Royal Mess: 1967 King Midget
It never ceases to amaze me that a consumer can’t buy something like an Elio or Lamborghini Veneno because the OE hasn’t finished millions of dollars of crash testing, but you can buy the following plus sized Shriner-kart and drive it around? How does that make sense? I’m not advocating a wholesale ban on the purchase/use of classic cars, but I can buy any number of new motorcycles and classic cars without seatbelts, but new cars need 55 airbags and a backup camera? Forget that. Instead, let’s buy this yellow thing and cheat death for another day. Find this 1967 King Midget here on eBay
offered for $5,000 buy-it-now located in Tucson, AZ with 2 days to go.
This King Midget is not a child’s toy that someone sneaked past the dimwits professionals at their local DMV, but a micro car that traces it roots all the way back to 1946. The initial versions were kit cars offering the unbeatable value of a 500 lb car for $500, but later the guys at the Midget Motors Corp offered fully assembled King Midgets (I can’t help but laugh every time I read, write or hear it!!).
Peek into the engine bay of a car that would make Colin Chapman scared for his safety and you’ll see a Kohler single cylinder engine for a healthy 12 horsepower mated to a 2-speed automatic transmission with no reverse gear. Just like a screaming 12krpm sportbike powered race car…riiight.
Rumor has it you can put two adult human beings into the passenger compartment, but they’ll both have to be midgets….or kings. Either way you will get noticed.
See another microcar for sale? Send it here: tips@dailyturismo.com
They prefer to be called "little cars"
Stan ain't gonna like this.
ROFL!
The thing about the King Midget that I think you are missing in this write-up is it's place in the "Transportation Optimism" movement. Much like Cushman, Amphicar, Motoscoot, Simplex and even Crosley, these simple machines envisioned a world where everyone could drive all of the time. A time before DOT safety standards and bumper to bumper traffic. A time that was full of drive-in theaters and drive-up restaurants. Where every road was scenic and parking was abundant.
Sure, we know now that this was a mighty big pipe dream. But back in the late 40's and 50's, people believed it in the same way that Elon Musk believes in electric cars.
Agreed! Even BMW jumped on that tiny and tinny bandwagon. Interesting that MB still thinks that's a valid market niche.