RUMCars Forum
General Category => Unusual Microcar Discussion => Topic started by: Bob Purton on October 29, 2014, 11:42:46 AM
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I was going to the Antique scientific Instrument fair last Sunday and as I didnt have much stock to pedal this year I decided to go in Thumper.
The drive in from Hornchurch at about 6.30 am was quite uneventful really. Our arrival gave all my fellow exhibitors a laugh although most couldnt resist taking a few pics. I was parked up right outside the Hotel where the fair was being held and I thought I had better just pop out to check on it periodically. Every time I did that I found it surrounded by tourists clicking away on there cameras and phones. Later that morning Professor Naham, Curator of the science museum came by and commented on it. This morning these photo's arrived from him, even he couldnt resist taking a snap or too!
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Nice one Bob. The Curator probably knows Isettas, they have a blue one and a black KR 200 in the Science Museum, at the rear ground floor where they have cars trains and planes.
A couple of times in DUF I over-stayed my time on parking meters and both times the Wardens did not give me a ticket because they liked the car so much, Squeak was with me one time and my nephew was with me the other time, so I even have witnesses! With my nephew it was in the West End: Denmark St. I had taken him there so he could get some new strings for his bass. Can you believe it: no ticket in the W.E.!
Soon after I replied to your email yesterday my pc died. I have had to completely wipe it and re-boot from the very start to get limited use again, and this is my first on-line use, HURRAY!
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Well there is more than one curator but this one is in charge of the macro exhibits so that includes cars , even microcars! He did actually tell me he acquired the Isetta for the museum.
You would get on well with him Marcus as he has authored quite a few books on aircraft and aircraft engines.
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Nice looking Isetta. Is it an original shell, or did it have to have some welding done in the usual places?
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I regularly read the Science Museum blog pages but have not seen his name there (yet).
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If you Google Prof Andrew Naham you will see some of his books etc.
Andy, the shell was pretty good, original floor and front wheel arches. There is a small patch let in to the rear wheel arch area which is odd as thats not a usual place to find any rot. Maybe it is damage or a cut out for some mod or other. Bit of a mystery really. Not a bad old car, can we see a pic of yours? A 59 isnt it?
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Really showing ignorance of Isettas her but on my Trojan there was an area of unusual rot . The battery on a Treinkel is in the rear right hand side and at some point the battery had tipped over , sounds unlikely I know , anyhow the acid stripped all the paint from that area of the car and the rot set in !
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My car wasn't in such good condition. I'll post some pictures of pretty much how it was when I got it. I'd removed a few things like bumpers, petrol tank, window rubbers (vandals had smashed all the glass on the car) and removed the speedo as it was looking very tired. I also removed some the bitumen panels, so I could oil all the rusty panels to basically halt the rot that was setting in. I then built a wooden shed around the car to keep it out of the elements.
It was a very original car, the paint (what was left of it) was largely original, but it had a pretty awful blow over at some point in its life in the same Riviera blue, whoever did it also painted the grey sun roof too! The paint was so poorly applied you can scrape it off with a fingernail in places. Also a previous owner had been keen on festooning it with extra lamps and had drilled holes in the roof and door, with some dodgy wiring added to the loom.
The floor isn't as bad as it looks, and initially seemed completely sound, however upon pulling up the bitumen pad inside, several small holes revealed themselves- the floorpans were only primered underneath, and I think the fluting/ribs act as condensation traps.
The off side wing was corroded around the edge. This was purely down to a lack of paint in these areas. There are a few other small areas of minor localized corrosion in the rest of the body, and the parcel shelf had the usual butchery around the engine compartment. All of the underside was covered in surface rust poking through the original paint, so the shell is going to require either shot peening or dipping to get the rust off. I'm considering a dual approach, maybe have the door dipped as that is double skinned.
Andy
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Andy, I'm very jealous, the number plate of your isetta spells my Initials. RAP. Robert Anthony Purton.
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Brighton suffix. Appropriate for an Isetta.
The numberplate caused me some problems. Not long after I had the car, I started getting letters from the DVLA asking if I'd sold the car or had it scrapped. I responded saying neither. I got three or four more of these letters, which prompted me to contact them by telephone, as I was getting fed up repeating myself and wasting stamps.
They informed me that someone else had applied for my number, with a blue Isetta. Well I explained how I acquired the car, and they seemed satisfied, and I thought that was an end to it.
A couple of months later, a couple of coppers turned up unannounced, all very formal, enquiring about the car. I took them out back to look at it and once they asked to see the sole numberplates and chassis plate. They seemed to relax a bit after that. I asked what was going on, and it turned out the person who'd applied for my number had reported the theft of the cars number and chassis plates. I was miffed at this, and I said what other evidence did this person have that the number was their's. Turns out they had the original green logbook.
