RUMCars Forum
General Category => Unusual Microcar Discussion => Topic started by: Bob Purton on April 27, 2015, 04:04:23 PM
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So that do we know about this one?
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Well it's a Velam (says so on the bonnet!).
It's the "Isetta Speciale" (also referred to as the "Course" and the "Aero") and was the racing car version of the Isetta. Built on the Isetta chassis, with a 236 cc engine, it was raced by Jean Bianchi and Claude Peslier andachieved seven records in its class ('K', less than 250 cc). It managed average speeds of 62 to 68 miles per hour.
(Isn't Google search-by-image just too easy ... ) ;)
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Well ! Never heard anything of it before but what more can you say :D
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New to me, great find.
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Well that one didnt last long did it! And there was me ready to give a clue about only having three wheel nuts. I should have enlarged it, spotted Velam first and scribbled it out! ;D
Well done Dave. Ok, who has another?
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It has been on here before as well Bob!
http://www.rumcars.org/forum/index.php?topic=2604.msg15356#msg15356 (http://www.rumcars.org/forum/index.php?topic=2604.msg15356#msg15356)
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I got quite interested in ebay 321732026759 till I realised it was not the real one. Great looking thing.
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Well that one didnt last long did it! And there was me ready to give a clue about only having three wheel nuts. I should have enlarged it, spotted Velam first and scribbled it out! ;D
Well done Dave. Ok, who has another?
There is a LOT of 3 wheel nuts on here :o
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Easy?
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I guess another Isetta special? BMW badge and Isetta hub caps.
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That one has been on before as well. Note the Renault Dophine bonnet.
Chris Thomas
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I think it might have been me that posted it , anyway I mustn't say anything I will leave it to those who don't know :D
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The Thudlington, proving that you can have a lightened and smaller Powerdrive concept. Also that you can either wear a cap, or have a hairstyle with Brylcream, so it looks like you are wearing a cap. Thus you remain lighter for your microcar, and yet waterproof in the rain. There is the Bob Purton approach, of course, which adds aerodynamics and brain cooling, but that's what 'Schmitt ownership does for you. Messes with the grey cells. Hence the need for a floppy hat to control ideas of grandeur. Now where did I put mine?
A microcar Dauphinoise. Mmm, creamy and slow baked.
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Cheeky! True though, Schmitt ownership messed with my grey cells, I bought an Isetta!
I like the fly screens. Something I considered on my own project.
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New to me, great find.
New to me, as well! :)
Looks very cool!
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Cheeky! True though, Schmitt ownership messed with my grey cells, I bought an Isetta!
I like the fly screens. Something I considered on my own project.
If a Scootacar is a crash helmet on wheels, is an Isetta a bobble hat.
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;D Maybe. For years it was referred to by motoring jouralists as the egg but I personally dont see it as all that ovate.
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Is your Bobette a Bobble Car? ;D
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Could be Rob! ;D
I did send you some pictures but the postmaster returned them, I guess you have a new email?
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Yes! My new email address: robdobie51@gmail.com.
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So is anyone going to reveal what this mystery car is?!
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It is a mystery.
MVV 262 Baldet Bluebird on Isetta 1962
http://www.isetta-owners-club-gb.com/art_9.htm
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/dhc852apq9fbdqy/AABsqz1rNz_0VvplbVSXYxqRa?dl=0
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Uh ? Marcus I thought Dave Miller got it one right at the start didn't he ?
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Yes! My new email address: robdobie51@gmail.com.
Thanks Rob. Will send you a few pics of finished Bobette as you are one of the few having dealings with the originals. The rest will have to wait for its first showing.
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Uh ? Marcus I thought Dave Miller got it one right at the start didn't he ?
That was the first one, I was talking about the Baldet Bluebird, which I now know, cheers Barry!
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Thanks Rob. Will send you a few pics of finished Bobette as you are one of the few having dealings with the originals. The rest will have to wait for its first showing.
Received the pics. What a fantastic machine, A modern twist on the 1950s froggy microcar. I love it. I want one. Well done Bob.
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Bob is a stickler for authenticity. He can knock one out for you for 65 pounds 10 shillings and six pence. First come first served :) (plus purchase Tax)
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Barry, you are a wag! I was just saying to Rob, I will never do another one, once was quite enough thank you! Although at the moment I could really do with £65 10 shillings! ;D
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I would love to see the photos!
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Granted.
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Bringing this topic back to the subject of mystery cars. Anyone know this one?
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No idea ! Is it as barmy as it looks ? What's the " roof" for . It's very high and moveable weird . The lines are just a bit Biscuterish but the hat British so could it be a Franco/ British consortium that later lead to the Concord >:(
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I think this took part in the D day landings. Surely an Englishman in collar & tie AND bobble hat would instil great fear into the enemy!
