In Maricopa, Arizona, there’s a tiny museum featuring tiny cars, called Dwarf Car Museum. Ernie Adams built his first dwarf car in 1965, which suggests the man is at least 70 years old by now. At the time he didn’t know how to fabricate body parts from flat sheet metal, so in 1963 he started collecting old refrigerators because they already had the curves stamped for him. By 1965, he had fashioned something resembling a 1926 Chevy sedan, and powered it with an 18 horsepower Wisconsin engine (an industrial motor originally designed for farm and factory work). Ernie calls this one “Grandpa Dwarf”, as it’s the first in a long line that he’s built.
Ernie then came up with the idea of building dwarf race cars, and a new racing sport was born. The experience he gained building a bunch of these down-sized race cars for enthusiasts provided him with the metal-working skills he needed to take his hobby to the next level: dwarf car cruisers. They look just like their full-size inspirations, but only a fraction of the size. Ernie’s cruisers typically only weigh about 1,800 pounds and feature Toyota engines and running gear (axles, suspension, steering, brakes, etc.). Literally everything else is custom made by hand in Ernie’s shop, from dashboards to knobs, grills, taillights, upholstery, and the frame that the auto body sits on. He makes curved body panels from flat sheet metal using a welder and English wheel (yeah, he made that himself, too). The cruisers are street legal and licensed, with a reported top speed of about 100mph.
Ernie estimates that each of his works of art take about 4,000 hours to complete. To appreciate the skill and craftsmanship that goes into these little rides, check out the videos (there are dozens more online if you can’t get enough of this). And if you must have one of these unique cars, keep in mind that he’s turned down offers for the ’49 Merc, including one of $450 grand!
“I Build Tiny Cars Out Of Old Fridges | RIDICULOUS RIDES” (4:45):
This one is narrated in German, but I chose to include it because it shows Ernie building curved body panels near the beginning. “Dwarf Cars – Miniatur Autos” (3:49):
This one is long, but best of the three. “Dwarf Cars” (15:50):
Question of the Night: What paint scheme is on your dream car?
