Why this tiny microcar is SO MUCH FUN! 1959 BMW Isetta 300
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 14 ต.ค. 2024
- Join us as we hurtle around the twisting roads of mid-Wales in a 1959 BMW Isetta bubble car. It has a 298cc single-cylinder engine, four speed gearbox WITH reverse and shaft drive to the single rear wheel. This is the inspiration for the Microlino EV that is now available.
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My dad crashed an Isetta in fog at Hyde Park Corner, with my future mother in the passenger seat.... She still married him, and here I am!
I can assure you you weren't conceived inside the Isseta thought.
The UK license-built versions were built at the old Brighton locomotive works, interestingly.
A few years back, l drove my 1965 Triumph TR4 from Cambridge to Italy to raise money for Parkinson’s UK. Feeling very intrepid, high in the Alps, on a steep uphill section, we rounded a bend and found ourselves behind one of these. Inside were two elderly Germans and strapped to the roof were two sizable suitcases. In Hannibal’s footsteps, The vehicle was manfully traversing Europes greatest mountain range at a steady 15mph. Respect!
I learned to drive in a LHD one! There was a technique for first gear. You pulled back gently on the stick letting the clutch out until you feel a slight engagement then push the clutch back to the floor and then it fully engaged very smoothly. I did learn to double de-clutch changes and although it was a non-snychro box it was a joy to use. Top speed was 50 and I once got it just over that on the Coventry ring road which caused the connecting rod to let go and poked through the block. Engines were easy to find in breakers yards. I could get the engine out on my own in 15 mins using a brick and a wooden lever. They used mini brake drums and parts and if your timing chain broke (mine did on Sailsbury Plain) a Ford Anglia one was the replacement. I remember the address for buying parts eg piston rings which was Isetta Ltd, Victoria Road, Portslade, Brighton. Happy days. I'd gladly drive one today. Good review! Oh you forgot to mention the reserve fuel tank liver behind the driver - under your basket!
The smile on Ian’s face driving this
Crazy things. The two wheels at the front helps with stability. Well, a bit.
When I was a kid I saw two adult friends climbing out and in one white ISO Isetta (already a rare sight in 1969-1970) laughing and smiling like they were having a lot of fun. I was shocked: a car with a single door on the front!! I felt like having seen a flying saucer.
That has been beautifully restored. Just lovely.
Looks a load of fun!
Cor blimey mate life must been viewed as cheap to manufacturers. As an apprentice mechanic I remember these fun machines, they coincided with the mini skirt era, happy days of my youth......Rob
One of my early childhood memories - watching a guy pull up close to a wall in a car park in Solihull in one of these, around 1970. Unfortunately he didn’t have reverse gear and couldn’t open the door, he was well and truly stuck. He opened the window and started calling for help - closely followed by laughter from all corners of the car park.
I had a Trojan 200 (purple) in the early 70s - it had some issues but got me around. Even though I have always had a full car and bike license later on had a Robin mk1, now that was a hoot to drive. Recently bought a Robin mk2 for my nephew, and to drive periodically on visits, I love microcars
That little engine was cute. The sound reminded me of a Honda 90 I used to have.
AY UP MR AND MRS HUBNUT
This is the distilled essence of "power: less is more"
Uncle had one..drove from Oxford to Rotherham every weekend..winter '63..also lived on a canal boat.
The BMW single was tuneable, being based on half an R50 engine. 25-27bhp is possible so there's a bit more go for the adventurous owner!
When i was a child, there were still these things around and they always amazed me. These days, the fact that your legs are the crumble zone makes them alarming but they're still wonderful things.
The BP petrol station on the Langurig - Aber road was always a real landmark for me; it meant that I was either nearly in Aber or that I'd missed the turning for Lampeter...!
i once did a barnfind. Next to the Opel P2 there was a 1cil aircooled BMW engine block in that barn. In hindsight it might have been an Isetta block!
@@jfv65 could have been, but BMW also did the R25, R26 & R27 250 single and here was also a very rare AWO 425 from east of the wall, which sometimes turn up in the UK. I'd guess that the Isetta block has castings for the fan shroud
I've been in that Isetta and believe me you wouldn't want to go much faster!
I owned a BMW Isetta in 1970 which I had bought for £15. Mine was a right hand drive version. You could still buy new spares for them then, from Isetta concessionaires based in Purley, Croydon. Gosh, I wish I still had it!
I helped a friend rebuild one about 15 years ago , I fetched a new floor pan for it from a fabricators in Wakefield which handily fitted in the boot of my car
He reluctantly sold it not long after building it as he was embarrassed at the other drivers pointing and laughing whilst sat at the lights ...good project and quite easy to do
Aw!
