One city that I always think (dream) about living in is where these two 1959 Borgward Isabella wagons are located: Tucson, Arizona. I know, warm, unlike the upper-Midwest. These uber-rare wagons, or combis, or kombis, or estates can be found listed here on eBay with a few bids but the current bid price is just under $1,000. Of course, the reserve isn’t met at that price. Actually, this particular auction is just for the blue car but the winner of the blue car will have first dibs on the red car it sounds like.
I know, it’s hot in Tucson, really hot. Some would say too hot but not me. I’ve lived with cold and snow and salty roads and rusty cars my entire life and I’m sick and tired of it. Give me six months of too-hot and six months of perfection, I’ll take that any day over this snow country nonsense. One benefit of buying a vehicle from the southwest is that there usually isn’t a lot of heavy rust on it. Or, rust-through as in flapping panels. Although, one drawback is crusty and dried rubber parts and gaskets and also an army of rodents.
You can see rust here but it’s mainly surface rust, and this red example also appears to have more bodywork to do on it than the light blue car does. Yes, there are two separate cars and the seller says that “This auction is for 1 of these cars, but we will offer the 2nd red one to the winner of the blue one before selling it or parting it out.” I thought I’d show both cars a bit here, but please check out the eBay listing, they have uploaded 100 photos! I know, most people can barely get up the energy to upload a handful of photos. Nice work, seller!
As you can see, both cars are in somewhat rough shape but these are rare cars and they’re worth restoring, both of them are. Borgward made the Isabella from 1954 to 1962 and it was a fairly popular brand in Germany during that period.
The seller says that “Both cars were found outside Tucson a few months ago here in the dry AZ desert last tagged in 71 and 74.” Again, only the blue car is available on this auction. The seller mentions something very important, or I think it’s important because I agree with them 100% on this – they say that “even if you have to pay shipping to your area, it still beats paying a body shop to hopefully fix a rusty car”. Amen, always buy the most rust-free example that you can find.
This should be Borgward’s 1,493 CC inline-four which would have had just under 70 hp. Yes, they were slow compared to today’s standards or even compared to the gigantic 1950s American luxury cars with big V8s and hundreds of horsepower on tap. With a 0-60 time of 24 seconds and a top speed of 75 mph, you know that they’re from another era. You also know that the blue car doesn’t run, and hey, there’s some Tucson rust in the engine compartment! So much for my theory of the desert providing us with rust-free cars more often than not.
Just for the heck of it, here is the red car’s engine; same thing but more complete. Neither of them is in running condition and a full restoration won’t be inexpensive. Are these rare Borgward Isabellas worth saving?
Is it just me or does Borgward Isabella sound like the name of an opera singer from the 1950’s?
I like! Reminds me of my ’60 Rambler American Super.
Scotty:
I’ve read so many times about your love for Arizona. Tucson is an especially inexpensive place to live. Check into it. Don’t let anything stop you from doing want you want. I’ve lived in four different states and each move was an adventure and each was fun.
Life is short. Often way too short. Don’t wait until you are too old to do what you love.
You’d love it here, Scotty.
It’s a car spotters dream with old cars plying the streets at random and not just on weekends.
As for the heat: it’s takes a little time, but you’ll adapt.
Ive been living in Tucson since the 80s, and love it.
the weather will spoil you..
Cool wagons !!
You guys are killin’ me! Now I really want to move. I was just there less than two weeks ago and it was great.
You’re thinking of Isabella Borgnine! Actually these are well-engineered cars and in my opinion any Borgward long roof or coupe is worth saving.
The Borgwards were well-engineered cars for their day. Give me the choice between a contemporary Mercedes and an Isabella, I’d take the latter, every time.
It’s a shame that the Bremen-based company had financial issues – there were rumours at the time that Daimler-Benz had some influence over banks refusing to give its competitor much-needed loans – as it would be interesting to imagine what Hansa-Lloyd’s products might be like today.
I hope someone restores at least one of these wagons.
Beatnik: the grandson was supposedly gearing up with a Chinese manufacturer to bring Borgward back not too long ago.
Someone else also tried with AMC Hornets in Mexico.
There was an old Isabella that lived off Gower St in Hollywood, well into the 90s, parked on the street and having the same so called patina as these wagons.
