1959 FMR/Messerschmitt Tg500 'Tiger' Kabinenroller
- Engine
- 500cc twin-cylinder air-cooled two-stroke, ~19.5 bhp
The Messerschmitt Tg500, nicknamed the 'Tiger', is the rarest and most performance-oriented of the Kabinenroller family, powered by a 500cc twin-cylinder two-stroke engine producing 19.5bhp and capable of 78mph. Chassis 20655, a 1959 hardtop example, was acquired in distressed condition in 2005 and subsequently subjected to a thorough long-term restoration completed in 2019, covering the engine, bodywork, suspension, brakes, and interior to near-original specification.
Ownership
- 2019-12-07Auction saleSold £120,000 (≈ $150K)
- 2005 →Private saleCurrent vendorpartial documentation
Acquired in deteriorated condition with an incomplete prior restoration. Undertook a comprehensive ground-up restoration completed in 2019, with invoices retained.
Competition
No competition history extracted from the catalogue.
Maintenance & restoration
- 2005Restoration
Long-term comprehensive restoration commenced with full strip-down; engine and gearbox rebuilt with all bearings, bushes, piston rings, and gaskets renewed using period-correct materials. Electronic ignition substituted for original contact breakers, with original units retained.
- 2019Inspection
Restoration completed and vehicle road-tested to confirm full working order; described by the vendor as 99% original and as close to new condition as achievable.
- —Restoration
Prior to the current owner's restoration, the vehicle had been semi-restored to a poor standard before acquisition in 2005.
Condition at purchase described as distressed with incomplete and substandard prior work.
- —Bodywork
Bodywork stripped to bare metal, rust removed, treated, and professionally resprayed. All aluminium components restored to as-new condition. Trim, beading, rubbers, and sliding windows replaced with new original-specification parts. All indicator and stop-lamp lenses replaced, chrome parts replated, new handmade mirrors fitted, and fasteners replaced with stainless steel or freshly electroplated items.
Carried out as part of the broader restoration programme.
- —Mechanical
Engine sub-frame stripped to bare metal, rust removed, and powder-coated. Wheel rims also powder-coated. All suspension bushes and engine mountings replaced, wheel bearings renewed, new brake shoes fitted on all four wheels, brake cylinder rubbers replaced throughout including the master cylinder, and brake hoses and control cables renewed with copper and rubber originals. Wheel nuts electroplated, replacement hubcaps fitted, and original-size Michelin tyres with new inner tubes fitted and balanced.
Carried out as part of the broader restoration programme.
- —Restoration
Interior professionally re-trimmed with new carpeting; new leather hood fabricated to the original pattern.
Part of the same restoration programme.
Are you the owner of this car?
This car's public record is built from its auction and competition history. Register your ownership and privately add your own records to make it a verified Legacy Metrics passport — provenance that backs your car's value at sale and gives your insurer evidence to price against. Roy reviews and verifies every registration personally.