21 replies to this topic

[Cheater]

Bruce Weiner's Microcar Museum in Madison, GA, is being auctioned off by RM Auctions on February 15-16, 2013.





If you're anywhere near Atlanta before it closes for good on January 26, you really ought to make it a point to stop in for a few hours. The Microcar Museum, besides being home to the largest collection of microcars on the planet, is one of the best small car museums anywhere and it's a shame it is going away.

Weiner, who parlayed a bubble gum vending machine route into ownership of the giant Wrigley candy company, got hooked on microcars after he bought his first one, a Messerschmitt KR-200, in 1991. Over the next fifteen years or so, he scoured the world for rare and unknown microcars, which are also called bubble cars, and in 1997 he opened the Microcar Museum on his "Double Bubble" farm near Madison, GA, about fifty miles east of Atlanta.

Mrs. Cheater and I just had to go through the musuem before it closed, so we journeyed to it last Saturday for thoroughly enjoyable visit. I took a bunch of pics and will make a series of posts showing some of the cars as well as many of the rare and wonderfully restored vending machines, kiddie rides, and neon signs that are also part of this great museum.

If you can get there before it is sold off, it would be a mistake not to take the opportunity...

[Cheater]

A selection of cars from the Microcar Museum...


1945 Rolux Baby. (France)


1951 Reyonnah. This is a very race and very desirable microcar. The blue ribbon indicates a first place award won at the Amelia Island Concours. (France)



1955 Fuji Cabin, an extremely rare microcar with an FRP body. (Japan)


1955 Messerschmitt KR-200. This car was given by the factory to Vic Hyde, who was known as "The One-Man Band" and he toured both Europe and America in his car, which was fitted to hold his musical instruments. At one time Hyde had what was touted to have the world's largest collection of three-wheeled cars. (Germany)


1958 Berkeley B65. These attractive cars achieved some success in small-displacement racing in Europe and the UK. (England)


1958 Zundapp Janus, with doors at both ends. The adage was you couldn't tell if it was coming or going... (Germany)


1958 Brütsch Mopetta, one of only fourteen produced. (Germany)


One-of-a-kind 1959 F.G.L. (Spain)


1959 King, produced under license from Fuldamobil in Germany; the basic components were imported and combined with locally made chassis and motors. About 400 were made. (Sweden)

[Cheater]

1961 Taylor-Dunn Trident electric car, essentially a short-range city car for in-town use. This company is still in business in California. (United States)



1958 Goggomobile Dart, with fibreglass body. About 700 were produced using imported German chassis and a locally-made body. Looks like a baby Lotus, doesn't it?(Australia)


IHLE Schottenring car. This was actually an amusement park car, not meant for road use. It's in the museum because is has more power and sturdier construction than many microcars sold for on-road use, but it has to be pushed-started... (Germany)


1949 Champion CH-2.


1947 Julien MM5.


1950 Rolux Baby.


1959 PTV 250.


1958 Goggomobil TL-400 Transporter.


1959 Goggomobil TL-400 Transporter Pickup.

[Cheater]

1960 Fiat 600 Multipla, produced from 1956 to 1969. These models were widely used as taxis in Italy well into the '70s. A 633 cc right hand drive Multipla was tested by a British magazine in 1956 and was found to have a top speed of 57.1 mph and could accelerate from 0-50 mph in 43.0 seconds.


1958 Scootacar Mk 1, with later Scootacar models behind. (Britian)


A gaggle of Messerschmitts, mostly KR-200s, I think. These cars did not have a separate frame, but were monocoque construction just like the company's famed and feared fighters in WWII.



A 1958 F.M.R. Tg 500 'Tiger', with a bunch of period accessories.



The wildest car at the Microcar Museum was this 1959 Isetta "Whattadrag" car, built to be the full size real version of a Mattel Hot Wheels fantasy car. It carries a big-block 502cid supercharged Chevy of roughly 730 HP. You wouldn't catch me trying to make a pass in it...

[Cheater]

I assume because of his background in candy vending, Weiner also collected vending machines. The museum features several examples I've never seen before, all of them wonderfully restored. Here's a selection...

 

 

 

 

[Cheater]

Another collecting genre featured at the museum is a selection of vintage kiddie rides, including some very unusual pieces.

[Cheater]

And a final post showing items from the Microcar Museun, this time a few examples a few of his restored vintage neon signs.




This sign is huge, perhaps 25 or 30 feet tall.