Probably wouldn't be laughed at (very much) here in Sacramento California but might have to chain it to a bicycle rack to keep dishonest people from loading it into a pickup truck!
The ultimate driving machine!
The bubblecar brings back memories, my dad was a police man and I remember him telling me about going to the seen of a accident involving a bubblecar that ended in the kiosk of a petrol station, because they don’t have much in the way of corners, so if you roll one it just keeps going like a football
That brought back memories! A mate of mine had one in the early 70s. Right hand drive, with concrete counterweight on the lefthand side. It didn't stop him tipping it once or twice on left hand bends; luckily only at walking pace. He just got out, put it upright and carried on😂. He used to throw the BMW ignition key onto the pub table to impress everyone, which worked until they saw the car... And Mr Hubnut's struggle with the gear lever reminded me of the one time he gave me a lift in it. The gear lever came off in his hand when he tried to find first gear.
That was brilliant Ian these were VERY trendy in the 60's when I was growing up and especially for the girls,and I have actually had a ride in one.
My Uncle & Aunt had one of these back in the 60's. They sat me on the parcel shelf when I was around 3 & 4 yrs old. I can remeber it well 🤣
What a hoot to drive
Gosh, what a peach! Tim Bishop lent me his, way back when he and I were MUCH younger, and I was without wheels for a while. As you discovered, they are quite hard work, but oh so much easier than walking. I recognise the location, as my family had a hill-cottage within walking distance, and used the village shop that still existed back in those days. As you will have discovered, there are some VERY steep hills around there.
That was most enjoyable, thank you. I seem to remember that they usually had tartan upholstery, although that may have Trojans. One of my favourite toy cars was a pink Trojan made by Corgi.
Yes, the Trojans often had tartan trim I think.
Absolutely brilliant video ian miss hubnut ❤👍what an amazing car absolutely beautiful car love that noise from the engine brilliant
My grandad used to test ride motorbikes for Norton, back in the 60's he had an Isetta haha
Our local Mazda dealer is selling the modern electric equivalent, the Microlino. This was a fabulously entertaining review, thanks!
That was brilliant, and the blue one at the was just hilarious
My uncle had one, but German edition with 2 wheels nearly together at the back "axle". It was called "pothole detector".
Cheers from Germany
At last a sensible video about a great little car. Many years ago a good friend and I found 3 in an old barn. They were all RHD 4 wheelers and we got one running and painted it bright yellow. I ran it for years and was mortified when I returned home after working abroad to find that my father had disposed of it. These days cars have so many devices like ABS, disc brakes power steering, auto gear boxes and computers with traction control to prevent drivers from getting into trouble, it seems that people have lost the basic driving skills like using engine braking and understanding how to double de clutch. Many make themselves look incompetent on you tube videos when they are offered a drive in an older vehicle, especially when the ridicule them (Present company excluded from that remark, well done mate!) My only negative remark is about the result of a head on crash, as there is very little protection and one of the reasons they all had a large sunroof! Driven properly around towns or the countryside, that little engine has more than sufficient power to get the job done without disrupting other traffic. I would jump at the chance to take one on a rally or event if any owners would like their car to be entered in such an event! Any takers?
I'm very envious. I'd love to have one of those.
What a cute little car 🙂
I love BMW Isetta, and the engine sound ❤
Astonishing bit of kit. ❤
Ian you definitely need to wear a cowboy hat when you're driving bluey,
biggest one you can lay your hands on
Lovely! We hadn't a car in our family. But in my kindergarten there was an Isetta to play with. I wasn't a child who wants to play or have fights with others all the time. Being alone in this car... and I was happy. This was over fifty years ago. Thanks for this wonderful road test and see you soon on one of your channels »»» Martin
I was given an engineless one when I was about eight, and my mother hid it behind our bamboo patch (big garden), where me and my friends could have adventures with it!
@@eddiestevenson-kaatsch6306 …so we started «driving» in a similar way… 😊
Was a passenger in one from Pontypool to Banbury when I was young……enough to steer me well clear two yrs later when I had my first car. As you mention Ed for urban/inner city a maybe. Thanks for sharing.
The maximum capacity that I have seen demonstrated (indeed, participated in) is five strapping 17 year old lads. One boy occasionally drove his mother's Isetta to school (in 1961, driving even a bubble car to school was amazingly transgressive and self-indulgent), and we decided to see how many you could get in. Three across the bench, and then two sitting on the laps of the lower-deck passengers. I don't know whether the sun-roof was originally for ventilation, or to increase the capacity in the land that gave us the Fiat 600 Multipla. He drove it for about 100 yards, and then we all decided that we'd made our point (two of the pax played in the school 1st XV, so we weren't tiny).
