My parents were very poor when they were together. My dad once said that his car broke down and he was desperate for a vehicle so he was actually thinking of buying a (I can’t remember what he called it) - apparently it was a very cheap, tiny, two-seater vehicle. This would be in the early 1970’s. It wasn’t an actual car, just this tiny vehicle. Thankfully he was able to get a normal car and didn’t have to humiliate himself. What would that vehicle have been? I will recognize the word as soon as someone says it.
(I don’t want to ask him because I don’t want to dredge up unpleasant memories.)
I don’t think most people in the 70’s would be humiliated if they had to drive a 2-seater MG (ie the Midget). I believe those were considered pretty nice cars.
The tallest kid in my high-school (close to seven feet) drove one of those. He installed a sliding sun roof in it so that in good weather he could drive about with his head sticking up through the roof. He pulled out the backseat and installed sliding racks so that in cold or rainy weather, he could slide the seat way back and drive somewhat normally.