Monday 6th September 2010

Tiny Classic Roadsters Are Yours For £3k

If you can't afford your dream garage - think smaller

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We know it can be a problem funding your dream garage with a £10k budget, but we think we've found a solution - or half a one at least, because these fab-looking half-scale classic roadsters can be yours for £3,000 a pop.

They're made by a company called Harrington Group, and as you can see from the website their (allegedly!) children's cars are accurate replicas of some of the finest roadsters from the golden age of motoring.

The cars have composite body work and tubs, and are powered by 50cc kart engines. They also get proper brakes, electric starters, reverse gears and working lights and horns. But the best bit, according to the blurb and pictures, is they're big enough for adults as well as kids.

So far so good, but there's always a 'but... '

We rang the UK number on the Group Harrington website, and found ourselves speaking not to a British classic car engineering firm with an entrepreneurial streak, but a very helpful fellow in Vietnam where it turns out the cars are manufactured.

The mini machines were 'outed' on Gizmodo last week, since when (he said) the company's website has been reeling from the weight of global traffic, and their email inbox is apparently stuffed full to bursting with eager enquiries.

However, we can confirm the cars are available for export to the UK (shipping here adds £200 to the bill), but there's already a two to three month waiting list.

Interestingly (we thought!) Harrington is also getting ready to launch an electrically-powered Isetta bubble car replica. They're currently in the prototype stage, and the new production car has been copied from a genuine late '50s Isetta belonging to Harrington Group's boss.

Apparently the Isetta was exported to Vietnam in very limited numbers, but most were destroyed in the Vietnam war leaving just a handful surviving. Something that could be about to change, by the look of things.

If you're interested, you can email Harrington via their website, but be patient as our man told us it's going to take them a while to get through the backlog...

[scotty_d]

Awsome

[SAndals]

Superb - at last I can now affort a pristine E-type.....or a 300SL....or a Speedster.
Kids won't get a look in!

[Smartass]

Surely that E-type pic has been badly photo-shopped? Where are the guy's legs?

[JRDUNN]

if only they could make these things road legal, although i dont that would be likely.
much more stylish than a peugeot streetfighter scooter.

[Asterix]

What a cool race series that would be on kart tracks around the country.

[Rochester TVR]

Want one!

Imagine turning up to the next Sunday Service in one of those!

[soad]

That's mad in a good way

[dvance]

Asterix said:

What a cool race series that would be on kart tracks around the country.

+1

[baby g]

There must be a way of making these road legal. Surely? That would be awesome!

[Mini1275]

Want!!!

[soad]

Maybe I'm being negative, but are they built to last?
Cheap Chinese scooters/motorcycles pop to mind - perhaps I'm wrong to assume it.

[Pvapour]

baby g said:

There must be a way of making these road legal. Surely? That would be awesome!

A quad can be made road legal, must be possible...

[TommyBuoy]

I can see my two mile bike ride to work going out of the window!

If childrens motorised cars can go on the path do you reckon I could get away with this

Edited by TommyBuoy on Monday 6th September 12:21

[Vipers]

Made in Vietnam? now thats interesting, didnt think cars in Vietnam had brakes, let alone model cars.

[Kaelic]

Anyone seen this picture?



Imagine if these models were interchangeable on the chasis? How great would that be?

So one day you have an 356 and then a 300 sl another day

Edited by Kaelic on Monday 6th September 12:23

[Garlick]

I had a Z4 version once

[shakotan]

It's the same company that makes shed loads of Vespa/Lambretta parts, and also chrome bumpers for Beetles/MGs, IIRC.

[morgrp]

Asterix said:

What a cool race series that would be on kart tracks around the country.

Loving your thinking - classic gt racing that everyone can afford!

[alexpa]

What a laugh!

Forget the 50cc kart engine, I'd put my 300cc 17kg 50hp rotary Aixro XR50 go kart engine in it! 0-60 3 secs, 100mph with one gear!

http://www.woelfle-engineering.com/

Edited by alexpa on Monday 6th September 12:26

[Hedders]

TommyBuoy said:

I can see my two mile bike ride to work going out of the window!

If childrens motorised cars can go on the path do you reckon I could get away with this

We have an excellent cycle path system here that is totally seperate from the road network..if it was legal to drive one of these on the cycle paths i would get one in a heartbeat..they would be fantastic for popping out to the city centre.!