The Bubble Car Museum – Langrick, Lincs (GB)

In recent years a significant number of the smaller motor museums have closed, generally forced to do so by the sheer realities of money, it simply costing more to keep a collection open than the sources of income can sustain. Thankfully, some of the smaller and often quirkier collections are still going, for now at least, and this is one of them, the UK’s only museum dedicated to Bubble Cars. Founded in 2004, when it is enthusiastic owner, Paula Cooper, who had had a business restoring 2CVs in Somerset decided to move north, this is actually the second home for the museum, the first, outside Sleaford having run out of space and without planning permission to expand, it is now located pretty much in the middle of nowhere, a few miles outside Boston, in rural Lincolnshire, a part of the country that probably attracts relatively few visitors if I am to judge by the state of the centre of Boston, a once attractive small country town as these days it sports a lot of boarded-up shops and not a lot else, sadly.

Micro cars, or so-called “Bubble Cars” were a phenomenon of the post second world war austerity period, when raw materials were in short supply and fuel was still for some years rationed. Though smaller, cheaper vehicles had always been in demand, these cars were a radical departure in their use of new technologies and futuristic design. Urged on by uncertainty over oil supplies from the Middle East, lots of small manufacturers were soon busily making strange little fuel frugal cars all over Britain and the continent. Prominent English makers were Bond, run by Laurie Bond of Lancashire, who produced a series of particularly strange ‘mini cars’, and Berkeleys of Biggleswade who made striking vehicles that took their styling cues from sports cars of the day. Others included the Meadows Frisky, Peel, Reliant, AC Petite and Scootacar. Throughout the ‘swinging’ 60s bubble cars were marketed as cheap, fun alternatives to more conventional vehicles. By the late 60s however microcar popularity was on the wane, with competition from a new generation of small cars, including the famous Mini. Itself a marvel of engineering. Some later microcars lost the ‘bubble look’, favouring the ‘wedge’ shapes popular at the time. Years later Reliant vans from this period would find international fame in BBC TV comedies Only Fools and Horses and Mr Bean. Over the decades these cars and their European counterparts from Messerschmitt, Isetta, Vespa, Heinkel and many more have garnered a huge following of fans and enthusiasts. The museum has over 50 microcars on display from these evocative times, many presented in thought provoking and entertaining period displays. There are scooters too, and because the concept refused to go away examples of more recent attempts at building something small, where short distance and city use was envisaged.

Acoma Super Comtesse: The Super Comtesse is an updated version of the Mini-Comtesse, which was famous for its instability. The Super Comtesse was produced eliminating the 3-wheel design and used a conventional (and more stable) 4-wheel layout. Hydraulic brakes were also added, and the vehicle size was increased, although this is still a one-passenger vehicle. The motor and drive were also moved to the rear to help improve drivability. They were made in Angers, France. They had a rear-engine, rear-wheel drive, with a Sachs air-cooled, 49cc, single cylinder, 2-stroke, 3bhp engine which gave a top speed of 25mph. Between 1978 and 1981, about 18,000 were made.

Bamby Cars were a British brand of microcars produced in small numbers in Hull, England, in the early 1980s. Bambys were designed and built by Alan Evans, who manufactured a one-off replica of the Peel P50 which also served as a prototype for further production. The Bamby featured a fibreglass body with left side gull-wing door. All Bamby cars were three-wheelers with the single wheel in the rear. Initial models were equipped with hand-started Minarelli 49 cc engines, cable brakes and single headlamps. Improvements introduced included replacing the original engines with the type fitted by Yamaha to their Passola moped, using the main frame components as a subframe for attaching to the body of the car. Brakes were converted to hydraulic discs, but the single headlamp was retained until a further face-lift, from which time two headlights were fitted. At this time the gull-wing entry was deleted and a front-hinged door installed instead. Also introduced was a Suzuki engine, attached via a full chassis, in place of the previously used subframe. Like the Peel P50, there was no reverse gear. The new model was exhibited at the Ideal Home Exhibition of 1984, meeting with overall public approval, but few were made and the final Bamby left the factory within a few months.

Berkley T60: The Berkeley automobile was a collaboration between designer Lawrence “Lawrie” Bond and the Berkeley Coachworks factory owned by Charles Panter, which at the time was one of the largest manufacturers of caravans in Europe. It was an ideal project for Berkeley, who had developed considerable skills in the use of Glass-reinforced plastic (GRP), and were looking for something to fill the gaps in the very seasonal caravan market. What Panter and Bond wanted to achieve was “something good enough to win World 750cc races… but cheap, safe, easily repairable and pretty.” The early cars were an immediate success on the home market, and several derivative models were spawned over the four years of car production. Export markets, most notably the United States, were exploited and the cars earned a reputation for fun, if fragile, sports motoring on a budget. Recognising the threat posed by the newly introduced Mini and Austin-Healey Sprite in the late fifties, the company started to develop a more conventional model with the support of Ford Motor Company. The caravan market collapsed towards the end of 1960, and Berkeley’s cash flow problems forced the company into liquidation on 12 December 1960, taking its car manufacturing activities with it. After having produced about 4100 cars of various types, the workforce was laid off shortly before Christmas that year. An attempted sale of the company to Sharp’s Commercials Ltd (manufacturer of the Bond Minicar) came to nothing, and the company’s assets were liquidated in 1961. The factory was later used by Kayser Bondor Ltd to make women’s underwear, but it was demolished in 2002 and the site turned over to housing. A road named ‘Berkeley Close’ in the housing estate provides the only obvious link to the car factory. Today there is an owner’s club (the Berkeley Enthusiasts’ Club), which provides a range of parts and services aimed at preserving the remaining few hundred cars known to survive worldwide. Surprisingly late-on in the British microcar boom of the 1950s, Berkeley’s only three-wheeler model was not introduced until September 1959. It was an instant success in the UK where three-wheelers could legally be driven on a motorcycle licence, so were suitable for a motorcyclist with family. Another advantage was that the purchase and road tax fees for three-wheelers cost considerably less than four-wheeled vehicles. Thus at its launch, the T60 only cost £400. They were fitted with the 328 cc Excelsior Talisman engine like the older SE328, and the four speed and reverse type VR gearbox, and were available as both soft and hardtops. The chassis plate, mounted on the bulkhead above the brake master cylinder, was the printed SE328 type but with ‘T60’ stamped in the chassis number block along with the chassis number. Chassis numbers run from 1 to approximately 1800. The first 600 cars (approximately) had a bench seat with an umbrella-type pull handbrake and aluminium reinforcement sections in the punt body section. Cars thereafter had steel punt chassis sections, bucket seats and a floor-mounted handbrake lever. In their road test of October 1959, The Motor Cycle magazine described the car as “a fascinating, front-wheel-drive sports car which combines economy with liveliness and superb cornering.” Drive was still to the front wheels through a four-speed gearbox, but a trailing arm replaced the swing axle independent suspension of the four-wheeled cars. The very last cars had a revised ‘unit’ front and rear suspension layout, presumably to stop the bridge over the differential from breaking and the rear damper top mount detaching itself from the car.

