The ‘Little Car’ a story of passion and persistence.
By Hugh DePalma, Staff -Senior Writer
The story goes like this.
OutLaw Racers Club member Rich Rosser was a little boy [7yrs old] who had an uncle that lived on a ranch. That’s not so unusual. What was unusual was the little race car that sat under that old willow tree for 35 years.
Dreams of a Champion driver, car and its laurels. Dreams an aspirations that powered Rich to become a winning car owner.
As a boy, Rich was mesmerized always imagining the story behind that little car. Oh, he had many questions but there were few answers except that it was in deed a very old little race car.
That little car always called to Rich. As Rich grew up he often asked his uncle if he could buy that little car. Each an every time Rich was told no, the little car was not for sale.
One day, about 28 years later a phone call came in. The call was from Rich’s uncle and he said, “if you want that little car you have to get it in the next 48hrs. because I’ve sold the ranch and the new owners will be here this weekend.”
Rich was in shock though happy to say yes, he would come and get it. Rich got his brother from Reno and some really strong buddies [8] and went to save that little car he’d dreamed about.
Rich assured everyone that it was a little car and it would be easy to move. Well you guessed it, it wasn’t as easy as Rich made it sound, ‘to just go pick up a little car’. That car was wrapped up by the tree, embedded in the dirt, vines, leaves and branches covered the little dude. It had been waiting for Rich for 35 years. [Both were happy to see each other]
As the story goes, all eight of the young strong men untangled that car. They carried that little car for about 10 miles….[not really, it just felt that way] and lifted it next to the fence. All of them looking at each other wondering what the hell to do next. Rich said, “boys we’re gonna lift it over the fence.” And lift it over the fence they did. Rich chuckles when remembering this part of the story, “It nearly gave everyone a dam hernia !”
They got it home and realized the ‘little car’ was a really old race car. But a race car no one could identify other than some super old midget racer that had headlights.
Well now the story really begins because Rich is now on a life long search to learn everything he can about the ‘little car’.
Some things we do know. It’s a wood frame [very common in the 20’s-30’s] and the parts are stamped which means heavy tooling especially to make those radiator shells and tail. Then the head lights. The company that produced those didn’t go down to Chief Auto Parts, they were stamped more than likely by the same stamping manufacturer.
Through my research we believe it could be a Bantam Manufactured Midget Racer that was built to be driven to the race track sometime in the mid 20’s and 30’s. [very common for the day]
The Bantam Car Company continued to stamp these part many years after they were no longer used for racing. They were sold as mocked up race cars for carnival rides.
Research has uncovered carnival rides with that exact tail.
Around the mid 20’s and 30’s you could go to Bantam and order 100-200 or more midget race cars produced the way you wanted for resale. Bantam had an enormous stamping facility with many employees to keep busy back in the 30’s when America made things. [After the war Bantam essentially closed, however the Tucker Automobile Company used some of the huge plant to create 50 Tuckers, but that’s another story] Bantam often sub contracted stamping work for other automakers. [like the Willy’s during the war] Bantam often sold midget race car kits to retailers for resale under the retailers own brand. So this ‘little dude’ easily could’ve been sold by some local retailer. You could order the cars in any state of completion. Many times different parts of the country would have access to different power plants. Its quite common to find airplane engines, motorcycle engines or other air cooled engines under the hood. All were chain driven with sprockets on both sides an a sprocket and the chain right under your clackers. Hmmm.
This little dude was powered by a 1933-34 Indian 4 cylinder engine with the engine alone having an estimated value in excess of $30,000.00 because of its extreme rarity.
So even if Bantam didn’t actually sell this car it easily could’ve been ordered for a production run with the parts shipped for final assembly by the retailer or as a kit to the buyer.
Folks this is the first affordable way for a guy to go racing back then. [and they were guys]
This Midget car/racer is a life long project for Rich but this is only for his spare time. Rich grew up to be a highly successful race car owner who has fielded many winners and champions in his time. You see Rich Rosser is the owner of the ‘Rosser Rocket’ a 410 big dog, bad ‘bouy’ winged worrier sprint car. His well prepared machines have won many titles with some of the biggest names in the biz shoeing for him.
So the ‘little car’ inspired him, inspired his desire, inspired his dogged determination, inspired him to combine, ‘time plus effort to equal results’ [Roger Penske] that Rich wanted. He was pragmatic for over 28 years and won.
Congratulations for your long fought win Rich !
Say hello the the OutLaw Racers Club Icon and Little Brother.
The ‘Rosser Sprocket Rocket’
To Be Continued…
THE LITTLE CAR by
Hugh DePalma, Staff -Senior Writer
