In the early 1950's , I S O Spa of Italy were
manufacturers of refrigerators and scooters . It has been said that the Isetta , with its front opening door and small engine , was a hybrid of the two . |
"ISETTA" means "Little ISO"
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After only two years of production , I S O sold manufacturing rights to BMW . It was a
good purchase and rescued BMW from almost certain closure . BMW modified and fitted their own motorcycle engine and soon BMW Isettas were a familiar sight on roads throughout Europe . |
TMC offer two types of Isetta model bodyshell
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The Export ( Sliding-window type )
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AND
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The Standard ( bubble-window ) type
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These models feature
separate headlamps
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MODEL DIMENSIONS
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Approx 420 x 267 x 235mm ( Approx 17" x 10" x 9" )
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This photo shows the removable headlamp
lenses - the lights all work .
A soundtrack from a novelty alarm clock has
been installed to make it brumm , brumm .
The hand highlights the scale .
The model is stood on the roof of a real Isetta .
Look carefully - inside the model there is an even smaller model . |
A sexy model , an Isetta , and the poppet who
packs and posts the parcels - my wife , Carol . |
The model is on the right , on the table .
My real Isetta is in the centre , on the grass .
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The model is my prototype , my very first
radio-controlled creation . |
The ones that followed were more accurate
and featured better detail . |
This enthusiast from Ohio , USA , can be justifiably
proud of his 1.2 Isettas . ( That's a real one and a 1/5th scale model .)
TMC supplied a basic white gel bodyshell and its
new owner skilfully modelled it to match his own full-size car .
The first photo shows the man himself and his car .
The second photo shows his model with its glazed
window area , opening sunroof , and you can see its fully upholstered interior through its opening door . And a scale model of the man himself !
The model is fully radio-controlled , too ...
The owner exhibited his model at a USA National
radio-controlled model show where there were classes for boats , aircraft , and cars .
This model won the BEST IN SHOW Award .
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Here's some examples -
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Here's one I made earlier - for a charming
lady enthusiast from Dorset , England . |
TMC sprayed it in Radiant Red to match the
lady's real car and painted the windows with a smoked silver effect . |
The lady didn't want radio-control but did
want rolling wheels . TMC made a simple GRP flat chassis and fitted hubs , axles , bearings , wheels and realistic tyres . |
If you have an Isetta , you'll know why you need
one of these . |
TMC make Isetta Battery Covers in strong but
lightweight GRP . |
They fit snugly into the original battery recess in the
Isetta floorpan . |
They are vinyl-textured and are finished in grey gel
colour to blend with authentic Isetta interior panels . |
Here's an Isetta model sent to a collector in Missouri USA . The owner asked for a
model just like his real car so TMC converted the bumpers (fenders) and lights to US spec and hand-made a rear rack . The car was then painted in the correct white over red scheme . |
Here's a Metallic Green model Isetta which TMC supplied to some enthusiasts in South-
East England . It was supplied Ready-to-Run and modelled to match their real car . |
Here's another Ready-to-Run TMC Isetta , supplied to an enthusiast in Denver USA .
The pics show the real car , then the model . The real car was supplied new to
Geo H Lyons , Plumbing and Heating Engineers of Waterville ( how apt ! ) and is
totally original including the signwriting on the side . So of course TMC produced a copy of the signwriting on the side of the model . |
Here's another unique model which
TMC made to match the unique (?) surviving real 1956 Isetta Pick-up which was on Display at Automuseum Story , the world's largest KleinWagen museum .
The model was altered by hand from a
Standard ( Bubble-window type ) bodyshell and finished in the correct original shade of green . |
High Zetta
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Probably ...
The World's smallest
Radio-Controlled Isetta
with wrist-watch transmitter
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And ... Just for fun ....
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