FLIPPERS

[Barry]

Good luck with fixing the electric bike Rob.  Is it going to be a Sinclair next?
What a great history of Microcars - did you get to drive them all on the road?
My first was an Isetta in about 1979  ACO 333A It was perfect for the three mile journey to work and was quite an investment at £100.  I wonder where it is now.
We used to race our Isettas around Little Weatleys Farm in Rayleigh.
I sold it and another for £150 to a chap in Westcliff, because I ran out of room when I moved from the farm. 
He never collected them so I told him I would leave them in Westcliff station car park for him to collect, which I did.  I don't know if he ever did collect them but I wish I had just made some space and kept them both
Is the Peel (or any of the others) still around anywhere?
I have often thought that we should have a folder for each car on the register so that everyone can supply photos of thier cars from the their beginnings.
From new pride and joy to old wreck and back to cherrished classic (or running restoration).  I am sure we would all be happy to supply the photos.

Barry

[Peelpower]

Hello Rob, can you remember the registration and chassis number of your former Peel  P50 shown on the photo? Would like to put these informations in to my register.
Thank you
Ferdi

[Big Al]

Going back to the Flipper II and question. Martin is Martin MacKeever. Your story of the Isetta sounds very reminiscent of one his purchases funnily enough. He has often bought before being able to take cars, an annoying habit really. He was the guy who actually started the Isetta Owners Club but left after a year as it got to popular and organised. A rebel and what we have in common and why he is a mate of mine. Anyway a guy near Bedford imported a Flipper II and a Donkey along with a cache of spares with the intention of setting up a distributor business for the cars. It never happened and the two cars got stashed in a barn nigh on unused. Mine had, I think, 37 kilometers on the clock! The Donkey is in circulation. The car was all beige rather than with brown bits.
I believe I have a handbook for the Flipper II somewhere.

As to the Dobie collection, it is better to have owned and played with than to never have owned at all. I am not sure if he feels the same but for some cars the fact you had one is enough and unless an option came up cheap there is no great desire to repeat ownership. With microcars there are so many more to try and not the time to do so. I wonder who has driven the most differing types on the roads. Certainly will not be me but I have done a few over the years. Most were appalling machines but that is the fun.

[mharrell]

I can understand why people don't show much interest in these Sans Permis cars but once you see what they were trying to achieve they do have a certain attraction.

No!  Don't say that in public!  Now everybody will want one.

On second thought, never mind.  I'm pretty sure that still won't happen.

Congratulations on the Flipper.  Do you have the Revue Technique for VSPs?  I don't have mine in front of me right now, but I believe it has quite a bit of useful information on the care and feeding of Flippers.  I can scan the relevant pages if you need them.

[Barry]

I can understand why people don't show much interest in these Sans Permis cars but once you see what they were trying to achieve they do have a certain attraction.

No!  Don't say that in public!  Now everybody will want one.

On second thought, never mind.  I'm pretty sure that still won't happen.

Congratulations on the Flipper.  Do you have the Revue Technique for VSPs?  I don't have mine in front of me right now, but I believe it has quite a bit of useful information on the care and feeding of Flippers.  I can scan the relevant pages if you need them.

I have RevueTechnique 'Les Voiturettes' 1984 if this is the same?  Its a great help and the exploded view of the engine showed the two clutches (just about) so I worked out how the gears are supposed to work.  But when the engine has 'Automatic' written on it, I cant quite work out why I need a cable to change to second (engage the second clutch.

Cant wait to get the Flipper out on the country roads, everyone behind will appreciate how much more you can see at 24mph.

[Jean]

I have often thought that we should have a folder for each car on the register so that everyone can supply photos of their cars from the their beginnings.
From new pride and joy to old wreck and back to cherished classic (or running restoration).  I am sure we would all be happy to supply the photos.

Barry

That is just what Alastair is attempting to do.  Another reason that cars should be put on the Register and everyone should keep the Register informed when it changes hands.  Each car Registered has its own file with its own unique number.all the cars details are entered on that file together with photographs that have been received over the years, until such time we notified the car has been scrapped.  Also recorded are the names of successive owners.  From this information which Alastair holds may be when we get our newly designed web site up and running archive pictures could be published (with the owners permission of course)  But to do this sort of thing we do need cooperation  from all the owners to keep the information updated.  Also using these statistics we are able to assist with the retention of the original numbers under the V765 scheme and dating of of cars as the DVLA accept the fact that we have been building up this vital information since 1980 when the Register was first started. Jean

[Barry]

Going back to the Flipper II and question. Martin is Martin MacKeever. Your story of the Isetta sounds very reminiscent of one his purchases funnily enough. He has often bought before being able to take cars, an annoying habit really. He was the guy who actually started the Isetta Owners Club but left after a year as it got to popular and organised. A rebel and what we have in common and why he is a mate of mine. Anyway a guy near Bedford imported a Flipper II and a Donkey along with a cache of spares with the intention of setting up a distributor business for the cars. It never happened and the two cars got stashed in a barn nigh on unused. Mine had, I think, 37 kilometers on the clock! The Donkey is in circulation. The car was all beige rather than with brown bits.
I believe I have a handbook for the Flipper II somewhere.

As to the Dobie collection, it is better to have owned and played with than to never have owned at all. I am not sure if he feels the same but for some cars the fact you had one is enough and unless an option came up cheap there is no great desire to repeat ownership. With microcars there are so many more to try and not the time to do so. I wonder who has driven the most differing types on the roads. Certainly will not be me but I have done a few over the years. Most were appalling machines but that is the fun.

