5 and the double 5 - 55 - together

[Thomas E]

Here is a photo of both Lloyd Axel in the 5 car and Bert McNeese in the 55 car. Late 40's.

This is from a small collection I have of the 5 and 55 cars.

Not sure where it was taken, the ladder on the inside of the turn seems to be too high for Lakeside, but then it could be. You know how the memory can work.

[parrot]

Thomas, that is one great photo! Don't think I've seen that one before, just the one on the double decker trailer. About the track, not sure either. During those early years, there was just a single outside rail, but not enough of photo above rail to tell, and don't remember those ladders being at Lakeside. They look new in the photo. BP

[Thomas E]

Thomas, that is one great photo! Don't think I've seen that one before, just the one on the double decker trailer. About the track, not sure either. During those early years, there was just a single outside rail, but not enough of photo above rail to tell, and don't remember those ladders being at Lakeside. They look new in the photo. BP

Thanks. Yes sir it's a great photo, I like becuse it taken from the infield. I too have the double decker photo of 5 and 55.

Somewhere among my old racing stuff and photos I have a photos of 55 with Earl and Ethel Kouba, which I believe it to be snapped at the Arapahoe County Fair Grounds in Littleton, Colorado. I also have a photo of Don Malone seated in 55, Don Malone was killed driving the 55 car at the Araphahoe County Fair Grounds in 1955. I was there and witnessed that tragic accident; during the same event I also saw one of the Vic Felt cars #9 go through the west turn guard rail, I'll explain later.

[Mitch G.]

Thomas, this photo must have been a sort of post card type photo, passed out at Lakeside Speedway. I have the same photo, my mom was given this photo in the mid 1940's when her brother owned a midget. This very picture has been in my collection, and family, since 1947. It's a glossy photo, 4" x 7.5", I've shown this to LeRoy Byers, he thought maybe Scott Duncan took the photo, but he's not sure. LeRoy really wanted this photo, but it means too much to me to part with it, even though LeRoy owns the restored #5. The #55 is a 1947 Kurtis, notice how Frank Kurtis raised the cowel loop on the frame by one inch, increasing the leg room for the driver, and giving the looks of the car a little more "rake".

[Thomas E]

Thomas, this photo must have been a sort of post card type photo, passed out at Lakeside Speedway. I have the same photo, my mom was given this photo in the mid 1940's when her brother owned a midget. This very picture has been in my collection, and family, since 1947. It's a glossy photo, 4" x 7.5", I've shown this to LeRoy Byers, he thought maybe Scott Duncan took the photo, but he's not sure. LeRoy really wanted this photo, but it means too much to me to part with it, even though LeRoy owns the restored #5. The #55 is a 1947 Kurtis, notice how Frank Kurtis raised the cowel loop on the frame by one inch, increasing the leg room for the driver, and giving the looks of the car a little more "rake".

Right, that is same thing I was told when I got my 5 & 55 from a good friend who is at times but a memory, Ray Koch.

[Mitch G.]

Here's some more 5 and 55 stuff.
http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=9&pictureid=676
I actually have these water applied decals in my scrap book!
http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=9&pictureid=675
And from Bill Montgomery's "Kurtis Kraft Midget, A genealogy of Speed", the 1999 first edition.
http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=9&pictureid=677

[Thomas E]

Thomas, that is one great photo! Don't think I've seen that one before, just the one on the double decker trailer. About the track, not sure either. During those early years, there was just a single outside rail, but not enough of photo above rail to tell, and don't remember those ladders being at Lakeside. They look new in the photo. BP

Here is a photo of the 5 and 55 double decker, tow car was a 1941 Ford Woodie. Resource Mighty Midgets by Jack Fox.

The tail section on the 5 and 55 cars looks crunched, they aren't, it is a bend distortion from a scanned photo.

[webby]

The tail section on the 5 and 55 cars looks crunched, they aren't, it is a bend distortion from a scanned photo.I've seen that photo in the past.

Can you imagine that rig pulling up in the pits. Oh man... how cool.

