Before I bought my Alpine, I collected BMW Isetta's. For those unfamiliar
with these micro cars, they are shaped like a bubble with the door in the
front. The German version had two front wheels and two back wheels set
closer together. The British version had one single wheel in the rear to
avoid being taxed as a car. These were made throughout the 50's and early
60's. I had restored my first Isetta and went searching for another. I
finally found one in restorable condition. For $1500 I bought the car and
went to pick it up. I used a tilt-bed snowmobile trailer for transporting my
car. All went well until I arrived home with my new project car. Surround by
my wife and several neighbors, I backed the car up to the garage to unhook
it. I checked that the emergency brake was on and the car was in gear. I
walked to the front of the trailer to pull the pin on the tilt bed. As soon
as I pulled the pin and the trailer tipped back I hear a loud "ping" as the
emergency cable snapped. The car came off that trailer like it was shot out
of a cannon! Without thinking I grabbed for the front bumper. The car
dragged me across the lawn and didn't even slow down . . . until of course
it smashed into my closed garage door. So my second BMW actually cost me
$1500 for the car + about $1000 for repairs + $200 damage to my garage door.
(I didn't include the cost to my pride).
So feel lucky, Sergio, feel real lucky.
Tim Stiffy
Alpine SI
---------------Original Message---------------
I was getting ready to go for some lunch today, so I started my Alpine and
was letting it warm up in the garage while I went into the get my wallet,
glasses, ect....as soon as I walked back into the garage, I saw my little
car starting to roll out of the garage and down the driveway toward the
house across the street (my garage is about 5 feet higher that street
level). I ran after it but did not get to it in time. It went up a curb and
halfway up the neighbors driveway before it stopped. Luckily, there were no
cars coming and the neighbors car was in the garage. I'm sure this added
another dozen or so gray hairs.
Sergio
1967 Sunbeam Alpine
Series V 'AJNT 86'
still working on it but getting closer!
----------End of Original Message----------
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Tue Sep 05 2000 - 10:48:16 CDT