Microcars and Bubblecars

[Populuxe]

Crosley part 3: 1949-1953

After the CoBra engine of 1946 to 1949 proved to be unreliable, Crosley came back with a much improved engine, the 724cc CIBA (Cast Iron Block Assembly) inline-4. It was much stronger with five main bearings. It was also more powerful. The new Hot Shot sports car was a dominant force in 750cc racing for the next ten years, including winning the 1950 Sebring Six Hour endurance race. Another new model was the versatile Farm-O-Road, a tractor/jeep hybrid that could be ordered in a variety of ways and with an amazing array of optional goodies such as a snow plow, disc harrow, winch, dual rear wheels, surrey top, full top, or no top at all. Sadly, the Crosley was losing sales every year. The last car came off the production line in 1953. The CIBA engine continued on, being sold to Fageol and being used in everything from Italian sports cars to American motor boats.

At the bottom is something I just discovered, a Crosley motorcycle prototype created for the US military during WWII. It used the opposed-twin engine of the prewar Crosley, shaft drive, and a gas tank built into the rear fender.


1949 Hot Shot


1950 Farm-O-Road


1950 Pickup


1950 Sedan Delivery


1950 Super Convertible


1951 Farm-O-Road


1951 Super Convertible


1951 Super Station Wagon


1952 Hoshot Super Sports


Military motorcycle prototype

 

[TexRex]

1972 Fiat X1/23 City Car--a 13.5-horse electric concept with nickel-zinc batteries and regenerative braking. Designed by Gian Paolo Boano (son of the more famous Felice Mario Boano).

A slightly different shape was investigated (below), but I suspect the above would garner broader appeal.

 

[Dennisch]

Man. I would love to have something like that. So quirky.

 

[TenEightyOne]

A slightly different shape was investigated (below), but I suspect the above would garner broader appeal.

What are the differences?

EDIT: I think they're the same car - this is the different one (there were only two 'types')

 

[TexRex]

Glad to see I'm not the only one who has trouble with formatting. To answer the question, the bottom example appears to be making kissy lips under that "mustache." Or maybe it's part duck.

 

[Dennisch]

What are the differences?

EDIT: I think they're the same car - this is the different one (there were only two 'types')

View attachment 700919

The bonnet of the red one follows the line of the A pillar. The other one has a bit of an angle.

 

[ScottPuss20]

1972 Fiat X1/23 City Car--a 13.5-horse electric concept with nickel-zinc batteries and regenerative braking. Designed by Gian Paolo Boano (son of the more famous Felice Mario Boano).

A slightly different shape was investigated (below), but I suspect the above would garner broader appeal.

It looks dumb.

 

[TexRex]

The bonnet of the red one follows the line of the A pillar. The other one has a bit of an angle.

Something you can really make out, if you're otherwise completely blind, by looking at where the door shut line meets the wheel arch. The wheel is clearly farther forward of the door and the area above it is at a shallower angle.

 

[Dennisch]

It looks dumb.

 

[TexRex]

What?!

 

[TenEightyOne]

Something you can really make out, if you're otherwise completely blind

Or, in my defence, if you've been drinking all evening. Apologies

 

[homeforsummer]

That Fiat reminds me a little of the 1970 Nissan 315-a concept. One of several electric concepts Nissan played around with in the 1970s.

And in turn, there are shades of the Ford Berliner from 1968 about both. Probably one of my favourite retro microcars, but difficult to find any solid information on.

 

[Populuxe]

And in turn, there are shades of the Ford Berliner from 1968 about both. Probably one of my favourite retro microcars, but difficult to find any solid information on.

View attachment 701041​

I love that Ford Berliner. I could see that as my city car.

 

[homeforsummer]

I can see elements of it in the first-gen Smart, such as the wheels pushed right out to the corners with a relatively wide track, and the arches blistered around them, but it's got that expansive use of glazing that even a car from the 90s can't match.

