Exploring this collection of small cars from mostly obscure brands would be fun. There are 45 vehicles from primarily European and Japanese carmakers in a barn for sale as a group or individuals here on Craigslist in Deer Park, Wisconsin. A special thanks goes out to Barn Finds reader Paul O who provided the tip!
A true Barn Finds enthusiast would already have their maps open and laying out a route to Deer Park to have a look at this stash of cars. The seller has helpfully provided a list of what is available, but we only have four photos to go on. Is that part of his evil plan to get prospective buyers through the door? I don’t know, but it seems to be working on me. In this photo we can pick out an Isetta Limousine with both a front door and a side door. It’s hard to see, but I think most of the others in the shot are Vespas or other Italian cars.
This image, taken from the back of the building shows us a few more of the Italians in the collection along with an unknown to me yellow roadster. Could that be the “Newmap Rolux Baby” microcar mentioned in the list of cars? You can just make out the rear end of the Fiat Multipla toward the front of the building along with the “almost 4 of them” BMW Isettas present. You can also see the half moon rear window of the Austin A35 next to the red three wheeled vehicle near the door.
Finally, last photo shows us the red Berkeley sports car and it looks like it’s one of the four wheel models the small British firm built in the 1950s. In the background is an intriguing fiberglass body shell that looks somewhat familiar, but I cannot place it at the moment. There isn’t enough of the white van visible beyond the fiberglass shell to identify it, either. So, Barn Finds reader, your job is to let us know in the comments which of these obscure vehicles you want to take home. Also, if you can provide details on some of the cars in the photos, be sure to sound off!
Very cool and thankfully far away. That white van (along with the pickup in front of it with the isetta body on it) look like 1960’ish Subarus….
And that white body looks to be a Goggo mobile convertible, late 50’s
yep, Goggo mobile shell
Perhaps an Australian Goggomobil Dart, yes fiberglass, sort of a factory made kit car.
Chinga-Trailer is correct. Australian Goggomobil Dart. Despite original listing, half moon window means thats an A30, rather than A35. Autobianchis look nice.
To collect these, you´d have to like and know microcars, so don´t expect a firesale.
OMG! I see clowns in my sleep…
I really like the red trike. Would convert
it to an LEV since the original running
gear would now be too hard to find.
At least it would be out on the road being
enjoyed and admired by young people
who’ve never seen one before. Is there
any way to see photos of the rest of the
cars? I see a lot of potential here, just
wish I had the cash to buy the lot. I’d
have tons of fun getting them roadworthy
once more.
One need not guess at the identity nor correct spelling of names and models. The seller has provided a comprehensive list of vehicles and if the name seems a mystery one’s search engine can provide photos and specs.
Like others, before looking at the list, I glanced at the photos and the one though smaller than all the others that leapt off the page for me was the New-Map Rolux Baby. Have no choice but to refrain from even thinking of purchasing the “Baby” now. Must be content with Rolux brochures etc.
Here’s “Le blog de charlotte” for “the Rolux tiny, but so pretty”:
http://new-map-rolux.over-blog.com/article-12117928.html
Another of my favorite New-Map vehicles though not available in this collection is the Solyto. It was difficult to identify in the pre internet days after photographing one in Provence decades ago. Now duckduckgo or the infamous google can almost instantaneously provide photos, specs, tests, etc. The good side of the “net”.
The white body is a Goggomobile Dart from Australia, I believe.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goggomobil_Dart
What Rodney called an Isetta Limo is in fact a BMW 600. The Isetta sitting on the Subie 360 pickup looks like nothing more than a shell.
“Half moon rear window of the A 35” should read ‘A30’
(The A35 had a much larger rear window)
The white body in the background appears to be a reproduction fiberglass body off of an original Goggomobil Dart body. The original Dart was designed and built in the late 50’s by Bill Buckle in Australia.
Typically, the easiest way to tell an original Dart body from a copy, is the original Dart bodies incorporated a fiberglass gas tank that was molded into the body. It was a permanent part of the body, not removable.
The gas tank is located just behind the cockpit, in the engine compartment. The Dart had a chrome windshield frame that utilized a Renault Dauphine back glass as a windshield. The Dart body requires moving the Goggo floor shift lever in the Goggo floor pan tunnel, also adding a steering column universal joint, and original Darts had unique seat tracks that raised and lowered to aid getting in and out of the Dart, which almost all had no doors. (there were a few built or modified with a rt side door). There was a 60 year anniversary celebration in Australia recently, there were many Darts in attendance.
Obviously you’re familiar with the “No, not the Dart” down under Yellow Pages commercial from years ago. But for everyone else:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=153hBzKPnGc
Loved that commercial!! How many times have I felt exactly that way.
somebody get Jeff Lane on this one …
My thoughts exactly, Jeepster. Hope he sees this. My only connection to Lane is flying to SEMA at this moment. But I will put a bug in his ear.
Autobianchi quatroposti and duoposti, bianchina cabriolet all three on Fiat 500 basis.
The 600 Multipla is my bucketlist car!
Offerings and postings of this sort are why this is about my favorite site. While I wouldn’t really want to own these, “what a collection”! Wish it was closer, love to go look at these intriguing vehicles close-up.
I second the notion that this is a find for the Lane folks.
Did I see a Hillman Husky in there?
Think that´s the Ford Anglia Wagon (100E version, not 105E).
I’d be in heaven with that lot…
Goggomobil’s were manufactured with 250, 300, and 400 cc engines. However larger displacement air cooled engines have been stuffed inside a g, oh, g, g, oh, mobil. Case in point:
https://jalopnik.com/5302246/awesome-defined-the-10-liter-radial-engined-goggomobil
An example of thinking outside the box or deleting the propeller and creating a work of mechanical precision within the restricted space of the original box.
At the drag strip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luvkcP0mkgA
Skinny tires timed at 10.125.
And at least one red Crosley Hotshot or SuperSport
Imagine walking up to the guy at the DMV with 45 titles to transfer…
I have no clue what that little yellow one is but I want it
It’s the New-Map Rolux Baby. Check out the link I posted at 10:56 am with photos and specs.
It’s the New-Map Rolux Baby. Check out the link I posted at 10:56 am with photos and specs.
No matter how many times I log into CL, I get an error when trying to contact. Want to see about that Cushman.
It is amazing what a few ships sunk in the Suez canal can do to bring us fun cars.
I believe the fiberglass body is a Dart, made in Australia for the Goggo chassis.
Pictured is my friend Greg’s, which has won multiple awards.
Could you ask him, please, do these fly as easily as I’m told?
“how can U choose?” !!!
(I thought this was a Scotty or Jeff write up lookin at the offering!).
I’ll take the Autobianchi w/it’s blue louvered ‘trunk’ lid facein camera center left nxt-to-last pic. If I saw the Multipla or Subie bus I’d go 4 one…
Fantastic Rodney, thanks for every1s additional info, fun, fun, fun.
Martin Horrock was correct with his observation of seeing the ford Anglia 100E squire. The Hillman Husky had the rear licence plate on the lower tailgate whereas the ford had it below the bumper, plus the Husky had the fuel filler on the right side and the ford on the left.
I came, I saw, I left empty-handed. The cars, most being from “the north”had too much rust. I’m sorry, but the prices were more in line with cars that didn’t need an entire” Overhaulin”. I’m sorry sir”but there is not enough bondo in all of Mexico “. In his defense, he said he bought most in the last 10 years, so he did not get these back when they would have been a few hundred dollars each. Example:$15k for Autobianchina