RUMCars Forum

General Category => Unusual Microcar Discussion => Topic started by: Mike Wood on February 03, 2013, 11:21:20 pm

Title: How-doo!! Me an' me Bubble sayin' ello from sunny Southport!
Post by: Mike Wood on February 03, 2013, 11:21:20 pm
Greets Peeps!

Brief intro from moi, Mike Wood off of Southport, long-term bubblecar enthusiast but recent first-time owner.

I acquired Little Beemer in 2012 (Little 'cos it's small; Beemer 'cos it makes you  ;D! ).

It's a 1960 Brit-built Isetta 300 3-wheeler... with a badge to make M3 owners  ???

(http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h242/T10TOC/1_zpscf0d1460.jpg)

(http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h242/T10TOC/2_zps88ea20bb.jpg)

(http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h242/T10TOC/4_zpsf719d8f2.jpg)

(http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h242/T10TOC/3_zps31178f30.jpg)

(http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h242/T10TOC/5_zps023c2005.jpg)

Had a few teething problems in the early days  ::) like the first journey home on the back of an AA low-loader after a 5-hour road-site wait  :-[ and a door-hinge failure which left me spread-eagled against the car front on a bright & sunny Sunday morning outside a popular sweet shop with a zillion kids out spending their pocket money, but heck! we battled through!

The Yellow One only comes out when the sun's a'shining, but we hope to see yous at rallies-a-plenty in the forth-coming years!

Mike Wood


 :D
Title: Re: How-doo!! Me an' me Bubble sayin' ello from sunny Southport!
Post by: Rusty Chrome (Malcolm Parker) on February 03, 2013, 11:35:28 pm
Welcome Mike!
Title: Re: How-doo!! Me an' me Bubble sayin' ello from sunny Southport!
Post by: Big Al on February 04, 2013, 07:51:14 am
Are you in touch with Alan Town and David(?) Tattishall of that Parish?
Title: Re: How-doo!! Me an' me Bubble sayin' ello from sunny Southport!
Post by: marcus on February 04, 2013, 10:19:16 am
Hello and welcome, nice car!
Title: Re: How-doo!! Me an' me Bubble sayin' ello from sunny Southport!
Post by: Bob Purton on February 04, 2013, 10:24:46 am
Yes, welcome Mike. Same car as mine LHD 1960. I have to ask though, what is the black line around your door?
Title: Re: How-doo!! Me an' me Bubble sayin' ello from sunny Southport!
Post by: Mike Wood on February 04, 2013, 10:00:11 pm
Are you in touch with Alan Town and David(?) Tattishall of that Parish?

Hi Big Al,

I have met both Alan and David at the Woodvale Rally / Ormskirk Motorfest / Life's Motors and passed over my contact details, although I don't have theirs. We've quite a few "little" cars around Southport, and it would be fun to hook-up for an occasional meet.

I have to ask though, what is the black line around your door?

Hello Bob,

The door is fitted with the wrong door seal. I think this may have ultimately led to one of the door hinge bolts shearing, and the door fit being quite poor (unless the footwell is actually fitted with air-conditioning!). One of 2013's tasks is so to source and fit a new door seal from Bromley Bubble. Currently I have to lift the door bodily when closing, so will be replacing / realigning both hinges and fitting the new seal when the weather is better.

MW

 ;)
Title: Re: How-doo!! Me an' me Bubble sayin' ello from sunny Southport!
Post by: richard on February 04, 2013, 10:17:49 pm
welcome mike i am on wirral , so not too far away . no car on the road but hope to have soon - mid/ late summer . occasional meets sound a good idea.
Title: Re: How-doo!! Me an' me Bubble sayin' ello from sunny Southport!
Post by: Bob Purton on February 04, 2013, 11:00:58 pm
I'm sure Dave Tadman will sort you out with a door rubber and what ever else you need, he has always been most helpful to me. Maybe I will see your car sporting said new door seal at Malvern in August?
Title: Re: How-doo!! Me an' me Bubble sayin' ello from sunny Southport!
Post by: wilksie on February 12, 2013, 06:38:36 pm
Mike, good to see that your Isetta XHR183 has survived against the odds, as it was bought as a spares car for another Isetta back in 1980. Both were purchased from a farmer in the Cotswolds for £200 for the couple. As mentioned in IG 348 (Autumn 2012). Not only has it survived but seemingly it has thrived under someone's careful ownership!
Title: Re: How-doo!! Me an' me Bubble sayin' ello from sunny Southport!
Post by: Big Al on February 13, 2013, 10:20:13 am
welcome mike i am on wirral , so not too far away . no car on the road but hope to have soon - mid/ late summer . occasional meets sound a good idea.

'Wirral going on a, summer holiday.....'
Title: Re: How-doo!! Me an' me Bubble sayin' ello from sunny Southport!
Post by: richard on February 13, 2013, 12:12:40 pm
don't suppose you can ox-ford one :)
Title: Re: How-doo!! Me an' me Bubble sayin' ello from sunny Southport!
Post by: Big Al on February 13, 2013, 12:39:36 pm
Ah, the city of dreaming Spires, snoozing Londis, catknapping Costcutters and nodding independents. The city where water was proven to have an IQ of 8 by knowing how to flow downhill but round the flood defences, but it makes up for not being by the sea, I guess. But indeed it is not Ox-fordable or affordable for holidays for me. Wirral sounds better as they allow cars in. We Oxfordshire carrot crunchers avoid Oxford if at all possible. Its a nightmare!
Title: Re: How-doo!! Me an' me Bubble sayin' ello from sunny Southport!
Post by: Mike Wood on February 13, 2013, 09:47:31 pm
Mike, good to see that your Isetta XHR183 has survived against the odds, as it was bought as a spares car for another Isetta back in 1980. Both were purchased from a farmer in the Cotswolds for £200 for the couple. As mentioned in IG 348 (Autumn 2012). Not only has it survived but seemingly it has thrived under someone's careful ownership!

Wowser!!  That's news to me!  I have a fairly extensive restoration file which came with the car, and a sheaf of bills which tot up to £QuiteALot.  My car was lovingly restored by a private owner in Morecambe, and to a good standard. Won't win the Pebble Beach Concourse, but then again, I haven't got the shelf-space for big trophies...

I'd be grateful if you could forward the Article to me (info AT theoldwatchshop DOT com)

Mike Wood

 8)
Title: Re: How-doo!! Me an' me Bubble sayin' ello from sunny Southport!
Post by: richard on February 13, 2013, 09:58:28 pm
Of course it might be a completely different car itself - read my lips.    By the way mike we can post email addresses in full but if you want you can look up members on the list and send them a confidential message if that's better for your needs
Title: Re: How-doo!! Me an' me Bubble sayin' ello from sunny Southport!
Post by: Big Al on February 14, 2013, 08:13:02 am
Wonder if it was from near Chippy. Chris Goffey, then of Top Gear, told me about it, as he saw it when out riding his horse.
Title: Re: How-doo!! Me an' me Bubble sayin' ello from sunny Southport!
Post by: wilksie on February 15, 2013, 01:20:02 pm
I'll forward the article. Will need to find a friend with a scanner first, so it might take a couple of weeks.

Shame those days are gone when you could pick up two Isettas for 200 quid!
Title: Re: How-doo!! Me an' me Bubble sayin' ello from sunny Southport!
Post by: Big Al on February 16, 2013, 11:07:16 am
Even a good toy one costs more than that apparently!
Title: Re: How-doo!! Me an' me Bubble sayin' ello from sunny Southport!
Post by: Barry on February 16, 2013, 12:04:36 pm
Always happy to scan things for you up to A3