BMW - Isetta - Brochure - 2008 - 2008

COVER BY JEFF WAREING 1 The Isetta Owners Club of Great Britain Ltd. OFFICERS & COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN/TREASURER Bob Crompton 225 Old Road, Meriden, Coventry. CV7 7JP email:[email protected] MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY Jeff Wareing 109 Fulbeck Avenue, Marus Bridge, Wigan. WN3 5QL email:[email protected] GAZETTE EDITOR (TEMP) Ian Parris 1 Winston Close, Nether Heyford, Northampton. NN7 3JX email:[email protected] NEW SPARES MANAGER Mike Hurn 9 Charnwood Drive, Leicester Forest East, Leicester. LE3 3HL FAX/24 Hr Ansaphone: 0116 2390319 USED SPARES MANAGER Mike Ayriss 29 Oak Drive, Syston, Leicester. LE7 2PX email:[email protected] TECHNICAL ADVISER Contact Mike Hurn CLUB MERCHANDISE Jeff Wareing 109 Fulbeck Avenue, Marus Bridge, Wigan. WN3 5QL email:[email protected] REGISTRAR Lee Turnham 70 Prebendal Avenue, Aylesbury,Bucks. HP21 8LQ email:[email protected] BMW 600 & 700 Roger Barker 'Graygarth' The Holloway, Alvechurch, Birmingham. B48 7QA ARCHIVE/RE-REGISTRATION Dave Watson 19 Wellhead Road, Totternhoe, Nr Dunstable, Bedfordshire. email:[email protected] WEBMASTER Ian Parris 1 Winston Close, Nether Heyford, Northampton. NN7 3JX email:[email protected] OTHER COMMITTEE MEMBERS Elaine Hurn, Graham Potter NEW I.O.C. SUBSCRIPTION RATES United Kingdom Europe N & S America, Africa, Middle East Australia, New Zealand, Japan Registered Office: £12.00 £14.00 £17.00 £17.00 Credit Card Payments. IMPORTANT Please ensure you give the Membership Secretary the full card number, the expiry date and the 3 digit security number from the back of the card above the signature strip 225 Old Road, Meriden, Coventry. CV7 7JP Company Reg. No. 2527362 2 Editors Bit I have been thrown in at the deep end, and like Steve our previous editor I am sitting in front of my PC wondering where I start and how I fill some pages with interesting items. I have never used a Desk Top Publishing package before and don't have any skills in the editorial field, but I am going to do my best. Hopefully with the help of you, the members, who like to read a magazine but rarely put pen to paper we can generate some interesting articles. We all have stories to tell and have probably bored our close friends to death with them but now is your opportunity to bore the rest of us who have been fortunate enough to be out of earshot. The Gazette will probably be quite different and you may not like it, so be gentle with me and let me know politely where I am going wrong. I have included a photo of myself so you know who to slap if you don't like it (and if you can do any better you've got the job). I need your stories, your photos and your guidance, this is your club and your Gazette so let's make it a success. I would like to thank Steve for the work he put in during the last 4 years producing the gazette and I only hope the standard will not fall too much in my hands. Ian Parris Chairmans Chat Firstly, after a turbulent few weeks, may I welcome Ian to the role of Editor, the first edition under his stewardship. It continues Steve’s award-winning IOC Gazette in a familiar format and with the same printer as we have used in the past. Ian has, rightly, made it clear that this is a group effort and that he needs input from, not only the Committee, but also the membership. So if you have a story or have been to a Rally and can do a report or have any technical input which you think may be of use to other members, please send them in to Ian. Do not worry if it is not word perfect, we can polish it up for you. You will recall that we had hoped that David Marsh would pick up the Gazette baton and indeed David attended a Committee meeting for familiarisation. Unfortunately this did not work out and I am delighted that Ian has decided to fill a critical role in the running of the Club. Thanks are due to David for his interest and we hope that he will continue to contribute to future Gazettes. I am also pleased to advise, that as a result of strong support for the Club, as indicated by the current level of membership renewals, we have enough money in the coffers to allow Ian to publish more than the indicated two issues per year, if and it is a BIG IF, we can get enough editorial content to him for more than two issues. On a different tack, may I add my own regrets to those expressed elsewhere in this issue, by Terry, that Otto and Marianne’s wonderful Story Museum is to be sold off. I think it very unlikely that a Microcar Museum, this comprehensive and of this quality will ever be assembled again. Like Terry, I, and a