Make:
Other Makes
Model:
Borgward Isabella
Country:
USA
Region:
TX
City:
Laredo
Zip:
78040
Body Style:
Coupe
Year:
1958
Mileage:
60000
Miles
Transmission:
Manual
Fuel:
Gasoline
Doors:
2
Engine:
4 cyl
Condition:
Used
For sale my '58 Isabella Coupe.
PAINT: Repainted – see details below.
CHROME: Varies - some of it is good, some shows age consistent with it being a car from 1958. (The four hubcaps are new) Again, see details below
ENGINE: Excellent condition.
I have reason to believe that I am but the 3rd owner of the car, though I can not conclusively prove that. As I understand it, the first owner was a man in New Jersey. It then sold, around 1988, to a gentleman I bought the car from. He lived near Colonial Williamsburg, and when I bought the car it had been in storage for 23 years. Luckily, it was in a good garage and had aged rather well.
Apparently the car was originally white. The man in New Jersey did some minor body work on the car and did the GORGEOUS two tone repaint. (I have some old pictures of the car before it was painted, and before the body work was done - the car was in good shape with some surface rust). What else he may have done at the time I do not know.
Before I bought the car, in order to get it driveable, the previous owners sons did a couple things:
A. Master cylinder kit
B. Rebuilt the carb, did a tune up, new brake lines, fuel lines, fuel filter, etc.
C. Battery
D. Gas tank - cleaned, dipped, lined, repaired leaks and painted it.
WORK I HAD DONE ON THE CAR IN THE LAST TWO YEARS:
A. Four new white wall tires
B. Battery cables
C. Oil/filter; lube;
D. replace e-brake
E. replace axle boots
F. replace coolant hoses
G. Radiator check and flush
H. water pump rebuild; replace fuel pump
I. weld and fiberglass work underneath (there was some surface rust, some small holes, etc., underneath. These have been repaired). Underside is good now.
J. wheels have been sandblasted and repainted.
PAINT: A big thing is always the condition of the paint. The paint on this car is very, very nice. If you look at the picture of the back of the car, below the 32 in the license plate number, and just above the bumper, you will see an area a couple inches wide where the paint is off. Also, if you look at the second last picture, you will see a couple scratches that are on the top of the car. Other than that, the paint, in my humble opinion, is pretty great - helped no doubt by the fact that it was off the road for 23 years and safely put away. All the sellers on ebay say how everyone loves their car when people see it, but folks - this car truly is BEAUTIFUL.
CHROME: It has never been redone. It is pretty much as the chrome would be on any 50+ year old car. Some of it is nice, some of it shows pitting.
INTERIOR: Original.
Dash: The dash is very good.
Carpet: The carpet has its good points, and its bad points. It appears to be done in a somewhat piece meal fashion - looks kind of like some pieces wore out and replaced, others left original. It is OK, I haven't felt compelled to do
anything about it even though I have shown this car at shows. It depends on what you want to do with the car,,,,,,,,,,
Seats: The driver's seat has multiple splits, and the padding should be replaced. I've been driving it like this, but you may want to have it redone. The passenger seat is much better - some splits, but less and smaller. Back seat is good.
Headliner: good
Door cards: Good (there is a 1 1/2" split on the top part of the driver's side door card).
MISCELLANEOUS: Trunk good - there is a piece of carpeting back there. (Also note in one of the pictures there are some spare parts/manual back there too). The radio is inop.
GLASS and RUBBERS: Glass is great - rubbers are dry.
SUMMARY: A stunning looking car - GREAT color combination that shows well. New tires, decent chrome. The car runs and drives well. And, a very rare car in this country. By the way - this car is a 4 speed on the column. I hadn't driven one of these in the last 40 years - but it is simply a normal 4 speed pattern with a pull out and up reverse. Easy once you do it.
PAINT: Repainted – see details below.
CHROME: Varies - some of it is good, some shows age consistent with it being a car from 1958. (The four hubcaps are new) Again, see details below
ENGINE: Excellent condition.
I have reason to believe that I am but the 3rd owner of the car, though I can not conclusively prove that. As I understand it, the first owner was a man in New Jersey. It then sold, around 1988, to a gentleman I bought the car from. He lived near Colonial Williamsburg, and when I bought the car it had been in storage for 23 years. Luckily, it was in a good garage and had aged rather well.
Apparently the car was originally white. The man in New Jersey did some minor body work on the car and did the GORGEOUS two tone repaint. (I have some old pictures of the car before it was painted, and before the body work was done - the car was in good shape with some surface rust). What else he may have done at the time I do not know.
Before I bought the car, in order to get it driveable, the previous owners sons did a couple things:
A. Master cylinder kit
B. Rebuilt the carb, did a tune up, new brake lines, fuel lines, fuel filter, etc.
C. Battery
D. Gas tank - cleaned, dipped, lined, repaired leaks and painted it.
WORK I HAD DONE ON THE CAR IN THE LAST TWO YEARS:
A. Four new white wall tires
B. Battery cables
C. Oil/filter; lube;
D. replace e-brake
E. replace axle boots
F. replace coolant hoses
G. Radiator check and flush
H. water pump rebuild; replace fuel pump
I. weld and fiberglass work underneath (there was some surface rust, some small holes, etc., underneath. These have been repaired). Underside is good now.
J. wheels have been sandblasted and repainted.
PAINT: A big thing is always the condition of the paint. The paint on this car is very, very nice. If you look at the picture of the back of the car, below the 32 in the license plate number, and just above the bumper, you will see an area a couple inches wide where the paint is off. Also, if you look at the second last picture, you will see a couple scratches that are on the top of the car. Other than that, the paint, in my humble opinion, is pretty great - helped no doubt by the fact that it was off the road for 23 years and safely put away. All the sellers on ebay say how everyone loves their car when people see it, but folks - this car truly is BEAUTIFUL.
CHROME: It has never been redone. It is pretty much as the chrome would be on any 50+ year old car. Some of it is nice, some of it shows pitting.
INTERIOR: Original.
Dash: The dash is very good.
Carpet: The carpet has its good points, and its bad points. It appears to be done in a somewhat piece meal fashion - looks kind of like some pieces wore out and replaced, others left original. It is OK, I haven't felt compelled to do
anything about it even though I have shown this car at shows. It depends on what you want to do with the car,,,,,,,,,,
Seats: The driver's seat has multiple splits, and the padding should be replaced. I've been driving it like this, but you may want to have it redone. The passenger seat is much better - some splits, but less and smaller. Back seat is good.
Headliner: good
Door cards: Good (there is a 1 1/2" split on the top part of the driver's side door card).
MISCELLANEOUS: Trunk good - there is a piece of carpeting back there. (Also note in one of the pictures there are some spare parts/manual back there too). The radio is inop.
GLASS and RUBBERS: Glass is great - rubbers are dry.
SUMMARY: A stunning looking car - GREAT color combination that shows well. New tires, decent chrome. The car runs and drives well. And, a very rare car in this country. By the way - this car is a 4 speed on the column. I hadn't driven one of these in the last 40 years - but it is simply a normal 4 speed pattern with a pull out and up reverse. Easy once you do it.
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