Greg Long Shows Off Cramped Style In His Peel P50.
By George Dyke…..
Today’s Globe and Mail featured an article by Brendan McAleer about Citroënvie member Greg Long and how he occasionally deviates from purchasing Citroëns to buy something even more unusual – in this case, the world’s smallest car – a Peel 50 three-wheeled microcar.
Originally made from 1962 to 1965 by the Peel Engineering Company on the Isle of Man in UK, the P50 is a mere 52.76 inches long, 38.58 inches high and 39.37 inches tall with a curb weight of just 123.46 lb. It was advertised in the 1960s as capable of seating “one adult and a shopping bag”.
This Peel had been owned by the Erdardt family in British Columbia for over 40 years. As there are only 27 surviving original Peel P50’s, from a total production run of 50, they had calls from all over the world when they decided to sell it. Then in the hands of Don Erhardt Jr. (his Dad bought it originally on a whim when riding by a Burnaby marine supply store on his Harley-Davidson), the P50 went to Greg because according to Don; “He was the only person as excited about the car as I was when I first saw it.”
Greg restored the Peel and hence, the Globe and Mail article you can read here:
Do you think that Greg has a tight fit? I am 6’6″ and drove the Lane Motor Museum’s P50 back in 2012! Definitely a one-time experience for me. I still get cramps just looking at the pictures!
If you would like a bit more amusement, check out the Top Gear video where Jeremy Clarkson takes a P50 into the offices of the BBC:
