Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[oldtimer]

I seem to remember that term covered a number of quirky designs,perhaps not quite as "off the wall" as Clive Sinclairs contraption but weird nonetheless.If the two remaining brain cells are not deceiving me,I believe there was an opportunity to have such vehicles taxed as motorbikes,presumably cheaper,by having the reverse gear immobilised/removed or whatever.The reason for this sticking in my mind was that a pal borrowed one,parked it up in a cinema car park and slotted it in to a space,facing a wall.Unfortunately the only door on this thing was virtually the whole front panel and it was hinged at one side and designed to swing outwards to permit access/exit !!
The wall made this impossible and reversing was not an option so our hero was marooned for quite a while,missed meeting his date and was not amused.I think the thing may have been an Isetta but it wasn't what this chap called it.

[peter scott]

By 1965 when I bought XGA 349 they had dropped the silly no reverse rule and I was able to legally drive it on my motorcycle licence.

However I did suffer a similar problem to the story you related. I was an apprentice when I had mine and one day some of my apprentice "friends" lifted the back end of XGA and pushed it up to a wall so that the door could not be opened. They had a good laugh when I came to drive home in it but if I remember correctly I was able to get my hand in the door to release the fabric sun roof and with that open I could slide the side window and get my hand in to release the handbrake.

A bunch of us used to go to the dry ski slope after work. This was on the other side of town from the apprentice training school and on more than one occasion I had three sitting on the bench seat and two more sitting on the roof with their legs through the sunroof.

The front door was a challenge at other times too. At the time I was still living with my parents whose house was at the top of a hill. XGA had a problem with its control box and for a time I had to push start it. Believe it or not I got quite adept at single handedly pushing it to down the hill and leaping in the front door whilst in motion!

Peter


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https://www.nostalgiatech.co.uk
1939 SS Jaguar 2 1/2 litre saloon

[oldtimer]

My thanks to you,Peter,yet again for clearing up aspects about which I am less than sure.It was comforting to know that the "no reverse gear malarkey"was not what Shakespeare called "the false creation proceeding from a heat opprese`d brain",even if you had to clarify the reason for it!
Although should know better by now,I never cease to be amazed by your wide knowledge of matters automotive,however obscure,and your gift for producing evidence,photos,etc to clarify the point,at a moments notice.
I, and the two brain cells,are indebted to you.
John.

[52classic]

This thread reminded me that I think I recall another rule regarding the weight of 3 wheelers being driven on a motor cycle licence.

Somehow the knack was to get them considered in the same regulations as a motorcycle combination although my memory is a bit vague on the detail

There were public weighbridges in use at the time. and the car was periodically required to be weighed and a certificate produced.

Two Strokes of London offered a Reliant Regal van which had been lightend by being sold without a spare wheel or passenger seat and probably a few other measures I expect.

As I said, my own Berkeley T60 had the reverse blanked off but it was easy to pick up the rear of the car by hand and just turn to face the other way!