43
At Packard Museum exhibit, micro cars are mini-marvels
By Jordan Cohen
WARREN
There they sit at the National Packard Museum – monuments to a bygone era of car manufacturing.
Some are quite stylish, though rather simple. They exemplify creativity and innovative engineering on the part of those inspired with the vision to design and produce them.
No, not the glorious Packards long acknowledged as luxurious and trendsetting. These are micro cars, a few so small they could probably fit in the interior of some of the Packard behemoths.
“They’re just a great idea,” said Jerry Cramer of Girard as he and his wife, Terry, studied the comparatively tiny vehicles, many of them manufactured in the 1950s. “The art form and body styles are incredible.”
“Micro Cars: Mini Wonders,” featuring eight of these incredibly small marvels, drew enthusiasts as it began its run Saturday. Each of the vehicles is unique in style and story. The 1952 Fiat Topolino (Italian for “little mouse”) is considered modern for its time, while the Ford Prefect, built in England, though classic in appearance, would never be considered high performance. The Prefect required 27 seconds to go from 0-60 miles per hour.
The 1958 BMW Isetta 300, a three-wheeled vehicle, is called “the bubble car” because of its egg shape and the style of its windows.
Another three-wheeler – the 1955 Messerschmitt KR 200 – was capable of averaging an unheard of 87 mpg when cruising at 55 mph. Its top speed was 65 mph.
“It would be fun to drive, but I’d be afraid to go that fast in that car,” said Judy Watson of Warren as she eyed a back seat that could be occupied only by the very small.
“I could put my grandchildren in the back because they’re little,” she said.
“You have style right here,” said Bill Kelley, 71, of Mantua, a former Youngstown resident who visits the museum regularly. “They’re completely practical.”
His twin brother, Don, from Warren, considers the larger cars of today to be excessive when compared with the micro cars. “You don’t need an SUV to go to the store,” he said.
Ohio’s contribution is the King Midget manufactured in Athens in the 1950s. The midget’s engine: a Briggs and Stratton similar to those in today’s lawnmowers. Three Midgets are among the micro cars, including the first model sold as a kit – one-cylinder engine not included. Later models sold for $500.
Bill Murphy of Niles qualifies as an expert on the Midgets. He speaks from experience. The 83-year-old owned several, which he said he bought at auction for $30 or less a half-century ago. Murphy said their performance drawbacks didn’t deter his enjoyment.
“They were sluggish, couldn’t go in reverse and you couldn’t take them on the turnpike, but it was fun,” he recalled. “It’s a toy.”
Micro cars have more than 100 years of history in the United States and Europe, having been popular before World War I and resurging into public favor in the U.S. after World War II. Some were so small they could seat only the driver.
“Today’s cars [represent] excessive consumption, but these cars [reached] the pinnacle, and we’ve lost that,” Don Kelley said.
“People are too focused on style that becomes outdated,” said Bill Kelley. “If they have gas, I love them.”
The display runs through Dec. 23.