Auto Union DKW Owners

Started by AutoUnioNZ, December 23, 2015, 09:55:26 AM

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AutoUnioNZ

Actually Wikipedia lay the story out pretty well;

"The DKW 3=6 was a compact front-wheel drive saloon manufactured by Auto Union GmbH. The car was launched at the Frankfurt Motor Show in March 1953 and sold until 1959. It was also named as the DKW Sonderklasse and, following the factory project number, as the DKW F91. From 1958, by which year the car?s successor was already being sold and the earlier version had therefore become, in essence, a ?run-out? model, it was badged more simply as the DKW 900.

Apart from complications involving its naming, the 3=6?s notable features included its two-stroke engine and front-wheel drive layout along with the sure-footed handing that resulted.[2]

In a market segment increasingly dominated by the Volkswagen Beetle, the Auto Union contender also boasted class leading interior space, especially after the arrival of the four-door version, which featured a modestly extended wheelbase.

The DKW 3=6 "Sonderklasse" in due course replaced the DKW F89 "Meisterklasse", although the Meisterklasse remained in production until April 1954. In its turn, the 3=6 was succeeded by the more powerful Auto Union 1000, offered already from 1957."

Then, discussing the F93 and F94 (known also at that time as the "Big DKW 3=6")  - the F93 is a two door (also offered in several body forms) and the F94 is the four door (with the F94U being the 3 door stationwagon) - naming is further complicated by using chassis number pre-fixes as "Type" (F94 four door 3=6 car being the type 7009 for example);

As you can see from this photo - the F93 was a bit wider than its predecessor the F91;


Here is the model range in the F93/4 series - ONLY the F94 (Type 7009) was offered in New Zealand for 1958 and 1959 (Click for larger);



AutoUnioNZ

But....now for '58 there is a curve ball!  For '58, the F94 continued unchanged, but the F93 received some changes - first of all the "standard" model (the 6803) was deleted and only the coupe version continued - now,with front hinging doors.  Then, the F93 could also be had as the new 1000 model, with the 44bhp 1000 engine.  You could therefore buy the 3=6 F93 coupe with the 900cc engine, or the 1000 F93 coupe with the 1000cc engine on the same showroom floor! The 3=6 kept its DKW badging and the 1000 was marketed as an Auto Union - the first car from the Auto Union stable sold as purely an "Auto Union". None of these options were available in New Zealand, but a couple did make it into Australia, and a few of these are still on the road.

Here is the new-for-1958 Auto Union 1000 F93






Here is one of those Aussie survivors, owned by my old mate Neil Padley on the Gold Coast (Neil loves this car and drives it regularly);


For '58 the DKW 3=6 F93 coupe looked like this (the lack of chrome accent on the grille, DKW badging and retention of the ribbed bootlid were the most obvious cues);



AutoUnioNZ

#62
That takes us into 1959, where the F93 1000 soldiered on, the F94 3=6 was soldiered on in sales (mostly unsold 1958 stock) during the first part of 1959.

Then, as 1959 progressed the F94U 3=6  was replaced by the F94U 1000 (F94U is the "Universal" or station wagon) - which really only meant that it was now an Auto Union 1000, and was the same car with all-chromed bumpers (from 1962), a 44bhp 1000 engine and a new name (these stayed as the Auto Union 1000 with the 44bhp engine for the rest of their production);



The F93 Auto Union 1000 was dropped in favour of the 1960 model "Panoramic" Auto Union 1000 and 1000 series of 2 door sedan and coupes, these were out from August 1959.  The Auto Union 1000S was also released as a four door, replacing the DKW F94 (in essence it was an F94 with a bigger engine and a few changes) - only the 1000S four door was sold in New Zealand;







AutoUnioNZ

#63
The line-up for 1960, thus included the 1960 model 1000 and 1000S's, on sale since late 1959 (we'll be dealing with Munga's, Schnellasters, Juniors, F12's, 1000SP separately).  The right hand drive 1000 models were not a success and were deleted late in 1960 (it continued in LHD though), the RHD range of these cars were, by late 1960, exclusively 1000S;

Here is the full line up for 1960;







Here are some of my own '60 1000S coupe I used to own 15 years ago in South Africa;




(Repaint and engine rebuild)



(Before repainting)

brian

Looks like yo have enough information and pictures to write your own book on these
Škoda Fabia 1.0 TSI Race Blue

AutoUnioNZ

Thanks Brian! :)

There were very few changes for 1961 - in Germany the Auto Union 1000S Coupe models (as one of the fast cars of its day) were pressed into service as motorway pursuit/patrol cars on the Autobahn.   The greatest fleet of these cars was in North-Rhine ? Westphalia;







In Germany, these were further highlighted by featuring these Auto Union police cars in a period TV crime TV series "Stahlnetz" .

