# What would this "car" be.... tiny two-seater in the 1970's? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 29, 2015, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-this-car-be-tiny-two-seater-in-the-1970s/729310 "2015-08-29T18:38:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Soylent\_Juicy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@Soylent\_Juicy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soylent_Juicy)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2015, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-this-car-be-tiny-two-seater-in-the-1970s/729310/1 "2015-08-29T18:38:03Z")
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.) Thanks in advance! ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2015, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-this-car-be-tiny-two-seater-in-the-1970s/729310/2 "2015-08-29T18:47:38Z")
Roadster? Dune Buggy? ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2015, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-this-car-be-tiny-two-seater-in-the-1970s/729310/3 "2015-08-29T18:49:20Z")
[A three-wheel bubble car?](http://www.autoviva.com/news/defend_your_favourite_two_seater_bubble_cars/1765) ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2015, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-this-car-be-tiny-two-seater-in-the-1970s/729310/4 "2015-08-29T18:49:34Z")
Fiat 500? ---
**Author:** ![turner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/22d042/32.png) [@turner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/turner)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2015, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-this-car-be-tiny-two-seater-in-the-1970s/729310/5 "2015-08-29T18:51:47Z")
Sounds like a Yugo, but that was the mid-80s ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2015, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-this-car-be-tiny-two-seater-in-the-1970s/729310/6 "2015-08-29T18:53:54Z")
[Isetta](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isetta) ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2015, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-this-car-be-tiny-two-seater-in-the-1970s/729310/7 "2015-08-29T18:55:09Z")
> [@turner](#): > > Sounds like a Yugo, but that was the mid-80s I think a Yugo has a back row. My first thought was a Gremlin (which also has a back row). But the OP said whatever it is, it’s not actually a car. ---
**Author:** ![herman\_and\_bill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f1d935/32.png) [@herman\_and\_bill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/herman_and_bill)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2015, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-this-car-be-tiny-two-seater-in-the-1970s/729310/8 "2015-08-29T19:58:23Z")
MG? Nash, Hudson, or AMC Metropolitan? Sunbeam Tiger? Lotus Europa? \ **Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2015, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-this-car-be-tiny-two-seater-in-the-1970s/729310/9 "2015-08-29T20:21:08Z") > [@herman\_and\_bill](#): > > MG? Nash, Hudson, or AMC Metropolitan? Sunbeam Tiger? Lotus Europa? \ **Author:** ![JKilez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e5b9ba/32.png) [@JKilez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKilez)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2015, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-this-car-be-tiny-two-seater-in-the-1970s/729310/10 "2015-08-29T20:21:18Z") Golf cart? Go-Kart? Boxcar? Le Car? Porsche 924? ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2015, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-this-car-be-tiny-two-seater-in-the-1970s/729310/11 "2015-08-29T20:49:02Z")
Perhaps an ‘original’ [Mini](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mini)? They weren’t actually two-seaters, but they were tiny… ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2015, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-this-car-be-tiny-two-seater-in-the-1970s/729310/12 "2015-08-29T20:58:32Z")
Gotta be a [Citicar](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citicar). ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2015, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-this-car-be-tiny-two-seater-in-the-1970s/729310/13 "2015-08-29T21:03:40Z")
Maybe a [Subaru 360](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subaru_360)? ---
**Author:** ![saucywench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@saucywench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saucywench)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2015, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-this-car-be-tiny-two-seater-in-the-1970s/729310/14 "2015-08-29T21:22:48Z")
Was it an electric car? Maybe it’s this one described as a “souped up golf cart.” Sebring-Vanguard CitiCar. [http://insideevs.com/1976-electric-vanguard-citicar-goes-up-for-sale-sells-in-a-flash/](http://insideevs.com/1976-electric-vanguard-citicar-goes-up-for-sale-sells-in-a-flash/) ---
**Author:** ![saucywench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@saucywench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saucywench)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2015, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-this-car-be-tiny-two-seater-in-the-1970s/729310/15 "2015-08-29T21:24:37Z")
While I was looking it up, I got shut out at the gate. Just like Lonnegan. Damn! ---
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2015, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-this-car-be-tiny-two-seater-in-the-1970s/729310/16 "2015-08-29T23:11:48Z")
AMC Gremlin was described as ‘half of a car’ due to it’s chopped-off looking aft end, but did have a residual rear seat. It was the among the cheapest new US-made cars in the very early 70’s. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2015, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-this-car-be-tiny-two-seater-in-the-1970s/729310/17 "2015-08-30T00:22:00Z")
[King Midget?](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Midget) ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2015, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-this-car-be-tiny-two-seater-in-the-1970s/729310/18 "2015-08-30T00:25:08Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > [Isetta](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isetta) I’d love to have an Isetta! ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2015, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-this-car-be-tiny-two-seater-in-the-1970s/729310/19 "2015-08-30T01:02:01Z")
> [@Suburban\_Plankton](#): > > Perhaps an ‘original’ [Mini](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mini)? They weren’t actually two-seaters, but they were tiny… 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. ---
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2015, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-this-car-be-tiny-two-seater-in-the-1970s/729310/20 "2015-08-30T01:03:26Z")
See [This Honda](https://www.google.com/search?q=tiny+honda+car&hl=en&gl=us&authuser=0&biw=960&bih=524&tbm=isch&imgil=NY9rohgucqA1oM%253A%253BSG3T7BMfqEAh3M%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.oldcarsweekly.com%25252Fcar-of-the-week%25252F1972_honda_z600&source=iu&pf=m&fir=NY9rohgucqA1oM%253A%252CSG3T7BMfqEAh3M%252C_&usg=__eVoA6_cz1aUAnf3E9dL1p04LAE8%3D&ved=0CCcQyjdqFQoTCOTZmc3Nz8cCFYuTDQod1tUEqg&ei=y1XiVaTINounNtark9AK) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-this-car-be-tiny-two-seater-in-the-1970s/729310.md?page=2)