Goggomobil Dart- 1959

Bill Buckle of Sydney, Australia, was a distributor of the German Goggomobil in the late 1950s. In an effort to get away from the punishing import taxes imposed by Australia, he found it cheaper to import the chassis and then build his own fiberglass body. Buckle designed an open sports car–the Goggomobil Dart Roadster. Formed as upper and lower tubs, the body is a step-in without doors. A convertible top left a very small opening to enter by, therefore a small door was offered on later models. The only instrument on the dash is a speedometer. The amount of fuel is gauged by a translucent gas tank. A rear-hinged hardtop and 400cc motor were later available. With the arrival of the Mini Cooper to the sports car market, Goggomobil sales dropped. The company produced a total of 5,000 cars over its span of business before closing in 1962.