Just starting to collect thoughts and a inventory of parts so figured I'd start this thread.
A chance sighting on Ebay, followed by seeing one at a show a couple of weeks later soon turned into a 3 and a bit week mission as detailed in this thread.
So what have I got? Its a Borgward Isabella Combi registered in April 1962. I am the forth owner. Borgward went out of business in 1961 and going by the chassis number I have established this one was actually produced in November 1959. Having now got the V5C, it states "Was previously registered/used overseas. Manufacture date unknown." So someone ordered a brand new RHD car abroad (South Africa? Australia?) and brought it home or perhaps it was a military/diplomatic person in Europe who knew they would bring it home after their service finished? According to the club, there are only half a dozen or so Combi survivors in the UK. This is the one we saw at the Enfield Pageant.
The man I bought mine from had owned it since 2005 and it was in one piece when he got it, didn’t look too bad but on tearing it down he found it to be really quite rotten and steamed in to replacing much of the lower structural work. He also bought a rotten (& crashed?) LHD Isabella TS saloon for parts, stripping it completely and keeping every single part that might prove useful. Other interests meant that he realised it would never get done so he advertised it on eBay, got no bids but subsequently got my phone call.
I went to view it with two things in mind. Was the work so far carried out to a decent standard (and so not need re-doing) and what was the spares package like? I was not disappointed on either count. With the deal done and all of it now in London I need to start cataloguing what I’ve got and also get on with preserving the work done and the rest of the solid metalwork.
When we trailered the shell down we also filled the pick up with loads of boxes of the smaller bits and pieces. I spent a couple of hours last week going through all of these parts, identifying what I could (95% I’d say) and re-boxing it all in an organised fashion. Here’s some of it all layed out. I was chuffed to find the chassis plate in amongst it all.
There are a huge amount of parts, without which I think it would be a much more difficult proposition and I don’t think I’d have taken it on. There are three pairs of front wings, two pairs of rears (all will need some work), four fuel tanks, two front grills/valances, two bonnets, complete spare front and rear suspensions, two engines (one incomplete and seized) and two gearboxes, two windscreens etc.
Most of the panels will need some restoration work but having multiples means I’ll be able to pick and choose the best ones. There’s even the complete rear floor from the saloon that will provide valuable sections for the Combi as it is much better in some places.
With the parts and shell finally in the same place yesterday we were able to temporarily hang some panels to make it look a bit more car shaped.
I intend to store the interiors at my mums for safe keeping. Yes there are two! And fortunately they’re the same colours so again I can pick and choose to an extent though the estate specific back seat is obviously going to be needed. They all came down in the Minx and I pulled them out and had a proper look earlier.
Left to right is saloon back seat, estate back seat, fron seat bases (RHD at back, LHD in front - check the adjuster position). All rather grubby obviously and the combi front seat base has a fair amount of stitching that’s gone but theres no tears in the fabric. The front seat backs are with the car but are also good so I’ll pick them up next time I go down there. Also down there are the door cards and they are really funky. Just visible here, two tone and diamond tuck!
Two dashboards! These are made out of bakelite and are the same for RHD or LHD.
The LHD gauges are in kmh and Celsius, the RHD in mph and Faranheit. LHD dash has a cool “Isabella” radio blanking plate, the RHD one got a Radiomobile unit that used a separate valve amp I have in the stash.
Some trim and the Combi radiator which is knackered but different to the later (?) TS one.
I guess the rad got re-cored once upon a time so perhaps it lived in the potteries?
So that's where things stand now. As for plans, well its mostly going to have to be a straight restoration since it is too valuable a car to me to cut it up. I reckon a full custom one would be worth half a good restored one, if that. But it won't escape being hit with the Seth stick.
I want to restore the shell and running gear and get it going with one set of wings while working on another. While in this state I can probably do some cool paintwork that would be easy to patch in when changing over the bolt on exterior. Plus there would have to be some ride height adjustment and it would be very easy to airbag it, meaning I could drive it at a height that won't knacker rare unobtanium running gear. A change of wheels (and maybe stud pattern using the spare hubs) are also likely to be on the cards. ;D
There won't be any serious updates for a while though as I need to get the Oxford done first. May just make notes as I find/sort/preserve stuff. Thats it for now!
