Messerschmitt 3 wheeler cars

[Cherry (Alcock)]

As well they aren't too common then - I'd probably spend my life "falling over" on corners! 

[Leon Sumter]

You're quite safe on two legs Cherry I would think.
Oh and I forgot to mention also that these 'cars' had real cheapo glassfibre bodies.

[Carl Wrbka]

I can't believe people actually bought these cars. What were they thinking?

[georgswa (Georg Ruf) (RIP)]

I can't believe people actually bought these cars. What were they thinking?

Well Carl, if you know what Germany looked like just after war and what transport was available.....

Bycicle, Motor Cycle, Vespa

That was one step up at affordable price and driving without getting wet in the rain.

The later years, it was plain nostalgie.

If you had an Isetta, you were King on the road LOL 

[SandyB]

The  Messerschmit and  BMW  Isetta  had  metal bodies ..  it was the   Reliant  3  wheelers that had  glass  fibre bodies ...

[SandyB]

just  on  a  memory  blast  with  the  little  cars .. I  remeber  seeing  in the  streets of  cape town apart from  the little  Fiat  500's  which was a  4  seater  ... there  was  a  combi  type  version   occupying  almost the  same  wheelbase  .. that was  a  6 seater ... did a  search  and  here  she is ..  a  6 seater  ...below a  write  up  and  the  pics  attached ..   ENJOY ..

1960 Fiat 600 Multipla
In the years that followed World War II, it became obvious to Fiat management that the future lay in a small car, cheap to manufacture and cheap to buy. Chief technical designer Dante Giacosa set about finding a replacement for the 500 Topolino: Project "100".
Much development and testing resulted in a shape enclosing four people with a minimum of sheet metal, powered by a simple, reliable four-cylinder engine mounted at the rear for cost reasons. The resulting Fiat 600 was one of the great success stories of the twentieth century, with some 2.7 million cars produced.
The mixed-use station wagon, called 600 Multipla (All Service), was introduced a year later, in 1956. The idea was to multiply the serviceability of the 600 for both family motoring and business use.
The multi-place seating was very flexible through a combination of folding seats.
Three versions were available:
* The 4/5 seater had bench seats front and rear that folded to make a bed.
* The 6-seater had a front bench and four individual seats that folded completely flat into the floor to make a roomy load platform.
* The Taxi version had a single seat and luggage platform in front, separate folding seats in the middle, and a bench seat in back, together with a division.
Differences from the sedan included, besides the bodywork, an auxiliary radiator up front, wishbone front suspension, different gear ratios, worm and roller steering, slightly larger fuel tank, and interior lamps.
The Multipla name is today revived for another unusual ground-breaking vehicle.
Manufacturer: FIAT Societa per Azioni, Turin Italy
Model: 600 DM   Motor: Fiat, 4-stroke   Body: Steel
Years Built: 1956-1969   No. Cylinders: 4   Chassis: None
No. Produced: 129,994   Displacement: 767cc   Susp Front: Coil
No. Surviving:    Horsepower: 32   Susp Rear: Coil
Length: 3432 mm   Gearbox: 4 + rev   Strg: Worm&Roller
Width: 1450 mm   Starter: Electric   Brakes: Hydraulic
Weight: 580 kg   Electrics: 12v   4 Wheels: 5.20 x 12"
Interior: 4 seats   Ignition: Coil   Top Speed: 96 kph

[georgswa (Georg Ruf) (RIP)]

@ Sandy

I remember those 6 seaters, a family van

3 wheelers are still common in Italy, if i find a picture , i will post it. At least i have it in a video....

Will pots that when found

At the moment i am uploading films from Ai Ais to Lüderitz and kolmanns. Will post that when ready

Have a nice day. We have snow all round LOL send you some ???

[SandyB]

I'm just laughing thinking back  , when I as a child first  saw one ..   could not work out which was front or the back  look at these two pics ,, they   depict my initial confusion ...   

[Leon Sumter]

I remember these tiny Fiat 'Combis'. When I grew up in Camps Bay in the early sixties, we often overtook one of these cars grinding its way up from Camps Bay to Kloof Neck. Our car at that time was a Citroen Light 15 which was not exactly the fastest car on the block.

[Leon Sumter]

BTW, here is a pic of a Citroen Light 15 (in France known as Citroen 'Traction Avant', meaning front wheel drive), manufactured from 1935 to 1957.

[Clive Symes]

Cherry, if memory serves me, I think I can recall John Hall saying he had or drove one of these Relients in the UK and the vehicle would tilt around corners

[Richard Opperman]

I remember the Messerschmidt and the Bubble car, as we called the other one whose single door opened frontwards with the steering wheel attached.

I remember us running a mile when we saw the Messerschmidt - thinking it was Mrs Castle coming along and ducking behind a bush or what ever hiding place was available. Great fun and good memories.

[Leon Sumter]

Richard can perhaps recall who the young French guy was who I think was married to one of the Hockney girls. This guy was the last owner of a blue Meschersmitt car, probably the ex Castle car. This crowd lived in either 2nd or 3 rd avenue on the coast side of OMD.

[Richard Opperman]

Hi Leon,

Is it not Daniel Vinten, married Gilbert Kirmes's sister? (spelling!)

[Leon Sumter]

yes Daniel Vinten seems to ring a bell.