Microcars are commonly associated with the bubble cars of the 1950s, but they originated in the years following World War II. They were designed to provide better weather protection than motorcycles and became popular due to the increasing demand for cheap personal transportation. Microcars took off even more in the mid-1950s when fuel prices rose due to the Suez Crisis.
Microcars didn't catch on in the United States, where fuel remained cheap through the 1950s while compact cars were almost as big as Euro-spec midsize vehicles. But some companies ventured into this niche as early as the 1940s. Midget Motors Corporation is one of them. This relatively unknown car builder from Athens, Ohio, produced a microcar from 1946 to 1970.
It's called the King Midget, and, as the name suggests, it was designed to resemble a midget racer. The company initially sold the car as a kit that included everything but the engine, all for only $270. Fully assembled cars became available in 1947 with a one-cylinder Wisconsin engine rated at six horsepower. It was driven by one rear wheel only since a differential would have increased the cost.
The company developed the King Midget into a two-seater in the 1950s and started offering two-speed automatic transmissions. A longer Model III version arrived in 1957 with hydraulic brakes and a 9-horsepower unit. By 1966, Midget had adopted a Kohler engine good for 12 horsepower and switched to a 12-volt electrical system.
Midget Motors advertised its cars in popular magazines. The ads focused on King Midget's low price and high mileage. A 1960 ad, for instance, promised a vehicle that tipped the scales at only 500 pounds, hit a top speed of 50 mph (80 kph), and a fuel economy of 50 mpg (4.7 liters per 100 km)—all for $500. The average price of an American car was more than $2,500 in 1960, so the King Midget was cheap.
The company shut down in 1970 after building around 5,000 cars. The King Midget remains mostly unknown today, but a small group of enthusiasts, called the King Midget Car Club, keeps the legacy alive. If you haven't heard about the King Midget, here's an unrestored original used as a daily driver.
It might not look as funky as the BMW Isetta and Messerschmitt KR200, but it's a cool little car if you're into scooters on four wheels.
Ask Ciprian about cars and he'll reveal an obsession with classics and an annoyance with modern design cues. Read his articles and you'll understand why his ideal SUV is the 1969 Chevrolet K5 Blazer. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News