Miguel Sánchez
Over time, the Basque metallurgical industry made many adaptations. In this sense, a good example is the trajectory of companies such as GAC or BH. Both founded on the gunsmith tradition lived in Éibar. Although, already in the twenties of the last century, they jumped into the bicycle business. Extremely popular in a Spain where car racing – and even motorcycling – continued to be an off-limits to the social majority. So things, among the working class, pedal transport was the most popular option. Not surprisingly, before the Civil War, bicycle manufacturers spread throughout the country. What's more, brands like Derbi or Ducson dedicated themselves to it before transitioning to motorcycling already in the fifties.
A decade in which, little by little, the Spanish economy was recovering its tone. In fact, while in 1952 the rationing of bread finally ended, only a year later the first agreements with the United States were signed. In this way, the Franco regime culminated its international repositioning. Another reason to understand the economic takeoff experienced in Spain at the time. A phenomenon that, together with the growth of cities, laid the foundations for a society focused on mass consumption. Thanks to this, from the simple mopeds, motorcycles and mopeds became popular. It was the perfect time to create automotive industries and that, in the Basque Country, was quite well understood.
In this sense, while in Barakaldo the Lube In clear competition with the Catalan Montesa, Lambretta Locomociones SA started up in Éibar at the beginning of the decade. At the time, GAC was reaping huge sales successes with its Mobylettes. In addition, around 1957 Munguía Industrial signed with the German Hans Glas the production under license of the Goggomobil in Bizkaia. Under this scenario, It was undeniable the form and manner in which a good part of the Basque capital had adapted to the new times. Transiting from weapons or heavy industry to a context where the consumption boom spurred the growth of the mobile fleet.
Thus, it is not surprising that Construcciones Acorazadas SA from Bilbao also wanted to make the leap into the automotive sector thanks to the Triver Rana microcar. What's more, at this point, we must recognize how there was an interesting gap for these vehicles in Spain in the fifties. Not in vain, despite economic developmentalism, motorsport was still a minority issue. In this way, around 1954 Iso-Motor Italia began to produce both the Isetta and its industrial variant, the isettacarro. In 1953, the Barcelona-based Autonacional SA launched the Biscúter designed by Gabriel Voisin. All this topped off with the appearance of the PTV in 1956.
Against this optimistic scenario, Construcciones Acorazadas combined the development of its own engine with continuing to manufacture its recurring safes and metal furniture. In addition, already in 1948 the Delegation of Industry had granted it a license for the production of automobiles. With all this, Antonio de Sopeña – at that time the company's own director – began to design in 1953 what was called to be the Triver Rana. One of the rarest and most curious microcars among all those produced in Spain. Halfway between the Isetta and the FIAT 600 Multipla. Curiously, launched a year after this Basque design.
TRIVER RANA, THE MICRO CAR THAT ALMOST RUINED ITS MANUFACTURER
A few months after making the first sketches, the Triver Rana already had a first prototype. Characterized by a central beam chassis on which the ovoid body was mounted, it carried an engine with two opposed cylinders designed by the company itself. Estimated at about 339 cubic centimeters, that two-stroke device was capable of delivering almost 14CV. However, the first tests were not at all positive. In addition, the body sheet was very thick and, therefore, both the weight and the manufacturing cost were affected.
With all this, the development of the Triver Rana took two more years until the final version appeared in 1955. With a displacement increased to 431 cubic centimeters to yield 16CV at 4.500 revolutions per minute, now the body was materialized in the form of a steel monobloc. All this leaving the weight in half a ton and the consumption in 3,7 liters going “at economical speed”. Also, the front suspension had independent systems on each wheel. Carrying in the rear crossbows and a hydraulic shock absorber. All this for a sale price estimated at around 57.000 pesetas.
However, the Triver Rana was not accompanied by commercial success. What's more, only 75 units were assembled despite being on sale for more than five years. All this to put Construcciones Acorazadas in a very delicate situation since, obviously, sales did not compensate for the investment made in terms of design and development. Also, there is an essential reason to understand its almost null projection: the SEAT 600. Appeared in 1957, it went on the market with a sale price only 13% higher than that of the Triver. Thus, the new model manufactured under a FIAT license completely swept away the possibilities of the Basque model.
What's more, it also took the rest of the microcars ahead. And it is that, not in vain, for just a little more the SEAT 600 offered, within its modesty, the character of a car in its own right. Both in terms of space and power and reliability. Something that also affected the motorcycle industry. Leaving most of its tourism options without commercial sense with 125 cubic centimeters. So things, Construcciones Acorazadas wanted to react in 1959 by preparing an alternative to the 600 thanks to the Cervato. A prototype that, according to the graphic testimonies, remained in a simple model phase.
However, in addition to the fiberglass and plastic resin bodywork, an evolution of the Rana twin-cylinder was created for the Cervato, increasing displacement up to half a liter. Fact that could explain why while in the first catalogs of the model the displacement of 431 cubic centimeters appears, in later publicity materials the engine is described as a two-stroke with 69 more. In fact, introducing small variations was something extremely normal in these vehicles produced in short series.
Anyway, be that as it may, the truth is that the Triver Rana is one of the most original and strange microcars in Spanish automotive history. In addition, it has the virtue of exemplifying as few products the fluctuations and events of Basque metallurgy. A historical piece to preserve.
Photographs: Unai Ona
