The Original Zeta
The Second World War had demonstrated to the Australian Government that Australia needed to establish a self-sufficient, advanced manufacturing industry. Prior to the war, Australia had a very limited domestic automobile industry, primarily bodying imported British and American rolling chassis. Now the government sponsored the development of engine, instruments and fittings and encouraged foreign companies to assemble cars in Australia. Dozens of companies set up manufacturing facilities in the country in the 1950s.
Lightburn and Co of South Australia were among the many companies that capitalized on this industrial boom. In an expansive factory, the company produced a wide range of goods, including cement mixers, refrigerators, electric drills, wheelbarrows, hydraulics, wheels, go-karts and small boats. The Australia car market was dominated by the large domestic players, such as General-Motor Holden, Ford, Chrysler, but there was a niche market for small 'second cars.'At the beginning of the 1960s, Lightburn decided to embark on a small car project.
To keep costs down, fibreglass, which Lightburn had experience with in their small boats and electric go-karts, was used. The car's powerplant was a Villiers 324cc twin cylinder, air cooled two-stroke motor. Villiers were a major engine manufacturer, producing engines for motorcycles, mowers, boats, pumps, industrial purposes, as well as cars. One interesting feature was the lack of a reverse gear. Like the contemporary Messerschmitt cabin scooter, to reverse, the engine was switched off, the polarity was switched over the engine run in reverse. This gave the car four reverse speeds, not that you would want to drive in reverse in fourth!
The car's original styling was unique, to say the least. Oddly, despite being designed as utility, there was no rear access. All access was through the front doors. To facilitate access to the rear luggage area, the car's seats could be easily removed. This feature led to an apocryphal tale that the seats could be mounted on the roof of the car at the drive ins. Of course, there is no way of mounting the chairs on the roof and even were that the case, the fibreglass roof was not structurally strong enough to hold a person's weight.
Fittings were spartan. There was no fuel gauge, only a clear plastic tube through which you could see the petrol level. The car went on sale in 1963, but sales were mediocre. The car was simply too primitive to find much of a market. In 1964 Lightburn entered a Zeta in the grueling Ampol around Australia trial. Surprisingly, the Zeta performed well which did a little to boost sales.
In 1964 the Zeta was planned to be restyled, losing some of its distinctive features such as the protruding headlight pods. There as a plan to introduce a utility version as well, but neither of these plans really came to fruition. Eight utilities were built before production ceased.
Lightburn also planned to introduce a sports model. Rather than develop their own car, they acquired the rights to the English Meadows Frisky. Several examples, along with 49 German-built Sachs 400cc two-stroke engines, were shipped to Australia and copied. 48 examples were built.
Sales of the Zeta were disappointing and, following the introduction of the Mini, ceased entirely. In 1964, Lightburn entered into a licensing arrangement with Alfa Romeo to build their cars in Adelaide. Some fibreglass bodied Alfa Romeo's were built as a trial, but that project did not proceed either.
Lightburn Company History
