MODELS
Jan Gilmer built only one style of car... the mighty midget:
(Click on names for pictures)
- Standard midget
The History of the “Gilmer ¼ Scale Midget Race Car”
The Gilmer ¼-Scale Midget was born out of a life-long ‘need-for-speed’ by Jan Gilmer of Howard Lake, Minnesota. The Gilmer Midget is the only true-to-life, and true-to-scale ¼ scale midget race car – built with hand craftsmanship and self-taught engineering skills at Gilmer Hobby & Machine since 1986.
From his early childhood years, Jan built go-karts and re-built engines through his own intuition and this blossomed into a love for cars - his favorite being a 1962 Impala SS 409. In his 20s, his need-for-speed grew into a love for racing ¾ midget race cars. Jan competed competitively in many racing series for 18 years across the Midwestern United States. When he retired from competitive ¾ midget-racing in the early 1980s, he still felt the urge to race, but applied his drive and energy to build a radio-controlled, ¼-scale midget from the ground up.
The first running prototype of the Gilmer ¼-Scale midget was built in 1986 by Jan and utilizes a Saito 90 Twin aircraft engine. This midget still resides at Gilmer Hobby and Machine. Since 1986, approximately 120 midgets have been manufactured and sold- and this collectible race car has been shipped around the world.
Notably, customers around the world from Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Germany, Indonesia and the UK have enjoyed the quality, craftsmanship and attention to detail afforded by these unique works of art. Mr. Gilmer’s most unique ¼-scale midget sale was to Willie G. Davidson of Harley-Davidson in the early 1990s. Coined the “Harley Car” by Mr. Davidson, it still resides in Willie’s home museum near Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Over the course of 24 years, there have been multiple variations, both running and static models, of the Gilmer ¼-scale midget. A brief explanation of the various models manufactured, and sold worldwide are listed below:
- (4) Running Model Cars with Saito 90 Twin Engine
- A ‘mock’ derivation of the 1970s version of Volkswagen engine used in full midget race cars
- (1) Static Model Car with Saito 90 Twin Engine
- (10) Running Model Cars with Maloney 100 1 cubic inch Engine
- (1) Running Model Car with 4 cylinder, opposed Ross Engine
- (4) Static Model Cars with GMP 4-cylinder Offenhauser Engine
- A ‘mock’, yet very realistic derivation of the 1960s and 1970s version of the Offy engine used in full midget race cars
- (1) Static Model Car with a 4-cylinder Conley Engine
- A rare, one-of-a-kind model that utilizes ½ of a Conley V-8 engine (non-running), and is a derivation of the “Sesco” 4 cylinder engine used in 1970s for full midget race cars
- (1) Static Model Car with a Kawasaki 22cc Engine (non-running)
- (1) Running Model Car with a Kawasaki 22cc Engine (Diesel powered, 25,000 RPMs) - In House Demonstration Car
- (90+) Running, Radio Controlled Model Cars with either an 18cc or 22cc Kawasaki 2-cycle engine
- Only 5 models sold as a “Sidewinder” version with a belt-clutch drive system
- Only 10 models sold with a “Gilmer” Timing belt-drive (direct drive, push to start)
- All remaining models sold as chain drive (direct drive, push to start)
The Gilmer ¼-Scale Midget is still manufactured today, yet inventory is quite limited; and cars are typically built as custom orders or from a small production run of 2-3 models. The focus of limited production in the past 5 years has been, and will remain to be on static, non-running models. The vast majority of Gilmer’s customers have never run their radio-controlled, running versions – although they are a blast to do so! Most customers have put them into their collectible archives, or in a glass display case to admire their acquired piece of model racing history. Some replacement parts are still available such as bodies, frames, axles, bumpers and nerf bars – but inventory is limited.
For more information about purchasing the Gilmer ¼-Scale Midget Race Car, please contact Jan Gilmer at (320) 543-2395. Or via email to his son, Preston Gilmer, at preston.gilmer@sigma-systems.com
My thoughts
I have had a few of these cars go through my hands and I must say out of every quarterscale car I have ever seen, the Gilmer cars are most finished off works of art I have ever touched. Every part is finished perfectly and polished to a pure shine. Any serious collector should have atleast one of these in their collection.
Gilmer