Tiny cars set to invade Forest Grove

It’s no Concours, but this weekend dozens of three-wheeled relics will roll into town

By Christian Gaston

The Forest Grove News-Times, Jun 3, 2009, Updated Oct 30, 2009

Courtesy photo

Barb Smith’s Isetta will be one of many funky microcars on display this weekend in Forest Grove.

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In a world where the Zap Truck – a tiny three-wheeled electric car – turns more heads than a Hummer, maybe Barb Smith’s 1957 BMW Isetta isn’t so strange.

But with its tiny motorcycle engine and funny front-loading hatch, her three-wheeled wonder is still a load of fun.

“It makes everybody smile,” Smith said. “It’s the funnest car to drive.”

And this Sunday, a slew of “microcars” from all over North America will overwhelm the lawns of McMenamins Grand Lodge in Forest Grove.

Well, maybe overwhelm is the wrong word. They’re called microcars for a reason. They’re a bit … small.

Smith’s Isetta is about half as long as the smallest BMW currently made – the Mini Cooper. Her Isetta will be joined by a variety of odd-looking three-wheelers, undersized Japanese “K Cars” and who knows what else.

Portlander Mark Hatten is organizing the Forest Grove event, the fifth annual Great Pacific Northwest Microcar Extravaganza.

Hatten is passionate about microcars. He tools around in a tiny Subaru van that looks like a microscopic Mystery Machine. And he’s turned his microcar passion into a day job, working on the tiny cars in his auto shop near Portland International Airport.

Hatten said he hopes this year’s Forest Grove show is a success even with the flagging economy.

“Each year it seems like it’s doubled,” Hatten said. “This year, I don’t know. The economy’s affecting everyone.”

But by last week 30 people had already registered their cars – and Hatten said registration will remain open until the first day of the meet this Friday.

Among the cars that will be on display this year are Hatten’s 1962 Messerschmitt KR200, which gets 87 miles to the gallon and looks a bit like a scooter clad in the body of a Sopwith Camel.

Another standout expected to show on Sunday is a 1980 French KV, a tiny, boxy anomaly that was built until 1985.

For Smith, having a microcar in the garage of her Forest Grove office is a lot of fun, until it breaks down.

“I always keep the cell phone with me,” Smith said.

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