 

[TexRex]

And in turn, there are shades of the Ford Berliner from 1968 about both. Probably one of my favourite retro microcars, but difficult to find any solid information on.​

View attachment 701041​

That is fan-flipping-TASTIC, and really quite handsome.

The Nissan really resembles AMC's 1967 electric Amitron...

...which in turn reminds me of the company's AM Van of 1977:

Ford also bowed in 1967 with their electric Comuta:

It's a shame none got the opportunity to stretch their legs.



Lastly, I knew this made an appearance on GTP at least once before.

 

[homeforsummer]

The Comuta's really not quite as elegant as the Berliner, is it... much closer in spirit to the awkward French "voitures sans permis" that you still see knocking around in one form or another in Europe - the old Ligier Ambra and the like:

They're the less appealing but unfortunately more realistic modern interpretation of the microcar formula (if you ignore the Twizys and Smart Fortwos of the world).

 

[TexRex]

awkward French

Funny you say that, as when I first saw the Comuta from the front, I got a strong old Citroën or Panhard vibe. The rear looks strikingly contemporary (and Japanese), though.

 

[Populuxe]

Meadows Frisky of Wolverhampton UK, 1958-1961. Initially designed by Giovanni Michelotti while at Vignale, the production version was redesigned to make it less expensive to manufacture. Cars were available as both 4- and 3-wheelers. 3-wheeled cars were classified as motorcycle and sidecar combinations and therefore cheaper to licence, as well as not requiring a full drivers license to operate. It was unable to compete with the Mini and was dead after only four years.

Frisky Sport (4 wheels, 324cc Villiers 3T twin-cylinder two-stroke engine)


Frisky Coupe (4 wheels, 324cc Villiers 3T twin-cylinder two-stroke engine)


Frisky Family 3 (3 wheels, Mark 1 197cc Villiers 9E single-cylinder two-stroke engine, 3 wheels; Mark 2 328cc Excelsior TT or 250cc Excelsior TT1 twin-cylinder two-stroke engine standard, 324cc Villiers 3T twin-cylinder two-stroke engine optional)




Frisky Sprint prototype, never went into production (492cc Excelsior three-cylinder two-stroke engine)


Frisky Prince (3 wheels, 328cc Excelsior TT or 250cc Excelsior TT1 twin-cylinder two-stroke engine standard, 324cc Villiers 3T twin-cylinder two-stroke engine optional)

 

[Populuxe]

1957 Jurisch Motoplan

The following is from the RM Sotheby's listing, where it sold for $103,500.

"The first of only three built; formerly owned by Vic Hyde and fully restored with a research trip overseas.
SPECIFICATIONS

Manufacturer: Carl Jurisch Fahrwerkbau

Origin: Altdorf, Germany

Production: 3

Motor: Heinkel 1-cyl., 4-stroke

Displacement: 173 cc

Power: 9.5 hp

Length: 7.5 ft.

Identification No. 101

This rare vehicle was the realization of one man’s conviction that the future of transportation lay in a personal single-seat vehicle. Carl Jurisch was a talented engineer and famous motorcycle racer, but above all, he was a passionate idealist. At the age of 23, he had already designed an astonishing, technically ground-breaking motor: a compact, four-piston, two-stroke, water-cooled supercharged unit, which 10 years later, would influence DKW’s work. Two years earlier, in 1925, he had built himself a 350-cubic centimeter four-stroke motorcycle with telescopic forks and shaft drive.

The late thirties found him in Nürnberg, Germany selling his patented rear suspension conversions for the typical hard tail motorcycles of the time. Recovery was the post-war priority, and he helped his rural neighbours with his truck and repair shop for several years before returning to selling his suspensions and, later, his enclosed chaincase conversions, brake hubs, and stepless gearboxes. Motorcycles were in general decline as the population moved towards cars, and Jurisch looked for new ways to provide the public with the positive attributes of his beloved two-wheelers in the form of a small, personal three-wheeled vehicle that bridged the gap between cycle and car.