number of the Committee, made visits to the wonderful rallies in the 80’s and have very special memories of those fabulous times. I would like to extend the Club’s thanks to Otto and Marianne for those wonderful rallies and wish them all the best for the future. Finally, may I warmly welcome Alan Town, Roger Barker and their team’?s efforts in promoting the BMW 600’s 50th birthday party in Southport. The 600 and indeed the 700 are a vital part of BMW’s history and it is fitting that we should mark the half century even though there are relatively few of these cars in the UK. The Club has contributed the birthday cake, so go along and claim your bit !!! Have a great Rally season in 2008 and if you can drive your Isetta, 600,700 to the rallies then so much the better. Bob Crompton 3 The BMW 600 - 50 years young. The diagram, below shows the chassis and the cutaway view of the BMW 600 – the heritage from the Isetta is all too clear – the door at the front and several fittings which look so familiar to Isetta owners. With a loan estimated at some 7 million Deutsch Marks production began in 1957 with the aim of making 400,000 – however this was not the case – the European competition – the NSU Prinz and the Fiat 500 were cheaper and more popular. As a result a mere 34,813 were produced – 27,000 of which were built in 1958. The BMW 600 was exported to the UK – only 15-40 of these arrived here (records from Mobile Tradition appear not to be not complete for these cars). They were nearly all LHD – although there are rumours and some sketchy evidence of some RHD version being produced for the UK. It is estimated by Hans Rothkegel (the supplier of new spares for the Isetta and the BMW 600) that only currently 800 BMW 600’s survive world wide In 1958 BMW were now in serious financial trouble an even (rumour has it) tried to arrange a takeover of the company with Ford and other manufacturers’ but nothing was agreed. They decided that they needed more snappy styling for the small car and that led to the development of the BMW 700 – which was launched in 1959 and three months later production of the BMW 600 ceased. The BMW 700 were made in far greater quantities 188,121 – in the process generating the finances needed to enable BMW to develop the 1500 saloon and the rest they say is history. The BMW 700 50th anniversary is next year. – however only 15 or so of these remain on the road in the UK. So was the BMW 600 a “?turkey” as some of the British Motoring press described it or was it an essential part of the BMW evolution from the Isetta to the 1500 – depends on your point of view I suppose. In the UK the cost of the car was a real problem – (mainly due to taxation on imported cars). The BMW 600 cost £676 some £50 more than a Morris Minor and £105 more than a Ford Anglia 105E (the Harry Potter car) and more importantly some £180 more than a Mini. The car was a elegantly designed and well engineered (for the time) – the novel use of semi trailing arm independent rear suspension – facilitated by the use of rubber doughnut flexible drive couplings – similar design used on the Isetta and later on the Hillman Imp. Lets look at the car in detail. First the doors The front door opens just like the Isetta – however there is one big variation the double jointed steering column meant that the steering wheel stays in the conventional dashboard – even the This year is the 50th anniversary of the UK launch of the BMW 600 – and a special birthday party is planned at a rally which will be held in Southend on 24-27th of July – if you want to come contact Alan Town on 07958 564 640 for full details. So what’s so special about this car – this article sets out to explain why this car is important in the BMW history and to introduce you to motoring 1958 style. From the outset I must state that I am a bit of an enthusiastic for cars of this era – owning Rudolf a BMW 3 wheeler 249cc Isetta of 1960 vintage as well as an M635csi. The story starts in the 1950’s when BMW’s sales of their hand built cars – the 503 and 507 were not profitable enough, and sales of their motorcycles were declining. They decide they needed a small car to fill the gap. They first thought they would build such a car in cooperation with others but all such approaches failed. However in 1954 at the Geneva show they saw the Iso Isetta (an Italian company). Well they bought a licence to make what became the BMW Isetta Motocoupe The design was just what BMW wanted – no side doors, a stiff short chassis and a compact size which meant that you could park end on to the curb. They swapped the two stroke engine that the ISO