brian

What sort of engine life would you expect from one of these and at o'haul time was it just rings and bearings or what?
Škoda Fabia 1.0 TSI Race Blue

AutoUnioNZ

Well - typically, Deek engines would do 100 000 miles before needing overhaul - it is a very, very reliable motor;

That said - that figure is predicated on using the recommended 1:40 fuel/oil ratio - there were of course, those people who used to either forget to add oil (=crankshaft failure) or added too much oil (burnt pistons), which unfortunately hurt many engines and Auto Union's reputation... Auto Union also released the "Lubrimat" in late 1961 (which we'll discuss in the 1962 "edition" in the next post) - the Lubrimat was unfortunately not as reliable as hoped, and ruined Auto Union's reputation for high quality, reliable two-stroke powerplants (leading, in over-simplification of the story, the resurrection of the long-dead Audi name in 1965).  Most people today have the Lubrimat removed or disabled on the cars equipped with them.

Properly maintained and driven - they were/are an absolute joy to behold.

On a typical overhaul, the roller bearing crank would be the primary replacement item ( due to the work required to overhaul the sturdy little crank, exchange was, and still is, the best way to go on these).  Generally, one would, by 100 000 need to bore the block out the first oversize and also then replace the pistons and rings.

Normal engine servicing would entail only cleaning + gapping of spark plugs and checking the ignition timing, and adjusting the contact breakers, if necessary.

The crank looks like this (this is one of the new ones that can be had from Brazil);


AutoUnioNZ

#68


Big news for 1962 was the "Lubrimat" - it was touted, at the time, as a "sensation" - sadly though, its spectacular failure, ultimately marked the DKW name so much and turned the public against two-strokes forever, that Auto Union were sent into the arms of Volkswagen in 1965 - who took the only sane action available and promptly removed two strokes from the market immediately and the released the Auto Union F103, later rebranded as the Audi F103.

To quote my friend Fritz Eksteen

" The DKW Lubrimat, was experimented with even before the Second World War. The design was not matured and the public demand was not there yet. From old literature it becomes clear that the mixing of the oil in the fuel tank was a very critical issue at low temperatures, because of the unwillingness of the oil to mix with the fuel. The ?Shell-Mixer? inside the fuel tank was introduced during the early fifties, and it averted the premixing of the oil with some petrol in a can before the tank was filled. As we know it is a slow process, and time consuming and depended on the memory of the driver.

The Lubrimat, as it appeared on the market at the end of 1961, metered the oil from a separate oil tank, according  to engine speed and engine loading (throttle position). The fuel and oil is mixed in the carburetor. From my own experience, this device provides an average oil to petrol ratio of about 1:40. This was measured over a few thousand kilometers on a DKW F12.

Under very cold conditions, the oil in the oil tank is so viscous that the pump would not suck it into the suction side of the pump. Unfortunately for Auto Union, the European winter 1961/1962 was a very cold winter with plenty lubrication problems for their new lubrication system. This led to numerous engine failures, which really hurt the company at a time when public opinion started to turn against the use of two-stroke engines in motor cars.

  During 1964/5 Auto Union changed the system to include an oil heater underneath the oil tank, and a mixing chamber before the carburettor in order to improve the distribution of the oil in the engine, especially during cold weather conditions."


This what the Lubrimat looks like;



Here is an oil tank installed in the car;



In New Zealand too - Auto Union was hit with mega warranty claims - and worse, Kiwi customers had to wait months for replacement cranks (although provided under warranty), due the demand for cranks, shipping time etc...  it was tremendous disaster.

The '62 cars themselves though, were much revised over the '61 models (we're talking only about the 1000S here) had a larger flat boot, with the spare wheel moved to the side of the boot, disc brakes, bigger radiator, wider rear axle and a faux wood grain dash in the two door.  Disc brakes, especially, were a huge move to modernity.

New Zealand and the UK received the only 1962 four door models produced - none were sent to South Africa.




Here is my own 1962 car, overseas, on tour (sold this car 2010);



AutoUnioNZ

#69
No major changes on the 1000S series - for 1963, aside from new wheel trims.  1963 was the last full year of production for the 1000S series (the 1000 was deleted late in 1962 in the face of flagging sales).

Between January 1958 and July 1963, Auto Union produced 171,008 sedans and coupes of the 1000 and 1000 S. As of August 1959, the stationwagon version was known as the "1000 Universal" and, until November 1962 16.421 were sold of these.   Here is what the '63 cars look like;











AutoUnioNZ

#70
The end of the 3=6/1000S line represents the end of a story that effectively started in 1939 with the DKW F9.

