The seller refers to this 1967 King Midget Model III as the “World’s Most Exciting Small Car”, and while I’m not sure whether that’s a historic King Midget advertising line or their personal belief, I’ve always wanted one. They’re somewhat rare to see in this condition. They have this nice example listed here on eBay in Madisonville, Texas as a classified ad and they’re asking a head-scratching amount of $11,628 for this yellow ragtop.
After WWII, Americans needed transportation as civilian vehicle production stopped for almost four years. Initially being sold in kit form through magazine ads beginning in 1946, King Midget out of Athens, Ohio was founded by Dale Orcutt and Claud Dry. They made kits, then started manufacturing complete cars, and eventually sold only factory-made cars, all the way until 1970. Just imagine buyers grabbing a Hemi Cuda in 1970 and stopping on the way home to get a King Midget.
With chrome wheel covers and a wicker picnic basket on the rear luggage rack, this one looks like it’s set up for a tropical island, like a Fiat or Renault Jolly. The seller includes many great photos but none with the top down. We have to assume that it works well. With a single-cylinder engine, I hope the beach sand isn’t too deep…
The King Midget Model III was made from 1957 until the end of the run in 1970 and if a person is going to see a King Midget at a car show, it’ll most likely be a Model III. This was it for body styles, although the company was working on a new design with a fiberglass body, in the then-popular style of a dune buggy, when the factory burned in 1970 and that was it. Safety and emissions standards of the time would have made it impossible for this little company to compete so they closed the doors.
By 1966 they had a 12-volt electrical system, and it looks like the battery isn’t on the battery tray in the rear engine compartment photo above. The seller lists the engine as being a 9.5-hp model but in 1966 the company went with a 12-hp Kohler and that’s clearly shown in the engine photos. They don’t mention if it starts or runs but we have to assume that it does run. Have any of you owned a King Midget?
I bet this IS the “World’s Most Exciting Small Car”! Imagine tootling around on shopping cart wheels, dodging multitudes of behemoth SUV’s, and pedaling even harder on the slightest sleeping policeman…not my version of ‘excitement’, but better keep the Charmin handy…IMHO natch.
My dad worked for the Rio Grande Rail Road in Colorado in the 50s, 60s. We lived in Colorado Springs but dad worked in Pueblo in a little shack next to the tracks. He worked the teletype and gave trains their orders. Having a young family (me and three bros) and the price of a gallon of gas reaching 29 cents a gallon, he had to buy something that could get 50 MPG. In 1959 he bought a King Midget. I can remember it had a cloth top, but dad had to make doors out of a plywood type of material to keep the cold and rain out. He would take me to work with him sometimes. I just remember it was slow and not very comfortable. We did the 40 mile trip in about an hour, with a stop for gas and coffee at Pinion Truck Stop. Great memories.
Great story!
Haha! I guess I25 was a lot less crowded then…..couldn’t do that trip today! Pinion Truck Stop was closed a few years ago allegedly due to drug and prostitution activity.
Have driven one and the “excitement” for me was wishing I had ear plugs. You think an MG Midget is small, go out into the wild world of traffic in this baby. Nice example though.
Nice find and write up! They may have sold more if they had a better slogan…King Midget, The Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail of Cars!
Lovely – as a golf cart.
I’d almost forgotten about these little bump ride cars. Never actually saw one in person, just ads for them. A one lunger, boy just imagine the excitement when you go from 0-40 in a hour and a half. My grandsons go kart is faster than this thing. I imagine even some bicycles would pass this thing on an incline. Nevertheless, it’s one exciting ride, LOL. You’ll not likely see another one at a car show or cars n coffee. Oh well there’s something for everyone.
God Bless America
I remember these in the 1960’s as there were several in Beaver Dam WI. As they became used and cheaper, they were neglected and overpriced. It took me decades to find the right one and own a restored 1963 KM now. Heck they even have a blog on Facebook that I belong to.
How many clowns does it hold?