had for their own tried and trusted 247 OHV (later the 298cc version was used) motorcycle engine. Production began in 1955 and the “Rolling Egg” as it was called in Germany was born. Spurred on by the success of this car – it was made in Germany and the UK - BMW began thinking and planning for a bigger four seat version to compete with the other European manufacturer’s. However nothing much was done until sales of the Isetta Motocoupe started to slip in 1957. The plans were taken out of mothballs and the BMW 600 was born. 4 switches look car like. The passengers get in through the one side door mounted on the RHS the control levers control the Choke, heater and the fuel supply – the BMW 600 has a gravity fed 5 gallon petrol tank located over the engine! An optional extra was a sun roof finding such a model with one is a very rare event. This model has an original radio – and its still works without any crackles! The engine is located at the back and is a twin cylinder machine developed from the R69 600cc motorcycle engine looking at it in detail I thought it looks like two Isetta 300cc Motocoupe engine joined together – surely not? The detuned engine generated 19.5 HP (this was because at 20HP the taxation rate changed upwards nothing changes in taxation land!) and was capable of propelling the car at speeds up to 60 plus at between 40-60 mpg. Inside it’s a very spacious car with seating for four and also a space for luggage and also the back seat fold down so you can more carry “stuff” (every one needs to carry stuff). The seats and the side panels and dashboard are upholstered a leap forward from the Isetta – however not really in the same league as the Ford Anglia. I had the great pleasure of having a drive in Alan Town’s car – this is an import from America). It is an easy ride although you are conscious that the engine and 4 speed gearbox are working hard. Is it reliable – yes - Roger Barker and Alan Town have taken this car across Europe to Germany several times – Micro car owners organise lots of such rallies each year. If you live in the North please take the opportunity to see some of these Historic vehicles at the ally being organised by Alan. I will be there reporting on the event for magazine Many thanks to Alan Town for loan of his car and also Roger Barker (BMW 600 and 700 Secretary) of the Isetta Owners club. Published sources of Material used Jon Pressnell’s article on Isetta’?s, the Brooklands Series on Isetta, Contemporary BMW Sales Brochure, Isetta Owners Club Gazette article. 5 BMW 600’s WANTED!! FOR THE 50TH BIRTHDAY LAUNCH PARTY ON 24th TO 27thJULY 2008. DO YOU HAVE ONE OF THE FOURTEEN OFFICALLY IMPORTED BRITISH REGISTERED CARS, OR ANY BMW 600….? IF SO, THE CAR AND ITS OWNER MUST COME AND CELEBRATE WITH US AT THE 50TH BIRTHDAY PARTY OF ITS LAUNCH INTO THE UK! WHAT EVER CONDITION THE CAR IS IN, FROM A RUSTY WRECK TO A CONCOURS WINNER, PLEASE BRING IT ALONG, CARS OF ANY CONDITION ARE WELCOME. IT PROMISES TO BE AN ACTION PACKED WEEKEND! SEE ADJOINING POSTER OR RING MYSELF ROGER BARKER ON 07968-048762 OR ALAN TOWN ON 07958-564640 FOR INFORMATION AND ENTRY DETAILS. 6 MOC International Rally 25th-27th July 2008 “Schmitts Land at the Seaside”, RAF Woodvale Aerodrome, Formby, Southport, North West England L37 7AD. More than 60 cars already are already “signed up” for this first-ever MOC Rally in the North West. Exclusive use of secure operational Ministry of Defence site, used by trainee pilots and light aircraft owners. Star raffle prizes include free flights on Sunday (weather permitting). Granada Television film crew booked to attend! This is an historic event, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the TF500, BMW 600 and Goggo T700 launches in the UK. Other Microcar friends and enthusiasts will be joining us. The “all inclusive” Special Price Rally Fee includes – Friday evening barbeque, camping area, toilets, showers, marquees, under cover brick-built repair workshop, kids games area, breakdown rescue trailer service, Saturday morning coffee or afternoon tea at our own Southport seafront venue, Saturday evening rally dinner at waterfront function suite, including transport “there-&- back” from Woodvale to Southport by coach, DVD of event plus unique commemorative enamel plaque for those who bring a Microcar. Prices below:Three days (Fri/Sat/Sun) “all inclusive” rally fee of £25.00p per person. (under 13’s £10.00, under fives free) Two day (Sat/Sun) “all inclusive” rally fee of £18.00p. per person, (under thirteen years £5.00p, under fives free). Sunday £5.00p per adult (children free) Programme: Friday: Registration at RAF