restoration  |
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my experience: I have not purchased parts from everyone (although
sometimes it feels like it). The folks listed immediately below are folks I've done
business with and had a good experience. Isetta folks tend to be good folks (but there's
always that cracked egg in the dozen). No guarantees. There are not many folks that deal
in Isetta parts and for most, it is a labor of love. If you deal in parts or have had a
good experience with a restoration service unique to the Isetta, please let
me know.
awaiting
restoration...
Photo essay of cars needing tender loving
care... submit photos!
book
on isetta restoration
This book by john jensen is truly
wonderful if you want to restore, or keep up, your isetta. highly recommended. He has sold out of the originals and now has hi-quality copies
for sale for about 80 bucks. contact john here
for more details and exact pricing. update
Veloce Press is looking to publish
an updated version of Jensen's classic. Stay tuned.
isetta
factory repair manual. Great addition to your Isetta resource library
hans rothkegel
Ask hans for a copy of his well designed catalog that includes nearly every single part
for the isetta. His prices are reasonable (including the shipping for larger orders), he
accepts internet orders, and most items ship and arrive within several days even though
his home base in is Germany. I've been very impressed.
isetta
parts from Isetta John!
Isetta Johns is the place to go to for used as well as new parts. good, fair prices.
Isetta Johns is also very knowledgable about these little cars. A true fanatic. A legend
in the Isetta-car culture. Isetta John rebuilds Isetta shocks and a much lower price than
buying new ones. Isetta John is now the source for Isetta export model
bumpers. Isetta John has
bought out Bill Darland's inventory of parts.
isettas-r-us
Another good and plentiful source of new parts. good price for
replacement windshields... Werner Schwark knows isettas! He does engine, tranny, and chaindrive
rebuilds and a nice new catalog with just about ecerything you would need for your
restoration. His homebase is out of Georgia.
bing agency int'l
If you need parts for your carb or a rebuild, go to these folks: the original manufacturer
with an office in Omaha! They do a real, real nice job with your carb. Don't even think
twice...
coker tires
you can get yer tires here if you'd like. I did. I got some nice whitewalls.
whitepost restorations
they do a wonderful job of resleeving isetta brake and wheel cylinders. just take off
yours and send 'em in. They do the rest.
george blau
George has brand new 12 volt isetta regulators
(which can also be used on Heinkels, BMW 600s and 700s, Messerschmitt Tiger 500s, NSUs and
most cars using Dynastart starter/chargers) that are about half of what a Bosch costs. He
also makes front windshields for isettas (in two colors! clear and automotive green).
These also go for about half of what they cost from other sources. Send George an email
for prices....
isetta club e.v.
If you can read German, you can order parts from
the German Isetta club.
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buy an isetta:
Sometimes it ain't an easy thing to do... The best bet? Join your local club and don't
give up. They are out there, but you may hae to work at it. Don't get discourageed by
someone who sets out to find one, gets one in a week, and the darn thing has been sitting
unscathed in someone's barn for 40 years. Keep looking!what
to look for according to isetta john...
dave major has made a video "shopping for your first
isetta" <view
catalog>
one man's
thought on price...
hemmings motor news
old cars weekly
alan's
unusual autos
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other part sources: jim's microcars
bromley
bubble: soap and spare isetta parts!
isetta
online (parts
from germany: gotta read german though)
some rubber parts (search BMW)
Isetta parts catalog on compact disc from BMW
BMW has some parts, but I am
told that they are very expensive (what else would you expect from BMW?)
tires for the isetta @ coker tire (search
on 480x10)
performance parts...
german parts site
- Contact Richard at ProSource Glass - 877- 345-2800 for Isetta
windshields.and tell him I sent you.
jc
whitney more general car restoration stuff
karr rubber (no web page) 1.800.955.5277
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technical resources:

paint chips for isetta (courtesy firemarshall bill)
isetta paint
schemes isetta rebuilding tools,
videos, and stuff
another source for the workshop manual
roundel
isetta articles search on isetta...
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online resources:
lots of knowledgable folks on these boards and chat rooms
chat room by the isetta
owners club of great britain |
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restoration services:
german service site
palo alto speedometer to redo the
isetta speedo new!
gary's steering wheel restoration |
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little touches: era plates for
your car?
i found my plate on ebay search on <year> license
plate <state>
insurance
in case yer bubble bursts...
need a picnic basket for the back of your
car?