The lights in the swash across the top of this sign roll in sort of an electronic "wave".

[slotbaker]

Wow, what an incredible collection.

[Cheater]

Steve,

That's exactly the way I feel.

If you are in a position to visit this museum before it is dismantled, it would be silly not to do so.

You will not see its like in your lifetime again.

[MantaRay]

Thanks to Mrs. C. for putting up with you... LOL...

Thank YOU... for the great pics...

[Zippity]

A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!
 
Thanks for sharing, Greg.

[Cheater]

Ray,

Judie is just as big a car nut as I am. When I said I was going to the Microcar Museum before it closed, she said, "Not without me!"

And she knew what she was getting into. Before we were married, I'd show up for dates in rather unusual cars. I remember a '64 T-Bird and a '49 Cadillac sedan, among others. And I don't think it hurt my standing to have chauffeured her mom and stepdad around Atlanta in a 1936 Rolls-Royce Phantom III limo...

[Cheater]

My interest in microcars was kindled many years ago, when I was visiting my paternal grandfather's farm just a few miles down the road from where we lived in Tullahoma, TN. Since we moved away when I was twelve years old, this story must have taken place when I was nine or ten; I really don't remember and my paternal grandparents have both been dead for over 25 years.

Behind my grandfather's house was a well-built cattle barn and a hundred yards behind the barn was a small pond for the cattle, and the grandkids also fished in it. Between the barn and pond was small structure that I think was a feed building or a chicken coop at one time; it was torn down decades ago so I can't confirm that now.

One day I was visiting Papa Wells and while walking back to fish in the pond, I peeked into the small building. To my great suprise I saw what I now know was a red Messerschmitt KR-175 microcar, the earlier three-wheeled version of the four-wheeled KR-200. I ran in to ask my grandfather about it. He told me he was storing it for his next-door neighbor and I was not to touch it. No, I couldn't get in it either. He seemingly didn't know a lot about it and seemed kind of irritated that I'd stumbled upon it.

I never saw the car again.

About a month ago I was messing around on the website of Arnold Engineering Devlopment Center/Arnold Air Force Base, where my father worked as a wind tunnel technician during the '50s and '60s. Lo and behold, I found this undated page from one of the AEDC company newsletters of the past:



The name Duermeyer rang a bell and a quick email to a cousin still residing in Tullahoma confirmed that Alvin Duermeyer lived next door to my grandfather Wells in the early '60s.

So after nearly fifty years, I finally have been able to confirm my vague memory regarding the the little red car that I saw in Papa Wells' shed that one time.

[MG Brown]

What a shame that this museum is being dismantled. Hopefully all of the items will be well photo documented before the sale.

[Cheater]

MG,

It has really already been done. The museum's website has a virtual tour that is currently offline but it is to "reopen AFTER the auction in February".

The entire collection is shown in RM's auction list with terrific photos and some mind-blowing auction estimates!

[MG Brown]

Thanks for the info.

[Cheater]

Sorry to keep banging on this thread, but I found nice YouTube video that gives an excellent capsule history of microcars and closes with further emphasis on why I suggest you visit the Microcar Museum before it closes.

[Big Durl]

Bang away, Greg!  An incredible report on a mind-boggling place.

 

I can't help but think what a nicer world this would be if all cars looked like these.  Like a Terry Gilliam movie come to life.

[Cheater]

I've picked up a sideline gig as the US reporter for PreWar Car/PostWar Classics, based in the Netherlands and my first item hit today, January 1. The subject may look familiar...

We wish you lots of 'bubbles' in the New Year!

[Cheater]

RM Auctions has released their digital auction catalog for the Microcar Museum, with many more pictures and expanded descriptions. Be warned: it is not a large file, but the catalog is 832 pages long!

Bruce Weiner Digital Catalogue

[Phil Irvin]

55 years ago. I had a "race 10 speed bike". About 5 miles away there was a 2 mile hill, 3 to 5 % downgrade. I got into a race with an Issata (sp) and out ran it for the 2 miles......Till it flattened out...Then got out ran....Was funny at the time. I used to see it very seldom for 3/4 years....

 

            OLPHRT

               PHIL I.

[Matt Sheldon]

What a neat facility and great story. Thomas Weiner was a salesman's salesman. I knew his business success story but nothing about the museum. Shame to see such a well assembled program with that may rare examples split up after all the effort and planning that was involved to create it.