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Very odd. At least the gunwhales are fairly high so it looks less likely to be swamped than an Amphicar. The "roof" structure seems only to make sense as a weather shelter as I don't think that flexible solar panels existed when that photo was taken. The masts and awning are completely wrong for use a sail too.
Interestingly I have already done the artwork for my next solo CD, which is of a Heinkel Trojan sailing down a river and fitted with a mast and sail !
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At last.....A photo of Bob's creation. ;D
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other boat cars:-----
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/pyeg012lhb7ssvi/AACtmqy8SoqVfGFtAI6OMgLYa?dl=0
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Absolutely correct about the "sail", it's to shelter the occupants from the sun.
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Are the gunwhales deep or the water near to rather shallow ? Hard to tell Malcolm obviously knows more but it's very much looking like a one off
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Abaft of the beam, the gunwhales are quite deep. The water ahead of the bow may be foul.
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Wide athwartships, protection from sun and with the helm on the larboard side suggests to me she be from foreign climes; no cannon, anchors or belaying pins about her, so I thinks she means us no harm.
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Oh I'm not so sure, that bobble hat looks pretty threatening to me! ;D
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Perhaps Johnny Foreigner is trying to blend in with us natives!
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Where does the bobble hat come from I. Think it was always British , possibly even English, I do know it was much favoured by Bonders in the 60's . Possibly if you had an open top car back then and the flat cap had a different image you still needed a hat ?
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I believe the bobble is traditionally Swiss, and was once seen as an invaluable aide in the case of avalanche where the light-weight gaily-coloured bauble could be identified as a contender for imminent rescue once it was spotted by highly-trained St Bernards atop an otherwise white backdrop. I believe Doug Ferreira chose this form of apparel when he took part in his Monte-carlo rally exploits knowing of the treacherous conditions he might face and of course this was soon adopted by many Bondoliers throughout the nation as a fitting tribute to his exploits.
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Well I never !! True or bluff though ;)
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Wow, there is a lot of knowledge on this forum!
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still got me tatty bobble hat from 60's Bonding days - in a box the garage , also have a new one mam knitted in the 70's - worn once for Chatteris , those was the days Mk G and trailer full of camping gear and 4 up in the G (single tourer with saloon top) , a 200 mile run - down the A1 !!!
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Quite an adventure plas man!
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Going back to the Mystery car, the picture was taken on the Havel river on January 22 1952.
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Wiki tells me that's Germany , it's not Von Trippell is it then ? Didn't he do something on that front ? Yep I am going with Hanns Trippel 1908-2001 but I can't actually find that model I do see others from the 60's
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It's not Hans Trippel. As far as I can establish, unlike Trippel, although this guy took out a few patents, he never had any plans to flood the market.
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Did he float the company ? Or was he just swamped with orders ? :)
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I would imagine it went into liquidation.
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He was sold down the river, did not have enough float to keep above the waves
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Well Malcolm who the heck was it and any other info ?
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Looking at the relative size of the people, my guess is that it isn't a microcar in size terms, even if the engine is small. And the USA is where 'Bimini tops' to keep the sun from cooking the sailors were most popular long ago, so I'm saying it's Merkan.
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if its from the states it could be acquainted to water-gate :D
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And I was thinking it was from this side of the pond
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This was another craft the same chap made in 1967 - definitely not microsize, but apparently a three wheeler.
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Another view of the original mystery car.
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That's the one. This is the first in a series of amphibious vehicles constructed by Karl Baier of West Berlin sometime around 1950. Newspaper reports say it was powered by a 125cc engine giving 100mpg. A second version the "Familien-Freizeit-Auto" (Family-friendly car) appeared in 1953, this time powered by an air-cooled, rear-mounted 200cc two-stroke engine. The third and final version the "Wannsee-Auto" appeared in 1967. Mr Baier took out a few patents relating to his craft, but otherwise doesn't appear to have made much more of a splash.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/96398185? (http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/96398185?)
I don't have a copy myself, but I'm told that more details of Mr Baier's exploits plus information about one or two other micro-amphibians can be found in the German book Mit dem Auto baden gehen by Rene Pohl and Rüdiger Haack. You can see (very small) photos of these and a few details of each craft on Rene Pohl's website
http://www.schwimmauto.de/ (http://www.schwimmauto.de/)
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Veery eenterresting . I thought you may have made a typo - I wouldnt go out in it without a baler :) so after all that it was a micro too ! ( has anyone seen one for sale ;D )