The Isetta is far more significant than many would realise, as without these cars, the modern BMW company simply would not exist. However, the car originated with the Italian firm of Iso SpA, and it is two of those models which were to be seen here. In the early 1950s the company was building refrigerators, motor scooters and small three-wheeled trucks. Iso’s owner, Renzo Rivolta, decided he would like to build a small car for mass distribution. By 1952 the engineers Ermenegildo Preti and Pierluigi Raggi had designed a small car that used the motorcycle engine of the Iso Moto 200 and named it Isetta—an Italian diminutive meaning little ISO. The Isetta caused a sensation when it was introduced to the motoring press in Turin in November 1953, it was unlike anything seen before. Small (only 7.5 ft long by 4.5 ft wide) and egg-shaped, with bubble-type windows, the entire front end of the car hinged outwards to allow entry. In the event of a crash, the driver and passenger were to exit through the canvas sunroof. The steering wheel and instrument panel swung out with the single door, as this made access to the single bench seat simpler. The seat provided reasonable comfort for two occupants, and perhaps a small child. Behind the seat was a large parcel shelf with a spare wheel located below. A heater was optional, and ventilation was provided by opening the fabric sunroof. Power came from a 236 cc 9.5 hp split-single two-stroke motorcycle engine. The engine was started by a combination generator-starter known as Dynastart. A manual gearbox provided four forward speeds and reverse. A chain drive connected the gearbox to a solid rear axle with a pair of closely spaced 25 cm (10 in) rear wheels. The first prototypes had one wheel at the rear, but having a single rear wheel made the car prone to roll-overs, so the rear wheel layout was changed to two wheels set 19 in apart from each other. This narrow track eliminated the need for a differential. The front axle was a modified version of a Dubonnet independent front suspension. The Isetta took over 30 seconds to reach 50 km/h (31 mph) from rest. Top speed was only about 75 km/h (47 mph). The fuel tank held only 13 litres. However, the Isetta would get somewhere between 50 and 70 mpg depending on how it was driven. In 1954, Iso entered several Isettas in the legendary Mille Miglia where they took the top three spots in the economy classification. Over a distance of 1,600 km (1,000 mi) the drivers achieved an average speed of over 70 km/h (43 mph). In view of its maximum speed, which was just 15 km/h (9 mph) higher, this was an almost incredible figure. However, despite its initial success, the Isetta was beginning to slip in popularity at home. This was mainly due to renewed competition from Fiat with its 500C model. Renzo Rivolta wanted to concentrate on his new Iso Rivolta sports car, and was extremely interested in doing licensing deals. Plants in Spain and Belgium were already assembling Isettas and Autocarros using Italian made Iso components. BMW began talking with Rivolta in mid-1954 and bought not just a license but the complete Isetta body tooling as well. Rivolta did not stop with licensing the Isetta to BMW. He negotiated similar deals with companies in France and Brazil. After constructing some 1,000 units, production of the Italian built cars ceased in 1955, although Iso continued to build the Isetta in Spain until 1958. In addition to the Turismo, Iso in Spain also built the Autocarro, a commercial version with full-width rear axle. The Autocarro was offered in several body styles, a flatbed pickup, enclosed truck, a tilt-bed, or even a fire engine, although some of these might not have been sold. The Autocarro was an extremely popular type of vehicle in Italy, and numerous manufacturers produced some variant of the type. Iso had previously produced a motorcycle-type Isocarro. The Iso Autocarro was larger than most, with its four-wheel layout, conventional rear axle with differential and leaf springs, and a large tubular frame. It could carry a 500 kg load. It is thought that more than 4,000 Autocarros were built

Bond Minicar is a series of economical three-wheeled microcars which were manufactured by the British car manufacturer Sharp’s Commercials Ltd (the company was renamed Bond Cars Limited in 1964), in Preston, Lancashire, between 1949 and 1966. The basic concept for the minicar was derived from a prototype built by Lawrence “Lawrie” Bond, an engineer from Preston. During the war, Bond had worked as an aeronautical designer for the Blackburn Aircraft Company before setting up a small engineering business in Blackpool, manufacturing aircraft and vehicle components for the government. After the war he moved his company to Longridge where he built a series of small, innovative racing cars, which raced with a modest amount of success. In the early part of 1948, he revealed the prototype of what was described as a new minicar to the press. Described as a “short radius runabout, for the purpose of shopping and calls within a 20-30-mile radius”, the prototype was demonstrated climbing a 25 per cent gradient with driver and passenger on board. It was reported to have a 125 cc Villiers two-stroke engine with a three-speed gearbox, a dry weight of 195 lb (88 kg) and a cruising speed of around 30 mph (48 km/h). At the time of the report (May 1948), it was stated that production was “expected to start in three months’ time”. The prototype was built at Bond’s premises in Berry Lane, Longridge where it is now commemorated with a blue plaque. Sharp’s Commercials was a company contracted by the Ministry of Supply to rebuild military vehicles. Knowing that the Ministry were ending their contract in 1948, and recognising the limitations of his existing works as a base for mass production, Bond approached the Managing Director of Sharp’s, Lt. Col. Charles Reginald ‘Reg’ Gray, to ask if he could rent the factory to build his car. Gray refused, but said that instead, Sharp’s could manufacture the car for Bond and the two entered into an agreement on this basis. Bond carried out some further development work on the Minicar, but once mass production was underway, left the project and sold the design and manufacturing rights to Sharp’s. The prototype and early cars utilised stressed skin aluminium bodywork, though later models incorporated chassis members of steel. The Minicar was amongst the first British cars to use fibreglass body panels. Though retaining much of Lawrie Bond’s original concept of a simple, lightweight, economical vehicle, the Minicar was gradually developed by Sharp’s through several different iterations. The majority of cars were convertibles, though later, hardtop models were offered, along with van and estate versions. Minicars were generally available either in standard or deluxe form, though the distinction between the two was largely one of mechanical detail rather than luxury. The cars were powered initially by a single-cylinder two-stroke Villiers engine of 122 cc. In December 1949 this was upgraded to a 197 cc unit. The engine was further upgraded in 1958, first to a single-cylinder 247 cc and then to a 247 cc twin-cylinder Villiers 4T. These air-cooled engines were developed principally as motorcycle units and therefore had no reverse gear. However, this was a minimal inconvenience, because the engine, gearbox and front wheel were mounted as a single unit and could be turned by the steering wheel up to 90 degrees either side of the straight-ahead position, enabling the car to turn within its own length. A method of reversing the car was offered on later models via a reversible Dynastart unit. The Dynastart unit, which doubled as both starter motor and dynamo on these models incorporated a built-in reversing solenoid switch. After stopping the engine and operating this switch the Dynastart, and consequently the engine, would rotate in the opposite direction. There were a couple of them on show here:

Model D: In May 1956, the Mark C was discontinued and the Mark D introduced.[58] The changes between the last Mark Cs and the Mark D are, like those between the final Mark As and the Mark B, almost entirely hidden from view and the cars are externally identical. Beneath the Mark D bonnet however, Villiers had substantially upgraded the 197 cc engine, which now became the Mark 9E. The main changes were a 4-plate clutch, a heavier final drive chain with simplified adjustment and a higher top-gear ratio. The 9E was said to produce a 12½ per cent increase in power over the 8E, providing a claimed 8.4 bhp at 4,000 rpm. This increased the cruising speed to around 45 mph (72 km/h), with a top speed of 51 mph (82 km/h). Electrics were upgraded from 6 to 12 volt, allowing more powerful headlights with separate side-lights within the headlamp units. All Deluxe models include the SIBA Dynastart. Other changes which had been gradually introduced onto Mark Cs over the years, were carried over to the Mark D. This included items such as strengthened rear suspension, chrome side flashes on the front wings of Deluxe models and larger rear lights with integrated rear reflectors. As well as the slight weight increase, Sharp’s also noted that ground clearance on the Mark D was now only 6.5 in (170 mm) compared to the Mark C’s 7 in (180 mm). Four versions of the car were offered by the factory: the two/three seater Standard Tourer and Deluxe Tourer and the four seat (two adult front seats and two child-size inward facing hammock-style seats) Standard Family Safety and Deluxe Family Safety. The two/three seater models were also available directly from Sharps with a detachable fibreglass hardtop. Similar aftermarket hardtops had been introduced earlier in the year for every type of Minicar from the Mark A to the Mark C Family by the Sharples Engineering Company, who were also based in Preston. The revised engine was reported to give the Mark D notably better acceleration, better climbing ability and lower fuel consumption in direct comparison with its predecessor. Reverse via the Dynastart unit became an option from October 1956 on the Deluxe models. With the introduction of the Mark E in December 1957, the two/three seater Mark Ds were dropped from the range as were the hardtops and the Standard version of the Family Safety. The Deluxe Family Safety continued in production alongside the Mark E and by August 1958 still accounted for about 25 per cent of production. A four-speed gearbox replaced the three-speed version in October 1958 and the model was renamed the Family Tourer.