Woodvale. Friday Evening “welcome” barbeque. Saturday morning: Traditional morning run-out through Southport and beyond to rural countryside, stopping at canal side pub for optional lunch and/or drink. Or for a shorter trip, stop instead at Southport’s seafront EcoCentre building “Park & Ride” signs, where we have a reserved room for our exclusive use and where cars are securely parked on public display, supervised by our members and available for TV filming. Light refreshments are freely available and you can then investigate the Southport town centre and attractions. Cars on the longer run-out, will return to join others at the EcoCentre for free tea and cake & to enjoy the rest of the afternoon in Southport. Saturday evening: Rally Dinner at waterfront function suite.(Return coach available) Sunday: Partsmart, special driving events/trials, Children`s games, judging and prize giving PLUS the fly past, by our raffle winners, over our aligned micro-cars. RAF Woodvale is 6 miles from the attractions of Southport’s classic Victorian seaside resort, including its heritage pier, indoor Splash World, funfair and famous Lord Street shopping boulevard. Situated 30 minutes drive from Liverpool, “European Capital of Culture 08”, gateway to the English Lake District & North Wales for onward holidays. Websites for bed/breakfast/hotel and tourism info: www.visitsouthport.com (go to itinerary for map) and www.beatlesstory.com IMPORTANT: PLEASE HELP US. And let us know if you are thinking about joining us, especially if you are likely to have to make a last minute decision. We need a list of possible attendees in advance in order to smooth your way through the 24 hour security at the RAF airfield and so avoid delays upon your arrival. Any queries, information or help, just contact us. Alan Town 0044 (0) 7958 564 640 - [email protected] 19 Silverthorne Drive, Southport Merseyside PR9 9PF United Kingdom. David Tattersall 0044 (0) 1704 225877 Fax 0044 (0) 1704 226371 [email protected] CLASSIC MOTOR SHOW NEC BIRMINGHAM The NEC 14 - 16 November 2008 Halls 1 - 4 www.necclassicmotorshow.com Ticket Hotline: 0871 945 6000 Organiser Clarion Events Tel: +44 (0)121 767 2772 Fax: +44 (0)121 767 2880 Email: [email protected] Tickets in advance are priced as follows; Friday £20.00 adults & senior citizens Children 5-15 £8.00. Saturday & Sunday £15.00 Adults & senior citizens Children 5-15 £8.00 Free Show Guide worth £8.00. The Classic Motor Show is a “must do” event for all motoring enthusiasts. With an enormous display of 1000 cars spanning five NEC halls this really is the biggest and best show of its kind in the UK. If you like cars, you’ll simply love this! Cars from all eras and generations are here, from the very earliest, through to classics of the future. Cars fondly remembered and cars you’ll still dream of owning. Cars of all kinds ranging from 1920’s wealthy gentlemen’s playthings to 70’s family saloons, from British sports cars to huge American muscle cars, from road cars to racing cars, from the humble runabout to the outrageous Italian supercar – they’re all here at the Classic Motor Show. Also a superb place to buy and source, with everything on offer from a simple nut and bolt through to a superbly restored classic car, The Classic Motor Show boasts the biggest collection of dealers, companies and traders offering every conceivable product or service to the classic car owner/enthusiast or prospective owner, all under one roof. All this PLUS some great features including - the Live Stage and WheelerDealer Live with TV’s Mike Brewer and Edd China, the Restoration Theatre and the ever popular Dream Rides in Dream Cars feature making The Classic Motor Show a fantastic day out for owners, enthusiasts and “petrolheads” of all ages! We look forward to seeing you at the show. The Quest for Isetta Enlightenment by John Jensen Now and then I learn something about my Isetta that I didn’t know before, and then try to share it with others, hoping that they’ll share something with me. As you know, I love to tinker. In past years I had problems with “3rd gear pop-out”. I knew of only a few others who had the same problem with their Isetta. It can be very disconcerting when going up a long grade in 3rd, when suddenly you pop out of gear and the engine jumps to 7000rpm. This can be caused by improperly adjusted shift linkage, bad engine mounts, detent balls requiring more tension, rounded dog gears, a worn selector-arm or the slot it rides in, etc. I used to email others with the same issue, and we’d try to come up with solutions. One concern I had was that the spring #3-143 at the