Original “balance weight” for Isetta, Trojan etc for sale!
From an eBay listing in the UK, the seller’s description:
Here for sale is an original gold painted BALANCE WEIGHT for a 1950s TROJAN and BMW Isetta Bubble Car. These were apparently used under the passenger seat when there was only one occupant in order to stabilise the car round corners. Marvellous and probably incredibly rare. Weighs about 15 kgs.
While it is heavy it is not what this lump of metal was used for. Can you guess what it was originally used for?
Hint: it *COULD* have been used in an Isetta or Trojan!
Click Here to go to the actual listing with more pics
October 2nd, 2010 at 8:21 pm
I believe it was used for entering a locked vehicle if the keys were misplaced. The idea was to throw it into a side window to gain access to the door latch.
I have also heard that it could be used for an auxiliary parking brake.
Very rare piece.
October 4th, 2010 at 8:58 pm
Faux movie prop gold bar used in “The Italian Job” movie.
October 6th, 2010 at 9:24 am
It actually has a function. Just not the fantastic one the seller describes.
This can augment a certain system on these microcars that was rather feeble.
It was probably NOT something that US drivers would use, but would be more well known to British drivers of the day.