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LEON'S BUBBLE CAR


I’ve seen this little gem bimbling around Basingstoke for some time now & finally caught up with the owner when he stopped outside a newsagents on my delivery. Leon runs a picture framing business in a local art & craft centre so once I’d finished delivering her Maj’s mail I nipped round for an impromptu photo-shoot.
I think this is gorgeous. It’s got so much character in such a small package! It’s a “TriTech Schmitt” -a fibreglass replica of the 60s Messerschmitt micro car. This particular one is ten years old & used to be the demo car for Tritech’s spares business, featuring on the cover of their catalogue. It originally used a 400cc engine but the previous owner swapped it for a 250cc auto Honda Spacey scooter motor because the bigger lump “Scared him silly”! Running on tiny 8” diameter wheels, the little 4 stroke still manages a healthy 70+ mph though. Leon describes the handling as nimble around town but a little lively & skittery on uneven road surfaces with “spirited” cornering sometimes lifting one corner clear of the road. Rear braking is courtesy of the standard Honda drum set-up while the two front wheels use 1968 Mini drum brakes. The lack of a reverse gear means 3 point turns involve hopping out & physically pushing the little car backwards! Most journeys are made with
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the hood folded down as the cockpit quickly fills with fumes from the rear mounted engine!
This is Leon’s first car. He bought it as a non-runner from a family friend two years ago with the promise that he’d resurrect it & use it regularly, which he’s duly done, trundling to work & back in it every day. Half a dozen friends collected the Schmitt in a Transit van, simply picking it up between them & “posting” it through the back doors. He tells me it never fails to make people smile -in fact he admits every journey is accompanied by a soundtrack of constant laughter & finger pointing, but he loves it. As he says, most teenagers have never seen such a quirky little machine before & just can’t believe they were once a common sight. In fact, there are at least four others in the Basingstoke area including one rare four wheeled version.
Although proving a fantastic mobile billboard for his business, this is definitely an enthusiasts’ machine, needing constant attention, & by his own admission, Leon isn’t mechanically adept, but he's learning fast!

-Andy.