Rare micros with hoods up

[richard]

i believe these are all photo's taken at goodwood revival 2006 by nick mander - now theres a man with a fine Mark A Bond - see pics , see his flikr stream ( where did you find the pic bob )

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jimothey/sets/72157605845570300/

[richard]

bob brought up the subject of rare micro's with hoods up so -

my Bruetsch Pfeil when i first spotted it at a local show - with all trim missing , beetle back lights , lucas front , odd windscreen off ? and a homemade hood - quite well made but totally lacking in sympathy to the Pfeil's curvature

these cars look very " normal" size until someone is photographed in or with it - see the Victoria 250 in Sparrows excellent book

[messerschmitt]

uh ?  what on earth does that allard/ zeta post mean i have read it about 6 times and cannot make sense - it's like one of big als 

bob - just seen your original post and observed the spelling of Kleinschnittger - you are getting worse , is it dementia

my b95 shares its garage with a real allard.

[Bob Purton]

uh ?  what on earth does that allard/ zeta post mean i have read it about 6 times and cannot make sense - it's like one of big als 

bob - just seen your original post and observed the spelling of Kleinschnittger - you are getting worse , is it dementia

Well I have to blame Al. he started all the comical misspelling of microcars names so I just chipped in with Kliensniggerer, I thought it was rather good! You complained when I called your car a Brutch Pifel! do northern folk have no sense of humor? 

[Big Al]

Moi? I like the 'little laughter', eh?

But given the choice of a chuckle next to a chortle in the hand I prefer a giggle T400. Does that help?

[richard]

here you go - another pic of the same gathering from flikr

[Bob Purton]

So returning to the thread theme, does the BSA Ladybird have a hood?

[richard]

well the answer could be yes and no , as 2 prototypes only were built , and the one pictured still exists ,these pics both show the differently built other car with a hood
pic 1 is from an original 1976 issue of motor cycle mag
pic2 is from tony marshalls book - microcars

oops just read through and realise that it was actually a proposed hardtop and not a hood !

[richard]

i know bob will love it  - the Gordon

[Bob Purton]

What a shame the Ladybird never came to anything, with BSA resources it could have been a quality product. As far as Gordons are concerned, naaaah I still dont want one. 

[richard]

don't for a moment believe that BSA  meant a quality product especially in last few years in particular ! Vernons also at the time a very large outfit - but they only came up with the Gordon.

[Bob Purton]

Well yes, I know they were going under and quality way have been on the wain but the company did have a lot of experience and has proper engineers working for them. Just the shell alone tells me it would have been to a reasonable standard, where as Vernons just came up with something as stylish as my grannies coal bunker with engineering to match!  If the Ladybird has been eight years earlier who know what may have happend.

[richard]

bob ! your grannies coal bunker belongs in the off topic lounge   vernons industries did what they knew best - unfortunately they had previous experience making kitchen units of aluminium panels 

[Bob Purton]

 I guess they just applied there Pools collections ethos to car making, ie taking peoples money and giving them back something not worth having.
Still I fully appreciate that the cars are of local historical interest to you. I'm glad I dont have to go down that path because it would mean me having to acquire a Larmar!

[Big Al]

well the answer could be yes and no , as 2 prototypes only were built , and the one pictured still exists

Allegedly. Maybe they did not need hoods for the market intended at the time. As to quality, the engine was good in its way. Bit like a twin Heinkel. It suffered from overheating, as it did in the Scooter, and research suggested this was a reason for a lack of orders. Why is it the British seemed to never really understand the concept of cooling small inclosed engines properly? Especially when exported to somewhere hot!

Larmar offered the world a very square deal. What was the problem with that? Well taking the above comment the cooling by a bit of bent metal and a rubber band but at least it had some remote directional air forced infrastructure. Quality motor, a Larmar. Got extras of a lot of things like wheels and fuel tank caps. Pity about the seats but there are a lot of lonely people out there and who are Larmar to not help them be lonely?