Respect Motor Corporation LTD. was born in 1948, 3 years after the end of World War II.
The objective of the company was to create cars, recycling the war material that remained, as a symbol of a prosperous future for society.
With the recycled war material, it was built the original factory, plus the concept MK1, and the first units of the FriedUp van.
The brand was created by William Harris and Robert Harrisson, in Essex (U.K).
The first concept. The RMC-Mk1
The first concept, was finished on December of 1948, to be presented next year, but a fire in the factory, burned the only one model.
The car consisted of a three-cylinder engine van, located at the rear, and of compact dimensions.
The first production model. The legendary FriedUp
The model was presented on the 37Th Paris Auto Show of 1950, and the model consisted of a van of dimensions similar to the MK1, using the same 3-cylinder engine, with 33hp and 960cm3 of capacity, but now located in the front, moving the front wheels.
The van was very successful. Until the first generation was discontinued, in 1962, more than 3 million units were sold worldwide.
The van was available in two finishes: Standard and Luxe.
The luxe version, equipped with two-tone paint, chromed footrests, a more luxurious interior, AM radio, and double exterior rear-view mirror, compared to the Standard trim.
(Luxe trim, painted in white and Medium Aquamarine).
(The Standard trim, painted in Skyblue).
Curiosity: in the video of Down Under, by Men at Work, a red FriedUp appears.