The Oddities of the Microcar Classic

"Noah - Now with more boost." (antriebverliebt) 07/11/2017 at 13:24 • Filed to: None

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Some, like the Autozam, were Jalopnik favorites. Others though? I genuinely had no idea what they were as I’d never seen nor heard of them before. Especially the little French cars. Bonus points if you can help identify any of them.

The legendary AZ-1. This car shows up at Japanese car day every year so I was hoping it’d be here too. Despite the extravagant exterior, the interior is relatively spartan, like most kei cars:

Another kei classic, the Nissan Figaro. I’m not sure about the front end but the rear reminds me of an old Datsun roadster, and the decidedly vintage interior is pretty amusing. The HVAC controls are straight out of the sixties.

A Pacer! It was interesting to compare the size of its interior to the rest of the cars here. It’s actually quite spacious, relatively speaking:

A Lotus 7. Potentially a real one? It’s so similar to a Caterham that I genuinely can’t tell. The interior looks vintage, and it has drum brakes.

A Fiat taxi! It looks 500 based to me, but other than that I have no idea what it is. Regardless, this is definitely original as it still had the fare meter attached to the dash.

What is this!? It has a Citroen badge on it and looks very industrial. You can’t even tell what color it used to be. Red? Orange? Pink? The rear has two small seats that fold down and have a truck bed style finish on the back for sliding things over them.

Unexpected: A 700.

A Panhard. That’s all I know (because it says so on the front). It had a very unusual steering wheel/gauge cluster arrangement:

A Messerschmitt! Talk about a coffin on wheels. The license plate on the rear suggests that this was driven all the way from New York too. The steering wheel is extremely weird, it looks like a bakelite boomerang.

Some kind of Renault delivery van decked out in Michelin livery. It seems like the people who import these kind of things love finding workhorses, so I wouldn’t be surprised if this was actually a tire delivery truck back in the day. Pretty cool.

The Doug Demuro special. Without a doubt, the tallest car at the show.

The Microcar Classic is unique in that kids (along with their friends and family) are offered rides in some of the cars. One of my friends has a toddler, so we took advantage of the opportunity. The drive was a short loop on private property, so the eccentric owner of this (woody wagon?) Mini stuffed 3 people in the back and filled the other rows of seats too. It was surprisingly loud in there, and the owner said that at highway speeds, it’s not the overall sketchiness of the drive that prevents you from going over 60MPH, but the sheer volume of the experience.

A Honda 600 with a grammatically incorrect vanity plate. Note the tiny “power bulge” on the hood. It’s amazing that AMC thought they could counter something this clean and crisp with two misshapen lumps (the Gremlin and the Pacer).

A Mini Moke. I’ve always thought that the infatuation with these was ridiculous, but after seeing a couple in person (and especially in this ludicrous Lambo green color) I totally get it.

I recognize the oddball shape of this one but beyond the Citroen badge, I have no idea what it is. Very futuristic. And of course, it has a “typical” (insane) Citroen interior.

An abomination from behind the iron curtain. The only thing I know is that it had this badge on the front, which says “Fulda Mobil - Werk Fulda.” East German, presumably? It’s incredibly crude. This “car” makes that Messerschmitt look like a Mercedes.

A Subaru 360, which I think is the first Subaru ever offered in the USA?

As you’d expect, there were a few 2CVs at the event.

A Vespa. Maybe the Euro crowd can identify the model? It’s unbelievably small, note the big American behind the wheel: I bet he wouldn’t even fit inside it if the top was up.

Without a doubt, the highlight of the show was going for a ride in this DS. That has been an automotive bucket list item of mine for years. The seats were like a cross between a worn out mattress and a water bed. You didn’t sit in them, you sank into them. And the ride quality? Just as good as you’d expect. It truly does live up to the hype.

In the Mini, you felt every single bump through the stiff suspension and hard seats. The DS glided over everything, and totally eliminated all of the smaller imperfections in the road. It felt like for the most part, the chassis wasn’t moving at all while the trick suspension did all the work. Furthermore, when it did hit a bump that was large enough to move the car, the Citroen floated over it like a land yacht on the highway, but in a more controlled fashion. There was no lurching involved, just a slow rise up and back down again. 10/10. Now I really want one...

This was such a fun show. There were no cigars, boat shoes, or golf shirts. The atmosphere was the antithesis of the vibe at all of the high dollar shows the Larz Anderson puts on, which was a nice change of pace.

VW Max > Noah - Now with more boost. 07/11/2017 at 13:35

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The Fiat taxi is a Multipla 600

Noah - Now with more boost. > VW Max 07/11/2017 at 13:37

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Cool. And so is this, apparently, lol...

