Convertible Isetta just arrived from New York to be fully restored. Looks solid with some rust around the bottom corners and battery box.
Short Rare side fixed window is busted out
Both the convertible top and sunroof are missing for a long time. The frame devices for both tops are with the car.
In the background is a Rare Isetta Chadwick golf cart built in Pottstown PA. These are faster than the Isetta with a full 4 speed transmission.
Body is solid with dents and still has about 85% original Japan Red paint.
Interior is ok with the original seat and front door panel.
Side glass on the passenger side is fully intact. should be a straight forward restoration
Door and roof was painted sometime ago in a darker color but the rest is still original. No major rust inside the floor just the typical spots around the edges
some more pictures from the rear.
Notice the faded rear tail light with a nice preserved inside reflector. The rear bumper is shot but we have new units anyways
convertible latches are all present. Aluminum trim that mounts between the top is missing. We have new trim pieces for that convertible.
The small square chrome (now rusted) at the lower convertible frame device is still attached. These are rare indeed.
Close up picture at the corner where the convertible top frame is mounted the the main roof section with some old rubber pieces still pinched in and some left over fabric still riveted to the frame
same side just a little bid lower. the gap will be closed by another rubber seal that surrounds the entire rear body section.
Unfortunate the square chrome piece is missing on that side
Driver side close up picture from the convertible top frame. Interesting to know that BMW used a philips screw holding the square plate into place. i thought in the 50's only oval head slotted screws were used for the Isetta unless this is a sheet metal screw than it would make sense
Detail on the molded square end rubber piece that is glued onto the main center rubber.
It sits inside the pouch to seal the opening.
We have the rubber seal with the molded ends reproduced.
Notice that this model had only one wiper arm/blade therfore it was a East cost car.
All West coast cars had two wiper arms/blades.
The dimple is stamped into the door but not drilled out. must have been the law at the West coast. In any event for BMW it means saving some money by installing only a single unit.
The turn signal lenses are wrong.
They should be clear with the chrome ring that was plated onto the lens.
Some Isettas had different license tag brackets this car had the upper small tab that prevents the tag from vibrating. Most of the lower brackets are with the Isettas but the upper bracket are missing the top small bracket that pinched the tag together
Engine is complete and is a matching number to the body/frame vin number.
The point cover however is missing.
The funnel seal with the eccentric sheet metal is loose inside the car
There was a round sticker to the side but can not read what was on it?
Still the important sweeper seals in place.
We sell them under B93 B94 in our catalog.
The inner funnel sheet metal is nicely preserved with the original Gray primer paint.
All Isetta with the delux door only received the exterior color just at the top of this panel becuase that section will be seen after the interior panel has been installed.
The rest is primer.
The rubber seals to either side and toward the top is also a product reproduced by Isettas R us
This Isetta had the optional sun visors unfortunate the original cardboard version are long time gone and someone installed the plastic visors. The good thing is that the brackets are still intact which will be chrome plated. We have new sun visors with the textured pattern and the small BMW logo reproduced.
The sound proofing material is in such good shape we decided to leave it in place and paint around it. Will also add the black back to the sound proofing.
The original off White seat material is still to either side of the seat therefore we know now which seat color the car came from the factory. The original seat is bad with the wrong cover.
Passenger side of the interior sound proofing.
Isettas R us has made patterns from the sound proofing material so that we can cut these in advance before installing them.
Getting tired jumping in and out the car making pattern for this application but at least we have those now for any upcoming restoration
both driver side windows were busted out. Only the latch survived. For the convertible the rear window is very unique and hard to find. Bought a whole convertible shell form New Jersey just to get the windows and convertible frame device.
Heat choke controls with the shifter and wire harness in place. Bracket to hold spiral hose in place are located at the lower headlight bolt which by the way is a longer bolt. Someone removed the defroster nozzle as well the paper hose.
Frame pieces cleaned up well without any major issues.
The flip flop sun roof frame on all convertibles are painted in Gray but the rear convertible frame device is body color
Door turned out nice with minor pitting at the bottom and some dents. But in great shape for a deluxe door which normally rust out from at the bottom due to the water that comes into the vent grill opening.
The holes on the vent grills are altered at the factory to get them to fit.
Normally I hoped for nice true holes instead of egged out holes. Well these cars were hand built after all.
Someone did not knew how to remove the nerfbars therefore they punched a hole into the inner fender to gain access to the bolt.
Both sides have the same hole and the nerfbars were removed before we received the car.Body shell has some rust out at the lower inner fender and toward the inside typical on these cars
perhaps the felt insulator between the frame and body had caused these rust holes?
In any event it looks like we have to replace the floor with all these pin holes and other damaged areas
the sides looks good.
Now the rear has to be worked on next.
There is a seam that goes vertical between the quarter panel section which has to be defined which is a trade mark for any Isetta.
Do not fill the seam with lead or bondo!!
convertible seals are now fitted to match the holes and contours. Small plate with screw received new chrome and has the proper spacing toward the larger square rubber end cap
Well the case has receive some slight damage by the drive coupler bolt.
This metal plate that holds the three screws will be replaced as well the screws
case is apart and the inside looks really good.
The metal plug inside the case next to the leaf spring threaded hole is not punched out by using the wrong length bolt
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