Mystery Microcar November 2007

[Jim Janecek]

OK brainiacs, what do you think this is?

[Stuart Cyphus]

 A Spatz-Victoria-Brusche thing by any chance?   

[Jim Janecek]

I was hoping for something a little more specific.

but you are on the right track.

[Bob Purton]

Could be one of the late ones and badged a Burgfalke 250. Are there any prizes involved here?

[Jim Janecek]

Could be one of the late ones and badged a Burgfalke 250. Are there any prizes involved here?

Yes! We have a winner!
and you won all the prizes as well!

(prizes will be sent to you after you pay a small shipping and handling charge of £9000...)

for bonus points, what country was this particular car first exported to?

[Bob Purton]

Yes, I do know the country as it happens Jim but I cant afford to win! I was hoping for a free years subscription for your fabulous mag.

[Bob Purton]

One for you Jim. What was the three wheeled version called and in which country was it built?

[Jim Janecek]

The Belcar and it was built in the Netherlands ( I think )   (thank you Jan De Lange!)

I wish I could read Dutch.

[Jim Janecek]

Yes, I do know the country as it happens Jim but I cant afford to win!I was hoping for a free years subscription for your fabulous mag.

yes, that was one of the many fabulous prizes you won, but there is the matter of the small shipping and handling charge.....

sorry, contest rules and all that.  this offer void where prohibited by law etc etc.

[Bob Purton]

The Belcar is the correct answer but not the complete answer, this is where it gets complicated.Egon Brutches original design, the Spatz 200 was a three wheeler but only prototypes were made so in the first instance Germany was where they were made. The Belcar which came along later was made in Switzerland, and then it can be argued that the avolette in also based on this design and is a three wheeler made in France. I couldnt find any reference to the Netherlands but this does not mean that you are wrong, I would be interested to know if its true. Jim, your prize is five year subsription for Rumcar news for every member of the Vintage microcar and minicar club of the USA, the only condition being that all members must be in attendence for our National rally 2008 and be accompanied by both of their grandparents. Simple.

[Jim Janecek]

This is why I wish I could read Dutch.

Jan De Lange's write up of the Belcar did seem to mention Switzerland, but since I can't read Dutch to save my life, I could not tell if it was designed there or built there or if "Switzerland" was the word I was looking at.
Also- there appeared to be an inordinate amount of time spent talking about the "netherlands version" of the car (well, that is how I read it...).

[Bob Purton]

I can appreciate your problem, Dutch isnt the easiest of languages to busk your way through! All my books say built in Switzerland, sold in Holland. That was fun Jim. Ask us another and lets stick with the good looking proper microcars like the last one!

[Rusty Chrome (Malcolm Parker)]

A couple of Belcar links (neither in english I'm afraid) but a beautiful example sadly destroyed in 1966 after it was vandalized. Neither site mentions any Dutch connection.

http://www.dufour.ch/Belcar/

http://www.rollermobilclub.ch/rmc/pages/info/belcar.htm

[Bob Purton]

Thanks for those links Rusty chrome, what a cracking looking microcar, this is why Egon is so reveared. I was beginning to feel that this forum was doomed to discuss only the ugly ones. By the way I love your ID, do you have a relative called 'corroded ali' by chance?

[Rusty Chrome (Malcolm Parker)]

No, but I do have a German uncle called Bendt Fender