Model F: The November 1958 London Motorcycle show was used to launch the Minicar Mark F. As with the change from the Mark C to D, the designation was primarily to denote significant mechanical progression from the Mark E rather than any notable difference in the car’s external appearance. Three versions of the new model were shown, the Mark F Tourer, the Mark F Saloon Coupe and the Mark F 4-Seater Family Saloon. The Tourer and Coupe were identical to the Mark E versions but the 197 cc Villiers 9E engine was replaced by a 247 cc Villiers 31A. Though this engine boasted 12 bhp at 4,500 rpm (an increase of 3.6 bhp)), the fuel consumption, dimensions and weight of the unit were almost identical to the 9E. Tests during the summer of 1958 included climbing a 28 per cent gradient “without a struggle” and stop and restart tests two-up on the same slope. Top speed was given as 55 mph (89 km/h) with an average fuel consumption of 60 mpg‑imp (4.7 L/100 km; 50 mpg‑US). The 4-Seater Family Saloon was identical to the Coupe from the outside, but inside, the rear deck was cut back to allow space for a forwards facing hammock style rear seat, just big enough for two children. Unlike the similar seats in the Mark D Family, this could be completely detached for load carrying.] All three models offered optional reverse gear. A fourth model, the Bond Ranger light van was introduced in March 1960. This utilised the body with the cut-out behind the front seats from the Family Saloon and married it with a similar hardtop roof without side windows, but with the addition of an opening flap around the rear window. Very much an economy model, in standard form it came finished in primer with topcoat as an optional extra. A total of 39 cars of this type were recorded in factory production records as a Van rather than a Ranger. This is believed to denote that they were only fitted with a single driver’s front seat to increase load capacity, much like the 1952 Minitruck. UK law at the time also meant that this type of lightweight, single-seat three-wheeler could be driven unaccompanied on learner L-plates without the need to pass a driving test. Production of the Saloon Coupe and the Tourer was discontinued in July 1961, followed by the Family Saloon a month later in August 1961 to make way for the introduction of the new Mark G model. The Ranger continued to be produced alongside the Mark G until it too was discontinued in October 1962

The Enfield 8000 is a two-seater battery-electric city car, introduced in 1973 and developed in the United Kingdom by Isle of Wight company Enfield Automotive, owned by Greek millionaire Giannis Goulandris. The car was designed by a group of Greek and British engineers headed by Constantine Adraktas (Chairman and Managing Technical Director of Enfield) with John Ackroyd as project designer, who later went on to the Thrust 2 project. The prototypes and initial production were built at the Somerton Works in Northwood, near Cowes. Immediately after its introduction, production was moved to the Greek island of Syros. 120 cars were built in total, of which 65 were used by the Electricity Council and electricity boards in the south of England. Powered by an 8 bhp (6 kW) electric motor and lead-acid batteries, the car has a top speed of around 48 mph (77 km/h) and a range of around 40 miles (64 km). In Autocar’s test in 1975 they found it had a usable range of 25 miles (40 km). It could accelerate from 0 to 10 mph (16 km/h) in 1.6 seconds, 20 mph (32 km/h) in 4.7 seconds and 30 mph (48 km/h) in 15.7 seconds. Brakes are by drums front and back. It has a ladder-type square section tube chassis frame with aluminium alloy body panels stretched over steel frames. It uses suspension parts from the Hillman Imp, doors were adapted from the Mini and a rear axle derived from Reliant three-wheelers. The company had been incorporated into the Greek Neorion company, also owned by Goulandris, and production was transferred to Syros, the company having transformed into a new Greek company, Enfield-Neorion, headquartered in Piraeus. There have been many arguments regarding the reason why Mr. Goulandris decided to produce the car in Greece, including conspiracy theories. Thanos Lebesis, then General Manager of Enfield-Neorion, argues that Mr. Goulandris had thought that “the company was owned by Greeks, the car was designed by Greeks, so it should also be produced by Greeks”. However, it could not be legally sold in Greece due to tax categorization issues connected with electric power, so production was exported to the United Kingdom. Enfield-Neorion developments included a “Jeep” version aiming at the rent-a-car market in the Greek islands, but none could be sold locally.

The Heinkel Kabine was a microcar designed by Heinkel Flugzeugwerke and built by them from 1956 to 1958. Production was transferred under licence to Dundalk Engineering Company in Ireland in 1958. However, the licence was withdrawn shortly afterwards due to poor quality control. Production restarted in 1960, again under licence, under the Trojan 200 name by Trojan Cars Ltd. in the UK, and continued until 1966. Heinkel Kabine were also assembled under licence by Los Cedros S.A. from 1959 until 1962. As Heinkel in Argentina, they were built alongside Studebaker pickups. The Kabine Model 150 used the 174 cc 9.2 hp single-cylinder four-stroke engine that powered the Heinkel Tourist scooter. In October 1956, Heinkel introduced the Kabine Model 153 (with three wheels) and the Kabine Model 154 (with four wheels), both with 204 cc engines. The engines in these models were later reduced in capacity to 198 cc for insurance purposes. The Kabine had a steel unit body. Access to the interior was by an opening front. In order not to infringe Iso Rivolta’s patent used on the Isetta, the steering wheel did not hinge outwards with the door to ease passenger access. However, it did feature a reverse gear, unlike some other bubble cars. The fabric sun roof served as an emergency escape hatch should the sole door in front become jammed in a collision.

The Invacar (abbreviated from “invalid carriage”) is a small single-seater microcar vehicle designed for use by disabled drivers, and was distributed for free in the UK. In 1948, Bert Greeves adapted a motorbike for exclusively manual control with the help of his paralysed cousin, Derry Preston-Cobb, as transport for Preston-Cobb. In the number of former servicemen disabled in the Second World War they spotted a commercial opportunity and approached the UK government for support, leading to the creation of Invacar Ltd. The British Ministry of Pensions distributed Invacars free to disabled people from 1948 until the 1970s. Most early vehicles were powered by an air-cooled Villiers 197 cc engine with Dynastart, but when production of that engine ceased in the early 1970s it was replaced by a more powerful 4-stroke 500 cc or 600 cc Steyr-Puch engine, giving a reported top speed of 82 mph (132 km/h). During the 1960s and 70s the Invacar, with its modern fibreglass shell and ice-blue colouring, nicknamed Ministry Blue after the Ministry of Health, was produced in the tens of thousands. Developments, including an extended wheelbase, widened track and use of Austin Mini wheels, saw the Invacars through to the end of the final DHSS contract in 1977. More than 50 variants were produced. Half of the Invacars were made by AC Cars in Ditton, with the rest made by Invacar Ltd in Thundersley, Essex. On 31 March 2003, almost all of the remaining Invacars owned by the government were recalled and scrapped because of safety concerns. These included failing crash tests at Mira in 1974, a high accident rate and poor handling test results. All Invacars were owned by the government and leased to disabled drivers as part of their disability benefit. Their use had been in decline since the introduction of the Motability scheme in the late 1970s, offering disabled drivers a conventional car with modified options.