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online restorations: chris's restoration
mary's isetta restoration
german restoration
my restoration...
bruce's restoration
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reportedly compatible
parts:
This is my list of innuendo and hearsay about
the compatibility of other car parts to the Isetta. Many were culled from the Isetta
bulletin board and idle chat with other Isetta enthusiasts. Use at your own risk...spark plugs:
- Bosch W7AC
- NGK B6HS
- NGK B7HS
- NGK B8HS
- CHAMPION L78C
- NGK 5110 B7HS
- Bosch W4AC was the original plug, but doesn't
reportedly work well with modern fuels
battery:
- BMW motorcycle battery
- Yuasa Y60-N24AL-B, a 28 hour battery used in
the Harely Davidson Buell models
coil:
- any 12 volt, VW from same year should work
chroming:
- Oak Harbor, WA (F&C Plating) ~$1,200
- Art Brass in Seattle and it is $1000.00 and 10
weeks
- Speed & Sport, Specializing in triple show
chrome, 404 Broadway, Houston, Texas 77012, (713)921-0235, 15-day service
tires:
- Deerstone 450 X 10 tires from Thailand (~$30)
- Coker 480x10 (~$80, whitewall)
- Nankang 480x10 (~$30) can buy from NTB!
(National Tire and Battery)
- Michelins 145x10
fuel filter:
shocks:
- NAPA , you can order part #94017
- if you don't go to NAPA, go to some other
parts store
- the shock is the FRONT shock for the following
vehicles:
Chevy LUV truck pickup, 2WD 1972-1980
Chevy LUV truck pickup, 4WD 1979-1982
Isuzu Truck, pickup series 4WD 1983-1988
Isuzu Truck, Trooper and Trooper 2- 1984-1986
tidbits on
trailering the isetta:
- can use a 5' by 8' tilting trailer made by ISP
with a 2,000 pound boat winches on the tounge to pull the car up on the trailer.
- do not put a car cover over the car when
trailering. The wind will flap the cover around and mess up the paint job.
- the smallest trailer you can use is a 5' by 8'
open trailer. A 5' by10' would be better for strapping purposes.
- can use a steel open bed single axle utility
trailer with ramp
- a full ramp is a lot easier to use than boards
or those adjustable ramps
- make sure you have your isetta strapped down
properly, maybe using wheel bonnets.
- keep the hitch tight, keep the bearings
greased, inspect the tires, and keep the air up. this is very important for the smaller
8" tires ( they tend to heat up and self destruct)
- keep your load centered left to right and the
tongue weight positive (40 to 100 lbs).
- tie the isetta down by the axel in the front
and rear
- do not tie the car down using the rear bumper!
other tidbits:
- fuel gage: can use a fuel gage that doubles as
a gas cap made by John Deere for its riding mowers (via bill darland)
- installing seat belts: I used old
non-inertial Daihatsu Cuore belts, the only ones I found light brown in our market and
with a size more and less proportional to the Isetta. The anchorage points were both bolts
which tie the body to the frame lying at the back of the seat. I chose the third anchorage
point at the side, on the steel sheet that goes under the sliding window. I made a hole in
this sheet and added a thick piece of iron of approx. 20 cm. long and 5 cm. wide, with
another hole with a nut welded in the middle of it, in such a way that I formed a
"sandwich" with the steel sheet between the iron support and the belt fixations.
In that way, belt should pass by your left shoulder to engage the other side at the center
of the seat. This is the best arrangement I managed to get. -Ernesto Parodi.
- Starting the isetta engine (with no regulator)
- Hook the Negative terminal of the battery to the engine case anywhere. Connect the
green wire from the coil (+) to the Positive side of the battery . This will now energize
the coil. Now connect the Positive terminal of the Battery to the Starter Post. If you
already have the wire connected to this, just connect it to the wire. This should cause
the engine to crank. Once it starts, remove the Positive contact from the starter post. Do
not crank for more than 15 seconds at a time. Don't leave the power connected to the coil
when you are not trying to run the engine, you could overheat it and make a big mess.
- Jim Janecek
- isetta trailers - Piccolo made them, but very
rare (3-4 left). Reproductions around. Quicksilver
trailers in a possible source. A german teardrop
is another.
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