Wiegert
Premium
- 13,376
- United Kingdom
1959-1961 Goggomobil Dart nominated by @Sp3edst3r
Body Style: Roadster (No Doors)
Engine: Two-Stroke I2
Standard: 293 cc
Optional: 392 cc
Power: 14.6-18.2 hp
Torque: 17.4 lb-ft
Weight: 380 kg
Transmission: 4-speed manual
Drivetrain: Rear-engine, rear-wheel drive
Additional Information:
Body Style: Roadster (No Doors)
Engine: Two-Stroke I2
Standard: 293 cc
Optional: 392 cc
Power: 14.6-18.2 hp
Torque: 17.4 lb-ft
Weight: 380 kg
Transmission: 4-speed manual
Drivetrain: Rear-engine, rear-wheel drive
Additional Information:
The tiny, doorless, roofless Dart was built between 1959 and 1961 by Sydney company Buckle Motors, already known for its fibreglass six-cylinder sports cars that campaigned with some success on racetracks around the country in the 1960s.
The Dart was clad in fibreglass too, although the overall size was somewhat less and the powerplant more akin to that of a model aeroplane than a sportscar. Displacing 0.3 of a litre, the two-cylinder, two-stroke engine makes the smallest of today’s eco-friendly powerplants seem like a big-block Chevy.
But it didn’t have a lot of weight to carry. At around 380kg, the Dart undercut many a motorcycle and even though it had minimal kilowatts to play with, it was quick enough at 1960s traffic speeds. If the driver was game, it could reputedly reach as much as 100km/h.
The jellybean body was cute then, and remains so today, although driver and passenger feel pretty vulnerable in the tight-fitting cockpit. The car has what looks like a rear seat but it’s more suitable to a Barbie doll than even the tiniest human. The voluptuously curved windscreen is said to have come from the French Renault Dauphine also sold in Australia at the time.
The Dart sat so low on the road that no doors were needed; you just stepped over the side of the car. It was so light that when it needed to be turned around in a dead end street it was easier for the driver and passenger to physically lift it up and physically turn it around than back and fill.
Basically, there were two Goggomobil two-seaters – Australia's locally built fibreglass model and the German original with a steel body and the choice of coupe or convertible configurations. The Australian car was based on German mechanicals and offered a larger, 0.4-litre engine later in its brief career. Fibreglass is tougher than steel and it was claimed the car could sustain a heavy blow and would then just "spring back into place"! Even if a serious accident occurred to the fibreglass body it could be repaired by any handyman with an inexpensive do-it-yourself kit.
The high demand for minicars during the 1958-1961 period should be seen in the context of a growing demand for 6 cylinder cars and a weakening demand for the mid-size 4 cylinder cars in the same period. The introduction of the Morris Mini Minor, combined with an increase in sales tax to 40% in 1960, dealt a fatal blow to the fortunes of the local Goggomobil and other less successful Australian minicars of the time. About 700 Goggomobil Darts were built in Australia before the end of production in 1961.
The Dart was clad in fibreglass too, although the overall size was somewhat less and the powerplant more akin to that of a model aeroplane than a sportscar. Displacing 0.3 of a litre, the two-cylinder, two-stroke engine makes the smallest of today’s eco-friendly powerplants seem like a big-block Chevy.
But it didn’t have a lot of weight to carry. At around 380kg, the Dart undercut many a motorcycle and even though it had minimal kilowatts to play with, it was quick enough at 1960s traffic speeds. If the driver was game, it could reputedly reach as much as 100km/h.
The jellybean body was cute then, and remains so today, although driver and passenger feel pretty vulnerable in the tight-fitting cockpit. The car has what looks like a rear seat but it’s more suitable to a Barbie doll than even the tiniest human. The voluptuously curved windscreen is said to have come from the French Renault Dauphine also sold in Australia at the time.
The Dart sat so low on the road that no doors were needed; you just stepped over the side of the car. It was so light that when it needed to be turned around in a dead end street it was easier for the driver and passenger to physically lift it up and physically turn it around than back and fill.
Basically, there were two Goggomobil two-seaters – Australia's locally built fibreglass model and the German original with a steel body and the choice of coupe or convertible configurations. The Australian car was based on German mechanicals and offered a larger, 0.4-litre engine later in its brief career. Fibreglass is tougher than steel and it was claimed the car could sustain a heavy blow and would then just "spring back into place"! Even if a serious accident occurred to the fibreglass body it could be repaired by any handyman with an inexpensive do-it-yourself kit.
The high demand for minicars during the 1958-1961 period should be seen in the context of a growing demand for 6 cylinder cars and a weakening demand for the mid-size 4 cylinder cars in the same period. The introduction of the Morris Mini Minor, combined with an increase in sales tax to 40% in 1960, dealt a fatal blow to the fortunes of the local Goggomobil and other less successful Australian minicars of the time. About 700 Goggomobil Darts were built in Australia before the end of production in 1961.