They wouldn't tell me who this person was, only that it was someone living in Sidcup.
Never did get the original log book back, which is a shame as I'd have been interested to trace the cars history.
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Didn't you once live in Sidcup Bob ;)
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Sidcup, Essex. No the myth is exploded.
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;D Twasnt me! They will be claiming TG500 next! ;)
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"Never did get the original log book back, which is a shame as I'd have been interested to trace the cars history."
You can request of the DVLA a copy of everything they have on record for your cars registration number. It cost a fiver but well worth it.
I did this and found out the original number for mine was 943 CD [ number sold on in 1982.] also a continuous list of previous owners and that it was originally blue, then white and now red.
You may not be as fortunate as I was in getting so much background information but for a fiver its worth the risk.
The form you need is V888 https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/346633/V888_080814.pdf
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I tried that service, but they unearthed nothing new, sadly.
All I know is that the previous owner was John W Groombridge, since July 1984, when he had the V5's issued and that the car was originally registered on 26th November 1959.
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CD was a Brighton suffix.
Do you know if your car was Riviera blue or the lighter Azure blue?
You can see the original rear lights were the plastic lensed 3" types with built in reflectors, although the lenses were absent. I prefer the earlier glass lensed lights, think they suit the cars vintage better. Lee Turnham from the IOCGB wouldn't accept that this car had them, he said to me that Isettas were never fitted with the plastic lenses until later. He said they must have been retrofitted. Well that's possible I suppose, after all it had a few other mods, including the reversing lights added either side of the rear numberplate.
However under close inspection I could find no holes in the bodywork where the separate reflectors would have screwed into the shell if the car had originally had the earlier lights, and I highly doubt a past owner would have gone to trouble and expense of welding any holes up.
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Thats interesting because as you can see here mine has the glass type. Mine was registered in april 1960 chassis number 321692 but everyone tells me its a 59 car.
I have no way of knowing which blue it was, log book just said blue and it has been bead blasted since then so I guess I will never know.
Yes, I know CD is a Brighton suffix, its first owner was from Brighton.
I would be very interested to know what your cars chassis number is. It may help my cause to get it MOT exempt.
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My chassis number is 310558.
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Oh, thats odd as they were already up to 321102 by september 1958.
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That was taken from the V5, I'm pretty certain it matches the chassis plate. I'll take a piccy.
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All very confusing on several counts . Brighton is in Suffolk not Suffix that's getting all mixed up with Bunkum Bob in Essex ;D prefix is the word for letters at the beginning of a registration number , suffix is when the letters are at the end of the reg. number :-\ Nuffinks is what it all has to do with me :D
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You've lost me there. I thought the letters were put on one side or the the other to stretch out the numbers. Brighton in Suffolk? Sussex surely.
I had a look at the chassis plate. Turns out the V5 has a number missing off the VIN number.
Full number reads 3105583. There's a mark between 8 and 3 that looks a bit like a dash but I think that's just wear and tear.
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Of course I meant Sussex - you see I even confused myself ! Yes but you referred to the letters on your car being a Brighton suffix - being at the beginning they are a prefix aren't they ? My brain hurts
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Ohh I see. Yes I should have said prefix for my plate.
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Richard, no one cares! ;D
I dont think so, I think the vin plate has too many letters. There should be six not seven.
Now I'm wondering if your car is earlier and was re-registered later in 1959???
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Sadly I can't offer any more insight, as I lack any information on the car prior to 1984. How very Orwellian!
Andy
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I wonder if Dave Watson could shed some light on it?
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I did this and found out the original number for mine was 943CD
Would have been sold new by Redhill Motors in Brighton. Is there a little red dealer plaque on the dash ?
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I wish there were but alas no.
I just checked the copy of the original log book and sure enough the first entry says Redhill Motors 104 North road Brighton.
What a clever clogs you are! ;D
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All cars supplied by Redhill motors had these dealer plaques fitted. Must have got lost over the years.
Speak to Dave Watson again, nicely and he might be able to help you out ;)
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I expect Dave may be able to solve that little mystery, or perhaps it will just add to the intrigue.
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You've lost me there. I thought the letters were put on one side or the the other to stretch out the numbers. Brighton in Suffolk? Sussex surely.
I had a look at the chassis plate. Turns out the V5 has a number missing off the VIN number.
Full number reads 3105583. There's a mark between 8 and 3 that looks a bit like a dash but I think that's just wear and tear.
you probably know this ... but if you want the real chassis No then you will have to remove the body you'll find it stamped on top = sorry but you cant see it from underneath ( like wise with the Reliant - Bonds are different its stamped in one of the alloy panels as well as the makers plate)
Alan
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I always though they were stamped on the front chassis cross-member just below the door hoop, but that you could see the number with the body in place. But nothing on mine.