my VELAM Isetta....

Since I've known about Isettas, I've admired the VELAM version as the most artful of the Isettas. So round, so bubbly, so stylish... However, given that the car was made in France and was not formally exported to the United States, VELAM Isettas are as rare as a well-dressed weatherman. I didn't hold much hope for ever finding one. Boy, was I wrong...

I went to the 2002 national microcar show at Bruce Weiner's Doublebubble acres. What was sitting outside his museum for sale? A VELAM Isetta! After fixing up a 1958 BMW Isetta parts car (my isetta), I had sworn off of fixing up another little car, at least for awhile, but here she was... Basically, this was a once in a lifetime opportunity, and I took it (or bought it, rather...). The car showed up a few weeks later in the back of a semi-truck full of bubblegum, and now here I am...

The car when it was inside of Bruce's museum:

The car outside of Bruce's museum:

The car coming home to Texas in the back of a bubblegum truck!
The car unfortunately lost one of its tail lights in transit, which is what we were looking for in the back of the truck. The flatbed tow truck driver wasn't too impressed with the car ("Please tell me you didn't pay anything for this thing..."), but changed his mind when a number of folks stopped to look and ask about the car ("Damn! This thing gets a lot of attention!").

The car in the back yard:

These cars are rare and given that they are from France (and I don't speak French), it is hard to find parts for them. If you can help me in any way, please do.

Here are the parts I need at the moment. You can contact me at bubba@whirlingpool.com if you can help!!!

Tires!

right rear tail light and plugs...

window hardware. I have the window, but the posts on top and bottom are broken...

plastic inserts for turn signal lights...

knob for engine cover

a better speedometer?

a better knob?

a better knob?

- rubber parts?