Author Topic: Wanted: mk1 scootacar  (Read 12759 times)

lovelybubbly

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Wanted: mk1 scootacar
« on: August 15, 2010, 02:20:51 PM »
Hi all, just a shot in the dark but been after a mk1 scootacar for years..(who hasn't!)  So anybody interested or know of any that may come available please let me know..I have a corner of my garage free that would be ideal!
Am already a member of the scootacar club..



Many thanks,
« Last Edit: August 27, 2012, 10:08:55 PM by lovelybubbly »

lovelybubbly

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Re: Wanted: mk1 scootacar
« Reply #1 on: August 18, 2010, 06:25:57 PM »
Somebody must have one to discover in their garden!! (trident style!)

g-o-g-g-o

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Re: Wanted: mk1 scootacar
« Reply #2 on: August 18, 2010, 06:50:22 PM »
Hi Brett
            You are never going to find one just by advertising on this site - go to shows with your bubble car ( have you got one ) I know Alan H has got a Mk2 whether he's prepared to sell it to you ( depends on the price you want to pay ). I have a Mk 1 in my garage that I'm trying to get all the bit's for and no I don't want to sell it.

   I've just been down to Vintage Goodward, and met many people who have had a bubble car in the past - and I have a stall down at the Beaulieu Autojumble - where we located a Gordon engine for Jean car.

  Get exchange and mart or one of those monthly papers and put an advert in one of those - it reaches more of the general public - or put an advert on E-Bay saying what you want but be prepared to pay the asking price - I estimate a very rough one to be £2,500 - £4,000 and an average one to be £7,500 - £10,000.
 Have you got the money handy your not going to find one for next to nothing as 99% of people know the value of Bubble cars.
                                                                                                                                                                          Mike

P50

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Re: Wanted: mk1 scootacar
« Reply #3 on: August 18, 2010, 07:56:00 PM »
I have an indicator stalk spare shouid it be required later..

Good luck in finding one.  A bloke called Adi found one (a good sound car) recently and posted about it on here.

To be honest Mk1's come up less than Peels these days.   Mr Purton thinks KR's are worth loads more but I think the boot is now on the Scoots foot.

Much rarer 800 vs 80'000.   A madder shape.  British and very eccentric.  No availability (easy to get a KR).

Parts are harder.  But I love mine.  Hatefull thing in some ways and very unrefined! Mind you quick, superb brakes and gear shift.  No dampers and short suspension travel make life interesting but they keep up OK with modern traffic.

good luck     
   
"Men of worth act like men of worth, and men of genius, who produce
things beautiful and excellent, shine forth far better when other people
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blob

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Re: Wanted: mk1 scootacar
« Reply #4 on: August 18, 2010, 09:12:30 PM »
Not so good if you're the passenger, but it was an extremely enjoyable ride  ;)

P50

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Re: Wanted: mk1 scootacar
« Reply #5 on: August 18, 2010, 10:07:43 PM »
Not so good if you're the passenger, but it was an extremely enjoyable ride  ;)

Indeed.  Very pokey in the back.  Spesh if you're tall...

But Scoot's are very endearing.  I was in mine in the West End and crossed Neal St around Covent Garden.  I got a standing ovation at the zebra crossing by a load of football types.

Would a Bentley GT get that?!

Simples!
"Men of worth act like men of worth, and men of genius, who produce
things beautiful and excellent, shine forth far better when other people
praise them than when they boast so confidently of their own achievements."
-Benvenuto Cellini

Big Al

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Re: Wanted: mk1 scootacar
« Reply #6 on: August 19, 2010, 08:09:48 AM »
I am in no hurry to part with the Scootacar MkII. The only real prob is a lack of windscreen. I will source or repair everything else and as it has not been restored can avoid other peoples restorations from when the cars were worth twopence ha'penny. An easier job leading to a better restoration. I am onto some MkIs to add one to the collection if a deal works out. I really want a MkIII as well but having had one which Geoff Lane made a high offer on at the time I have probably had my chance for that. Those in the know begin to see a theme in the new collection I think. To complete the set I also have a sniff on a Rodley.

As to prices and KR200's. I think the KR200 still just has it but this would be a product of ease of parts availability making it easier to own and a generally higher profile. Scootacars are, in my opinion, the best British microcar to drive of the Villiers powered stuff. If they had chosen a real body style then I think more would have sold over a blob. However that is why we all like them now. A good Scootacar will be up with the average 'Schmitts on a run. Passinger comfort, they should get their own microcar and stop slowing down mine! A selfish Micronaut I am afraid. For me a Scootacar is a wrap a round car.

