In Search of an Isetta Club

by John Davison (published in the Isetta GazetteFeb 1982)

My wife and I recently joined the Isetta Owners Club after a long and frustrating search.

We had decided to look around for a second car, having no specific model in mind we were in no rush. We run a 1953 Austin A.40 Somerset which is rather a thirsty old lady, and therefore needed a small runabout. Back in August we entered 'Lucy' (as we call the Austin) in a local classic car show at Ashover, and upon browsing around the other exhibits we came across a solitary white Isetta over which we drooled. We fell in love with the Isetta and realised that this was the car we had been looking for, but unfortunately we had to leave the show early and could not contact the owner.

Being a member of the Austin Counties Club, we realised that there must be a similar fraternity for these small cars. First I wrote to Practical Classics, who informed me of an article in an issue of Old Motor which we both found intetresting, and the name and address to contact. "Great!", I thought, as I wrote the letter to Mike Bray. Alas, Mike had moved earlier in the year and I received no reply. Meantime, I tried local car clubs and even the reference library; still nothing.

Then, on night, whilst watching TV, we received a phone call from a foreign sounding gentleman who had contacted me in reply to a spares advert I had put in Practical Classics. After a long talk i found that he was the owner of an A.40, but did not know of the club. I soon put him right and gave him all the necessary information. He was well pleased and said if there was anything he could ever do for me...... so I happened to mention my plight in trying to find the Isetta Owners Club. He said he had seen a name and address in a recent magazine and would phone me back if he could find it. Then we said our goodbyes and I settled back in front of the TV.

Ten minutes later the phone rang again, and upon answering it I found it to be my previous caller again, with the relevant info, so firstly I called directory enquiries and asked them for Jean's number. "Oh dear, its X-Directory", said the operator, but she told me that she could get me the number as long as she didn't actually divulge it to me, and did so after going through four local exchanges. I suddenly found myself talking to Jean Hammond, the Secretary of the Club, and then got cut off. Great! Even greater, I had forgotten to ask Jean for her number so I had to start all over again. After a total of two and a half hours on the phone I had all the info I needed, and to cut a long story short, we are now the proud owners of a 1961 three wheeler Isetta and hope to have it on the road soon. I think the sunroof will be rather handy for our Airedale to poke her head through, and hope to meet you all at the rallies and meetings next summer.

The Editor commented:

Well, the moral of this story seems to be that whoever owned that white Isetta at Ashford did a terrific job in making John and Carole want one themselves. However, he only did half a job. If only that white Isetta had had a club leaflet displayed, then the search would have been oh so much easier. Perhaps, though, the white Isetta wasn't in the club anyway.

If any members are contemplating taking their Isetta's to shows and rallies this year (and of course, you are, aren't you) the club can let you have leaflets to display on request.