Phew, that was long!
A chance sighting on Ebay, followed by seeing one at a show a couple of weeks later soon turned into a 3 and a bit week mission as detailed in this thread.
So what have I got? Its a Borgward Isabella Combi registered in April 1962. I am the forth owner. Borgward went out of business in 1961 and going by the chassis number I have established this one was actually produced in November 1959. Having now got the V5C, it states "Was previously registered/used overseas. Manufacture date unknown." So someone ordered a brand new RHD car abroad (South Africa? Australia?) and brought it home or perhaps it was a military/diplomatic person in Europe who knew they would bring it home after their service finished? According to the club, there are only half a dozen or so Combi survivors in the UK. This is the one we saw at the Enfield Pageant.
The man I bought mine from had owned it since 2005 and it was in one piece when he got it, didn’t look too bad but on tearing it down he found it to be really quite rotten and steamed in to replacing much of the lower structural work. He also bought a rotten (& crashed?) LHD Isabella TS saloon for parts, stripping it completely and keeping every single part that might prove useful. Other interests meant that he realised it would never get done so he advertised it on eBay, got no bids but subsequently got my phone call.
I went to view it with two things in mind. Was the work so far carried out to a decent standard (and so not need re-doing) and what was the spares package like? I was not disappointed on either count. With the deal done and all of it now in London I need to start cataloguing what I’ve got and also get on with preserving the work done and the rest of the solid metalwork.
When we trailered the shell down we also filled the pick up with loads of boxes of the smaller bits and pieces. I spent a couple of hours last week going through all of these parts, identifying what I could (95% I’d say) and re-boxing it all in an organised fashion. Here’s some of it all layed out. I was chuffed to find the chassis plate in amongst it all.
There are a huge amount of parts, without which I think it would be a much more difficult proposition and I don’t think I’d have taken it on. There are three pairs of front wings, two pairs of rears (all will need some work), four fuel tanks, two front grills/valances, two bonnets, complete spare front and rear suspensions, two engines (one incomplete and seized) and two gearboxes, two windscreens etc.
Most of the panels will need some restoration work but having multiples means I’ll be able to pick and choose the best ones. There’s even the complete rear floor from the saloon that will provide valuable sections for the Combi as it is much better in some places.
With the parts and shell finally in the same place yesterday we were able to temporarily hang some panels to make it look a bit more car shaped.
I intend to store the interiors at my mums for safe keeping. Yes there are two! And fortunately they’re the same colours so again I can pick and choose to an extent though the estate specific back seat is obviously going to be needed. They all came down in the Minx and I pulled them out and had a proper look earlier.
Left to right is saloon back seat, estate back seat, fron seat bases (RHD at back, LHD in front - check the adjuster position). All rather grubby obviously and the combi front seat base has a fair amount of stitching that’s gone but theres no tears in the fabric. The front seat backs are with the car but are also good so I’ll pick them up next time I go down there. Also down there are the door cards and they are really funky. Just visible here, two tone and diamond tuck!
Two dashboards! These are made out of bakelite and are the same for RHD or LHD.
The LHD gauges are in kmh and Celsius, the RHD in mph and Faranheit. LHD dash has a cool “Isabella” radio blanking plate, the RHD one got a Radiomobile unit that used a separate valve amp I have in the stash.
Some trim and the Combi radiator which is knackered but different to the later (?) TS one.
I guess the rad got re-cored once upon a time so perhaps it lived in the potteries?
So that's where things stand now. As for plans, well its mostly going to have to be a straight restoration since it is too valuable a car to me to cut it up. I reckon a full custom one would be worth half a good restored one, if that. But it won't escape being hit with the Seth stick.
I want to restore the shell and running gear and get it going with one set of wings while working on another. While in this state I can probably do some cool paintwork that would be easy to patch in when changing over the bolt on exterior. Plus there would have to be some ride height adjustment and it would be very easy to airbag it, meaning I could drive it at a height that won't knacker rare unobtanium running gear. A change of wheels (and maybe stud pattern using the spare hubs) are also likely to be on the cards. ;D
There won't be any serious updates for a while though as I need to get the Oxford done first. May just make notes as I find/sort/preserve stuff. Thats it for now!
Phew, that was long!
