Crystal Lake show to highlight micro cars

Arnie Press could tell you the difference between micro cars and mini cars.

But the Vernon Hills man would much rather show you this weekend at the Micro/Mini Car World Meet in Crystal Lake.

The free show, the first of its kind in the world, is expected to draw collectors, spectators and cars from across the globe, Press said.

So far, owners have preregistered 325 cars for the show that runs Saturday and Sunday at 100 S. Main Street.

The tiny automobiles, sometimes dubbed bubble cars, have been around since the 1920s, but really took off after World War II, organizers said.

"We blew up all the roads in Europe, so it was bigger there than it was here," said Press, vice president of the Chicago Mini Club.

The quirky-looking cars were popular for many reasons: they were economical with one or two cylinder engines, got between 50 and 60 miles to the gallon, cheap to buy and maintain, required less materials for construction and were ideal for navigating narrow roads.

Examples of micro cars familiar from pop culture are Steve Urkel's BMW Isetta from the show "Family Matters," the Messerschmitt driven by the Emma Peel character in the 1960s spy show "The Avengers" and the Mini Coopers featured in both versions of the "Italian Job."

You can see representations of all three cars at this weekend's show.

Also on display will be an electric car from Northwestern University, a 1926 BMW Dixie from Germany and a Reyonnah, a car with wheels that fold in so the driver could either park it on the narrow streets of Paris or bring it inside the house.

"We're a very different type of a car show - it's not flashy like Corvettes or Ferraris, but these cars get to a heart of a lot of people," said organizer Ken Weger, owner and curator of Small Wonders Microcars Museum in Crystal Lake. "They're pretty ingenious."

Small cars have seen a resurgence in recent years, with higher gas prices forcing people to be more economical with their vehicles, Press said, pointing to Mini Coopers and Smart cars.

"Now they're the rage because everybody's going green," Press said. "So we're right back to where we all started from."

Press is putting the show on with his wife Lena and three other couples: Ken and Sylvia Weger of Crystal Lake, Larry and Marybeth Claypool of Frankfurt and Burt Richmond and Diane Fitzgerald of Chicago.

The group organized on a similar show in 2006 in Crystal Lake and decided to expand it for 2010 after meeting with micro car groups in Europe, Weger said.

The show is free and organizers will hand out 60 awards to car owners. For more information, visit www.worldmeet2010.com.