Lambretta Willam: The first model, designed by the Italian coachbuilder Scattolini and equipped with the same engine 125 cm3 Innocenti Lambretta , was born on the initiative of the Italian entrepreneur Carlo Lavezzari and was presented as a prototype at the Paris Motor Show 1966 which aroused the interest French entrepreneur Henri Willame , Director of Lambretta France who commissioned the production constituting Lavezzari, now Lawil , an acronym of the names of the two partners of the firm. The small car began to be marketed in Italy in 1971 under the name of Lawil Varzina (named after the town of Varzi ) undergoing profound changes to the mechanics and the motor, originally a Lambretta 125cc was replaced by a BCB 250 cc , also the wheels were change with 8” ones replacing the previous 10”. At the time, according to Italian law, the so-called microcars could not have more than three wheels so the Varzina , with four wheels , was the smallest car for sale in Italy. The same car was marketed in France, where it was considered to be a quadricycle, as the Willam Farmer and it was imported the following year (1972) to England by the coachbuilder Crayford. The car was very small: the length of the prototype did not exceed 1.78 m but there was room for two passengers and with the mechanics of Lambretta engines and two-stroke single-cylinder 125 cc and 175 cc, then the car was lengthened by 27 cm in 1969 and in 1980, shortly before the cessation of production by an additional 20 cm.

This is Ligier JS4: Guy Ligier, a successful French racing driver and rugby player, built his own sports car–the Ligier JS–and showed it at the Paris Salon in 1970. Ligier then went on to found his own Formula 1 racing team which he owned from 1976 to 1996. In 1980 Ligier introduced the JS4 microcar. With 7,000 sold in 1981, the JS4 quickly became France’s best selling microcar. It is the design of Guy’s son Philippe who bought a batch of tractors, added this square, two-seater, all-metal chassis, and mounted an engine. This particular vehicle was used in the racing pits as part of the Ligier Formula 1 fleet. The roof has been signed by various racing legends. You may recognize: Jean Ragnotti (Renault Rally hero), Phillippe Bugalski (winner of the French Rally Championship in 1995, 1998-2000), Jacques Laffite (Formula 1 driver), and Philippe Camandona (Swiss rally driver and winner of Gruppen Monte Carlo Rally 1995). Ligier continues to produce microcars in France.

This is a Meadows Frisky. The Frisky car project was conceived by Captain Raymond Flower, racing driver and Managing Director of the Cairo Motor Co Ltd., Nuffield distributors in Egypt. Flower operated the company with his two brothers, Derek and Neville, all of whom were part of the brewing dynasty of Flower & Sons of Stratford on Avon. From February 1955, under the auspices of the Cairo Motor Company, a number of projects for the manufacture of cars in Egypt under the general name of Phoenix, were mooted in the press, possibly as a way of gaining favour with the government of President Nasser. However, as the relationship between Egypt and Britain deteriorated with the onset of the Suez Crisis in 1956, little of substance materialised. As the potential for manufacture within Egypt dissipated, Raymond Flower took his idea of a small, mass produced, economical lightweight car for every-man to manufacturers in the UK, eventually reaching agreement with Henry Meadows Ltd to proceed with the project. The Meadows company was a well-established supplier of automotive, marine and industrial engines and was a part of the Associated British Engineering Company. Gordon Bedson, formerly a design engineer for Kieft Cars and the Vickers aircraft company, had joined Meadows as Export Sales Manager in 1954. Bedson, whose work at Kieft had included the design of their first sports car, and who had also designed a saloon car prototype for the Phoenix project, was called upon to bring his design experience to the Meadows car alongside Keith Peckmore, a project engineer who had also joined Meadows from Kieft. Commencing around July 1956, in a back room at the Meadows factory, a prototype vehicle, nicknamed The Bug was constructed and developed. This small, four-wheeled, two-seater, utilized a moulded fibreglass shell with gull-wing doors and a Villiers air-cooled 250 cc two-cylinder engine fitted to a brazed ladder-type chassis. To make a differential unnecessary, the car used a very narrow rear track, with drive to the solid rear axle by roller chain. The car was fitted with a four-speed motorcycle manual gearbox, with reverse obtained by running the engine backwards through the Dynastart unit. Whilst The Bug was under development, the Italian coachbuilding company Vignale of Turin, was commissioned by Flower to design the bodywork for the production version, a task they allocated to Giovanni Michelotti. On 5 December 1956, The Bug which had been taken to Oulton Park motor racing circuit, commenced a seven-day 24-hours a day test run, completing 4,000 miles with a fastest lap of 54.91 mph . Although The Bug had nothing to do with the Egyptian Phoenix project, because of the attendance of Raymond Flower at the circuit with his Phoenix SR150 sports racer and an embargo on the use of the Meadows name in connection with The Bug, Press reports of the test run erroneously referred to the Meadows project as the Phoenix minicar or Phoenix Frisky. The disclosure of the Meadows company involvement and the correct nomenclature Meadows Frisky was announced by the press on 11 March 1957 just prior to the Geneva Motor Show. The press release included information about the Oulton Park test run and information about the involvement of Raymond Flower in the project and Michelotti in the design. The release also stated that the Frisky would be priced at “under £400”. Vignale delivered the body of the new car directly to the Geneva show. As this left no time to install the engine, it was displayed separately in front of the car. The design retained the gull-wing door concept from The Bug and the car attracted widespread interest and acclaim. Two of these bodies were produced by Vignale,however it quickly became clear that the design would be too expensive for mass production and so work began on completely redesigning the car in time for the Earls Court Motor Show in October. In June 1957, a new subsidiary of the Meadows company – Henry Meadows (Vehicles) Ltd was registered in anticipation of the production of the car. Amongst the design changes that took place before October were the replacement of the gull-wing doors with a more conventional suicide door type and the fitting of a larger Villiers engine of 324 cc. Immediately before the show it was reported that the prototype had now covered over 100,000 miles and pre-show publicity stated that there would be two cars on show, the Frisky Saloon and the Friskysport, a convertible version. Brochures displaying artists impressions of both vehicles were printed. However at the show, only one design, the convertible Meadows Friskysport appeared. Once again this new design met with an enthusiastic reception from the press. Reports from the show stated that the car was “not yet in full production”, in fact, production of the car did not commence until five months later in March 1958. In February 1958 a controlling interest in Henry Meadows (Vehicles) Ltd. was acquired by the Flower Group of companies. Raymond Flower was appointed chairman and managing director. In September 1958 production of the Friskysport was taken over by The Marston Group of Companies; they acquired a controlling interest in Henry Meadows (Vehicles) Ltd and the name of the production company was changed to Frisky Cars Ltd. The Marston Group were a diverse range of interests including car dealerships, caravan manufacture, vehicle body manufacture and Regency Covers Ltd., who were at the time the largest manufacturers of car seat covers in the country. The Chairman of the newly formed Frisky Cars Ltd was Henry R Stone. Raymond, Neville, and Derek Flower were made directors. Distribution of the car was to be handled by The Arneston Motor Company Ltd. London, which belonged to Henry Stone. The franchise was also taken up by other companies of his such as The Pointer Motor Co. of Norwich. In September 1958, it was announced that production of the Friskysport was “being supplemented by a hard-top”. This “hard-top” car, a saloon version of the Friskysport named The Frisky Coupe went into production in August and made its public début at the 1958 Earls Court Motor show in October. Alongside were two other new models, The Frisky Family Three and The Frisky Sprint. The three-wheel Family Three was classed as a motorcycle combination for tax and driving licence purposes. The production versions of the Friskysport and Frisky Coupe were very similar and used identical chassis, but there are differences to the bodywork. Early versions of the Friskysport are fitted with a separate chrome Reliant Sabre windscreen frame, they have a detachable tail section and dummy air intake scoops just behind the doors whilst later cars have the same lower body as the Coupe. The Friskysport has overriders, whilst the Coupe has plain bumpers. The Coupe initially used the Friskysport body with an integral, glassed-on roof and steel framed front windscreen, until the Family Three one-piece body became available in 1959, which was then used for both cars. The Frisky Family Three was basically a three-wheeled version of the coupe fitted with a smaller Villiers 9E engine and MacPherson strut front suspension. Having three wheels instead of four meant the car qualified for lower vehicle excise duty and also meant that it could be driven with a motorcycle licence. It entered production in about February 1959. The Friskysprint was a prototype sports racing car built at the Meadows factory and said to be capable of 90 mph. Press reports stated that on production versions the front suspension and probably the chassis and running gear would be made at the Vickers–Armstrongs (Aircraft) factory at South Marston. The prototype was finished in the American national racing colours of white with a blue stripe. It featured two bucket seats and a three-cylinder air-cooled 492 cc Excelsior engine mounted transversely in the frame with final drive by roller chain. Unlike all other Friskys, the rear axle was full width and fitted with a differential. The car was also independently sprung using a swing axle layout. It was expected to sell for between £675 and £750 including purchase tax. The Friskysprint never reached production and Gordon Bedson who designed and built the prototype left to join Lightburn in Australia the following spring to produce the Zeta Sports. The Friskysprint and Zeta Sports had some similarities in styling but were otherwise unconnected and despite Lightburn advertising to the contrary, Giovanni Michelotti was not involved in the design of either car. In June 1959 Frisky Cars Ltd experienced financial difficulties, and an order was made by Hills Fibre Glass Developments, who produced the bodies for the Frisky, for a debt of £3,500. Despite being in poor health at the time Henry Stone vigorously defended the order and with the support of his employees and all the other creditors put forward an alternative plan. Because of the insistence of the creditor, the judge, Mr Justice Valsey, had no alternative but to grant the order saying that “he did so with some regret”. All production ceased and the company was wound up. In August 1959, Mr C. J. Wright a Wolverhampton business man with garage and haulage interests, bought the stock, jigs, tools, fixtures and fittings, along with the rights to manufacture and the trade name of Frisky from the Official Receiver. He formed a new company Frisky Cars (1959) Ltd and he and E F Wright became directors. A Mr G A Stuart was made general Manager. The company announced that they hoped to restart production in September at Fallings Park with a target of 30 three-wheeled cars a week, also that a deluxe version would follow and that it was hoped the Friskysprint would be built later. Also announced was the intention to build a new production plant on a 30-acre site in Penkridge but this never happened. In September 1959 a new version of the Family Three was announced. The Frisky Family Three Mk2, dropped the MacPherson strut front suspension of the original car replacing it with the Dubonnet system used on the Friskysport. The chassis was lengthened to allow the engine to be moved back out of the cabin and it was now offered with the choice of either a 250 cc or 328 cc Excelsior Talisman twin engines giving the advantage of an Albion gearbox with a true reverse gear. Twin front seats replaced the original bench seats and production commenced in early 1960. In October 1960, a new model, The Frisky Prince was shown at the Earls Court Motor Show. This was basically a re-bodied Family Three with front hung doors. Around the same time, a deal was done with a company called Middlesbrough Motorcraft and kits to build your own Frisky became available from them. Anthony Brindle, who had become joint managing director of Frisky Cars took part in a publicity run attempting to visit five European capitals, Paris, Luxembourg, Brussels, Amsterdam and London not spending more than £5 on fuel. A four-wheel version of the Prince was announced for 1961 but never reached production. In February 1961 the company was purchased by Mr R Bird, the chairman of Petbow Ltd. of Sandwich, Kent. Petbow were one of the world’s largest manufacturers of engine-driven power plant, including welding and generating equipment. All Frisky production and stocks were moved from the Meadows factory and a production line within Petbow’s existing factory was set up. Unfortunately the Frisky Prince, with strong competition from the BMC Mini, was not proving popular and chassis problems meant increasing time was spent rectifying customers’ cars rather than producing new ones; despite valiant efforts by staff and management all work ceased towards the end of 1961 so bringing to an end the production of the Frisky car.

