No collection of microcars or general oddball cars (said with love, not sarcasm) would be complete without a Fuldamobile. This 1957 Fuldamobile S7 is located in Little Rock, Arkansas and it can be found listed here on eBay. The seller has a $16,000 buy it now price listed and there is no make-an-offer option. Thanks to Darrun for submitting this find!
Now that’s a profile. A Lamborghini Miura or Jaguar E-Type has nothing on this beauty. Ok, that was said with sarcasm, but still with a tinge of love. I’m an insatiable fan of unusual cars and the smaller the better. This ten-foot long, 800-pound car is small. And, no, you aren’t going to drive it on a freeway surrounded by hulking SUVs that people “need” because they haul a boat or a horse trailer 3 times a summer (said with much sarcasm). Like any microcar, they weren’t meant for American freeways but that always comes up for some odd reason.
This rear 3/4 view is reminiscent of cars from a couple of decades earlier, back when they thought that humans would be flying around with “auto-gyros” or other flying contraptions. The teardrop-shape is cool, but there is only one wheel under that rear end. Some later models had two rear wheels spaced fairly close together and it did help with stability. The seller doesn’t say too much about this particular example other than it “runs and drives good and is available for a pre-purchase inspection”.
It’s hard to beat plaid seats and this one has them, both front and rear. The Fuldamobile was built from 1950 to 1969, believe it or not, in several countries. This example was made in Sweden. There are no engine photos but it’s powered by a 191 cc Sachs 2-stroke single-cylinder engine with around 10 hp. That’s good for a top speed of around 50 mph. Have any of you ever seen a Fuldamobile?
Looks like an Isetta and a Saab 93 had a child.
No, its still pregnant.
No, that looks like the offspring.
An Isetta 600 no doubt. . .
Geez Scotty, who hasn’t seen a Fuldamobil? OK, Quite a few I guess.
For those who aren’t familiar with Fuldamobils and their slab sidedness (the first ones that is) I’ve found a couple of lovely ‘intertubes’ pages that tell the story. One that extends beyond Germany’s border as other’s manufacturers had a go with their versions and their branding. These pages are chocked full of information, contemporary photos, brochures, and 21st century updates. Grand they are:
Fuldamobil Part 1:
https://oppositelock.kinja.com/fuldamobil-microcars-all-over-the-world-1663057653
Fuldamobil Part 2:
https://weird-wheels.kinja.com/fuldamobil-part-2-1663062529
If you did your car shopping at “Crazy Vaklav’s Place of Automobiles”, you’d have heard of one. ( btw, Homer was test driving a Harper Invacar that day)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HPVQ4FpVlY
Prt 2 much beddah!
Got the vert, tat, girls, truck… AND the more streamlined model!
Perfect for gated communities. Sachs engines of the day could power motocrossers quite well, but 20•1 oil mix would be most unpopular in the ‘golf prisons’ in Florida. Of course, this car would not fare well in a collision with the UTVs with 150 hp around here.
Love the soo-o-side doors.
However… Electrical conversions…
We had Sachs motors in snowmobiles. I don’t ever remember them running right. This almost looks more seaworthy than the Amphicar.
Lookout it’s mr bean driving right us ahhhh
It’s different but unique …
I don’t understand why any automotive engineer ever thought three wheels was a good idea. Or was it just to circumvent auto laws/taxes (could this be registered as a motorcycle?)? Physics-wise, they’re a horrible design.
Yes I agree!
FYI: The Polaris three wheeler “batmobile” (my nickname) is some states are registered as cars versus motorcycles as it has a chev four Bangor under the hood 🙃
https://slingshot.polaris.com/en-us/
Years ago, they were classified as motorcycles in Europe, bypassing a lot of taxes on cars.
Paul Elio thought there was a place for a modern three wheeler. Too bad he couldn’t deliver on his timeline; after waiting for five years I asked for a refund of my $250 deposit. Check was drawn on a Phoenix bank, hasn’t bounced yet.
I like the idea of an electric version, but the car’s size may make it difficult to
carry enough batteries to power the car.
unless you went to a lithium ion battery stack
to save both weight and space. It would take
the devil’s own time to figure it out, so it’s not
out of the realm of possibility. It would take
someone smarter than I am to make it work.
They should have a label that would read:
Not intended for use on Havendale Boulevard.
Serious bodily injury or death may result if used
in this way. Other side effects may include back
injuries, overheating of the occupants, and angry
taunts from enraged redneck drivers. For best
results, use on side streets only. All kidding aside
it’s a neat little car.
It has a REAR seat?!?!?!
I always wondered where they folded. I mean, Fuldamobile?
Wherever they got hit, lol
Hey James,
Nice link attachments. I love micro-cars and this one certainly captures curiosity. The aerodynamic styling of this capsule adds to the futuristic thinking of the time. I could also envision this unit with a pair of wings ready-for-take-off. Remember flying cars from this era?
Looks like a 1963 Saab that forgot to take its steroids. .
I love seeing this, I know nothing about it, except I want it. I live in Arizona, land of the golf kart, how cool would this be ,racing by all those golf karts.
I wouldn’t have wanted to be in this car in traffic,
back in that time period, 58 Imperial on one side,
56 buick wagon on the other side,a 59 Cadillac behind you..,
“what could happen”?…hahaha.Really cool little car,
one of the first “smart”cars perhaps..!Very nice shape
Iam sure that this will be a lot of fun for the new owner,
the looks that they will get will be priceless.
I rode and drove in one on the Lodge freeway in Detroit at rush hour, going to school. 1958,59,60. I also drove down in an MG-TD.
I am here to tell the story.
Hahahahahahahahaha…………….. Too funny looking, and so under-powered. Not safe on any American street.
Useful for Uncle Sam to cruise along in, on one of his golf courses….
( & quite easy to move from golf course to golf course)
It looks like something the grinch would drive.
“…Have any of you ever seen a Fuldamobile?”
BF finally got me, 1st time. I seen in person or in 1 or the other publication
“everything” but certainly not oneadez.
AND
I like it. Esp w/”the two” up frnt. More bedder 4 stability. (Watch Mr Bean in his Robin – tippier).
Thanks, also to James hgf 4 da links!
Just the thing for cruising the forest with Smurfette by your side. Blue makeup sold separately. Watch out for that Gargamel guy. He’s up to no good.
I used to own a 1955 Fuldamobil NWF200 in the early ’90s, which was an earlier aluminum-over-wood bodied version with a 200cc ILO engine. It too came from Sweden, where the poor thing was fitted with a Rotax engine and thrashed about in ice racing. Very expensive, labor-intensive car to build, which also meant it would be to restore. I passed it on to a collector in Michigan, who did the rough bodywork, and then sold it to someone in California. No idea where it is today. A very funky car. Makes an Isetta look conventional.
There was a project to build these in India and some vehicles were produced. Today we know of 3 survivors here, out of which one has been restored and now resides in the GD Naidu Museum in Coimbatore. It was a pig to drive.