Kurtis Kraft Offys, #137 & #248

[JimmyK]

Here are some nice shots of Earl Kouba's #55 (137) and Bob Lively's #2 (248). The cars were refurbished/restored by Joe Kouba and his son Joseph Kouba. I'll let Joe provide the details including what is in the fully functioning vintage Offys powering both cars.

[JimmyK]

I penned this article when Joe compelted "Baby's" (#55) refurbishment in 1995:

Earl Kouba’s Kurtis/Offy #55

1947 Kurtis Kraft Midget - Chassis #137
Offenhauser Engine #37

The car is named “Baby” and has been in the Kouba family since the late Earl Kouba bought her in 1947. She was refurbished and made race-ready in the spring of 1995. Earl had started the project before his death in March 1992. The project was completed by Joe Kouba (son) with help from many family members and friends.

“Baby” rolled off Frank Kurtis’ assembly line in the spring of 1947 with #O-137-47 proudly stamped on her name plate. She was configured to hold an Offy and was bound for the shop of “Buzz” Buzzard of Littleton, Colorado.

In 1946, Earl had started driving for Buzz in the “Buzzard Taxi” #6. The team had done well with their Offy powered machine, but had decided to go for the increasingly popular Kurtis/Offy combination for the ‘47 season. The 4 parallel torsion bar Kurtis/Offy was destined to dominate midget racing through its golden years. However, early in ‘47 it was still relatively new technology and the Buzzard-Kouba team were struggling with their new prize.

Six races into the season, Earl had a disappointing finish in a big event. He and Buzzard agreed to disagree (he was fired) thus ending Earl’s ride. Buzz dug out the old car, hired a new driver, and tried to salvage his race season. Earl, with helmet in hand, filled the chauffeur position for many local car owners. All the while, Earl was remembering that new Kurtis. Believing he could make it work, Earl arranged to buy the car.

By August 1947 Earl owned the car for the tidy sum of $2,500. He taped a “1” in front of the 6, finishing the season as #16. He made a few adjustments to the suspension, put his own Offy in it and proceeded to make the little car work. The Offy was one from his own car, engine #37. He had bought it from Dean Gardner in ‘46 while campaigning on the west coast (coincidentally also $2,500). Shortly after the deal, Dean Gardner was killed in his midget.

In 1948, Earl teamed up with local veteran Lloyd Axle. The car was painted white (a special white Lloyd concocted himself) and #55 was put on the tail in gold leaf with red trim, matching Lloyd’s Kurtis/Offy #5 (Kurtis chassis #3). Earl had not changed the car at all other than the color. It still carried Kurtis’ trademark initial of the original owner, a “B” placed in the front bumper. Loaded up on Lloyd’s double-decker trailer (Earl’s car had the top bunk) the two of them campaigned with AAA from Indiana to California.

While “back east” (in Earl’s words, the Midwest to most folks), the two raced 7 nights a week. Every ten races or so they would stop for a day to freshen the motor. Baby and Earl still hold the unofficial upside down record at Soldier Field in Chicago. It was a “freak deal” in Earl’s words, the car flipped upside down out of turn two, hooked on the guard rail and skidded to a stop going into three. The skid ground a hole into his helmet and Earl spent some sheet time recuperating from various scrapes and bruises.

Few changes were made to Baby. In ‘48, Earl lengthened the rear radius rods. In ‘49, he converted the “B” in the front bumper to an “E”. Front and rear roll-bars were added in ‘63. Warren Hamilton, long time friend and fellow racer, switched over from 4-wheel drum brakes to spot brakes. Warren also changed the front torsion bar arm mounts. A full roll-cage was added in ‘73.

Baby has a long history. She raced under many banners: AAA, RMMRA, USAC, IMCA, NWARA, NAMAR. Donny Malone, a family friend, was killed in her while racing at Arapaho County Fairgrounds in 1956. She has competed (with a few wins) against some of the best midget drivers: Sam Hanks, “Cowboy” O’Rourke, Tommy Hennershitz, Jud Larson, Johnny Tolan, Johnny Parsons, Bill Vukovich, Bobby Unser, Parnelli Jones, Mel Kenyon, and Rich Vogler, just to name a few. Joe Kouba steered her to her last feature win in ‘83 at Fairmont, Minnesota. Her last race had Jimmy Kouba at the wheel in Jackson, Minnesota in ‘85. Earl’s last ride came at Independence, Iowa in ‘79. He never officially retired.

[Olen McGuire]

Hey Jimmy,those are really great pics and a great story. That is what this site is all about.Thanks for sharing this with the rest of us.~Olen

[Mitch G.]

Jimmy, and Joe, please in the future, always title your posts with a warning. Something like "WARNING...race car porn". I think I had a heart attack, or small stroke looking at those midgets, you guys are amazing, living history at it's best. There can't be very many Kurtis Krafts that are more original than yours, are there?

[Thomas E]

I thought I was locked in a time machine :D

Fabulous, absolutely fabulous

[Quick Time]

Jimmy,

Thank you for sharing the fine pictures and also the article...This is the type of information and history that makes this site so valuable and worthwhile. I've learned more about the guy's I watched and admired.

Chuck

[JRKracer]

Thank you all for the friendly compliments!!! it was really easy to restore "Baby". Dad had worked at keeping her original. Really all Joseph and I did was remove the cage and the front roll bar, clean her up with some fresh chrome and paint. The engine was a little more as I had never done a Offy by myself. old Foss and Johnny Pawl helped over the phone with alittle bit of knowledge. The "Duce was however alot of work to put him back. The car had cross torsion added , the rear end was all but destroyed in a NAMAR crash at the Minnesota State Fair in '78. Speed Roberst had crashed at Lakeside with Jim Beckley an all but destroyed the nose, which I saved with about 60 hours of off and on hamereing, The frame was in tacked but bent. Thank the good lord Speed saved all the origanial panels and the nose.
The engine in the "Duce " had a little help. though out the years the intake valve on # 1 had been cut in so badly that valve clearence could not be goten. I bartered with Johnny pawl to do the valves with 255 intakes and a origanal Kurtis offy grill. That engine sounds like Jacksons 3 7/8 stroke did at lakeside. I had tears when I gased it up a Brainerd. I forgot what a hard running Offy felt like. My next projects on both cars is the build backen plates for the rear brakes then the restoration will be 100% I am very happy to have this place to share these historic treasures with people who really saw these two cars compete. Thanks again
Joe Kouba

[Mitch G.]

Thank you Joe for keeping these treasures alive. I was a little too young to remember the #55 race, but I do remember Speed Roberts in the Lively #2, and always wondered what happened to that car. Keep up the fantastic work!