Aussie Offies

[Aussie Al]

Greetings from sunny Sydney, Australia!
I have been involved with midget racing in Australia since 1962 when I was in my early teens. I have also seen racing in the U.S. and New Zealand. I have a keen interest in vintage midgets and currently deeply involved in writing a comprehensive book about the many Offy midgets connected with Australian speedway, of which there are more than sixty in this part of the world. I have been in contact with many, many good folk in the US whom have generously provided information about the cars I am reasearching, most of which, but not all, stayed 'down under'. I am hoping through this well informed forum and its equally informed members to find out more about these magnificent machines, a considerable number of which I have seen race.

[HEATNBEAT]

Hi Allan and welcome!

[Aussie Al]

G'day and thanks Scott...I'm looking forward to joining in...and yep...I'll take cheese over worms any day !

[trentesept]

Welcome.
I think you'll find the guys are more interested in the body panels and how they were produced than the engines powering the sheet metal, but me , I love Offys and this site is helping me put clothes on the cars that I have them in . Feel free to get in touch.
Cheers Greg

[Aussie Al]

Hey Greg. Thanks for the welcome.

Are you by any chance the Greg Smith for whom in 1974 Chris McGee crated up on a mission to the United States an Edmunds four-bar ex- Gordon Schroeder car which became the Jim Beam Offy?

[Peter Tommasini]

Hi Allan welcome to the forum
Peter

[Aussie Al]

Much obliged Peter...my interest is little off mainstream as far as the metal shaping is concerned, but Frank Kurtis certainly knew how to work a sheet of aluminium (oops...sorry, that's the way we spell it down here) as apparently did Bob Pankratz, Emil Diedt, Clyde Adams, Lujie Lesovsky and other oval track car craftsmen of the era.

I'm looking forward to participating in the forum.

[Kerry Pinkerton]

Allan, you need to send a PM to Stan Lobitz "Slobitz" on the site. Stan is one of the premier sprint car collectors from back in the day and has several Offys including one that came from the Indy 500 winning car. I'd be pretty surprised if he doesn't know a good bit about some of the things you are interested in. His collection is amazing. He doesn't get on here very much but if you can't reach him via PM, let me know and I'll call him for you.

[slobitz]

loxton.jpg

loxton9.jpgAllan, if I was`nt so lazy I would send you some info on the Dick Brown offy midget that ran so well in Aus. I have it`s history from when It was being built till itgot into my barn,
The next time John Loxton from Brisbane comes to visit me I will have him gather the info and have him get it to you. Here are a few pics of the Hillegass TQ that he shipped there and restored. John is the guy with the Williams Grove shirt on.