At his factory in the forests near Nürnberg, he designed and built his little car based on the widened body of a Steib S250 sidecar. Windshield and front suspension was Messerschmitt mated to a drivetrain from the Heinkel Kabine. The unique steering consisted of two vertical handlebars pivoting under the seat and was topped by fingertip switches; it was a delight to use: light and precise. The machine unfolded like a puzzle box, with canopy, tail unit, seat, and fuel tank pivoting upward for easy access. Three were built. The prototype, offered here, was aesthetically the most successful, with its low, sleek canopy lines. The second had a taller but more ungainly canopy and larger wheels, and the third was a “commercial” version with a box behind the driver.

Actual sales were not forthcoming, and the prototype was sent overseas to America in an attempt to market the car through Joe Berliner’s motorcycle and microcar dealership in New York City at the height of the tailfin craze. The car, prototype number 101, languished in a Florida dealership until found by microcar collector Vic Hyde in the seventies. By this time, it had deteriorated somewhat, had lost its Jurisch identity, and Vic mistakenly took it for a Heinkel prototype because of its motor.

It was restored in Canada in the nineties, and it was driven and shown at a number of events, where it created a sensation. A visit to Veterama in Germany produced a Jurisch sales leaflet, which contained the works address. Although a trip to the village of Altdorf brought no immediate results, an inquiry with a local resident evoked a reply of “there is a small factory a couple of kilometers out of town.” The owner of the factory, now producing cardboard boxes, recalled seeing the name “Jurisch” on the deed when she purchased the property in 1973!

An elderly relative was still in the area and, after a helpful introduction by the factory owner, produced a letter from Jurisch’s daughter, now living in Nürnberg. A visit was arranged where, over tea and biscuits, the daughter produced photo albums and documents showing this car and the two other similar Motoplans constructed by her father. She rounded out the provenance of this Jurisch with the wonderful recollection that on occasions when the post office van was not available to pick her up, she was driven to the school in the next village perched on the tail of the tiny car!"














Second model, larger cabin, 10-inch wheels.



I have not been able to find any photos of the third model.

 

[TexRex]

Love it, love it, love it--though the second model is very clearly a render (not that it was being passed off as the real thing, mind). I must say I'd actually like to see it going down the road with the tail removed (or abbreviated) to highlight the two-tone.

 

[Populuxe]

Love it, love it, love it--though the second model is very clearly a render (not that it was being passed off as the real thing, mind). I must say I'd actually like to see it going down the road with the tail removed (or abbreviated) to highlight the two-tone.

Ask and you shall receive. It's narrated in Russian, so I'm assuming this is the Russian collector who bought it from the Sothebys auction. He gives a walk around first, then starts driving it at the 3:45 mark. He's got an entire YouTube channel dedicated to microcars.

 

[Dotini]

Behold the Cyclops!

Stan Mott and Robert Cumberford created the Cyclops II, an iconic car, in 1957. It was introduced in Road and Track's March 1957 issue in an article titled 'Beyond Belief.' The car was road tested in the September 1957 Road and Track issue and from there 22 more Cyclops articles were run over the last 53 years.

Glen and Matt Thomas built this Cyclops II from scratch in 2010. It was a father and son project, which started with the picture of Stan Mott in the original, a three view drawing of the Cyclops II and the road test article with the overall dimensions. Glenn developed a layout using a go-cart drive and steering type system. They built the car in their garage using simple tools such as circular saw, drill press, hand jigsaw and a 110 Mig welder. The rolled panels were accomplished using a homemade roller, which consisted of a pipe sitting on wood. The basic materials are 16-gauge steel and 3/4-inch plywood for the floor.

Cyclops II Wows Amelia Island Concours D'Elegance Biggest Crowd
The smell of overheated olive oil and scorched Cinzano filled the air as Cyclops enthusiasts of the rare Italian breed flocked to the 17th annual Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance last March to see, in person and up close one, of 2-1/2 surviving, running examples from the famed house of Automobili Cyclops SpA. The mighty V-1 engined Cyclops II is the latest of the noble Italian breed that has charmed and inspired, confused and bewildered American enthusiasts, car buyers and customs officials since 1957.