VW Max > Noah - Now with more boost. 07/11/2017 at 13:39

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It’s beautiful! ;)

Noah - Now with more boost. > VW Max 07/11/2017 at 13:42

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Blue chip investment!

Mercedes Streeter > Noah - Now with more boost. 07/11/2017 at 13:59

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Heh, I see a smart wedged between that DS and some other car. It’s not even an older smart either. xD

BvdV - The Dutch Engineer > Noah - Now with more boost. 07/11/2017 at 14:02

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Ready for a boost in small European car knowledge? Here goes:

Fiat van thingy, is a 600 Multipla.

The faded Citroën is a US-spec Mehari.

The Panhard is a Dyna (Z I think).

The Messerschmitt isn’t actually a Messerschmitt but an FMR (but that is a small detail)

The Renault van is a R4 Fourgonnette.

The oddly (but beautifully) shaped Citroën is a US-spec Ami.

The Fuldamobil isn’t from behind the iron curtain, but it was a peoples car, in the same sense as the Messerschmitt was.

Finally the Vespa is a Vespa 400.

fintail > Noah - Now with more boost. 07/11/2017 at 14:13

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Pacer appears to be in remarkable condition.

Noah - Now with more boost. > BvdV - The Dutch Engineer 07/11/2017 at 14:35

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I’m really surprised the Citroen was US spec!? Farm equipment I guess?

Especially impressed that you could identify the van.

I think the Ami is beautiful too, I’ll have to remember that. Such a unique design.

Huh strange, the Fulda was so heinous I assumed communism was involved lol.

I love the Vespa... it’s a little Ferrari!

Thank you!!

Noah - Now with more boost. > Mercedes Streeter 07/11/2017 at 14:35

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haha yeah without a doubt, wasn’t about to take pictures of that one. (no offense!). This was the microcar **classic!**

Noah - Now with more boost. > fintail 07/11/2017 at 14:36

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Somehow once mundane cars like that, which have been incredibly well-preserved against all odds, are way more exciting to me than Ferraris.

BvdV - The Dutch Engineer > Noah - Now with more boost. 07/11/2017 at 14:39

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You’re welcome!

You can recognise US-spec Meharis by the shape of the headlights, as the rest of the world got this:

Meharis where intended as a fun beach car, like the Manx buggy, so kind of a niche I guess.

The Renault van wasn’t too hard, I’ve been a Renault guy from a young age.

Noah - Now with more boost. > BvdV - The Dutch Engineer 07/11/2017 at 14:40

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I can’t believe there was a market for this kind of thing.

Mercedes Streeter > Noah - Now with more boost. 07/11/2017 at 14:42

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None taken! I was kinda baffled when I saw it. All the old micros there and then...a few year old smart? Wait, wat?

BvdV - The Dutch Engineer > Noah - Now with more boost. 07/11/2017 at 14:43

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The fact that it was only sold in 1969 and 1970 in the US, while it continued well into the 80s in the rest of the world, does show that you might be right about the lack of a market for it.

Noah - Now with more boost. > Mercedes Streeter 07/11/2017 at 14:53

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Lol exactly.

Cé hé sin > Noah - Now with more boost. 07/11/2017 at 16:07

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Not apparently - it is a Multipla! Pre facelift, to be precise. I see them occasionally.

Cé hé sin > Noah - Now with more boost. 07/11/2017 at 16:13

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The Panhard is a Dyna Z which used an 850cc flat twin. Panhard were later bought out by Citroen and their models evolved, kind of, into the Citroen GS.

Noah - Now with more boost. > Cé hé sin 07/11/2017 at 17:07

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Yes I remember these from top gear!

Noah - Now with more boost. > Cé hé sin 07/11/2017 at 17:09

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What a strange motor choice...

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Noah - Now with more boost. 07/11/2017 at 17:19

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Awesome! The FIAT taxi is 600-based and is a Multipla.

The Citroen jeep thing is a Mehari - Dyane-based and made of fibreglass, a Mini Mike competitor. I think they were originally developed as paradrop light military cars...?

The Renault van is a Renault 4 delivery van, I have a Majorette dinky car almost exactly like that one home somewhere!

The Citroen with the oddly raked rear windshield is a 2CV-based Citroen Ami!

Wish I could’ve been there...those are the kind of card I love! :(

Noah - Now with more boost. > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 07/11/2017 at 17:47

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User avatar checks out! (the Citroen badge lol). Fascinating re: the Mehari, someone else said they were designed as fun beach cars but I definitely believe the paradrop story, it has a very military look to it. And I would definitely take one over a Moke.

I definitely need to at least get a ride in an Ami at some point, they look so cool. Unsurprisingly that one wasn’t offering rides. Too nice.