The Borgward Isabella was named for a cabaret singer who rose to minor fame in the years before WWII. She was born Isaac Schultz and had “the operation” in Denmark in her early twenties. Her blossoming career was quashed when she refused to play ball with a minor Nazi functionary. She spent the duration laying low in the ancient Flemish village of Gotterdam.
After the war she attempted a comeback but her charms did not age well. Fortunately she was a goodhearted sort and caught the attention of Borgward’s assistant manager of marketing. They formed a fast friendship and eventually married. Obviously unable to start a family, the marketing maven maneuvered to have the Isabella named after his beloved.
That’s why Borgwards have always been regarded as solid but a bit odd in an undefinable way.
It’s true. You can look it up.
Any Borgward is worth saving if at all possible. I have owned two of the Isabella TS models, one pretty rough and the other restored and they were both great cars.
Borgward is back! Check http://www.borgward.com or their Facebook page.
Mentioned that in a comment above. I didn’t know it had actually occurred.
Thanks
@Ben. Thank you for the website info. Very informative to anybody interested in Borgwards. Wonderful cars and if the new ones are made in Germany they will be of Mercedes/ Audi quality.
When I was a kid, our family doctor had a Borgward. We thought that a bit odd, as he was this classic old Jewish doctor driving a Borgward making house calls, remember those? Me and my brother used to laugh at that name ( in low voice) , Borgward,,
Had a neighbor back home who had a white Borgward Isabella Coupe. Always wondered how in the world a Borgward would make it to central Iowa.
Buy one, or drive one, and you will know how, and why, it made it to central Iowa.
ken TILLY:
Thanks for your response. My question was aimed at where did they find a Borgward Dealer in Central Iowa. Quality was not my focus, but I can see where my phrasing would give that impression.
Would have to be an Isabella Coupe to interest me.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/22/Borgward_Isabella_Coupe_1959.jpg
Weren’t their engines a two stroke?
No. OHV and either 4 cylinder, 1493cc, 75 hp, or in the case of the P 100 model, 6 cylinder engines which were 2.3 litre, 100 hp and 100 mph cars.
I wonder how hard it is to find parts for these cars?
We restored this cool 59 Borgward Goliath. It won “Most Smiles Per Mile” at the Little Car Show during Monterey car week a couple years back. Front wheel drive, Boxer 4 cyl some say was the basis for Subaru’s engines.
My dad had one when I was in high school. The metal interior panels would vibrate in harmony at highway speeds but the red Leather seats were great.
If that’s ‘Isabella’ in the eBay pic I’m impressed.
I’d be sorely tempted to update it with an ECOBOOST crate motor. That’d be fun.
Hi Rick. I have never seen a Borgward with leather seats, at least in South Africa, where they were all vinyl. Even the coupe had vinyl seats.
I spot BWs in Seattle.
When mentioning Borgward you mustn’t forget the air-sprung P100 or the Dream Car (das Traumauto) which completely dwarfed the fins of the Caddy ’59.
Here’s the P100.
For those who don’t know, Borgward, Lloyd, Hansa , and Goliath were all part of the same corporation. One might assume that engineers, parts, and subassemblies were shared selectively.
My first car was a cream colored 1960 Borgward Isabella Combi (wagon). Memories.
Sweet looking cars. I’ve only seen two of these in person. Good luck finding parts to restore them to driveable condition.
I have not seen a Borgward for many decades but do recall a Borgward Sedan was the only car I have driven to date that was equipped with a 4spd on the tree. That was in about 1965 when I was 16 yrs young and driving about every car made working at my fathers public parking facility. An odd car IMO and not one I would care to own. Just my personal preference. I do however like the look of that P100 sedan.
Many, many styling cues from Nash/Rambler of the same period. As a thumbnail on my phone I thought it WAS a write up for a 1959-60 Rambler wagon. I’ve only seen one Lloyd in person…sitting forlornly at a tote-the-note dealer in Nashville, TN in the mid 1990s! Took a few pictures but never could find the proprietor on premises. Always wondered if it found a good home.
They sold them in Argentina too, if I can rembemeber correctly you can make it diesel only changing the cilinder head and putting an injection pump and injectors.
Very solid and reliable cars, the only reason dissapeared only because the lack of parts.