1957 Fuldamobil Series 7

Les Grandes Marques du Monde à Paris|1 February 2024, 13:30 CET|Paris, The Grand Palais Historique

1957 Fuldamobil Series 7
Chassis no. 007937

• The first 'Bubble Car'
• Built under license in Sweden by the Fram King Company
• An older restoration
• Registered in the EU, in Ireland

Deriving its name from the German town of Fulda, the Fuldamobil three-wheeler was first introduced in 1950. As this is one of the first microcars produced post-war, and the first described as a 'Bubble Car', our vendor was keen to have a Fuldamobil in his collection. This Series 7 was built under license in Sweden by the Fram King Company and sourced from the High Chapparal Museum north of Stockholm.

Designed by Fulda's chief designer Adolf Sander, the S7 featured a lighter, new-style glassfibre body and made its debut at the Swedish Motorcycle Show in March 1957 as the Fram-King-Fulda; its German debut came later that year at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Streamlined and very attractive, the low-drag body featured forward-opening doors and two bench seats accommodating four people, making it popular with families.

Built from 1957 to 1969, the S7 was powered by a Fichtel & Sachs 198cc single-cylinder two-stroke engine producing 9.5hp, coupled to a four-speed forward or four-speed reverse gearbox depending on which way the engine is rotating! The entire car measures just 3,150mm (10' 4") long and weighs less than 700lb (318kg). The Fuldamobil is acknowledged as the first car to feature a negative scrub radius, an innovation now recognised as a major advance in driving safety.

This S7 is an older (2015) restoration that retains much of its original patina. It is said to drive well through all gears and has a maximum speed of 80km/h (50mph). Accompanying documentation consists of an EU registration certificate and an engine spares manual.

Footnotes

1957 Fuldamobil Série 7
Châssis n° 007937

• La première 'voiture bulle'
• Construite sous licence en Suède par la Fram King Company
• Restauration ancienne
• Immatriculation européenne irlandaise

La Fuldamobil à trois roues, qui tire son nom de la ville allemande de Fulda, fut lancée en 1950. Comme c'était la première microvoiture d'après la guerre, et la première qualifiée de 'voiture bulle', son vendeur désirait vivement en avoir une dans sa collection. Cette Série 7 fut construite sous licence en Suède par la Fram King Company et provient du High Chaparral Museum, au nord de Stockholm.

Conçue par l'ingénieur en chef de Fulda, Adolf Sander, la S7 était équipée d'une carrosserie moderne et légère en fibre de verre ; elle fit ses débuts au Salon de la moto de Suède en mars 1957, sous le nom de Fram-King-Fulda, et sa carrière en Allemagne démarra plus tard dans l'année lors du Salon de Francfort. Son attrayante carrosserie effilée, à faible coefficient de traînée, était dotée de portes s'ouvrant vers l'avant et de deux banquettes capables d'accueillir quatre personnes, ce que les familles appréciaient.

Construite de 1957 à 1959, la S7 était motorisée par un monocylindre deux-temps Fichtel & Sachs de 198 cm3 qui délivrait 9,5ch et était associé à une boîte à quatre rapports avant et quatre arrière, selon le sens de rotation du moteur ! Elle ne mesurait que 3 150 mm de long et ne pesait que 318 kg. La Fuldamobil est connue pour avoir été la première voiture à disposer d'un déport au sol négatif, une innovation désormais considérée comme une avancée majeure en matière de sécurité active.

Cette S7 a été restaurée en 2015, en conservant une bonne part de sa patine d'origine. Elle est déclarée bien rouler sur tous les rapports de boîte et pouvoir atteindre 80 km/h. Elle est proposée avec un certificat d'immatriculation d'un pays de l'UE et un catalogue de pièces de rechange pour le moteur.

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