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Cool Collectables: Heinkel Trojan Microcar!
Here at De Vreugde Design, we take pride in adding “& Collectables” to our name. Every now and then we bump into a collectable so unique, we just have to share it with you! Jan Willem has a new-found passion for so called “microcars” and has now imported a Heinkel Trojan Kabine. This unique, bright red, three wheeled car will definitely draw the attention wen it hits the road! Apart from it’s unique appearance, there’s a whole story behind this tiny car.
From aircrafts to microcars
Surprising fact: Heinkel was a German aircraft manufacturing company. founded by and named after Ernst Heinkel. It produced bomber aircrafts for the Luftwaffe in World War II, pioneering with liquid-fueled rockets and turbojet-powered aircrafts. In 1956, the company decided to go with something different: the “Kabine” bubble car. There were two models: the Kabine Model 153 (with three wheels) and the Kabine Model 154 (with four wheels). Both had 204 cc engines that were later reduced to 198 cc for insurance purposes. The production didn’t last very long. After only two years, in 1958, Heinkel stopped the manufacturing. It was continued under license. First by Dundalk Engineering in Ireland, but it was taken over by Trojan in the UK soon after due to poor quality control. In 1966 the last Trojan Kabine has left the factory, meaning the end of their production.
Struggles of a front door
One of the unique features in the design was the opening being in the front, which could sometimes be quite a hassle. Heinkel wasn’t the first one to do this, Iso Rivolta had a similar microcar: the Isetta. To avoid patent issues, the Heinkel car has a fixed steering wheel that makes it a bit harder to enter and exit the car. Another difference between those cars is that the Heinkel has a reverse gear. A lot of other bubble cars didn’t have this. Since the door is in the front,this could be quite difficult when for example you would be facing a wall. Luckily this wasn’t a problem for the Kabine! The sun roof of the car doesn’t only serve as a nice feature for sunny days, but is at the same time an emergency exit, should the front door be jammed in collision.
Jan’s quest for a Heinkel
After finding out about microcars jears ago, Jan never stopped thinking about them. Still, deciding to really purchase one seemed like a big step. All the good cars seemed to be abroad, so there’s certain risks involved when importing one. After a long quest, Jan found a trustworthy contact and eventually took a leap of faith and bought his very own. At arrival here at our warehouse, the car turned out to be in even better condition than we could have hoped for! The upcoming month Jan will work om renovating some parts of the vehicle and at the end of October it will get it’s very own Dutch license plate. With that, Jan and his Kabine are ready to hit the road!
Are you thinking about having a microcar of your own? Or is there a different unique collectable that you are looking for? We have a big network of contacts, and can keep an eye out for you to find the perfect item. With our many years of experience, we know what the risks and advantages are when buying certain special items and will happily guide you in finding that unique piece you’ve always wanted! Feel free to contact us.