firewall might be at fault. It is there to pull the shift lever to the wall (in the left-hand-drive 4-wheel Isettas) at the neutral cross-bar of the shift pattern. It keeps the lever from flopping around and in the same place when you reach for it once the light turns green. As you move the shift lever forward or back to select a gear, the spring tends to pull against this movement. Usually, once into gear, the spring-and-ball detents in the transmission hold it there, but vibrations of linkage, engine and worn elements in the transmission can ease the dogs out of their recesses. And, if you have a clutch that does not fully release, the dogs might never fully engage. Richard Lewis came up with a solution, to put that spring on the arm of the transmission that only affects the movement of the shift lever across the neutral bar. Pure genius! Check out Richard’?s fantastic Isetta. http://www.richardjlewis.com/isetta/index.html I find it is a noteworthy improvement to remove the spring from the firewall and place it on arm #2-89 of the transmission. I’m surprised that BMW didn’t simply put an internal or external coil spring on the arm to do the same thing. The firewall concept is a sort of “make-do” solution that can, under the right conditions cause you to pop out of gear. I’ll include a photo of how I made a clip that attaches to a motor-mount and a simple clip that attaches the other end to the transmission arm. The spring only has to be strong enough to return the shift lever to the left wall in neutral. It may require a shorter spring than your existing one. You can tweak your own arrangement for “good feel”. For eons I have been concerned about Isetta cylinder-head heat, exhaust guide wear, fan-cooling effectiveness and over-heated oil. I use a good oil, hoping to lubricate the valves just enough, but not too much; and I check the rocker-arm end-gap after re-torque-ing the head-bolts so that just the right amount of oil is splashing around up on top. There is not enough oil-flow to cool much of anything in the engine. Air-cooling does that job. A small amount of oil sprayed up under the piston may help cool it a bit; but mostly it is the rings that transfer piston heat to the cylinder walls, and the cooling fins take it from there. Just the same, I felt the oil probably does get extremely hot and feared that the steel oil pan might not provide adequate cooling. When I mentioned this on Isetta World a few months ago http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/IsettaWorld/), someone asked if I had any idea if cooling was even an issue to be concerned with. Well, I really didn’t know, but figured there must be a way to find out. I didn’t want to install an oil temperature gauge and sender, so I bought a long candy thermometer to measure the temperature of my oil. Unfortunately when I removed the oil filler cap to insert the thermometer, the bend in the filler neck didn’t allow it to go very far into the oil. Drat! I went to a chain store called Bed, Bath & Beyond to see if they had any alternative thermometers in the kitchen section, and I found a short one for $9. It reads to 220F. I thought maybe there was a way to install it through the oil drain plug. I took a spare drain plug, drilled a hole from the outside that was large enough for the thermometer shaft plus a 1/4” diam. o-ring. I didn’t drill quite all the way through, though. I then selected a drill bit the size of the thermometer shaft to finish the hole through to the other side. I bought some hard nylon tubing to secure the thermometer and o-ring, and installed this in my oil pan. There is just enough room between the oil-pump screen and pan for the thermometer probe. The first thing I learned from some pilot friends is that it takes a while to get the oil hot, maybe 30 minutes of driving or more. I tried to heat the oil with some hard fast driving for nearly an hour, and then checked the oil temperature. On my car in our mild San Francisco Bay weather, the oil tends to reach a temperature differential of 100-110F degrees above the ambient air temperature. 180-200F would be a good operating temperature for the oil, enough to evaporate moisture. 