Author Topic: Eigenbau of the month (Read 196376 times)

Wendax · « **Reply #175 on:** February 04, 2025, 08:49:27 AM »

Eigenbau of the month: February 2025

Another month has passed and again I stick to something seen here before. Like last month I happened to find a new picture of a car featured in one of my Enigma Variations puzzles of unknown cars (#9 in https://www.autopuzzles.com/forum/the-black-hole/enigma-variations-(postwar-edition)-opus-3). This time the Eigenbau is accompanied by three ladies instead of a gentleman, so that the rear end of the car still remains unknown. The picture was taken in 1958 in a village called Roßdorf near Jerichow according to the writing on its back. My best guess would be that it is a NSU-Fiat 500 A ("Topolino") with an altered front end, done perhaps after a front crash. The VW-like engine hood is much bigger than the original one which makes the car look larger than it really is. At first sight it gives the impression of a front-engined VW highlighted by three Buick-style portholes at the sides. The car was registered in Eastern part of Berlin. So one may assume that the owner was visiting relatives in the countryside.

Wendax · « **Reply #176 on:** March 02, 2025, 12:31:17 PM »

Eigenbau of the month: March 2025

Cleaning up this site regarding puzzles of unidentified cars I will feature a car this month again that was part of an Enigma Variations puzzle before: (Car #8 in https://www.autopuzzles.com/forum/the-brand-new-2025-vehicle-identification-board/enigma-variations-(postwar-edition)-opus-3/). In my files I have collected some more pictures of this microcar that was obviously inspired by the German Messerschmitt Kabinenroller and maybe the French Inter Auto-Scooter (https://www.autopuzzles.com/forum/2009-37/solved-pj128-inter-1954-(swiss-version)/msg59540/#msg59540). I don't have an exact year for this microcar, but with its rounded shape and the tailfin it looks a bit more dated than the Inter. If I had to guess I would estimate the year 1953 for its construction.

pnegyesi · « **Reply #177 on:** March 02, 2025, 01:20:12 PM »

This car appears in Jan De Lange's new book on French microcars as "unidentified"

Wendax · « **Reply #178 on:** March 02, 2025, 01:24:11 PM »

Thanks for the information. That's a book still on my wishlist.

Wendax · « **Reply #179 on:** April 01, 2025, 05:53:53 AM »

Eigenbau of the month: April 2025

This thread usually deals with unknown homebuilt cars found on old photographs. But no rule without exception: This month's car is an Eigenbau whose builder is known. Furthermore the car still exists and the pictures were taken by me just some months ago. The car was built in 1955 by Johann Späth from Austria. The little roadster copied the looks of the 1950 Buick, but was powered just by a single-cylinder two-stroke DKW engine of 300 cc capacity. Only 11.5 hp propelled the light car (450 kg) up to 80 km/h. What I find rather amazing is the existence of a drawing done by its builder showing a design very close to the real car. Just a few details (hood ornament, port holes, vent windows, bumper guards) differ or went missing over the years. The car is on display at the Zylinderhaus museum in Bernkastel-Kues at the river Moselle. Johann Späth thought of starting a series production, but the car remained a one-off.