought a taxi cab business, in the late 40's, early 50's, in a town the size of Columbus, In, in those days, would have put enough money in a man's pocket, to not only afford one, top of the heap midget, let alone 2. Justin was a dandy tho, at the time, I had a 31 A Ford, duece grill and shell, bored and stroked 59AB Flatdead V8, on a duece frame, man was I in hog heaven, I think Justin was almost as interested in my Coupe, as I was his Midgets. Bob

3/12/09, 10:55 AM	#4 Re: Midwest Connection - "The Granger Offy" # 79 Midget
TQ29m Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 6,558	Just happened to be talking with a friend last night, and the subject of Justin King's Midgets came up. I wasn't sure of the original colors, and the colors I was remembering didn't sound right, but all his cabs were painted a dark green and cream, guess what, my memory was right, the midgets were dark green and cream. The one in the picture was a Kurtis/w Offy, and the other one was a "homebuilt" with a V860. Not sure on the original numbers, either 24 and 48, or 25 and 50. They were both top of the line cars, and the drivers listed were also. Bob