There are some scruffs still out there to be restored. Otherwise I think you need a fair budget as Mike has suggested. Most owners of a live Scootacar will be aware of the 'going rate'.
Messerschmitt set, Goggo Darts, Heinkel 175, Fiat Jolly, Autobianchi, Fairthorpe Electron Minor, Borgward, Isuzu Trooper
Citroen BX 17TZD & GTI 16v
Held - MG Magnette ZB & 4/44
For sale - Vellam Isetta, Bamby, AC Type 70, Velorex, Church Pod, Reliant Mk5, KR200,  Saab 96, Bellemy Trials, Citroen BXs

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Re: Wanted: mk1 scootacar
« Reply #7 on: August 19, 2010, 10:02:44 AM »
"The best British microcar of the villiers stuff to drive"? You must be joking! From my experience they are terrible to drive. They have the speed granted if thats all people are interested in but they are also deafening, everything rattles alarmingly, suspension bottoms out etc etc. Maybe I'm just getting old but a nice comfy ride in a Villiers powered Frisky or a Bond minicar for me any day. 

P50

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Re: Wanted: mk1 scootacar
« Reply #8 on: August 19, 2010, 01:29:37 PM »
"The best British microcar of the villiers stuff to drive"? You must be joking! From my experience they are terrible to drive. They have the speed granted if thats all people are interested in but they are also deafening, everything rattles alarmingly, suspension bottoms out etc etc. Maybe I'm just getting old but a nice comfy ride in a Villiers powered Frisky or a Bond minicar for me any day.  

I must confess I was shocked when I drove my first mk1.  I'll put up with it for the insane styling.

I've done 10k miles in the KR and 1k (if that) in the Scoot.  So to use modern parlance, "you do the math"  

The odder they get, the more horrid they are as a conveyance.  

1, V V usable - Trojan- Hyraulic brakes, four stroke, proper reverse, proper suspension, proper steering, 10 inch wheels.      Parts are easy. Loads sold as they were good.

2,  V usable  - KR -   Cable brakes, stinky two stroke thus leading to a dynareverse, rubber unyielding suspension, go kart steering. A 3 point turn is not gonna happen.. But fantastic handling. Loads sold. they are good and cruis at high (relative in the 50's) speed.

3, Still usuable - Scootacar - Fantastic brakes, no dampers and short travel means monstrous bottoming out , dynareverse (an option at that), crude and a bit heath robinson low volume.  Parts are hard for special bits.  

4, A Peel  - Simply crap all over the place - public voted with their wallets.  But the Tridents styling........ 

Discuss if you feel you wish to.  
« Last Edit: August 19, 2010, 01:31:12 PM by P50 »
"Men of worth act like men of worth, and men of genius, who produce
things beautiful and excellent, shine forth far better when other people
praise them than when they boast so confidently of their own achievements."
-Benvenuto Cellini

Bob Purton

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Re: Wanted: mk1 scootacar
« Reply #9 on: August 19, 2010, 05:01:11 PM »
Yep! Agree with all that, just to add something I didn't like about Trojans or at least the ones I've been in, I got a lot of injun vibration coming from the injun up through the floor, must be because they don't have a chassis, one of the reasons I went for the Isetta plus teenage nostalgia.

richard

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Re: Wanted: mk1 scootacar
« Reply #10 on: August 19, 2010, 09:33:35 PM »
owned a trojan for quite a few years and vibration not really an issue. like all these cars you must do your homework - difficult with these because they are less common and far less is written up in books. messerschmitt and isetta owners dont know their born !  :) vibration can be bad for one of two reasons i think :
1 - worn or perished engine mounting bushes .
2 - possibly more likely new bushes incorrectly fitted - the  rubber bushes have two slots in the rubber , by memory , 10 years ago , the slots must be top and bottom and not fore and back !fitted incorrectly engine vibration is AWFUL.

do i remember this correctly ? i was told this , i never saw it written down i dont think
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lovelybubbly

