Berkeley T60
Bought
when I was out of work and needed some inexpensive transport. One of my
neighbours, Steve gets the credit for all servicing, fixing, mending & bodging!
A front wheel coming off a Berkeley was a regular occurrence! It was held on with a split pin, forget that & you soon sang "Two wheels on my wagon" . When it happened to me, a following motorist swore he had just said to his wife, "I had one of those once, but the wheel came off" and of course it did!
It had a completely non-standard interior and it was good
for about 50mph! (downwind with the wind behind you).
It wasn't spectacular on the fuel consumption but it did OK. (I seem remember
being pleased to get 40+ to the gallon).
It was a plastic fantastic of the 1960s, it had a 328 cc Excelsior motorbike engine. The car started its life in 1956 when Laurie Bond approached Charles Panter of Berkeley Caravans with his new design. It was an ideal project for Berkeley who had developed considerable skills in the use of GRP, and were looking for something to fill the gaps in the very seasonal caravan market. The first Berkeley cars used a 322cc British Anzani motorcycle engine fitted with a Siba Dynastart to provide both battery charging and electric starting.
It looked good. Most of those mini cars of the era were plumb ugly. I think that comparing it with the lines of an E type Jaguar with going a little OTT!
One
of the early cars was driven round a race circuit by none less than Stirling
Moss who was very impressed by its handling which allowed it to be driven flat
out even round the corners. (I'm not that surprised, it didn't go too fast!)
What madness brought this on? Short of money & needed to get around for job interviews!
Three wheeled classic (?) I don't think so!
If you want to visit a really good small museum, dedicated to all Micro cars, look at this link:
Excellent three wheeler website