Cyclops won no cup, trophy or ribbon at the 17th annual Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance but it did draw the most attention on the Concours field strewn wîth significant competition machines and multi-million dollar collector cars. The 1957 Cyclops II is the rarest automobile ever displayed at The Amelia.

Created by Stan Mott and Robert Cumberford and manufactured by Italian automotive genius Piero Martini, the Cyclops II is minimalist transportation to the point of abject torture (fetal seating position). American Cyclops importers Trebor Crunchcog and T. Tom Meshingear were said to be present as current owner, Glenn Thomas of Beavercreek, Ohio, brought the lone surviving base model Cyclops II to Amelia, and parked it on the field amongst a heady collection of motoring giants. Mr. Thomas and Mr. Mott passed the reviewing stands in a tribute to the eight significant cars on Amelia's 'Field of Dreams'. It is rumored that the equally rare Cyclops 'Fantistico' is in private hands somewhere in Michigan.

This Cyclops' automotive hubris typifies the spirit of European auto manufacturing following WWII and before such niceties as wind tunnels, hand held calculators, CFD and the Arabic numerals. The Cyclops II is thought to be the only car built after the Franco-Prussian War that used only Roman numerals during the design stage. Hence the name, Cyclops II.

The Cyclops answered questions that no one dared ask about personal transportation and individual mobility. Its minimalist design and manufacturing philosophy created a car that shamed the efforts of Volkswagen, Renault, FIAT, Isetta and Hotpoint.

Making a mockery of the discipline of planned obsolescence, the Cyclops II was a car for the ages. The Cyclops' design is basic, simple, straightforward, inexpensive and easy to manufacture wîth basic hand tools. Marketing them in the 1950s to an America in love wîth fins, chrome, horsepower, style, ride, performance, comfort, reliability and value was the heady job tackled by American Cyclops Importers Crunchcog and Meshingear. However, Cyclops' extraordinary victories in competition over the years, as reported in the august journal Road & Track, winning LeMans in 1960, The East African Safari in 1964, The Targa Florio in 1965, the Indy 500 in 1968, the Nurburgring in 1969, the Japanese Grand Prix 1971 and the Great Wall of China Grand Prix in 1972 did help sales.

Some feel the Cyclops is not a car for automotive connoisseurs or, for that matter, anyone who'd actually driven a real car. It fits at Amelia exactly because it's one of those rare cars that allow us to answer that trite age old question 'Are we having fun yet?' wîth a hearty, 'Yes we are!' This fun was graphically captured in a genuine cartoon (above) wîth one of the most attractive ladies at the 2012 event expressing her appreciation of Cyclops charm.

In true concours spirit the Cyclops II was driven to and from the field by its owners and was last seen racing a Goggomobil and a 1906 17 liter Pomeraner once thought owned by the Duke of Hess-Pless-Heth through nearby Fernandina Beach at speeds approaching XCVI kilometers per hour.

Source - Amelia Island Concours

 

[Populuxe]

A COE appears in the second Crosley post as quoted above but not appearing in the original post (broken link)--is this confirmed? I'm not a Crosley historian by any stretch, but I'm highly dubious.

Sorry I never responded to this. I only just now noticed it. I removed that photo because after looking at it and doing some research, I realized it was a photoshop and nothing more.

Behold the Cyclops!

View attachment 711399

Oh man, I remember the Cyclops! I was an ardent reader of Road & Track when I was young. I always loved those stories of how this little sheet metal disaster somehow always won the most amazing races in the most improbable manner.

 

[Downhill Dino]

Looks like touching anything would break your legs. Or death.

 

[05XR8]

1955 Brutsch Zwerg
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brütsch#Brütsch_Zwerg_1955-1957

1961 Cony Guppy sport

Oh man, I remember the Cyclops! I was an ardent reader of Road & Track when I was young. I always loved those stories of how this little sheet metal disaster somehow always won the most amazing races in the most improbable manner.