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Re: Wanted: mk1 scootacar
« Reply #11 on: August 20, 2010, 12:42:20 AM »
Hi all, thanks for the replies and its started a topic! Yes have funds but am also restoring a (huge and common!!  ;D) porsche 356 (pre A though!)
Also own a  '75 fiat 126, mint original 8k miles car from new but not especially micro eh..luxury though in comparison to the ride in a scoot by the sound of it but they are very endearing.
I have expensive taste it seems and can appreciate the values have increased considerably.thought it worth a mention here but will follow other leads also.
Hope you scoots get to malvern!
Thanks again..
B

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Re: Wanted: mk1 scootacar
« Reply #12 on: August 20, 2010, 08:46:51 AM »
Funny enough Richard both Heinkels I noticed the vibration in were Mike Shepherds [I cant see him fitting the engine mounts incorrectly], it may have been drumming coming from the road rather than engine vibration, dont know but I know it would irritate me. Maybe I just havnt been in a really well sorted example yet. I certainly like the look of the cars.

Big Al

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Re: Wanted: mk1 scootacar
« Reply #13 on: August 20, 2010, 10:08:56 AM »
If you suffer from drumming in a Trienkel check Marcus is not hiding in the back before blaming the engine mounts!

Yes Treinkels do have a somewhat direct line of communication between engine and driver. You either do not like it or embrace the connection and use it to drive the car correctly as if it is vibrating or juddering it is probably unhappy. I would suggest the BMW dumper truck, sorry Isetta, has a far lumpier engine, hence the need for independent mountings and complex drive. You pay for this in weight and handling so the Trienkel wins for me. I always fitted Heinkel mounts if available as no slots, less give better stability but more vibration. Trojan mounts, slots more give less stability, less vibration. I fitted the bottom at ten past eight with the top at ten to four, just before tiffen in fact. This prevented up and down or for and aft vibrating and opposed the mounts for any odd angle. Mind you if the mounts themselves are loose, as they are in quite a few cars, then you are wasting your time!

Scootacar driving. Like any machine it needs to be set up. No idea what the book says but I had mine progressively sprung so no bumping. The trouble is the springs are 50 years old and many are noshed by restoration in sand blasters, heating and other treatments before being refitted. The handling is far better than the shape would suggest as all the weight is lowdown. Like the Type 70 Invalid carrage. The Villiers can really perform in this car as it does not overheat and has a chassis to explore handling governed by small wheels that will let go before the thing falls over and the novel ability of being able to stop. The same cannot be said for the Frisky Trike I drove. It was not stable in a straight line, noisy and tripped itself up on hard cornering. It did stop though. Bonds, bless them, were not meant to be driven by me and they are not really speed machines. Not that Nick Price's G was a sluggard. I have a prob with non fan cooled engines in cars as they get so hot in traffic and on long climbs. On Saintbury the Bonds on the run out from Dorsington all seized within 100 yards of each other. Mega fag break. Berkeleys are not famed for their hillclimbing ability. Yes a Scootacar is noisy but what else do you want to listen to? A radio, a moaning passinger? It is part of what the car is and I have not noticed many Scootacar owners making great efforts to quieten the things down. Quite a few make it worse by having a bodge exhaust. I except, though, that my judgement is always biased toward a car than gets a move on. I am not there to offer entrainment to other people but to have a full driving experience of five senses and a bit of excitement.
Fortunately we all like different classic cars otherwise life would be extremely boring, like modern cars are!
Messerschmitt set, Goggo Darts, Heinkel 175, Fiat Jolly, Autobianchi, Fairthorpe Electron Minor, Borgward, Isuzu Trooper
Citroen BX 17TZD & GTI 16v
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For sale - Vellam Isetta, Bamby, AC Type 70, Velorex, Church Pod, Reliant Mk5, KR200,  Saab 96, Bellemy Trials, Citroen BXs

Bob Purton

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Re: Wanted: mk1 scootacar
« Reply #14 on: August 20, 2010, 11:58:25 AM »
Very good Alan , you could be on the stage! :D Notice I said though that the drumming noise was coming from the road,I guess I could have just run over Marcus on his mobile drum car! :D About the french cars I've always had my head turned by a shapely body, you could say I have a ROVIN eye!! Ho Ho, its almost as bad as your joke Alan! :D  Yes, I suppose we are all looking for something different in a microcar, I tend to favour refinement, not many microcars have that! Mikes Goggo coupe has a fairly refined feel though and the Frisky I sold to Bruce with the twin "injun" was a real pleasure to drive, well sorted, shame it just sits in the museum.