Pictures from Micro Car Nationals 2004

[Sherlock]

Here are links to some pictures taken at the Micro Nationals in California earlier in August this year (I know some of you enjoy the unusual micro cars)

Link #1 www.americanbantam.com/index.htm

(scroll down page for photo link)

Link #2 https://microcar.org/2004/index.html

Meets like this are fantastic and great fun, those of you who think your Bugeye Sprite is small need to attend a meet like this if you are able to, there are lots of unusual micro cars out there (a BMW Isetta is considered mainstream in this crowd! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif)

 

[coldplugs]

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...Meets like this are fantastic and great fun, ...

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I'll second that. Most car shows are pretty predictable (around here anyway) but these micro events are often the only times many micros get driven. The exhibiters often offer rides to the public & it's great fun to see them tearing around the fields or parking lots where the events are held.

Also - a cooincidence. Yesterday we were driving on a back road in Gardner, Maine, and an Austin seven (or American Bantam) pickup went by in the other direction. It looked a little shabby and had a pile of stuff in the bed. First time I've ever seen one on the road.

 

[aeronca65t]

Yeah, you gotta love teeny-tiny cars. They're kind of like the "un-SUV".
I have a great interest in the cycle-cars of the 1920s and the post-war European microcars. I even like King Midgets.
These days I think the Smart cars are....well, smart !
There is a Subaru 360 languishing is a garage near me but I've resisted stopping to look at it....already too many priojects going on in my life.
The small Austin 7 "specials" (usually used in English Trials and TT races) are among my favorite cars.
Here's me with an American Bantam (we always called these "baby Austins") taken at Louden racetrack:

 

[coldplugs]

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... I even like King Midgets.

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Nial,you are hard core. I draw the line at King Midgets and golf carts.

Speaking of micros - I've started collecting parts for my Berkeley restoration. What an education! Expense is far higher than I expected - Lotus parts are cheap compared to Berkeley parts, which are far rarer. It's great fun, though, to rummage through eBay looking for stuff. You need to search for Berkeley of course, but also things like Excelsior for engine parts, Renault for some steering parts, Triumph for other steering parts, and so on.

It took a while to realize that most of the knobs, switches, and related parts were not from Lucas but from various caravan-related suppliers.

 

[Sherlock]

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coldplugs said: It took a while to realize that most of the knobs, switches, and related parts were not from Lucas but from various caravan-related suppliers.


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Actually, kind of makes sense now that I think about it...

1) Berkeley was produced by the same person (Laurie Bond) who started the Bond car company, making three-wheelers

2) And I'm told that a major part of Laurie Bond's enterprises was the manufacture of caravans

Now the real trick was putting 1 and 2 together in the first place... And of course your Berkeley is eligible for the Micro Car Nationals or any other Micro Car event.

Next year's Nationals - according to that website - is at Charles Gould's place in Massachusetts, not that ultra-far from you in Maine, will it be ready on time? Or just go there anyway and hang out, I'm told that Charles Gould has a nice collection including a Messerschmitt Tiger, even actually met him once at the Micro North meet in Ontario

 

[coldplugs]

Actually it was a fellow named Charles Panter who ran the Berkeley caravan company and made campers and Berkeleys. Lawrie Bond had the idea for a small sports car and did most of the design. Panter needed something to build off-season and the car seemed a good idea so he hired Bond for a while & bought the designs from him.

Sure, the Berk is a legitimate micro & there's even one fellow racing one on the west coast in vintage events. Mine is also early enough to be eligible for VSCCA racing. I doubt there'd be anything slower on the track, but probably nothing noisier!

I expect I'll attend the micro meet in MA next year but the car won't be done. I can't even start on it until about November this year since we're in the middle of a move.