The Isetta, contrary to myth , had a reverse gear. It also had a sun roof in case the front door got blocked or damaged and un openable. I used to drive this one up from Wooburn Green to Holtspur on a daily basis, wouldn’t want to do that now.
Back home in Ireland, mrs micra’s mother (sorry, mammy !) was desperately anxious about the bubble car - the only BMW I’ve ever owned - being blown over by a passing truck.
Don’t recall any particular difficulties about the absence of a reverse gear. It was light enough to push backwards without too much effort.
Of course - typical - I wrote the above before moving on to page 8 and seeing @perfidious_albion’s post. You had to pass a driving test before you could lawfully use the reverse gear. I hadn’t passed one but I can’t recall whether reverse gear was deactivated or whether it was left to the unqualified owner’s honesty.
Love the photo. Does it qualify as a motorbike or ‘Quadricycle’ perhaps for favourable road tax and license purposes?
I drove one on my motorcycle licence. Imagine road fund licence was cheaper. Big bonus was being able to sail through the car test first time, fully confident (including reversing into a road junction).
The Isetta, contrary to myth , had a reverse gear. It also had a sun roof in case the front door got blocked or damaged and un openable. I used to drive this one up from Wooburn Green to Holtspur on a daily basis, wouldn’t want to do that now.
Great colour.
Is that a very rare UK RHD built 3 wheeler.
Getting up Holtspur Lane fully loaded must have been interesting.
I drove one on my motorcycle licence. Imagine road fund licence was cheaper. Big bonus was being able to sail through the car test first time, fully confident (including reversing into a road junction).
After a bit of research 🧐 it seems that some of them did have the reverse gear disconnected for motorcyclists so you could be right about having to push it back.
Not sure this thread could stray much further than an exchange about 1960s bubble cars.
When I was at school in the 1960s, one of the teachers had a bubble car, I think it was a Heinkel from memory.
This was when Thunderbirds was a big show on TV, and one day some of the sixth formers got hold of a can of whitewash, and wrote on the front door 'Thunderbird 6: Thunderbubble'.
After one too many Advocates last night (remember that Xmas liquor- same colour as my bubble!) I deleted the photo of the Isetta thinking (upon drunken reflection) that no one would be interested in a fottie thread. But, cold light of day, a few were, so here is another shot of the ‘flying egg’.
After one too many Advocates last night (remember that Xmas liquor- same colour as my bubble!) I deleted the photo of the Isetta thinking (upon drunken reflection) that no one would be interested in a fottie thread. But, cold light of day, a few were, so here is another shot of the ‘flying egg’.
Beautiful car, if perhaps not particularly comfortable or practical, must have been quite the head turner when new.
I think mine may have been an even bigger head turner (no, not because of my hell for leather 60 mph driving, down hill with a following wind) but because the previous owner had fashioned a receptacle for a Roberts radio. What with that going and the heater blowing warmish air through what looked like the floor end of a vacuum cleaner hose, it really was the business !!
All those saying “credit to Port Vale” on Saturday, they are 3-0 down at half time. I think that provides further proof of how poor our second half was on Saturday.
This is an embed external element. It can be deleted using the delete key or the backspace key. To view the full element, press the preview button below.
Comments
The Isetta, contrary to myth , had a reverse gear. It also had a sun roof in case the front door got blocked or damaged and un openable. I used to drive this one up from Wooburn Green to Holtspur on a daily basis, wouldn’t want to do that now.
Funny you should say that @MorrisItal2.
Back home in Ireland, mrs micra’s mother (sorry, mammy !) was desperately anxious about the bubble car - the only BMW I’ve ever owned - being blown over by a passing truck.
Don’t recall any particular difficulties about the absence of a reverse gear. It was light enough to push backwards without too much effort.
Happy Days.
Of course - typical - I wrote the above before moving on to page 8 and seeing @perfidious_albion’s post. You had to pass a driving test before you could lawfully use the reverse gear. I hadn’t passed one but I can’t recall whether reverse gear was deactivated or whether it was left to the unqualified owner’s honesty.
Love the photo. Does it qualify as a motorbike or ‘Quadricycle’ perhaps for favourable road tax and license purposes?
Not sure this thread could stray much further than an exchange about 1960s bubble cars.
I drove one on my motorcycle licence. Imagine road fund licence was cheaper. Big bonus was being able to sail through the car test first time, fully confident (including reversing into a road junction).
Great colour.
Is that a very rare UK RHD built 3 wheeler.
Getting up Holtspur Lane fully loaded must have been interesting.
After a bit of research 🧐 it seems that some of them did have the reverse gear disconnected for motorcyclists so you could be right about having to push it back.
When I was at school in the 1960s, one of the teachers had a bubble car, I think it was a Heinkel from memory.
This was when Thunderbirds was a big show on TV, and one day some of the sixth formers got hold of a can of whitewash, and wrote on the front door 'Thunderbird 6: Thunderbubble'.
After one too many Advocates last night (remember that Xmas liquor- same colour as my bubble!) I deleted the photo of the Isetta thinking (upon drunken reflection) that no one would be interested in a fottie thread. But, cold light of day, a few were, so here is another shot of the ‘flying egg’.
Missed the start of this...has MB been accused of not having a reverse gear?
Not sure how this all started in the fog of Christmas, one thing is for sure my bubble had a tighter turning circle than Taff (remember him?).
Beautiful car, if perhaps not particularly comfortable or practical, must have been quite the head turner when new.
I think mine may have been an even bigger head turner (no, not because of my hell for leather 60 mph driving, down hill with a following wind) but because the previous owner had fashioned a receptacle for a Roberts radio. What with that going and the heater blowing warmish air through what looked like the floor end of a vacuum cleaner hose, it really was the business !!
Off to Vipienne now.
All those saying “credit to Port Vale” on Saturday, they are 3-0 down at half time. I think that provides further proof of how poor our second half was on Saturday.