1960 Borgward Isabella

We are pleased to be offering for sale a lovely example of the Isabella and painted in what can only be a most striking hue. It was manufacturer in 1960.

This right-hand drive car was originally a South African car before it found its way into Europe and into the possession of one Arthur Ormsby. We gather it was a treasured possession and we even have a copy of his will and testament amongst the paperwork for the car. On it he instructed his Lancia Flavia Coupe be left to his daughter, whilst the Isabella was passed down to his son Mark.

Our seller acquired the car in 2007 and it became part of a significant collection of fine classic cars. Stored in a secure, heated and dehumidified garage, the car has had little use.

However, the seller has employed a full time specialist classic car mechanic, thus ensuring this and all the other cars in the collection are maintained in good running order.

The orange paintwork ensures that this is one classic car that will turn heads, even if the uninitiated are not sure what just passed them by. A quick internet search, reveals that this was an original colour and perhaps in its heyday it was a popular one.

The paintwork looks bright and shiny and whilst we would love to think that it is original, we suspect a respray has been carried out at some point in the car’s life. We cannot spot any obvious signs of bubbling or rust starting to show through.

In keeping with cars of the era, there is chrome aplenty. The perfectionist may wish to get some areas replated as there are some signs of pitting in places. We also note that the nearside rear light lens is broken, see picture 62.

Continental tyres are fitted all round and these have plenty of tread. We suspect they have covered few miles. Hub caps, a mixture of chrome and body colour, set the car off really nicely.

A classic bench style seat up front provides comfortable seating for two. The backrests hinge on one side to allow access to the rear. The black and cream seat covering is in fine condition and looks to have been well cared for.

The dashboard harks back to a simpler time. The instrument cluster is neatly arranged with the speedometer in pole position, with a raft of useful gauges underneath.

The column mounted gear lever can take a little getting used to, but with practice it becomes second nature. The left hand does not have to stray far from the delightful spindly steering wheel to affect a change.

A reasonable sized boot completes the picture, making the Isabella an ideal car for a lazy weekend away, with no need to travel light.

Lift up the bonnet and that perky engine hoves into view. The paintwork here is somewhat tired and could do with a refresh. We are told it starts and runs well.

The car is said to be in good running order, though as previously mentioned it has had little use during our seller’s extended ownership period. It would therefore not be unreasonable to expect some fine tuning may be required if the car is to be pressed back into regular use.

We believe the car’s indicated mileage of 48,235 may well be genuine, but we offer no guarantees. We know the car has been loved and cherished by the late Mr Ormsby and his family, before joining our seller’s extensive classic car collection in Ireland.

With his own full time mechanic, anything that was required to keep the Isabella running was done, but of course that means there are no accompanying invoices.

The Borgward Isabella is a rare car and to find one in good order, and in right-hand drive configuration is almost unheard of.

This is a car to take to classic car shows where it is sure to attract a lot of attention, especially wearing such a bright paint finish. A great starter classic and one that should be simple enough for the home mechanic to work on.

So, how much will this delightful slice of German engineering sell for? We estimate the hammer will fall somewhere between 6,000 and 8,000 Euros.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with the vendor in Waterford, Ireland. To arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.