[JimmyK]

This is a popular photo of Lloyd and Earl at Lakeside when they first teamed up in 1948 just before "heading east". Then a couple of Mom's snap shots of Lloyd's hauler. And last, a hand tinted, autographed shot of Lloyd and Bert from 1947.

[Mitch G.]

Terrific photo's JimmyK, thanks for joining the conversation, and the site. The snap shots of your mom and Lloyd's tow rig are fantastic, what part of Denver were those shot in?

[JimmyK]

I'm not sure. Mom's family lived at various place in North Denver. When her and Dad were dating (1949), they lived on Moncreif (sp?? sorry). All of their places were in the general area around Holy Family Catholic Church, not far at all from Lakeside. I'll see if Judy or Joe know where this is...

[JRKracer]

I wanted to join in the reminissing. I think the picture is arount 38th and Wadworths maybe. It was, anyway across the street and down a block from Holy Family Catholic Church. That is where Moms ,Ethel, Grandma Tabaue lived and her parents live there for a while. I also want to say that Loyds 55 and Dad's 55 are not the same car. Loyds 55 was sold to Hal Robb after the 47 season. Loyd wanted a traveling partner to go 'Back East" in '48 so he talked Dad into it.That is how thw Kouba 55 came into being. when Loyd and dad 'split' Earl never changed the number and keep the white paint because his earler cars were white.

[webby]

I wanted to join in the reminissing. I think the picture is arount 38th and Wadworths maybe. It was, anyway across the street and down a block from Holy Family Catholic Church. That is where Moms ,Ethel, Grandma Tabaue lived and her parents live there for a while. I also want to say that Loyds 55 and Dad's 55 are not the same car. Loyds 55 was sold to Hal Robb after the 47 season. Loyd wanted a traveling partner to go 'Back East" in '48 so he talked Dad into it.That is how thw Kouba 55 came into being. when Loyd and dad 'split' Earl never changed the number and keep the white paint because his earler cars were white.Welcome to ARM! I certified your membership so now you can post images at stuff.

Thanks for sharing!

[superstroke]

From the Ron Avers collection, here is a shot of #63 (driver unknown) as he poses for the camera. As I studied this shot, I noticed the #5 and #55 are unloaded from their hauler and parked side by side. I claim no fame to being a midget historian.....soooo I will hand this off to our own ARM "Midgetorian", Mitch.....Take it away Mitch!!!!

[Mitch G.]

Welllllll, off the top of my pointed head....it would be 1947, as this was the only year Axel had the 5 and 55, Bert McNeese drove the 55 that season. The #63 is a stock Solar with a Ford V8-60, the driver/owner is Bill Mayhew. Notice the sponsor, "Denver Speed Bowl", an ill fated 1/4 mile dirt track near Broadway and Brighton Blvd, near the Stockyards. The track was cut, but never actually ran a race, my family has a 8mm color film of my dad and Jack DeShon, hot lapping Jack's midget on the Denver Speed Bowl, track. Mayhew was a California native, I think, and in the mid 1980's had a Cosworth powered midget that launched the career of one Robby Flock, a red and white #16, I think they won the midget portion of the "Copper World" at PIR. As for the 5, and 55, the 5 is now restored and in the hands of LeRoy Byers, the 55 was sold to Hal Robb in California, and vanished over the years. I hope that's close to accurate.

[superstroke]

Another shot from the Ron Avers collection shows the 5 and 55 during a photo session at what appears to be the old Pikes Peak Speedway.

[Mitch G.]

Now that's a great shot, very interesting to note, that the #5 is a very early (3rd car completed off the Kurtis production line after World War II, early 1946), check out the deep "heel well" in the belly pan on the #5. Later in 1946 and for the rest of the Kurtis midget production run, Kurtis raised the "Cowel loop" on the frame of his cars for more driver leg room. Axel bought the #55, new from Kurtis, for the 1947 season you can see the #55 has more "rake", the windshield cowel runs downhill toward the nose cone of the car, whereas the #5 is flat from the top of the nose to the windshield. In the #55 you can clearly see the shallow "heel well's", just small blisters in the belly pan on the #55 car. Both beautiful machines.