Back in 68 or 69 a classmate in highschool drove one on occasion. Her father used to own one of the drug stores in our small town. Think he bought it for deliveries, yeah that was a thing. So small town speed limit was 25 for much of Main street and only 35 on others through town and the King did just fine. There were no SUV’s other than occasional Suburban or IH. Today with hoods over 4 Ft tall and driver’s wanting to be 5 Ft above the roadway I suppose they may be impractical even for a city commuter. That’s the way it was, simpler times.
You bet drug store deliveries was a thing in 1968-69. I was a delivery driver back then, although they gave me a Valient wagon to drive.
Made enough money to keep my Mini Cooper S on the road, and later the Austin Healey 100-6
I am sure I have seen ONE of these in some shopping center parking lot. I knew what it was from the ads in Popular Science (or maybe it was Mechanics Illustrated… I read both avidly as a kid.)
Would be a great little car for a retiree in a resort community. Much cooler than a golf cart.
Never seen the engine bay on one of these, looks like there’s Just enough room for a Hayabusa engine,…
When my older brother turned 16, Dad bought him a 1953 model . It was perfect for a young kid in a small town. The PO was Ollie Elam, who campaigned Gold Cup and Unlimited hydroplanes. When we first went to look at the car, it was wedged in behind huge wooden engine stands containing Allison aircraft engines for the hydroplanes.
How many people who bought one wished they went for the war surplus jeep in a crate instead? Or Afrika Korps pith helmet?
They were advertised in Popular Mechanics for many, many, years. You could buy a kit and assemble it yourself or buy the fully assembled version for a slightly higher price. They do have a car club and have rally’s I happened upon a rally being held in Warsaw, Indiana a few years ago. The shut the streets off for them and they where 6 abreast all around the courthouse. Some were 100% original and some had made modifications like plywood doors with plexiglass windows. Still looks like a fun car.
“World’s Most Exciting Small Car”
Be still, my heart!
I have a vivid memory of one on the cover of Mechanics Illustrated , Tom Cahill tested it. On the cover Cahills photo girl MIMI was in the car in a bathing suit. Eye candy for a teenager lol.
Loved Uncle Tom,but missed this road test. I don’t think he would have have fit in it. Did she drive and he observe ??
Hey I just remembered the bathing suit. Lol
Back then the meserwschmitt, morgan, reliant (way Been drives it) might challenge that claim. No, slingshot, canderhill – some of these speed demons up the excitement factor, foah shoah but have come along much later…
I remember these cars vividly. They were great little cars for what they were designed. Cheap and economic small town transportation. Picture that as being a small 10,000 population or less town with a 25 or thirty speed limit. They worked fine for that. The city of Cape Charles VA would be a good example of a perfect town to operate the King Midget. The entire city is 25 miles an hour. Golf carts are encouraged. and it is a BIG waste to try to drive an SUV or other large ICE veh. in town. The police do ticket anyone going over 25 mph… quite often. The town is a beach town and has it’s one vibe that a King Midget would fit perfectly … Sort of a “Throw-back” to the 40’s and early 50’s. Very old beach town that has been “updated”, a lot of Air B&B’s.. and only ONE road in and out of town.
They were never expected to be on interstates…. BUT about 1966 I was driving south on I-95 heading to Richmond VA. and one of these cars entered the interstate… just ahead of me. I was surprised to see that it could run 55 miles an hour. WOW! That was the speed limit at the time on that road. I followed it into Richmond, it got off near the College down town. Later I was walking in that area and stumbled on what I thought was the same car parked on the street. The owner walked up and got in so I asked him about the car… he said he had the choice of a bicycle, a scooter, or this as his funds were extremely limited. He chose the King Midget because it was enclosed and he would not get wet on the way to class. He said he could regularly get around 50 MPG too.
Well, can always hop the engine up at your local lawnmower salvage yard. Easy to find a “hot 25HP’ unit to be able to spin the wheels!
I lived in Athens Ohio for many years and attended the K.M. Rallies several times . I all ways wanted one and this one seems to be in extremally good shape ….but not at that price ….I was all ways thinking around 4 or 5 thousand dollars and this one would be at the top of the price list for sure ….Good luck to the owner selling it at the price asked !!