Messerschmitt KR200, or Kabinenroller (Cabin Scooter), a three-wheeled bubble car designed by the aircraft engineer Fritz Fend and produced in the factory of the German aircraft manufacturer Messerschmitt from 1955 until 1964. Messerschmitt, temporarily not allowed to manufacture aircraft, had turned its resources to making other products. In 1952, Fend approached Messerschmitt with the idea of manufacturing small motor vehicles. These were based on his Fend Flitzer invalid carriage. The first of Fend’s vehicles to enter production at Messerschmitt’s Regensburg factory was the KR175. The title Kabinenroller means “scooter with cabin”. While the Messerschmitt name and insignia were used on the car, a separate company, incorporated as Regensburger Stahl- und Metallbau GmbH, was created to manufacture and market the vehicle. The KR200 replaced the KR175 in 1955. While using the same basic frame as the KR175 with changes to the bodywork (notably including wheel cutouts in the front fenders) and an improved canopy design, the KR200 was otherwise an almost total redesign. The rear suspension and engine mounting were reworked, and hydraulic shock absorbers were installed at all three wheels. Tire sizes were enlarged to 4.00×8. Retailing for around DM 2,500, the KR200 was considered an instant success with almost 12,000 built during its first year, which was the highest annual production for Kabinenroller models. A maximum speed in excess of 90 km/h (56 mph) despite a claimed power output of only 10 PS, 1 more PS than the 175 cc engine from the KR175, reflected the vehicle’s light weight and low aerodynamic drag. The KR200, however, was 23 kg heavier than the KR175 it replaced but had a 10 km/h (6 mph) higher top speed. An “Export” package included a two-tone paint scheme, painted hubcaps, a fully trimmed interior, a heater, a clock, and a sunshade for the canopy. In 1956, around a year after West Germany joined NATO, Messerschmitt was allowed to manufacture aircraft again and lost interest in Fend’s microcars. Messerschmitt sold the Regensburg works to Fend who, with brake and hub supplier Valentin Knott [de], formed Fahrzeug- und Maschinenbau GmbH Regensburg (FMR) to continue production of the KR200 and his other vehicles. In 1957 the KR201 Roadster was launched and remained in production until 1964 with very limited numbers produced. It had a frameless windscreen with no window frames, an optional folding cloth roof and removable side curtains made from transparent plastic. In February 1958, the KR200 Kabrio Limousine model was released, featuring a cloth convertible top and fixed side window frames. A Sport model was later offered with a cut down plexiglas windscreen with no roof and with fixed side panels so that the driver would have to climb in and out at the top of the car. Production of the Sport was extremely limited and, apart from the KR200 ‘Super’ it is the rarest type of KR200. Production of the KR200 was heavily reduced in 1962 and ceased in 1964 as sales had been dropping for a few years. The demand for basic economical transport in Germany had diminished as the German economy boomed. A similar situation developed in other parts of Europe such as in the manufacturer’s biggest export destination, the United Kingdom, where sales were particularly affected by the increasing popularity of the Mini. A total of 30,286 units of the KR200 were built.

