Not a bike...not a car...ELF

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2door

2door

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Sep 15, 2008
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Silverbear, thanks for posting but I have to wonder why the people who build these types of things never seem to have any sense of style or design. They're all so darn UGLY!

Look at the Honda Prius. Have you ever seen an uglier vehicle in your life? The so called, 'Smart Car? Now there's a study in something that will hurt your eyes.
Why the heck can't they design something with a little more aerodynamics and some swoopy curvy lines instead of these silly looking things that anyone with an ounce of self respect wouldn't be caught dead driving? Fuel economy or environment friendly aside, they could still be attractive. Why so ugly?

Just my opinion.

Tom
 
silverbear

silverbear

The Boy Who Never Grew Up
Jul 9, 2009
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northeastern Minnesota
Remember the Italian Isetta back in the 1960's? Three wheels and the front end was the door. That was an ugly bugger. It made a VW bug seem roomy and safe. Can't imagine going down a busy highway in an Isetta. Death wish.
SB
 
xseler

xseler

Well-Known Member
Apr 14, 2013
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silverbear said:
Remember the Italian Isetta back in the 1960's? Three wheels and the front end was the door. That was an ugly bugger. It made a VW bug seem roomy and safe. Can't imagine going down a busy highway in an Isetta. Death wish.
SB
Click to expand...

My '57 BMW Isetta would hit 50mph --- it actually had 4 wheels. The back ones were just really close together. It had a 200cc one cylinder engine....think it was rated at 12.5 horsepower.

Too bad I sold it in the early '80's.
 
2door

2door

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Sep 15, 2008
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Littleton, Colorado
Anyone remember the Go-Go-Mobile? It had four wheels and sat two and had a twin air cooled engine. The starter was also the generator and it had an electric 4 speed transmission. My dad bought a used one, had it for a short time but the starter/generator went out and he couldn't find anyone to fix it.

http://www.ask.com/wiki/Goggomobil?o=2801&qsrc=999&ad=doubleDown&an=apn&ap=ask.com

I saw one a couple of years ago at a car show. The owner said it was worth about 10 grand because it was so rare. LOL< I think Dad sold his for $25.00.

Tom
 
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silverbear

silverbear

The Boy Who Never Grew Up
Jul 9, 2009
8,325
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northeastern Minnesota
Tom,
Was looking at your Dad's gogomobile and it reminded me of a micro-van I bought new in the 1970's which was made by Fujica Heavy Industries. They had been imported and impounded somewhere on the east coast and sat for some years before they were finally allowed to be sold. A dealer in Baltimore got hold of them and was having this big sale of 'new' vans micro pickup trucks & cars with motorcycle engines in them. I couldn't resist and bought a "new" white van which was already beginning to rust. Don't remember what it cost, but it was real cheap. I drove it around some and it was fun other than on the beltway between Baltimore & D.C. Each passing semi was a death threat and shook poor little Fuji. It ran great and had a top speed of 55 or 60. Probably got incredible mileage, but I don't remember. Just did a search and I realize now that Fujica was the parent company of Subaru and my van was actually a Subaru 360 which meant nothing to me then. If I had it now I'd drive back and forth to town on the cheap. Probably had a lousy heater for northern Minnesota. Wonder what Fuji is worth now...best not to think about it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NGN4EkTOwk
SB
 
bluegoatwoods

bluegoatwoods

Active Member
Jul 29, 2012
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I do admire them for trying to build something small, simple and economical. But that little green egg is really nothing more than a novelty.

I can't imagine how bad it's handling characteristics would be in any rough weather. Not to mention the fact that the rider might as well have no roof at all in any kind of storm.

And it could not really operate in traffic. Though it has the right to the road, we all know that that only gets you so far. Danger from autos has some pretty heavy leverage on our rights.

And, like mentioned above, it really is kind of ugly.

$5000 is just too much for something that can't be used as primary transport. I wonder how big they think their market might be?

This is not even a very good attempt at economical alternative transportation. And so, naturally, this is what one of the big three networks chooses to report on. Don't it just figure?
 
silverbear

silverbear

The Boy Who Never Grew Up
Jul 9, 2009
8,325
670
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northeastern Minnesota
Now I've got that danged micro van on my mind, thinking "I never should have sold that... parked it in a garage and I could be getting 66 mpg today." That's what the sedan got, probably some less for the van with it's flat front. It must have had oil injection as I don't remember mixing the gas. The engine was an air cooled, twin cylinder 2 stroke of 360cc displacement. Some of these are still being driven and even souped up. The 360 was the first Subaru and first car made by Fuji Heavy Industries of Japan. One speed wipers, floor shift, no radio, no carpeting, suicide front doors, instant death in a front end collision, a little noisy, but a lot of fun to drive in city. They should make the crazy thing again and I might buy one. Of course I'd need to wear a snowmobile suit to be warm enough to drive it in January, but hey... 60 some mpg... woohoo!
SB

Sorry for the small pictures, but it was a small van. Third photo the van is sitting in the pickup bed.
 

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bluegoatwoods

bluegoatwoods

Active Member
Jul 29, 2012
1,581
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Central Illinois
That is a cool little van, Silverbear. I'd be okay driving something like that.

For some time now I've craved a car that was almost nothing more than engine, drive train and wind/rain protection. Something like that Subaru van. Or a Volkswagen Beetle, Citroen CV-2, a real Fiat 500, etc..

I wish the automakers would come up with something like those again.

What I've got is a Chevy Malibu. And I don't exactly dislike it; it's really a pretty good car. But it reminds me of the Starship Enterprise compared to the stark, bare bones car I'd really want.

Of course, that's why I'm an enthusiastic MBer who just loves these cheap chinese two strokes.

So I guess it ain't working out all that bad.
 
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