Same. Loved those little drawn articles. The artist would draw futuristic Cyclops and gigantic Cyclops, etc. Fun stuff.

 

[TexRex]

1955 Brutsch Zwerg

The Zwerg sure is nifty, but it's no Mopetta...

And since it's been a while since we had anything from Japan...how about the Fuji Cabin?

 

[Populuxe]

Here's another great little car from the RM Sotheby's site.

1967 Autobianchi Bianchina 'Eden Roc' Cabriolet
€25.000 - €30.000 Offered without reserve
RM | Sotheby's - PARIS 2018 - Offered on: Wednesday, February 7, 2018
Chassis No.
110B 122 008574

Documents: French Certificat d’Immatriculation

Classic and charming cabriolet from Italian manufacturer
Known as “the rich man’s Fiat”
One of the smallest cabriolets ever made, the Autobianchi Bianchina Cabriolet was made popular due to an advert featuring Brigitte Bardot in the pages of the Jours de France. Incredibly fun to drive, the good-looking cabriolet flew off the shelves.
Also known as the Eden Roc in France, the cabriolet was loved by celebrities the world around. HSH Prince Rainier III of Monaco could be seen in one, along with Hollywood director George Lucas and speed demons Burt Richmond and Simona De Silvestro. Formerly the only available option for nice weather was to drive the Transformabile, which had a fixed B pillar and a large canvas roof. This new cabriolet did away with the B pillar and created a true open-top convertible. Other changes included the addition of Fiat’s new 21.5-hp engine, which increased the top speed to 100 km/h – perfect for zipping around Paris and its suburbs.

Offered here is a third-series cabriolet, which is the final and most upgraded of the cabriolet line. Renewed in previous ownership, the vehicle is ready for its new owner. For any collector looking for a fun car to cruise around the French Riviera in or nip through city traffic, this Autobianchi Bianchina Cabriolet is the perfect option.

 

[TexRex]

Formerly the only available option for nice weather was to drive the Transformabile, which had a fixed B pillar and a large canvas roof.

If I'm honest, I'd have to say that I prefer the Bianchina Transformabile with its sardine can canvas top. I love the Bianchina in general, as it managed to walk--dare I say strut--that line of having enough space in the greenhouse without its proportions coming off as excessively awkward.

Something that stumbled over that particular line, though I still find appealing (largely due to its bodywork below the beltline), is the Biscuter 200-F "Pegasin":

 

[TexRex]

And one of the better proportioned micros; the 1958 Maico 500 Sport.

Bodied by Beutler and powered by a 452cc 2-stroke Heinkel twin mounted in the rear.

Pictured next to it in blue is its much less attractive sedan sibling, and the green may be the Champion (bought out by Maico) on which both are based.

 

[Populuxe]

And one of the better proportioned micros; the 1958 Maico 500 Sport.

Bodied by Beutler and powered by a 452cc 2-stroke Heinkel twin mounted in the rear.

Pictured next to it in blue is its much less attractive sedan sibling, and the green may be the Champion (bought out by Maico) on which both are based.

One thing I knew about (Maico) + another thing I knew about (Beutler) = a third thing I did not know about. I know Maico because I'm a motorcyclist. Maico made great motocross bikes in the 1960s and 1970s, Sadly they went out of business in 1986. And I knew about Beutler because of their connection with Porsche. They made the original Porsche 356 Cabriolet. It was so good, Porsche licensed the design from them and got a larger coachbuilder to actually produce them. Beutler and Porsche stayed on good terms. In the mid-'50s Beutler made this 4-seater that Porsche allowed them to sell as a Porsche.

After a few years Porsche told them if they were going to continue to make 4-seaters, they needed to look more like Porsches, so they made this version from about 1959-1961.

Getting back on topic, I had no idea Maico built cars. That little convertible is very attractive.