Vintage Finds A Neat Little Car By Martin L Chiechi, Proud vintage car owner
This BMW Isetta 300 was originally designed and produced by Iso, an Italian refrigerator manufacturer in 1953. In fact, the front door and door handle are modified refrigerator parts. It was powered by a 236 cc two stroke motorcycle engine producing 9.5 horsepower. You entered the car from the front and the steering wheel and gauges moved with the door. The sunroof was marketed as a safety feature allowing for escape in the event the front door was damaged in an accident. A heater, sun visors, ashtray and radio were optional. In 1955, BMW licensed the design and began production. BMW
installed their own 300cc motorcycle engine, now producing 13 horsepower. It takes over 30 seconds for the car to reach 31 mph. It has a top speed of 52 mph. It gets 50 miles per gallon of gas which is fortunate because it only has a 3.5 gallon gas tank. It also has a reverse gear unlike many micro or bubble cars of the era. Between 1955 and 1962 BMW produced 161,728 Isettas making it the most popular one cylinder car in the world. It was also produced in France (VELAM Isetta), Argentina (DeCarloIsetta), and Brazil (RomiIsetta). A three wheeled version that was taxed as a motorcycle was sold in Britain. Since the engine and the driver are on the right side of the car
in Britain, a ballast was added to the left side so the car would not tip over. The Isetta was also produced as a police vehicle and as a truck. One version was used as a bomb carrier for the British Air Force. Beginning in 1960 BMW also sold the Isetta 600, which had a two cylinder engine and three doors allowing seating for six. A new version of the 600 is now available in China as an electric vehicle. An updated Isetta 300 is also soon to be sold
Martin L Chiechi sitting in the finished product of his 1957 BMW ISETTA 300
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as an electric vehicle built by a firm in Switzerland. It will be known as the Microlina. During the 50’s and 60’s BMW was struggling financially as it produced only high end vehicles for sale in a post war, cash strapped economy. The Isetta is credited as the car that produced enough cash flow to save BMW and allow it to become the company you see today. Micro and bubble cars have been gaining in popularity in the last few years. The values have risen too. However, to me the value of the car is priceless as it gets more smiles per gallon than any
car on the road. You can only look at it and laugh. I looked for this car for 3 plus years and purchased from a local person who had just found it a barn in Fresno. A true barn find. He was going to fix it up for his son before his wife said no because of the lack of safety features. The transmission broke in 1963 and had been left abandoned until three years ago when I bought it. It took just under three years to restore. Every nut and bolt was removed, refurbished and reassembled in my garage. I did have help of friends.
The first look.