Great for the generous Invacar driver, who wants to share the terror.
Mini hubnut would love that car
I love this, in my 60s now but saw these on the road all the time when I was young. I love them, they were considered quite cool back then. Thank you.
1:38 was that a "Baroque Angel" in the inset photo? I know amongst railway enthusiasts the closure of the Two Hoots café is causing quite some anger with the railway. Loved the video though, Isettas look so much 'fun'!
It is. Lovely cars.
Excellent vid as usual👍 and lovely scenery.
That's hilarious, such a beautiful little bubble car. My friends and I in the 60s bought a Trojan for £12 ( we were only 15 so no licence) but we used to drive around our council estate until my mate rolled it. The engine was still running upside down. After that we took out the broken widows and made a beach buggy. Then abandoned it in the council garages.
To term a phrase.......that has to be the most Hub Nuttiest car ever.A friend of mine had one in the late 70's and I thought it was a wonderful experience.😎
I remember reading a story about someone smuggling a SECOND person across the Berlin Wall checkpoint in one of these ! If I remember right, the person smuggled sat in a cutout in the seat and the driver seat on top of him.
I watched this at double-speed (bedtime!) so Ian was doing 90mph! 😁👍
16:23 those bikers green with envy!
I thought the filling station at the beginning looked familiar - I was at Sweetlamb for a Royal Enfield off-road training weekend a couple of years ago and filled up my sorely overloaded Himalayan there before setting off on my epic journey home to Cornwall. Good memories but VERY glad to finally get home and rest my weary cheeks ... 😊
I drove from Birmingham to Weston-super-mare (and back) on the M5 in the same day in my old Isetta with no issues at all :)
I do love the sheer variety of TH-cam. Came over from watching M539 Restorations attempt to fix a Maserati, and now enjoying HubNut wizz around in an Isetta. What a mixed evening!
Mum and Dad had one as a first car. Thanks for showing us.
Did i hear you say : shaft drive"?
Im pretty sure, you mean a " Chain drive"
But despite that, it been and still are, magical things to drive. Many centuries ago, when i was a little toddler...my Dad owned a blue and white Isetta. They did put me..on the " luggage shelf", when they go for a spin. Unbelievable im still alive, Surviving cars without any safety stuff requirements. 😂
No, a shaft drive. BMW employs the technology on motorbikes.
I met someone in NZ in the late 1960s who owned one and he claimed to regularly drive it at 60 MPH when he went fishing in the back blocks. He would also take it on 4WD trails to get to his favourite fishing holes, if it got stuck he and his mate could just lift and carry it. Or so he said...
My Dad had one of these. Judging by how much he still talks about it I suspect it was one of his favourites.
I've inherited his love of smol cars but I think this is perhaps a little too small. If it weren't for my (very urban) area being swamped with massive things perhaps I wouldn't be so worried.
My parents bought the 3rd or 4th one imported to uk mid fifties. We toured France ,Spain, Germany and Poland. It was a 4 wheeler and was very stable. One reason for choosing it was that it actually outperformed many other british small cars.. As a child I loved it.
ISO was created by Renzo Rivolta, the Italian Fridge Magnate! 😉
But it sounds like a load of angry wasps after you
another great video has always Ian and Carly miss/mrs hubnut and hublets and hubmutt 👍
My Uncle Don had a yellow one in the mid-late 60's used to commute between Barking and the City of London in it. I thought it was the business back then, there were a few of them around and 8 year old me thought that's the sort of car I want, be like my cool uncle Don......lol
What a lovely 🥰 car ! It sounds like a 2cv , so much fun 🤩! Seeing this this video made me smile the whole time! It totally fits to the beautiful Welsh countryside ! Totally dig your love 💕 for it! Thanks 🙏 🫶👍🏻👍🏻🆙
Top video.
Don't think I've seen a German built 3 wheeled Isetta in the UK before.
We saw a right had model of these at the 2021 NEC Classic Motor Show in November 2021. Got a picture of my kids sat in the front seat. Also got pictures of all of us - not at the same time! - in TWC (you took the ones of me in her!)
Thats one happy Hubnut ! 😂❤
I was thinking of the Leonard Lord line too! 👍 Probably the only BMW I like. 🙂
At the beginning of the video I was thinking you'd better move them giant rocks out of the way before setting off😂
Ntk 724 my dad's old one was sold for 2500k back in the 90s well worth 20k now great car
Last year I was in the lanes under the Cotswold edge and heard a 'moped' approaching and what should appear but a whole parade of microcars, an Isetta, a Messershmitt and a Bond. There was a Bond owners meet at a campsite up the road and we did a crafty circuit before we left. Haven't seen a Bond bug in years!
