1963 Lightburn & Co Zeta Runabout

Front view. The Zeta Runabout is an example of an early small car introduced into the Australian market at a time when people were able to afford a second car for the first time, and smaller cars became more popular. It also demonstrates the way in which fiberglass technology allowed smaller manufacturers to enter the car market and is an example of an unusual locally designed and produced car.

The Zeta Sedan or 'Runabout' was powered by a 324cc Villers engine with front wheel drive and independent rear trailing arms. It was not equipped with a rear hatch so access to the cargo area required removal of the front seats, the ease of which was advertised as a positive feature. The chassis was steel, with a fiberglass body enclosing a large but sparse interior. Windows were perspex except for the front windscreen which was laminated glass. The doors were steel with sliding perspex windows. The specified tyres for the Sedan were Michelin 125 R12. The four speed dog clutch Villiers Engineering gearbox had no reverse so the engine had to be switched off and started backwards which provided four reverse gears. Fuel was delivered by gravity feed from a tank behind the dashboard. The fuel gauge was a plastic pipe running from the top to the bottom of the tank with a graduated glass tube section on the dashboard.
Specifications:
Engine: Villiers twin cylinder
Capacity: 324 cc
Power: 16 hp
Weight: 508 kg