IT'S GETTING OUT OF HAND!

by Stephen Boyd (published in the Isetta Gazette May 1980)

I have always been interested in bubble cars, but up until recently have never really been in close contact with them. When I was twelve years of age I can remember that there was a Trojan at the end of the road, and not far away there was a Hunslet Scootercar. Even then, bubble cars fascinated me, and when I was sixteen I came very close to buying one. I can remember that it was a white Isetta, and was for sale at a garage in Lillington/Leamington Spa, where I was living at the time. They wanted £60 which was quite a lot of money then, and, of course, my mother put m e off buying it, telling me to wait until I was 17 when I could buy a proper car. I ended up with a Vespa 90 scooter to fill the gap.

Several years passed by, and in October '78 I was browsing through a friend's Exchange & Mart (the first one that I had ever studied properly) when I stumbled across the Isetta section. I could not believe it. There was an Isetta for sale at Aylsham, where I live, and so I phoned straight away to find the price and get some details. I had only wanted to see the car to bring back memories, but when I saw it I felt that I just had to buy it.

I dashed back home to fetch Pamela, my wife, to get her approval, as we would have to take the money out of our savings. Obviously she said yes or I wouldn't be now writing this article, and the car (7381 PU), a blue Isetta, cost £125 with a fair amount of spares.

During the following months I gathered together quite a lot of information on the Isetta from various sources, and picked up details of other micro cars on the way. I managed to join the Isetta Owners Club in its first year (membership number 90) by asking for the newsletters back to issue 1, and learned quite a lot more about a subject which was new to me.

The Isetta caused quite a stir wherever I went in it, and especially where I work. Various people chatted to me about bubble cars, and, in a roundabout way I learnt of a Scootercar for sale. By chance this car was also in Aylsham, and. although the owner was asking £120, I managed to get it for £70 with a full year's MOT. (Blue Scootercar 455 PG).

I was then told about a Messerschmitt (no reg: but chassis number 63233) in a scrap yard. When I went to look it was in a bad shape. I had never come across a Messerschmitt in this part of the world, so I thought I had better add it to the collection. The scrap yard delivered it on the back of a transit van, and then Pam and myself tipped it onto its side and through the gap between the house and the garage into the back garden. There it will stay until I can find the time and money to make it even resemble a Messerschmitt.

I then received a phonecall from a man in Norwich who asked me if I could take an Isetta off his hands. How could I refuse? I hired a car transporter and went over to Norwich one sunday morning to pick it up. The car (blue Isetta 120 DMJ) is in average condition, and one day I hope to do it up and exchange it for a Heinkel or Trojan.

Then along came the Nobel (red/grey, reg 516 JOO) which so far makes up the final car of my fleet! This cost me £150, and although it needs a sespray, it's complete and MOT'd.

As you can see, I have become quite a bubble car enthusiast over the last twelve months, and have recently formed the 'Scootercar register'. My wife says, "It's getting a bit out of hand," but I am pretty sure she like bubble cars, even though she might not admit it.