220F is probably okay, and 240F is probably touching the red zone.If anything, short trips to the grocery store are probably not enough to get the oil up to a good operating temperature. The steel oil pan is probably quite adequate for cooling purposes. The oil quantity in the Isetta is 3.6 US pints, one pint more than the BMW R26. So, the factory has increased the quantity for the Isetta, and bringing more than this up to operating temperature would take longer and might not be good for the engine. I am curious to know what the temperature differential might be in freezing weather and 100F + weather. Perhaps someone in those extremes can run an oil temperature check. If you want a drawing about installing such a dial thermometer in a drain plug, email me at . But, you probably don’t need to worry about oil temperature. Last summer I went to a gathering of the Arcane Auto Society in Palo Alto, CA. That is almost 1.5 hours for me in the Isetta, from Berkeley, across the Bay Bridge to SF, and then south on hwy 280, one of America’s most scenic freeway experiences. As I cruised south on 280 at 4050mph, I could smell gasoline. I figured that maybe something was loose on my carburetor and pulled off to check it out. Some fuel was running down the side of the float bowl. I removed the cover and noticed that one of the wires on my float had broken out of the solder at one end and so the float had slipped upward on the float needle, flooding the carb with excessive fuel. I searched for some time, eventually finding a piece of string to cinch the two float wires together, hooked the float back in the needle notch and ran fine the rest of the day. A few days later I examined that float with a magnifying glass and saw minute cracks along creases on the sides. I filled a water glass with hot tap water and pushed the float to the bottom. As the float heated, the expanding air inside began to bubble out at one of the very fine cracks. This float is no good. I suggest you always keep a good spare float on hand in a protective container so it doesn’t get crushed. Once dented, it might begin to leak. I have a small letter-scale that has grams on one side and ounces on the other. I use it to verify my float weight of 7 grams. Since the fuel is only gravity-fed into the float bowl, it doesn’t have much pressure. The float and the float needle, if in good condition, generally manage to control the flow of fuel so that the proper level of fuel is maintained in the carburetor body. A clean supply of fuel is important. Line filters often interfere with the flow. A sediment bowl is an important addition to the Bing carb. My tank is coated, so I don’?t have a problem with tank-rust. For those who do have tank-rust, try this in-tank filter idea. I have tried soldering fine copper screens to slip onto the outlet-tubes in the tank, but here’s something that is easier to do. Lipton Tea has some very nice nylon tea bags these days. Other tea companies offer them as well. Snip a small hole in one corner and jiggle the bag until all the dry tea is gone. You must remove the fuel tap to attach this nylon tea-bag filter to the reserve tube, the short one. It is the one most likely to allow rust to exit. Slip the tube into the small hole. Be sure the bag is bloused out nicely and not too close to the end of the tube. Then wrap several layers of dental floss around the tube to secure the bag, make a good knot and cut off the excess string. This tea-bag should provide a lot of filter surface without any restriction to good flow. I suppose you can use a baggie on both outlet tubes, a cheap fix. Say good-by to tank rust. Story Automuseum , Bockenem , Germany Over a period of many years in the 1980s, 1990’s and 2000’s, the Auto-Museum Story in the foothills of the Harz Mountains, very close to the border with the former East Germany, became a place of pilgrimage for many UK and overseas IOC Members plus literally hundreds of other Microcar fans who were made welcome by the warm hospitality of the owners, Otto and Marianne Kuneke, both during their bi-annual Kleinwagentreffen events, and also on other visits at other times . From small beginnings originally in Otto’s orchard, the Story Kleinwagentreffen grew with considerable help from the German Isetta Owners Club and several of that Club’s key members, until at the last event a figure approaching 300 assorted microcars were brought to Otto’s farm with visitors from all over the World, including Japan and South America. By now the Museum’s original building had grown via several large extensions to be the World’s largest Microcar Museum, with exhibits comprising a huge range of some of the world’s rarest microcars and associated memorabilia, spread over several halls and on several floors. However, at the event in 2002 Otto made the shock announcement that this would be the last event - there would be no more. Reasons given then, and since, were that the Kuneke’s had other more pressing demands upon their time and resources (they are primarily farmers) ; that the local Planning