A brilliant review Ian and Carly, so much fun and mild peril in one review.
My mother and father went from Leeds to Inverness in one of those to go see his sister just after he got rid of his lambretta LD 150 which he used to go to Fulham from Leeds on to see his mother with my mam on the back,7 hours down the old great north road which became the A1.
My dad bought my mum one of these second hand in the late 60’s as her first car. He could never get it to drive right and she refused to drive it. He reckoned it was the motor mount bushes on the rear that were loose and made the wheel unstable. He sold it to a fella and saw it being thrashed down the A1 a few days later which amused and horrified them both in equal measure. Shame he couldn’t keep it though.
That review was a lot of fun! A bit of a heart-stopper there, w/ the accidental selection of reverse, followed by twice over the cattle guard...Lovely scenery around there! The YTer "2stroketurbo" has one of these, as I recall, in his collection of micro-cars, along w/ a Messerschmitt. Sorry about the wiper; that left a whole "Windscreen of Disappointment"!
For the last 5 years I've seen the same chap at the same time every morning, in every weather, driving an Isetta. He seems to swap between a red and a blue one, I suppose for the same reason my GP alternates a pair of 2CVs, she said if one is broken she drives the other one. Anyway, the bloke's a hero - every time I see this Isetta its just come off the Autobahn 😅
Absolutely fantastic, absolutely terrifying!!!Thank you Ian and Miss Hubnut.
Love this!!! Great video
My mum had one of these when I was young - like this but in white. The only car which you could park at right angles to the road facing the pavement, open the door and step straight onto the pavement. Heaven help anyone who had a crash in one of these.
Wow so small but looked like a lot of fun.
Love love love these! I hope you do some more microcars, Scootercar and Peel P50!
One of the best shows I've been to was the National Microcar Rally at the Haynes Motor Museum. I took my 300zx and hid it round the corner! Selfie of you and I sent to Joel Pickering!
👍👍👍👍👍😎😎😎😎😎 And got my sticker today ❤ All the best Julian..
There is space for a rear seat passenger. At 12 years old in 1961, I was driven for over 100 miles whilst sitting in the back. How I don't quite recall, maybe I sat on the shelf.
Made it look easy, Ian!
Out here in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada we have a very large British car meet every spring. And an Isetta appears as an entrant, which looks exactly like this one. It is at the show because it is British built. I learned this from chatting with the owner, who also told me parts were easy to get. 🇨🇦
That looks a ridiculous amount of fun 😅
Funny the landscape looks like Normandy where I had an house 10 years ago!
In my opinion Leonard Lord could go stick it - all the bubblecars were great!
This was a lot of fun to watch, Ian, thank you!
“This is hilarious and terrifying” - says the man who hoons around in an Invacar……..😂😂😂
Growing up in Denmark in the 1970's and 80's, I remember there still being a fair number of these on the road, as well as a lot of Heinkells and Puch built Fiat 500s.
many a simple 2-stroke would be proud to sound like that
Wales looks like a very nice place to be.
There's a somewhat shocking amount of these 'Bubble Cars ' left "Abandoned" on people's property around here. We even have a few here @ Work, although they've been picked over somewhat over the years. Still, I have a few Crosleys of my own including the rare "Hot-Shot" Roadster 😅!
It's a funny thought that they added ballast to the RHD versions to keep it from falling over, just what a small-engined car needed to cart about, more weight... :P
This is brilliant content for the channel, fantastic 👊👊👊
Another superb joyride / road test Sir. Some nice camera work to add to the experience.
What a hoot. Surprisingly civilised, no white knuckles. Bubble car? come on, smart pod just sounds more up to date.
Sorry to hear about "two hoots" cafe.
What, no ptttchoo!!!! you must be having too much fun.
Magic. Love it.😊
When we came back from the States in 1957, my dad’s first car in England was a Heinkel Kabine. IIRC, the engine was a 175cc single. 300cc would have been a pretty major upgrade!
Awesome video and an awesome little car. 👍
I had one as a youngster. Worst moment - leaving out the rubber mat over the underseat battery. The wire mesh under the seat upholstery heated up and going round the elephant and castle roundabout the car filled up with smoke! A 100e Ford Popular was a welcome replacement. Like a limousine!
What a beast😂
Enjoyed this! Judging by the ooohs, aaahs and short monotone comments from Carly I sense this was not her most enjoyable passenger drive. On the other hand, it's obvious you loved the car Ian. :)