MiniCat: This vehicle was created by Serge Aziosmanoff, more famous for his racing trays (GRAC). From what can be discerned, he built between 100 and 200 of these machines. Approved in January 1978, marketing had to stop in 1979 or 80. This is really the definition of the first “No Licenses”: a moped with a body. Indeed, under the body of the Minicat, there is a Peugeot GL 10 moped, almost complete, only the petrol tank has been moved to the front of the vehicle, certainly for practical reasons. The pedals are always in place and help on climbs or to start if the battery gets low. The central driving position hardly leaves room for a passenger, but at the time, the law said: “a driver over 14 years old and a passenger under 14 years old”, ok for a child, there can be room. For the stability of the machine, its designer added two wheels, a bit like on children’s tricycles, but more complicated with a system of torsion bars and suspensions that made Serge Aziosmanoff specialize in ambulance suspensions later.

New Map Solyto: When it first appeared in 1938, the New•Map Microcar from the well-known motorcycle manufacturer was something of a novelty, but it certainly found favor in the post-war period. During the mid 1950s, New•Map, under the direction of Robert Robin, produced a range of scooters as well as the three-wheeled Solyto utility truck which you see here. These vehicles were built at the sheet-metal division of New•Map and were called the Societe Lyonnaise de Tolerie – hence the odd name. By the early 1970s, the Solyto was being offered in three body styles – one being this break-camping with four windows in the rear compartment. This van is a petite 4½ feet tall, 4¼ feet wide, 8 feet long and weighs approximately 330 pounds.

The 1960 Nobel was a licence built version of the German Fuldamobil.

Piaggio Ape: This will very familiar to anyone who has been to Italy, as you see these vehicles literally everywhere. The Piaggio Ape, ape being Italian for ‘bee’, initially marketed as VespaCar or TriVespa, is a three-wheeled light commercial vehicle, manufactured and marketed by Piaggio as an adaptation of the company’s Vespa scooter (vespa being Italian for ‘wasp’). It has been in continuous production since its 1948 introduction and is offered in numerous body configurations, serving a range of utilitarian functions. After World War II, many Italians could not afford personal transportation. In 1947, aircraft designer Corradino D’Ascanio conceived a light and simple three-wheeled commercial vehicle, which found favor with Piaggio. The first model was a cabless adaptation of the company’s two-wheel scooter, the Vespa, adding two rear wheels and a flat utility bed over the rear axle. Initial models featured 50 cc, 125 cc or 150 cc engines and, later, a 175 cc engine. By the time of the 1964 Ape D, a cab was added to protect the driver from the elements. With handlebar steering (a steering wheel became a later innovation), the original Ape was a single-seater that could provisionally accommodate two passengers of modest size. A door was provided on each side, to facilitate entry and exit. Performance was modest, suited to light delivery, with adequate torque for hills and a low top speed. On larger roads, Apes could be driven close to the curb to allow other vehicles to pass. The Ape has been marketed in various configurations, including as vans and pickups for load carrying (popular with postal administration in some countries) and as an autorickshaw. More recently Piaggio has offered models such as the Ape Cross Country and the Ape Web aimed at the youth market. The Ape is also commonly used as a promotion tool, with advertising signboards mounted in the load bay. The Ape is common in Italy where its compact size allows it to negotiate narrow streets, park easily, and serve as an impromptu market stall. Most Apes are produced in India by Piaggio India. In India, the Ape is most commonly found in the form of an autorickshaw. A relatively small number of Apes were still made in Italy, but on 16 October 2013, Piaggio announced that Italian production of the Ape would end and construction would move entirely to India. Currently two model ranges are offered: the “Ape 50” with a 49.8 cc petrol engine and the larger “Ape TM” which comes available with a 218 cc petrol engine or a 422 cc diesel engine. The “Ape 50” can carry 175 to 205 kg (386 to 452 lb) while the “TM” and “Classic” can carry 700 to 805 kg (1,543 to 1,775 lb) (depending on version and engine). Fuel consumption for the current Ape 50 model is about 30 km/L (85 mpg‑imp; 71 mpg‑US). A limited edition named the Calessino was offered with retro styling in an autorickshaw configuration and two colors white and anniversary blue – the design evoking the Ape of the 1950s and 1960s. A design modified for racing for the Piaggio Ape has been built. The Ape Proto is hand-made and it contains modifications to enable drifting and faster driving. It has been used in special racing competitions, like the Ape RR Show in San Marino.

The Replicar Cursor was a microcar introduced in 1985. The car, designed by Alan Hatswell and was created to allow sixteen year olds the chance to drive a car on the UK roads using only a moped license. This allowed then to do so a full year before they were legally allowed to. The body of the Cursor was constructed from re-enforced fibreglass which was mounted onto a chassis of tubular steel. As the fibreglass body was made pigment was added to produce a self-coloured body shell. The vehicle was powered by a 49cc Suzuki CS50 power unit which drove the single rear wheel. As the Cursor was in effect a moped its design, it’s top speed was 26 mph. Fuel consumption was excellent at approximately 90 mpg. The car was very expensive however, In 1985, the car cost £2200, this was in comparison to a normal moped that cost around £1000. This meant that most buyers would only keep the car for one year as they could drive a full size car when they became 17 years old. Production therefore was small and despite a two seater version that was also produced, production of these cars ceased in 1987 with just over 100 single seat Cursors being built; whilst the two seater is not have thought to have reached double figures.

SA Tomcar Berline: SA Tomcar was a French manufacturer of automobiles. The company from was founded in 1981 or 1983 car production began. The brand name was Tomcar. Later, it was moved to Breteuil-sur-Noye. Production ended in 1985. Pypper from Spain used the design in its prototypes in 1986. The company manufactured small cars. The offer was a closed version called Berline and a convertible. The vehicle was 246 cm long, 129 cm wide and 132 cm high. The vehicles were equipped with front drive. Initially, only one single-cylinder – Peugeot two-stroke engine with a displacement of 49 cc was available. The new prizes were 22,600 French francs for the convertible and 22,900 francs for the closed version in October 1981. Later, a gasoline engine from BCB with 125 cc cylinders and a diesel engine from Lombardini with a displacement of 325 cc completed the range.

Scootacar was a British three-wheeled microcar built in Hunslet, Leeds by Scootacars Ltd a division of the railway locomotive builder, the Hunslet Engine Company between 1957 and 1964. It was allegedly built because the wife of one of the directors wanted something easier to park than her Jaguar. The shape of the car was designed by Henry Brown, previously responsible for the Rodley, who did it by sitting on a Villiers engine and then having an assistant draw an outline around him. The body was built in glass fibre and was very tall for its size being 60 in (1,524 mm) high, 87 in (2,210 mm) long and only 52 in (1,321 mm) wide. It was nicknamed “the telephone booth”. Two people could be carried with a passenger behind the driver or alternatively just squeezed in alongside. Power came from a rear-mounted Villiers 9E 197 cc single-cylinder two-stroke engine coupled to a four-speed motorcycle-type gearbox and chain drive to the single rear wheel. Steering was by handlebars. The car had independent front suspension using coil springs, and the wheels were 8 in, with the spare mounted externally at the rear. The top speed was 50 mph. In 1960 came the De Luxe or Mark 2, with a totally redesigned body with more room and seating for three, but it appeared too late to sell in any great numbers. It had a top speed of 55 mph and sold for £275 British Pounds. In 1961 the De Luxe Twin Mark 3 cars appeared fitted with a 324cc Villiers 3T twin, giving a top speed of 68 mph.