Authorities were making it increasingly difficult to meet their requirements; that the event had grown too big and had drifted away from Otto’s original vision. Subsequently, the museum closed its doors and the contents were “mothballed “ but rumours persisted in surfacing that maybe, just maybe it would open again sometime. Sadly however, this year, 2008, it was announced that the Museum’s contents ad been catalogued and would be offered for sale, bringing to an irrevocable end the sequence of what became the World’s most unmissable Microcar Events. Jot down some reminiscences of Story – what an enjoyable task! As I looked through my old photographs the memories came flooding back and I have had a difficult job condensing it all into these few words … For us Brits the trip to Story was about 350 miles each way on Continental roads, and back in the 1980s these were distances many of us Isetta Owners had never previously attempted in our bubblecars, but the “Welcome” which we received on arrival made the tiredness of the journey fade into insignificance. One of my Isetta-owning friends christened Otto’s camping area “The Field Of Dreams”, as the campers were surrounded by enthusiasts of many Nations with microcars of all types, almost all in exceptional condition and fully roadworthy, readyfor the scenic road runs which were a feature of the event with typically around 200 microcars taking part . The places visited were also carefully chosen for the enjoyment of the microcar travellers –sometimes we had to remind ourselves that these picturesque towns with Olde-Worlde charms such as the Old Town Square in Goslar were real places, lived in by everyday people, and not some Disneyland creation.Apart from the event itself, there was always a little extra for those thirty or forty people who stayed behind on the last evening when Otto would hold a very special supper for all the event helpers, plus the many Brits who would not be leaving until the following day, or even later if they chose to stay on camping for a few days. Outside the Museum, Otto would prepare a huge barbecue with a seemingly never-ending supply of Wursts and Steaks; and inside the museum itself he would place rows of tables and benches so we could actually sit among the exhibits while we ate and made merriment; and throughout there were ample supplies of local beer and some great wines, all generously provided by Otto himself. I have often said that the Story Automuseum Kleinwagentreffens did more for International relationships than any politician ever did, and through meetings there I have been blessed with friends from all parts of the Globe. I’m going to miss the social encounters maybe even more than seeing the Museum’s breath-taking contents. Otto and Marianne really did make everyone feel special. It is so very sad that all this has come to an end. Terry Parkin, Isetta World, http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/IsettaWorld 12 ISETTA WORLD The world-wide forum for Isetta owners and enthusiasts For those new members who are not yet aware , here is a brief introduction to Isetta World … ISETTA WORLD is an internet forum produced and maintained on behalf of the Isetta Owners Club of Great Britain Ltd. ISETTA WORLD was formed in February 2006 when the Bulletin Board of the IOCGB's website was suspended due to unforeseen difficulties. ISETTA WORLD’s aim is to continue to provide a venue to discuss the maintenance, use, restoration and enjoyment of cars like ours. Membership of ISETTA WORLD is free. ISETTA WORLD is open to all members of the Isetta Owners Club of Great Britain, all members of other microcar clubs worldwide, and all enthusiasts with an interest in similar topics. ISETTA WORLD has a world-wide Membership, from Alaska to South America, Scandinavia to Africa, Europe to Australasia. ISETTA WORLD’s members include most of the World’s top Isetta restorers and authors on books on Isettas and associated topics. ISETTA WORLD’s Photo Files contain well over 800 photos of cars and details which could help with your restoration. Members are invited to add photos of their Isettas , BMW 600s and 700s . ISETTA WORLD’s "Files" section contains a compendium of information on Isetta maintenance and other topics. ISETTA WORLD’s calendar shows forthcoming events which may be of interest to microcar enthusiasts. Membership of ISETTA WORLD is moderated for the protection and security of Members and has been 100% successful in eliminating spam, spoofs and unwanted content. The Message Board of ISETTA WORLD has recently included topics such as fuel tank repairs, electronic