# 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:** 9\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![GreasyJack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df705f/32.png) [@GreasyJack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreasyJack)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2015, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-this-car-be-tiny-two-seater-in-the-1970s/729310/61 "2015-08-31T21:52:35Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > [Here’s a Messerschmitt in Kansas in '61](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=c0wxAAAAIBAJ&sjid=5OQFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5135%2C3876422), though the owner may have brought it with him. Yeah, you can see the European license plate on it. Back before they really nailed down car import regulations in the early 70’s there was always a stream of oddball non US-market cars coming over from servicemen and expats and such, so I’m sure some Messerschmidts certainly made it over back in the day and perhaps wound up as cheap used cars somewhere, but they definitely wouldn’t have been common. ---
**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:** [September 1, 2015, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-this-car-be-tiny-two-seater-in-the-1970s/729310/62 "2015-09-01T13:45:29Z")
> [@GreasyJack](#): > > Back before they really nailed down car import regulations in the early 70’s there was always a stream of oddball non US-market cars coming over from servicemen and expats and such, so I’m sure some Messerschmidts certainly made it over back in the day and perhaps wound up as cheap used cars somewhere, but they definitely wouldn’t have been common. Th Messerschmidt is definitely what my father was talking about. I had the word in my mind but didn’t think it was correct because I thought a Messerschmidt was a type of aircraft (turns out it’s that too) and while I knew it was a long, strange word beginning with “M” I wasn’t sure how to spell it. This would be in south-eastern Ontario. Maybe one was hanging around a used car lot or something, like **GreasyJack** said. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2015, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-this-car-be-tiny-two-seater-in-the-1970s/729310/63 "2015-09-01T17:10:09Z")
Maybe it was an old Karmann Ghia. I don’t remember if they had a back seat, but if they did, it was only good for groceries or a back pack. Which was useful because they had no trunk. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2015, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-this-car-be-tiny-two-seater-in-the-1970s/729310/64 "2015-09-01T17:41:40Z")
> [@romansperson](#): > > My high school yearbook teacher had one of those! He was a big man - over 6 feet tall and about 300 lbs. - and he filled the entire front of it. Some of the guys on the yearbook staff would prank him by picking the car up and moving it to different areas in the parking lot. In high school, our French teacher had a little, late 70s [Honda CVCC](http://preview.netcarshow.com/Honda-Civic_CVCC-1975-1600-02.jpg). We would do the same thing to her. ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2015, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-this-car-be-tiny-two-seater-in-the-1970s/729310/65 "2015-09-01T17:55:02Z")
> [@Soylent\_Juicy](#): > > **YES!** > > I had “Messerschmitt” in my mind but didn’t think that was right. Apparently it was. I’m pretty sure that’s what he was talking about. > > Thank you **Ethilrist**! > > Funny how what would have been embarassing to drive back in the day is a collector’s item today. I see that all the time at car shows - cars that were hunks of crap when I was a kid, now on display as nostaligia. Wow, that thing could do 50mph with what sounds like a 2-stroke, pull start lawn mower engine. And had bicycle handlebars for controls. Very cool, but no way in hell would I want one! ---
**Author:** ![Honey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honey/32/5074_2.png) [@Honey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honey)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2015, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-this-car-be-tiny-two-seater-in-the-1970s/729310/66 "2015-09-01T18:43:23Z")
My mother has owned a Corvair, a Pinto, a Chevette and a Yugo. She now has a Hyundai. She always wanted a Pacer when I was a kid. ---
**Author:** ![RobDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f07891/32.png) [@RobDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobDog)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2015, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-this-car-be-tiny-two-seater-in-the-1970s/729310/67 "2015-09-01T18:48:02Z")
> [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](#): > > Wow, that thing could do 50mph with what sounds like a 2-stroke, pull start lawn mower engine. And had bicycle handlebars for controls. Very cool, but no way in hell would I want one! Perhaps the modern take is more to Sir’s liking? > **[Electric Vehicle Range - Renault Cars & Vans - Renault UK](https://www.renault.co.uk/electric-vehicles.html)** > > With the Renault Z.E. range, discover our electric vehicles that combine electric innovation with driving pleasure. Ready to enter a new world? ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2015, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-this-car-be-tiny-two-seater-in-the-1970s/729310/68 "2015-09-01T19:40:39Z")
Also tops out at 50mph, has a steering wheel, no pull start…yes sign me up! ---
**Author:** ![48Willys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/4/db5fbb/32.png) [@48Willys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/48Willys)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-this-car-be-tiny-two-seater-in-the-1970s/729310/69 "2015-09-02T04:36:47Z")
> [@Ranger\_Jeff](#): > > Maybe it was an old Karmann Ghia. I don’t remember if they had a back seat, but if they did, it was only good for groceries or a back pack. Which was useful because they had no trunk. While the trunk was not very large, my Ghia had one. I kept a set of tools is in it. The lack of places to carry stuff was the main reason that I sold it. I bought an old VW Safari bus. Both of them were cool. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-this-car-be-tiny-two-seater-in-the-1970s/729310.md?page=3)