Dating from 1978 is this SEAB Flipper. SEAB (Societe d’Exploitation et d’Application des Brevet) was perhaps best-known as the manufacturer of the plastic bodies used on Citroën’s Mehari, but they later became a manufacturer of vehicules sans permis, or “unlicensed” microcars – cars small enough to not require the legalities of full-sized autos. Located in the southern Paris suburb of Villejuif, it seems fitting that SEAB would turn to the production of plastic-bodied cars. The Flipper was eventually produced in three models – I, II, and III. The Flipper I seen here was different from all other micros in that the entire front axle rotated about a central pivot. To go into reverse, one simply turns the steering wheel all the way ’round! It looks odd (and it is!) but it works. The engine turns with the axle, so all the wiring and plumbing is fed through a large sleeve to keep binding to a minimum. The plastic-bodied and acrylic-windowed Flipper is powered by a 47cc Sachs Adlx air-cooled engine coupled to a two-speed automatic, adequate for the tiny car. Available options included ungainly add-on fiberglass “humps” front and rear for traffic protection and extra carrying capacity, and “fins” at the rear to protect from parking lot mishaps. Beige, brown, or a combination of the two were the only colors available. The Flipper I was replaced by a slightly more conventional Flipper II in 1980. A Flipper III was shown in 1984, but never entered production. A unique variant, the Donky, was also sold for a short time. Missing doors, roof, and windshield, the Donky was an interesting beach car. SEAB ceased operation in 1984.

Secma FunTech: SECMA (Société d’Etude et de Construction de Mecanique Automobile) is a French automobile manufacturer located in Aniche, France. The company was founded by Daniel Renard in 1995. His first microcar business was Automobiles ERAD, founded in 1975. The design of the first Secma model in 1995 responded to Daniel Renard’s desire to create the simplest possible car, for less than 20,000 F at the time (3,000 euros). On 27 May 2009, SECMA’s factory was destroyed by fire. The company then moved into new, more modern and functional facilities. In parallel with the production of its flagship model, the Secma F16, in 2012 the Secma Fun Lander was launched. By 2014, around 30,000 Secma and ERAD vehicles had been manufactured – averaging out at about 750 per year since the beginning. At the 2016 Geneva Motor Show, the Secma F16 Turbo was unveiled. One year after, Secma launched the Fun Buggy,[5] a model with more ground clearance and a Buggy look.

The Sinclair C5 is a one-person battery electric recumbent tricycle. It was the culmination of Sir Clive Sinclair’s long-running interest in electric vehicles. Although widely described as an “electric car”, Sinclair characterised it as a “vehicle, not a car”. Sinclair had become one of the UK’s best-known millionaires, and earned a knighthood, on the back of the highly successful Sinclair Research range of home computers in the early 1980s. He hoped to repeat his success in the electric vehicle market, which he saw as ripe for a new approach. The C5 emerged from an earlier project to produce a small electric car called the C1. After a change in the law, prompted by lobbying from bicycle manufacturers, Sinclair developed the C5 as an electrically powered tricycle with a polypropylene body and a chassis designed by Lotus Cars. It was intended to be the first in a series of increasingly ambitious electric vehicles, but the development of the follow-up C10 and C15 models never progressed further than the drawing board. On 10 January 1985, the C5 was unveiled at a glitzy launch event, but it received a less than enthusiastic reception from the British media. Its sales prospects were blighted by poor reviews and safety concerns expressed by consumer and motoring organisations. The vehicle’s limitations – a short range, a maximum speed of only 15 miles per hour (24 km/h) and a lack of weatherproofing – made it impractical for most people’s needs. It was marketed as an alternative to cars and bicycles, but ended up appealing to neither group of owners, and it was not available in shops until several months after its launch. Within three months of the launch, production had been slashed by 90%. Sales never picked up despite Sinclair’s optimistic forecasts and production ceased entirely by August 1985. Out of 14,000 C5s made, only 5,000 were sold before its manufacturer, Sinclair Vehicles, went into receivership. The C5 has been described as “one of the great marketing bombs of postwar British industry” and a “notorious … example of failure”. Despite its commercial failure, the C5 went on to become a cult item for collectors. Thousands of unsold C5s were purchased by investors and sold for hugely inflated prices, as much as £6,000 compared to the original retail value of £399. Enthusiasts have established owners’ clubs and some have modified their vehicles substantially, adding bigger wheels, jet engines, and high-powered electric motors to propel their C5s at speeds of up to 150 miles per hour (240 km/h).

The Vespa 400 is a rear-engined microcar, produced by ACMA in Fourchambault, France, from 1957 to 1961 to the designs of the Italian Piaggio company. Three different versions were sold, the “Luxe” , “Tourisme” and “GT”. The car made its high-profile public debut on 26 September 1957 at a press presentation staged in Monaco. The ACMA directors ensured a good attendance from members of the press by also inviting three celebrity racing drivers to the Vespa 400 launch. The 400 was a two seater with room behind the seats to accommodate luggage or two small children on an optional cushion. The front seats were simple tubular metal frames with cloth upholstery on elastic “springs” and between the seats were the handbrake, starter and choke. The gear change was centrally floor mounted. The rear hinged doors were coated on the inside with only a thin plastic lining attached to the metal door panel skin allowing valuable extra internal space. On the early cars the main door windows did not open which attracted criticism, but increased the usable width for the driver and passenger. Instrumentation was very basic with only a speedometer and warning lights for low fuel, main beam, dynamo charging and indicators. The cabriolet fabric roof could be rolled back from the windscreen header rail to the top of the rear engine cover leaving conventional metal sides above the doors. The 12 volt battery was located at the front of the car, behind the dummy front grill, on a shelf that could be slid out. The spare wheel was stowed in a well under the passenger seat. The high-profile launch paid off, with 12,130 cars produced in 1958. That turned out to be the high point, however, and output fell to 8,717 in 1959 despite a price reduction for the entry level 2-seater “normal” coupé from 345,000 francs to 319,500 francs between October 1957 and October 1958. Commentators suggested that the chic image created at the time of the launch was not always matched by the car itself, with its awkward gear change, poor sound-proofing and, especially before a modification to the carburettor specification, high fuel consumption. The car’s origins, developed by a leading world producer of motor scooters, Italy’s Piaggio Company, makers of the Vespa since 1946, was reflected in the installation, in the Vespa 400, of a two stroke (motorbike style) engine which required oil to be added to the petrol/gasoline whenever the car was refuelled. During the summer of 1958 the cars were fitted with a semi-automatic device for adding oil to the fuel, but a fully automatic fuel mixing device was not included until two years later.