ignition, alternatives to rubber donuts, differing badges, oil temperature gauges and you are welcome to request help, compare notes, or just have a natter with other Isetta pals. ISETTA WORLD hopes to welcome you soon . To become a Member please go to http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/IsettaWorld , then click on “Join this group” and join in the fun ! We hope to see you soon ! Terry ,Moderator , Isetta World 13 FORTHCOMING EVENTS 11th - 14th June North of England Microcar Rally - hosted by the Micromaniacs - at Major Bridge Park 21st - 22nd June 60’s weekend at Haworth - all micros welcome but please book in advance by email [email protected] 26th - 29th June NOTBAR rally. Venue to be announced. 4th - 6th July The Bath Rally organised by Bristol Microcar Club. See website for futher details. www.bristolmicrocarclub.com 11th - 20th July Liege - Brescia - Liege endurance rally. Contact Malcolm McKay for details on 01296 770992 25th - 27th July Messerschmitt Owners’ Club International Rally “Schmitts land at the seaside” RAF Woodvale, Formby, near Southport. Contact Alan Town for details on 07958 564640 or email [email protected] 7th - 10th August “Going down the Pub” rally at The Black Dog, (provisional) Camblesforth. 4th - 7th September National Microcar Rally at the Atwell-Wilson Motor Museum, Calne, Wiltshire. Organised by Jeff at The Bug Club. Contact Jeff Ellis on 01793 341334 for further details 10th - 12th October The “OKTOBERFAHRT” AT The Golden Square Caravan Park near Oswaldkirk. 1st - 3rd November Halloween Rally at The Bubblecar Museum Lincolnshire. Contact Mike or Paula on 01400 262637 for further details. 14 **BMW 700 FRONT WINGS IN FIBREGLASS** Orders are now being taken to make BMW 700 Saloon and Coupe front wings in fiberglass. To enable a pair of fiberglass moulds to be made to the original pattern, and aiming to achieve a high quality finish, I now need to obtain a minimum order quantity of five pairs of wings. (Ideally an order of ten pairs would be desirable, to help bring the cost per wing price, down). For five pairs to be made each wing will cost £185 (i.e. £370 a pair) If an order for ten pairs can be achieved, each wing will cost £160 (i.e. £320 a pair). (Posting/delivery cost would be in addition, unless a local arrangement can be made). I now need a deposit of £100 from four people, to allow this project to proceed. (If there are insufficient orders, the deposit will be returned in full). Please contact Roger Barker (address on inside of front cover) or tel. 07968 – 048762. The photo above was sent to Jeff Wareing by Michael Goodger taken many years ago when he and his wife were returning from the Edinburgh Festival. Apparently his wife was about five months pregnant at the time and rode in the car quite comfortably, with all their luggage on the rear parcel shelf. Nostalgia kicked in as his wife says she would like to have another Isetta. Do we know if the car still exists? Reg. WFY 830 Neville Bar purchased this bubble window Isetta in a mad moment of nostalgia during a local motorcycle auction last year he tells us. He previously owned a 4 wheeler Isetta van from 1960 to 1964. Unfortunately he removed the van attachment and fitted a flat Perspex rear window and an aluminium rear deck. This one is almost complete having its original registration already on a V5C and has been in one family for many years. It is missing its rear lights and an indicator lens but not much else. It also came with a spare engine which Neville thinks might be a 298cc. Neville will be restoring this in due course but he is involved with restoring other classic vehicles so the restoration of this one will have to wait a while. The photo on the left is of Jim & Darcy Murray of Nova Scotia. The Isetta is of 1960 vintage. The weather there looks like a nice summer day feels like over here. I bet they have a heater in their car unlike mine. Ed. To advertise your items for sale or want adds etc. please email the editor at '[email protected]' The rear cover shows the Editors latest project, a Berkeley T60. Many Isetta owners have other microcars and projects and as this is a members gazette I think we should be aware of the interests of those members. Don't let the photos put you off, when I opened the boxes, I needed encouragement to carry on but I am determined to return the car to the road. Ian P. The Isetta Owners' Club of Great Britain Ltd. will not accept liability for any loss or damage resulting from articles, features, adverts or any other material published in The Isetta Gazette. Copyright The Isetta Owners' Club GB Ltd. 15 16