What's a Bubblecar?

[Bob Purton]

Well oddly enough Jim, that more or less reflects my feelings, zero to 500cc is micro and 500 to 1000 mini.

Everyone has a different concept and any amount of parameters set will always throw up all kind of anomalies.

[Elvis]

This thread is certainly generating a lot to think about!       

As my old man reminds me. 'If everyone liked the same thing then they'd all want to sleep with your mother!'.

That's a great saying, certainly made me smile.   

[steven mandell]

Now here is a" Bubble car" that nobody could argue out of existence, and anyone can afford- that is if you don't bid it up too high amongst yourselves in the next day.
It is branded as a "City Car' but looks more than a bit Avoletteish to me.  Anybody out there that can settle the moniker issue?
The picture was likely taken in the U.S. around 1964, and is available as EBay (US) # 261237076685.
Sorry I don't know how to make it a link, but I guarantee a satisfying view if you make the effort  to see it before someone else performs the courtesy of so doing.

[Barry]

Now here is a" Bubble car" that nobody could argue out of existence, and anyone can afford- that is if you don't bid it up too high amongst yourselves in the next day.
It is branded as a "City Car' but looks more than a bit Avoletteish to me.  Anybody out there that can settle the moniker issue?
The picture was likely taken in the U.S. around 1964, and is available as EBay (US) # 261237076685.
Sorry I don't know how to make it a link, but I guarantee a satisfying view if you make the effort  to see it before someone else performs the courtesy of so doing.

Here is the photo - Enhanced

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/261237076685?ru=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fsch%2Fi.html%3F_from%3DR40%26_sacat%3D0%26_nkw%3D261237076685%26_rdc%3D1

[Bob Purton]

Hmm Nice Bouffort Peardrop. Definitely one for my dream garage

[richard]

 

[Big Al]

Well oddly enough Jim, that more or less reflects my feelings, zero to 500cc is micro and 500 to 1000 mini.

Everyone has a different concept and any amount of parameters set will always throw up all kind of anomalies.

This makes a lot more sense, although I call the larger group Lightcars as the Minicar is a microcar with the name despoiled by BMC then BMW into a very large car indeed.

The elements left out are date and concept. A 2CV at 425cc is still not a Microcar. Its concept is a Lightcar. Tell me what is micro about it? Microcars are rare and most failures. I am not interested in popularizing them, making them inclusive etc. They are what they are. They are a special cul de sac of automotive engineering just as the Cyclecars were before them. If you do not like them, do not buy and get something else in another category rather than changing ours. See IC hating as a perfect example of being an outcast when humongous kit cars barge their way in as bonofide microcars. Rubbish.

[Barry]

Do we need a sort of family tree or an evolutionary tree or an overall category of cars, sub-divided into smaller groups (which could overlap)

The main category - Microcars.   What is the definition?  

                                                           Cubic Capacity:     700cc or less
                                                                     weight:     ?
                                              Manufacturing date limit:     None

What does everyone think is the correct definition?

sub-divisions - Bubble cars (definition)
                    Sans Permis (definition)
                    Invalid carriage (definition)
                    Electric
                    Tricycles (for Bonds A, B, C etc. if they don't fit into bubblecars or are they simply just microcars)

There are unusual small cars that sit just outside the definition of microcar - usually because of cc.  Bond bug, 875, etc.  How do we accommodate these or should they be disregarded?

I think the definition of Microcar is the first step, then we can decide exactly what makes and models can be included.
                    

                    The main category - Microcars.   What is the definition?  

                                                          Cubic Capacity:     600cc or less?
                                                                     weight:     ?
                                              Manufacturing date limit:     None[/color]

                    Secondary catagory - Light cars - not Mini cars  (good description Al)



sub-divisions - Bubble cars (definition)
                    Sans Permis (definition) - 50cc versions and/or higher capacity to modern era
                    Invalid carriage (definition) - definately not a microcar as per Bobs explanation, 'bath chairs and appliances' is valid)
                    Electric
                    Tricycles
                    Cyclecars
                    Prototypes, Hand builds and other one-offs (low volume?)
                    Enclosed motorcycles / scooters
                    Excluded vehicle list.

[Barry]

Now here is a" Bubble car" that nobody could argue out of existence, and anyone can afford- that is if you don't bid it up too high amongst yourselves in the next day.
It is branded as a "City Car' but looks more than a bit Avoletteish to me.  Anybody out there that can settle the moniker issue?
The picture was likely taken in the U.S. around 1964, and is available as EBay (US) # 261237076685.
Sorry I don't know how to make it a link, but I guarantee a satisfying view if you make the effort  to see it before someone else performs the courtesy of so doing.

Here is the photo - Enhanced

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/261237076685?ru=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fsch%2Fi.html%3F_from%3DR40%26_sacat%3D0%26_nkw%3D261237076685%26_rdc%3D1

Some more information.
http://retrorambling.wordpress.com/2012/04/28/bouffort-peardrop-1952/

[Big Al]

                    Secondary catagory - Light cars - not Mini cars  (good description Al)

I do not take the credit for that. Nick Poll made me aware of its appropriateness when he created Southern Light Cars. A far better description and advertising name than Southern Bubblecars or Southern Microcars for what he was then doing. No idea where he got it from but it works well. 

[Elvis]

Light cars sounds a good name, especially when the original "Mini" car was designed to clear the roads of 3-wheeler / Micro cars.

[Big Al]

And a lot of Reliants were light cars. Ultimately that concept was the winning one and if it were not for some poor management they would have lasted longer and might just be our largest manufacturer now! And the Meek shall inherit the earth. The Meek 82 Reliant 'Raven' (Caw, its good!) trike to pick over the entrails of the British motorcar industry. 

[richard]

just catching up a bit here but the term MINICAR can hardly be designated for vehicles 500cc - 1000cc can it ? Britains first and far the most successful Microcar , that quite possibly started the whole thing in Germany and Italy, was THE BOND MINICAR !! you now propose to classify this as not as a MINICAR but make it a MICROCAR . In fact as far as i know Bond invented the term to describe their own car  - are you bonkers or what  

[Barry]

just catching up a bit here but the term MINICAR can hardly be designated for vehicles 500cc - 1000cc can it ? Britains first and far the most successful Microcar , that quite possibly started the whole thing in Germany and Italy, was THE BOND MINICAR !! you now propose to classify this as not as a MINICAR but make it a MICROCAR . In fact as far as i know Bond invented the term to describe their own car  - are you bonkers or what  

The Bond Minicar - a lightweight car?

[richard]

at 122cc who could argue