Jonee > Noah - Now with more boost. 07/11/2017 at 17:49

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Very cool. I wasn’t able to make it this year, unfortunately. And, as a Fuldamobil owner myself, you take that back! The Fulda is a lovely car. I wrote a long post about Fuldamobil if you’re curious about them. It’s a pretty fascinating story, actually. License built Fuldamobils were made all over the world including Greece, Chile, and Sweden among other places.

The 700 was not a Glas, actually. It was an all BMW design (although the body is by Michelotti) and was an evolution of the Isetta 600, another rear engined BMW. The most famous Glas that became a BMW was the 1600GT, although there were a few other Glas cars they kept manufacturing including the little Goggomobil. I also did a Glas post.

http://oppositelock.kinja.com/the-most-important-car-company-you-know-nothing-about-1725265935

The 700 was a big deal for BMW. Their first really all-new post-war car that sold in any numbers. It paved the way for the Neue Classe cars like the 2002.

I’ll have to find out who owns that Fulda. I thought I knew all the ones in the U.S.

Cé hé sin > Mercedes Streeter 07/11/2017 at 17:58

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!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

Mk1 Golf!

Noah - Now with more boost. > Jonee 07/11/2017 at 18:33

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Hahah wow I’m so embarrassed... gonna go delete that entire section re: BMW. Yikes. *retreats with tail between legs*

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Noah - Now with more boost. 07/11/2017 at 20:28

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The Mehari would be slower than a Moke, I imagine, but more reliable. 2CV/Dyane engines were very understressed....small and unpowerful as they were, they were tested by Citroen for 1000 hours at redline which is about the same as like 80,000km at full throttle. They may be puny 2-cylinders with 30 or so hp (in the later 602cc units), but they can take one hell of a beating. Also, if the generator/starter failed, they could be crank-started :P

Noah - Now with more boost. > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 07/11/2017 at 22:33

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I didn’t know engines were tested like that!? TIL.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Noah - Now with more boost. 07/11/2017 at 22:40

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Yet another reason why I want a 2CV along with mah fav classic FIATS :P

Noah - Now with more boost. > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 07/12/2017 at 00:43

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X1/9 please!!

boxrocket > Noah - Now with more boost. 07/12/2017 at 06:12

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Great stuff! I love seeing the scale differences in regards to the license plate and the overall vehicle. Goodness these are tiny.

I’d still love to have a yellow AZ-1 just for giggles, but I wonder how quickly the novelty would wear off.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Noah - Now with more boost. 07/12/2017 at 08:02

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I’ve been saving up to import a FIAT 126p from Poland...hopefully in the next year or two! I need my own place and a permanent job first....no luck on either of those fronts, sadly...

Noah - Now with more boost. > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 07/12/2017 at 12:56

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Ugh I’m right there with you, I was laid off in the spring and am typing this from my childhood bedroom. Good luck!

Noah - Now with more boost. > boxrocket 07/12/2017 at 12:57

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Thanks! Yeah an AZ1 would be epic, they’re like 10k+ though. A Honda beat, on the other hand... 5k for a nice one!!

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Noah - Now with more boost. 07/12/2017 at 14:03

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Yup...I’m 31 in August and still living at home...

Noah - Now with more boost. > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 07/12/2017 at 18:40

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Interesting, I think about birthdays the same way. About to turn 25 in my childhood bedroom. The kicker: I actually made it out of the house... for like 6 months. Then got laid off and now I’m right back here.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Noah - Now with more boost. 07/12/2017 at 20:00

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Yup, life can be a biznatch...

RT > Noah - Now with more boost. 07/13/2017 at 05:41

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Cool event coverage!

Lots of people have already explained the Euro cars, so here’s one last correction I felt I needed to make:

The Figaro is not a kei car, it’s a subcompact car. This is because it’s larger in size and has a bigger engine than what’s in the kei car regulations.

Underneath, it’s a first gen Nissan Micra - which is subcompact size - not kei.

Same applies to the S-Cargo, Pao and Be-1 btw.

Random side note:

For some reason the Figaro is quite common in the UK. Strange considering I don’t think it was an official import - and it’s a 1991 model which is still on the roads today! It’s just the Figaro that seems to have have stuck around. The first gen Micra used to be common but they have mostly rusted away by now, I’ve seen about one or two S-Cargos my entire life, no Be-1s - and the only Pao I saw was in Canada. So there you go, if you want to see Figaros, come to the UK. :/

Noah - Now with more boost. > RT 07/13/2017 at 09:27

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Strangely, there is a Figaro in someone’s driveway in my area but that’s the only unusual car they own. Maybe it just appeals to non car people because of the styling?

RT > Noah - Now with more boost. 07/13/2017 at 10:15

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Yep, from what I can gather it’s popular with the New Beetle crowd.

Just surprised that these sorts of people still keep them on the road, since they’re decades old.