I understand why your Flipper was 'as new' now Al.  I was in the Isetta Owners Club in the late 1970's and found all of the old magazines (booklets) the other day.
So the guy in Bedford never had a Flipper I on the road in the UK?  If there was ever a registered one it would help me register my one - perhaps without seat belts, or could it fall in a different taxation class?
The Fliiper hand book would be usefull if you don't need it, Stuart Cyphus let me have a Flipper sales pamflet for two bob.

I agree that it is great to own any of these small cars.  Great satisfaction to get them working and run up and down the road.  It is still my Isetta that I really want to get back on the road properly.  My old one was still a usable vehicle in trafic and behaved on the road quite well, we shall see.  I had a Heinkel and it was awfull - no power just revs, suicide gears and certain death brakes.  

[Barry]

I have often thought that we should have a folder for each car on the register so that everyone can supply photos of their cars from the their beginnings.
From new pride and joy to old wreck and back to cherished classic (or running restoration).  I am sure we would all be happy to supply the photos.

Barry

That is just what Alastair is attempting to do.  Another reason that cars should be put on the Register and everyone should keep the Register informed when it changes hands.  Each car Registered has its own file with its own unique number.all the cars details are entered on that file together with photographs that have been received over the years, until such time we notified the car has been scrapped.  Also recorded are the names of successive owners.  From this information which Alastair holds may be when we get our newly designed web site up and running archive pictures could be published (with the owners permission of course)  But to do this sort of thing we do need cooperation  from all the owners to keep the information updated.  Also using these statistics we are able to assist with the retention of the original numbers under the V765 scheme and dating of of cars as the DVLA accept the fact that we have been building up this vital information since 1980 when the Register was first started. Jean

I understand what you are doing with the register Jean and it's great. I was thinking along the lines of your future plans.  A place on the website where photos can be deposited by anyone who finds or has a picture of a microcar.  The photos deposited would be copyright free and available to anyone (within Rumcars?) who wanted to see them.  All filed under the registration number.  I would not be too concerned about only keeping the photos of surviving cars.  It was great to see the picture of Robs Peel, there are probably many photos of it out there somewher showing its history.  It could be easy to open a 'Drop-box' account and share it with all members for the process to begin.  It would be the people who supply the photos that would do the work uploading to the Drop-Box account......  Lots of ideas, I know, but time is always a problem.

Regards
Barry

[mharrell]

I have RevueTechnique 'Les Voiturettes' 1984 if this is the same?

That's it.  I've found it to be the perfect reference manual in that (1) I don't speak French and (2) it covers nearly every voiturette of that era except mine, thereby rendering point (1) irrelevant.

[Barry]

What is your car.
The manual has been very good for me with a JS4 Ligier, Acoma Super Comtesse and Flipper all covered.  I do still need to find out as much as possible about my Minicat though.
I would recommend it to all Sans Permis 50cc owners and it's pretty good for the moped crew as well.
I can't read the French text but it looks impressive when I am concentrating on it, I've always preferred books with lots of pictures anyway!

[mharrell]

What is your car.

It's the KV Mini 1 which I use as my avatar.  I've got two, the '80 shown and a '78 for parts.  The Revue Technique mentions KV/KVS in the back among its list of manufacturers but doesn't cover any of their products.  Ah, well.

[Rob Dobie]

My Donky was the other Flipper bought into UK by "the guy in Bedford". As new, 24k. on speedo.  After ringing VOSA I was told it would be classed as a Quad. Took it on a trailer to a MOT garage that tested bikes, three-wheelers, cars etc. After having a quick look the owner said it could be tested and if it didn't fit onto the lift he would get four of his testers to lift it up for a deco underneath. I asked about seatbelts and he said "as it wasn't fitted with belts when new (1982) it dosen't need them now (2004). The yellow headlights were ok too. The only thing he wanted was a rear brake light fitted. Never did get it done though.

[Barry]

What is your car.

It's the KV Mini 1 which I use as my avatar.  I've got two, the '80 shown and a '78 for parts.  The Revue Technique mentions KV/KVS in the back among its list of manufacturers but doesn't cover any of their products.  Ah, well.

Post a bigger photo of it, I am always interested, or send to: vividimage@btconnect.com

[Barry]

My Donky was the other Flipper bought into UK by "the guy in Bedford". As new, 24k. on speedo.  After ringing VOSA I was told it would be classed as a Quad. Took it on a trailer to a MOT garage that tested bikes, three-wheelers, cars etc. After having a quick look the owner said it could be tested and if it didn't fit onto the lift he would get four of his testers to lift it up for a deco underneath. I asked about seatbelts and he said "as it wasn't fitted with belts when new (1982) it dosen't need them now (2004). The yellow headlights were ok too. The only thing he wanted was a rear brake light fitted. Never did get it done though.

I suppose the Donky is more like a proper car with a wheel on each corner.  I wonder what they would make of the turning front wheels and engine, close together - a trike perhaps.  The quad catagory sounds good.  When I talked to the MOT people about my Lawil 250cc they said it would definately be class 4 and would need seat belts even though it was 1979 (ish).
Where is the Donky now?

[Rob Dobie]

Hello Rob, can you remember the registration and chassis number of your former Peel  P50 shown on the photo? Would like to put these informations in to my register.
Thank you
Ferdi

Hello Ferdi,
The picture of the Peel P50 with a skinny me fiddling with the wheel of is MHX 90C before I sprayed it Jaguar Regency Red. Can't remember the chassis number, could have been D.506