1964 Peel P50 Coupe

The Peel P50 was produced by the Peel Engineering Company, located on the Isle of Man, situated between England and Ireland, from 1962 to 1965. It was listed in the 2010 Guinness Book of Records as the smallest production car ever made. It was designed as a city car and advertised as capable of seating 'one adult and a shopping bag'. It had one door, located on the left side, a single windscreen wiper, one headlight, and no reverse gear. To move the vehicle backward, a handle located at the rear allowed the lightweight vehicle to be physically maneuvered when required. The standard colours were Daytona White, Dragon Red, and Dark Blue. Just 47 original examples were produced, and only 27 of them are known to still exist.

The P50 was built using the minimum possible dimensions needed for a functional car. It was first shown at the 1962 Cycle and Motorcycle Show at Earls Court where it was nothing more than a fiberglass box. The publicity it earned allowed Peel to develop an actual product. The production examples were given a molded fiberglass cabin enclosing a single seat for one. In the front were two tiny wheels and a third wheel was located in the back. The back wheel was responsible for the propulsion. It was capable of achieving 100 miles to the gallon.

This particular example was once part of the Bruce Weiner Microcar Museum in Madison, Georgia. While in his care, it was given a restoration. It is finished in red paint, has chrome pieces, and natural white rubber bumper strips at all four corners. The engine is a 49cc two-stroke single-cylinder Zweirad-Union engine fitted with a three-speed manual transmission. There are cable-operated three-wheel drum brakes.

By Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2016