Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[solomorris]

[Ashley]

That looks like a BMW 700cc engine from a little Coupe they made in the sixties.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_700

[solomorris]

If it is true bmw Ashley
isetta 600 not 700

[Ashley]

[Ray White]

http://i1204.photobucket.com/albums/bb406/Trundles/tafel01.jpg?t=1475337789

I think Ashley is right.

[solomorris]

isetta 600 2 doors
long bubble

[Ray White]

[Ashley]

[goneps]

For 36 years from 1968 I owned a BMW R60 motorcycle, a 600cc flat twin. Members of the BMW Club would sometimes refer to the 250cc single models as "half a BMW", but in fact the engine that was literally half a BMW R60 was the Isetta bubble car engine.

This was fortunate, because it meant we could buy many spares from the Isetta agents (not only engine parts but also things like suspension dampers) for a fraction of the price charged for motorcycle parts. They were exactly the same—same part no. and bearing the same orange "Original BMW Teile" label—but were around half the price compared with the exorbitant cost when bought from the BMW agent.

Richard

[Ray White]

The biggest problem I had with my Isetta 300 was the barrel coming loose on the crankcase. I had this happen with two engines. I think the power unit shaking about might have been the cause and stretched the threads in the aluminium crank case. We eventually found a solution by extending the holes in the crank case and replaced the studs with high tension bolts.

The Isetta was without question the most unreliable contraption that I have ever owned but I was young and would forgive almost anything that it threw at me.

I just loved the thing!.

[goneps]

That's astonishing, Ray. The old wives' tale about "knocking a pot off" if the 'bikes were dropped was just that, a myth. On one occasion I pranged mine at 90mph., and all it did to the engine was to wear a large hole through the alloy rocker cover, coming to rest just as one of the valve clearance adjusters was being chamfered by the road.

Richard

[Ray White]

I think it was due to the engines being flexibly mounted in the Isetta that caused the problem - something that the bikes didn't suffer from. If you could see the way the whole engine and gearbox assembly shook constantly you would see what I mean. I also had a carburettor sediment bowl shake loose. Being glass, it smashed itself to pieces against the inside of the inspection cover. My Dad made me a replacement in brass and I remember him saying "now try not to break it"

I also once had an exhaust shake loose and the pipe dropped off just as I was passing a guy who was cutting his hedge precariously perched at the top of a step ladder. The sudden bang bang bang bang gave him such a shock he fell off the ladder into the hedge.

[Ashley]

I had an R60 before I got an R75/6. Although we owned lots of bikes over the years BMW were always my favourite because they were simple to maintain, carried luggage, were more comfortable and covered the ground more quickly. They were just right.