There are some slightly larger cars in the collection, too:

The DAF 33 is a compact saloon car produced by the DAF company of Eindhoven, in the Netherlands between 1967 and 1974. Outwardly and technically it differed little from its predecessor, the DAF Daffodil. 1966 had seen the introduction of the Michelotti styled DAF 44 which appeared to compete in virtually the same market segment as the Daffodil-based design; but the 33, its development costs presumably long since amortised,[citation needed] remained in production with its new name. A more luxurious version became available in 1969. Thereafter the car changed very little: however, the 6 volt electrical system was replaced with a 12 volt one in 1972. The DAF 33, in common with other DAF cars, featured a continuously variable transmission system, the DAF Variomatic, which used a V-shaped drive belt and two pulleys connected to a limited-slip differential, giving a CVT-like operation. Notably, this design meant the 33 had almost the same top speed in reverse gear as it did in forward motion: around 70 mph (110 km/h)

NSU Prinz: The first post-war NSU car, the Prinz I, was launched at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 1957 accompanied by the advertising slogan “Fahre Prinz und Du bist König” (“Drive a Prince and you’re a king”). After a pilot run of 150 preproduction cars, volume production began in March 1958. The Prinz I was available as a 2-door saloon featuring an upright roof line and seating for four people. The doors opened wide enough to permit reasonable access even to the rear seats, although leg room was severely restricted if attempting to accommodate four full sized adults. In addition to a luggage compartment accessed via a hatch at the front of the car and shared with the spare wheel and fuel filler, there was a narrow but deep full width space behind the rear seat sufficient to accommodate a holiday suitcase. In addition, the Prinz was imported to the United States, but in the era of gas guzzling cars being the norm on American roads, the Prinz did not sell well. with it being dropped after 1960. The Prinz was also one of the few cars that was used by US astronauts. While astronauts drove Chevrolet Corvettes that were given to them by GM, Mercury astronaut John Glenn instead drove an NSU Prinz 1. The Prinz got better fuel mileage than the Corvette, as Glenn had a longer commute than his fellow astronauts, allowing him to save for his children’s college fund; the more economical Prinz made financial sense. The noisy two-cylinder 600 cc 20 PS engine was located at the back where it drove the rear wheels, initially via a “crash” gearbox. Later versions gained a four-speed all-synchromesh gearbox. Contemporaries were impressed by the brevity of the maintenance schedule, with the engine, gear box and final drive operating as a single chamber and all lubricated by means of oil, added through a filler in the rocker box cover. There were just two grease nipples requiring attention, positioned on the steering kingpins. The engine was also commended in contemporary reports for its fuel economy and longevity. Although noisy, the engine offered impressive flexibility, recalling NSU’s strengths as a motorcycle manufacturer. The Prinz II (a ‘luxury’ version) was released in 1959 with better trim and an all-synchromesh gearbox. A 30E export version was equipped with a 30 hp engine. The Prinz III was launched in October 1960 featuring a new stabilizer bar and the 30 hp motor. NSU received government approval to build the Prinz in Brazil in the late 1950s, but nothing came of the project.

NSU Sport Prinz: The Sport Prinz was a 2-seater sports coupe variant. It was designed by Franco Scaglione at Bertone studios in Turin. 20,831 were manufactured between 1958 and 1968. The first 250 bodies were built by Bertone in Turin. The rest were built in Neckarsulm at a company called Drautz which was later bought by NSU. The Sport Prinz initially was powered by the 583 cc Prinz 50 straight-2 engine but a maximum speed of 160 km/h (99 mph) was nevertheless claimed. From late 1962 a 598 cc engine was fitted. The NSU Spider was a Wankel rotary powered 2-seater roadster based on the Sport Prinz platform.

Trabant P601: The Trabant was the result of a planning process which had intended to design a three-wheeled motorcycle. In German, a trabant is an astronomical term for a moon (or other natural satellite) of a celestial body. The first of the Trabants left the VEB Sachsenring Automobilwerke Zwickau factory in Saxony on 7 November 1957. It was a relatively advanced car when it was formally introduced the following year, with front wheel drive, unitary construction and independent suspension. The Trabant’s greatest shortcoming was its engine. By the late 1950s many small Western cars (such as the Renault) had cleaner, more-efficient four-stroke engines, but budgetary constraints and raw-materials shortages mandated an outdated (but inexpensive) two-stroke engine in the Trabant. It was technically equivalent to the West German Lloyd automobile, a similarly sized car with an air-cooled, two-cylinder four-stroke engine. The Trabant had a front, transversely-mounted engine and front-wheel drive in an era when many European cars were using rear-mounted engines or front-mounted engines with rear-wheel drive. Its greatest drawback was its largely unchanged production; the car’s two-stroke engine made it obsolete by the 1970s, limiting exports to Western Europe. The Trabant’s air-cooled, 500 cc engine—upgraded to 600cc in 1962–63—was derived from a pre-war DKW design with minor alterations during its production run. The first Saab car had a larger (764cc), water-cooled, two-cylinder two-stroke engine. Wartburg, an East German manufacturer of larger sedans, also used a water-cooled, three-cylinder, 1,000 cc two-stroke DKW engine. The original Trabant, introduced in 1958, was the P50. Trabant’s base model, it shared a large number of interchangeable parts with the latest 1.1s. The 500 cc, 18 hp P50 evolved into a 20 hp version with a fully synchronized gearbox in 1960, and received a 23 hp, 600 cc engine in 1962 as the P60. The updated P601 was introduced in 1964. It was essentially a facelift of the P60, with a different front fascia, bonnet, roof and rear and the original P50 underpinnings. The model remained nearly unchanged until the end of its production except for the addition of 12V electricity, rear coil springs and an updated dashboard for later models. The Trabant’s designers expected production to extend until 1967 at the latest, and East German designers and engineers created a series of more-sophisticated prototypes intended to replace the P601; several are on display at the Dresden Transport Museum. Each proposal for a new model was rejected by the East German government due to shortages of the raw materials required in larger quantities for the more-advanced designs. As a result, the Trabant remained largely unchanged for more than a quarter-century. Also unchanged was its production method, which was extremely labour-intensive. The Trabant 1100 (also known as the P1100) was a 601 with a better-performing 1.05-litre, 45HP VW Polo engine. With a more-modern look (including a floor-mounted gearshift), it was quieter and cleaner than its predecessor. The 1100 had front disc brakes, and its wheel assembly was borrowed from Volkswagen. It was produced between from 1989 to 1991, in parallel with the two-stroke P601. Except for the engine and transmission, many parts from older P50s, P60s and 601s were compatible with the 1100. In mid-1989, thousands of East Germans began loading their Trabants with as much as they could carry and drove to Hungary or Czechoslovakia en route to West Germany on the “Trabi Trail”. Many had to get special permission to drive their Trabants into West Germany, since the cars did not meet West German emissions standards and polluted the air at four times the European average. A licensed version of the Volkswagen Polo engine replaced the Trabant’s two-stroke engine in 1989, the result of a trade agreement between East and West Germany. The model, the Trabant 1.1, also had minor improvements to its brake and signal lights, a renovated grille, and MacPherson struts instead of a leaf-spring-suspended chassis. When the 1.1 began production in May 1990, the two German states had already agreed to reunification. By April 1991 3.7 million vehicles had been produced. However, it soon became apparent that there was no place for the Trabant in a reunified German economy; its inefficient, labour-intensive production line survived on government subsidies. The Trabant ceased production in 1991, and the Zwickau factory in Mosel (where the Trabant 1.1 was manufactured) was sold to Volkswagen AG.

Much of the upstairs floor is given over to a collection of scooters, moped and motorbikes, these all playing an important in enabling personal mobility in the post war era.

Several manufacturers in the German motorcycle industry made scooters. NSU made Lambrettas under license from 1950 to 1955, during which they developed their Prima scooter. Production of the Prima began when NSU’s license to build Lambrettas ran out.

You can even book a passenger ride in a Bubble Car. This has to be pre-arranged and spaces are very limited, so doing this would require some pre-planning. Parked up outside, being prepared for action was another example of the Messerschmitt KR200.

The museum also features a row of period shops, and other displays which showcase an extensive collections of 50′s memorabilia, including Bakelite and china as well as the sort of household items and décor that characterised this period. Everything is period correct and has either been sourced by donations or acquisitions from all manner of different places such as charity shops and auctions.