RUMCars Forum
General Category => Unusual Microcar Discussion => Topic started by: piatti on December 12, 2015, 04:14:02 PM
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Last autumn, I brought the Belcar back to it's origin - switzerland after a long term storrage in private dutch collection. From the around seven car built in Wollerau near Zurich Switzerland, this car is the only survivor. As a swiss microcar enthusiast, getting the only remaining Belcar was something very special. The car was in original unrestaured original condition and probably of the road since the early seventies. I have started to dismantle the car and restaured the chassis, brakes and engine. To keep the car in its original condition, I only cleaned the parts (incl. every rusty screw) and put all back together. Earlier this week, I started the engine for the first time since more than 40 years. Although I just cleaned the outside and changed the clutch, chain and a new condensator - it started at first key turn - amazing!
Today, I took the chassis out for the first test drive. It seems that everything works - the perfect christmas gift for myself :-).
Now, I will put to body onto the chassis and start doing the rest - like electrics and other small stuff. Hopefully all the hard work is done and the car will be back on the road soon.
Here some pics of the car on flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/19867693@N03/albums/72157659494809559 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/19867693@N03/albums/72157659494809559)
Oliver
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Great work Oliver, and I like your improvised "seat" ! I look forward to seeing it completed.
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Fantastic!
By using an outdoor cushion atop a section of particle board, you have out classed my test drive of a long stored bare Isetta chassis at the beginning of this century.
I simply sat on a folded up card board box for my harrowing ride, which came to an abrupt screeching halt just after proving engagement of 4th gear.
Upon inspection it showed that a front wheel turned suddenly sideways due to a completely worn out steering bushing.
So don't get too lazy about your preflight check, and post a video for us to view!
P.S. I regularly use the "Spell Check" tab to the right of the "post" tab, as it can work wonders for us all.
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P.S. I regularly use the "Spell Check" tab to the right of the "post" tab, as it can work wonders for us all.
Ooh, mee-ow!
It's rare to find a correctly-spelled posting on this or many another forum, but I think we might give some tolerance to those who are writing in a language not their own.
Besides, it's difficult to determine, if you're not fully familiar with a language, whether a spell-checker's suggestions actually improve things. It seems that this one, for example, cannot spell outclassed, long-stored, folded-up, cardboard, had turned, or worn-out! ;)
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The only, the original, but the working! What its really all about. Owning stuff is one thing but to extend that to a commitment to the car to keep it in its very best condition is the mark of an enthusiast. More so if its not replaceable. I think it is Christmas for anyone who cares. An insperation to get some of my work done.
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Well done indeed Oliver. It is the most beautiful restoration of a truly rare car. I believe this to be No 278 on our truly international Register of Unusual Microcars? I do hope you will let Alastair have some up to date photos for his records.
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I restored my Trojan in my workshop. The first time I took it out into the yard for a test drive I just held the door in front of while I ran around making engine and screeching braking noises!
For the first pukha engine-in test run it had no door, windows, roof, carpet or upholstery, and the acceleration was remarkably brisk, my friend was so startled he shouted out!
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P.S. I regularly use the "Spell Check" tab to the right of the "post" tab, as it can work wonders for us all.
Ooh, mee-ow!
It's rare to find a correctly-spelled posting on this or many another forum, but I think we might give some tolerance to those who are writing in a language not their own.
Besides, it's difficult to determine, if you're not fully familiar with a language, whether a spell-checker's suggestions actually improve things. It seems that this one, for example, cannot spell outclassed, long-stored, folded-up, cardboard, had turned, or worn-out! ;)
Ohkeydonkey, ill juzt stp uzing tha spalchker, nd right n mi natve linguage- Merican.
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Great to see such a wonderful, rare car in the hands of an enthusiast. Thanks for sharing your pictures.
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So - test drive successfully completed! The chassis will go back in place, therefore I had to strip the chassis back to the main part otherwise it will not fit into the bodyshell. As all other chassis parts are already cleaned and ready to fit, I hope it will not take to much time to get the Belcar back on wheels...
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started to reassemble the chassis parts. So far everything works as expected...
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Really good effort! So nice to see a car being worked on ! More needed on the forum
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Great work, and thanks for posting!
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Now, the engine is back in place ! It took much more time to reassemble then expected - but that's normal, isn't it...
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5654/23978493732_911b0f3270_b.jpg)
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1684/23459816613_411d04bba1_b.jpg)
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1518/23458359944_b0129d96c1_b.jpg)
for more pics, see: https://www.flickr.com/photos/19867693@N03/albums/72157659494809559 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/19867693@N03/albums/72157659494809559)
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Looking very nice, keep up the good work Oliver!
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Still a lot to do, but the rebuild is nearing it's end :-). After assembling all the chassis parts, cable, wiring and interior details, I will have to concentrate on the bodyshell and alu trims the next couple of days. I hope to have the car ready when the snow has gone...
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Well done, hope to see a video of it in action soon!
Just out of curiosity, how wide is the seat?
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The seats look good there but if you would like some new ones made it would be a pleasure
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Just out of curiosity, how wide is the seat?
140cm, the Belca is for three people!
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A cosy fit - odd ! I think if you click on the jpeg its the right way up , and bigger
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Cheers folks, I remember that photo of 3 across in the Sparrow book, just wondered exactly how wide!
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Today, I made the first ride on the street ! This was probably the first Belcar ride for almost 50 years...
Great fun to drive, the steering is very easy and the suspension is like in a 2CV. It's is a really confortable driver only the engine noise is a bit disturbing.
Now, with some new motivation I will have to take care of the bodyshell - cleaning and polishing to make the old color look like new :-)
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140cm, the Belca is for three people!
[/quote/]
Both politically and possibly legally incorrect.
I wonder how the police would view the inclusion of the big gorilla in the middle.
Is he a swedish giant, or is it that the girls are really tiny?
Either way it seems obviously overloaded, and both demeaning to both sets of parties and incongruous, that the domineering central figure has given up the helm to one of his little chicks.
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Today, I made the first ride on the street ! This was probably the first Belcar ride for almost 50 years...
Now, with some new motivation I will have to take care of the bodyshell - cleaning and polishing to make the old color look like new :-)
Wonderful that you have conquered the mechanicals, and are striving to save the "paintina".
The difficult part may be deciding where to draw the line between preservation and restoration .
Personally, I would have a hard time polishing the air in the area of front fender where the fiberglass is gone.
I would do my best to blend in a repair there, and possibly try to match some paint into the area below the headlights.
What is your guiding principle re such matters?
Is there any color in the gelcoat?
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That's the bible of car preservation
http://www.amazon.com/The-Stewardship-Historically-Important-Automobiles/dp/0988273306
personally, I just work on the various parts until I'm pleased with the result and even more important for me - the whole car has to look right. Others think that all new or changed parts have look new, but thats a difficult discussion and probably more important when talking about Bugattis than Belcars :-)
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So that means hole, to be, or not to be on the trailing edge of the front fender?