My first "car", at age 17, was a red 1959 Messerschmitt KR200 bubble car - the convertible version rather than the plastic dome-top. It was bought for £25 as a wreck after a front-end crash from a nurse who had broken both legs in the crash. My Dad beat out the damaged nosecone and I straightened the bent chassis frame with a jack.
It was a lot of fun to drive, and maybe less risky than a motorbike at that age. Selecting reverse involved switching off the 2-stroke 197cc Sachs engine and using the SIBA Dynastart motor/generator to start it backwards. This was often accompanied by a backfire. Then you had the option of four sequential gears in reverse. I did manage to reach second once.
