1958 Messerschmitt KR200 Roadster

MESSERSCHMITT’S MIGHTY MICRO

MAKE: Messerschmitt
MODEL: KR200 Roadster
YEAR: 1958
ENGINE: 191cc, single cylinder, two-stroke
OWNER: Maurie West
OWNED: Family-owned since 1960

Think of the name Messerschmitt and it probably conjures up images of aeroplanes. Most likely, these aeroplanes will be WWII-era fighter aircraft like the Bf109 – the mainstay of the Luftwaffe at the beginning of the war, made famous for its struggles with the Spitfires and Hurricanes of the RAF during the Battle of Britain.

However, the German company was involved in the creation of other, rather less powerful and destructive modes of transport. Most famous of these were the three-wheeled microcars designed by engineer Fritz Fend.

Built by the company following a post-war ban on aircraft production imposed  by the victorious allies, the microcars were small, lightweight, surprisingly nippy and extraordinarily economical – the second-generation KR200 model’s 191cc engine was good for around 3.2 litres per 100km and capable of an impressive 100km/h top speed.

A quirky-looking vehicle, the rear-wheel drive, rear-engined vehicle had some other quirks too. There was seating for two, though the passenger sat directly behind the driver as on a motorcycle; to access reverse, the driver had to shut off the motor and restart it spinning backwards and instead of a standard steering wheel, the KR200 used a ‘yoke’-style steering mechanism – something that was probably more recognisable to those piloting its winged Bf109 cousin.

However, for all their quirks, the Messerschmitt microcars proved to be extremely popular. More than 15,000 of the first-generation KR175 were built between 1953 and 1955 and perhaps as many as 30,000 of the KR200 found their way into the hands of enthusiasts across the world.

One of these, a rare soft-top version of the KR200, found its way to Australian shores and, eventually, into the hands Maurie West, Dealer Principal for West Car Sales in Bundaberg.

“I believe my grandfather actually got it from Brisbane Motor Auctions in the ’60s,” says Maurie. “I’m not exactly sure when, but my memory of it back then was that it was in good condition, and I remember driving around in it as a kid.”

Over the years, the KR200 was used a little less and eventually was tucked away for storage. By the time it was uncovered a few years later it was in dire need of some restoration work.

“I started work on it many years ago when my grandmother gave it to me,” says Maurie. “I was going to use it as a backdrop for my wedding but we weren’t able to get it finished in time. After that I got a little disillusioned with and put it back in the shed.

“Then the Messerschmitt Club of Sydney got in touch with me. They were trying to find out if I still had the car and if I could give them its numbers. I brought it out of storage to find those numbers and an old friend of mine, an engineer, was up from Hervey Bay and he said, ‘Why don’t we get this thing going?’.

“From there the ‘getting it going’ bit turned out to involve a full restoration – and a lot of money!”

The restoration took nearly three years, and involved work on just about every part of the car.

“The body was stripped right down to metal, sandblasted and repainted,” says Maurie. “The motor was stripped down and re-ringed and resealed, the gearbox was stripped down, and the car was reupholstered as well.”

A tricky restoration, locating parts for a relatively rare car which was last produced in the 1960s meant searching far and wide, utilising the resources of Messerschmitt fans from across the globe.

“It was a difficult job,” says Maurie. “The car was completely dismantled, and probably nine-tenths of the parts came from England. There is a massive Messerschmitt Club there, and though I did get some of the parts from the Messerschmitt Club here in Australia, most of it came out of England.”

With the KR200 fully restored, Maurie does take it out for a spin every now and again, and, he says, it is an ‘interesting’ drive, especially with power coming from the one, centrally-positioned rear wheel.

“It is something you have to be very wary of driving,”
he says. “You have to drive right around a pothole or bump in the road, and with 10-inch wheels it can be a very rough ride.”

However, though it might provide something of an uncomfortable ride, it’s also clearly a lot of fun and has proved to be a real head-turner.

“I take it out about once a month,” says Maurie. “Normally, I’d take it out in the afternoon or night-time as it’s too hot to drive otherwise. There’s no air-conditioning so sitting in it here in Queensland, you’d cook!

“Taking it for a drive can be quite comical,” he adds. “People take photos of it all the time, and when they pull up next to us at the lights everyone has a good laugh. It is fun.”

However, though the Messerschmitt might cause a bit of a chuckle now, in an era where ‘small’ and ‘economical’ are desirable features for a motorcar, it may be that, one day,
the Messerschmitt may be looked at not with amusement but with a hint of envy.