1959 Borgward Isabella Coupe

• Dating from 1959, right-hand drive and first UK registered on 25/05/1962
• Two-year glass-out, engine-out, floor out restoration 1994/1995
• Complete retrim (ú1,800) in October 1997. Full engine rebuild (ú639) in 1998
• Still looks good in Cream with a super red leather interior, fabulous dashboard and original radio
• A lovely example of a rare car and, when further detailed, would make a good show car

NB. On offer from a private collection, this vehicle has not been used for some time. It is a non-runner and is strictly sold as seen.

Carl Borgward was a hands-on industrialist, who owned, and micro-managed Hansa, Goliath, Lloyd and Borgward brands in Germany. By the 1950s, they were running fifth in the German sales league, although there were clouds on the horizon, the company becoming insolvent in 1961 having put too much effort into the American market which was having troubles of its own. In truth, Borgward's strategy of constantly introducing new models was causing reliability issues, inefficient tooling usage and market confusion, but that didn't stop the concern making fine cars, which in the case of the Borgward Isabella, competed at the upper end of the market.

Their bread and butter models were the Isabella two-door saloon and estate models, but to add some glamour, Borgward introduced the elegant coupe as on offer today. With overtones of Mercedes 190SL in the styling and BMW-influenced engines, they offered strong 80+mph performance from their modest 75bhp 1,493cc engines.

There is little early history of this 1959 German coupe apart from some tax discs and MOTs from the early eighties, however, we know that it was first registered in the UK in May 1962. It was acquired in August 1993 by Tony Hunt of Tipton who had been looking for one for some months. There is a small article in Practical Classics Magazine (Jan 1996) telling the story of his two-year glass-out, engine-out, floor out restoration of 772 ELC and a number of photographs including some taken presumably at the end with the car looking very smart on a show stand. There is an MOT on file dated May 1996 at a mileage (km?) of 52,640.

772 ELC was subsequently purchased on 15/02/1997 by David Palmer from Oxford who owned it until 29/11/2009 and judging by the amount of invoices in the file that relate to immediately after his purchase, he was not too impressed with the restoration. Too much work to list here but the important bits are a complete retrim by Minns of Oxford in October 1997 (ú1,800) and an engine rebuild (rebore, new pistons, crank regrind, new mains, big ends, small ends) ú639 in June 1998. The Isabella has been part of a collection since 2014 but, pleasingly, has remained in decent condition. As well as all the invoices, MOTs photographs etc. it's supplied with the original 'Operating Instructions' in English.

This is a lovely example of a rare car and, when further detailed, would make a good show car.