That takes on to the next post-war model we are going to discuss - the Junior series (which incorporates the F12 too).  This model was quite popular in New Zealand, and quite a few examples were sold (unfortunately I don't know exactly how many, but the number does run in the hundreds);



Again, Wikipedia probably makes the best summary that is to be made;

"The DKW Junior was a small front wheel drive saloon manufactured by Auto Union AG. The car received a positive reaction when first exhibited, initially badged as the DKW 600, at the Frankfurt Motor Show in March 1957. The ?Junior? name was given to the (by now) DKW 750 in 1959 when the car went into volume production, but failed to survive an upgrade in January 1963, after which the car was known as the DKW F12. In addition to the saloon, a pretty ?F12 Roadster? (cabriolet version) was produced in limited numbers."







Here is a DKW Junior "in the wild" on the South Island in the late 1960's;



Also sold on the New Zealand scene was the slightly later variation of the Junior - the F11 Junior - here is a current car living in Invercargill;



More on the F11;


brian

My father wanted to buy one of these but they wouldn't sell (Moller Motors); apparently they were all allocated or wanted to sell him something else.
This was when new cars were not readily available. Anyway that failed and he went elsewhere
Škoda Fabia 1.0 TSI Race Blue

AutoUnioNZ

#72
Pity that, Brian, the Junior was a nice car - quiet running and well mannered.

That leads us on to the F12 - which in turn - was an upmarket version of the F11 - again the Wikipedia summary is pretty good;

In 1961 the DKW Junior retailed for 4790 Marks.[2] It offered more luggage space and a wider cabin than the market leading Volkswagen Beetle, and customers willing to pay an extra 160 Marks for the optional heater had the advantage in winter of a car that warmed up much more rapidly than the Volkswagen with its air-cooled power unit.[2]

It is not clear whether the DKW Junior de Luxe, introduced in 1961, was intended to replace or to complement the original Junior which, in any case, was withdrawn in 1962. The Junior de Luxe had its cylinders bored out: total displacement was now 796 cc. Claimed power output was unchanged but the torque was marginally increased and the wheel size grew from 12 to 13 inches. Claimed maximum speed increased from 114 km/h (71 mph) to 116 km/h (72 mph).

In January 1963 the Junior De Luxe was replaced by the DKW F12.[3] Outwardly there was little change, but the C pillar became more angular and the engine was enlarged to 889 cc which was reflected by a claimed increase in output to 40 bhp (29 kW).[3] Apart from the engines, the big news from the F12 involved the brakes: the F12 was the first car in this class to be equipped with front disc brakes.

In August the Junior?s 796 cc engine reappeared in the DKW F11 which was in effect a reduced specification F12.

The DKW F12 roadster which appeared in 1964 extracted 45 bhp (33 kW) from its 889 cc three-cylinder engine, and this more powerful unit became available in the F12 saloon for a few months from February 1965.




The F12 has gained some popularity in recent years from customisers - "Cal-look" and "Rat" versions have appeared;









Due to the Daimler Benz ownership, Auto Union products were also distributed by Mercedes-Benz delaerships in many countries.  I recall a story from South Africa where a particularly keen salesman sold a little old lady a new F12 by telling her that as a high quality little car (which is what it was), it was, essentially, a small Mercedes (it was absolutely not that!) !  To appeal to the Mercedes buyer looking for something smaller, and to inject some local content into the car, South African F12's all came with leather upholstery;



The F12 did carry excellent specifications for a small car of its day - disc brakes were still quite a rarity on production cars, let alone smaller ones in the mid '60's.  They were well loved - I knew one Gentleman, Mr Robert Pace, who bought this F12 as his first car, when it was new in 1964, and drove it until he passed away in 2014 - still taking extended tours of several thousand kilometers until that time;

AutoUnioNZ

The F12 was a capable and popular competition car - they were (and are) raced and rallied worldwide.  The engine had more development potential than the earlier 3=6 and 1000 series, and was developed as such, by people such as Albrecht Mantzel and raced by Wolf Dieter Mantzel (and others). 






AutoUnioNZ

Then the very pretty DKW F12 Roadster -  there is a charming period advertisement here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8-_yEISXm4

and an current appraisal of the driving experience of one here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QC1aILDzE5I






AutoUnioNZ

That takes us onto one of DKW's most famous and most loved cars - the DKW Schnellaster - also known as the parent of all minivans - unfortunately only one ever made it to Kiwi shores, and it survives - but we will discuss this remarkable vehicle, and what it meant in the evolution of vans and people movers, as we think of them today, in the next few posts ;


















AutoUnioNZ

"What are the defining characteristics of the modern mini-van? Front wheel drive? Transverse engine? Front wheels set forward of the passenger cabin? A one-box design with a short and sloping aerodynamic hood? A flat floor throughout, and flexible seating and transport accommodations? And which one was the first? Renault Espace or Dodge Caravan? How about the DKW Schnellaster (Rapid Transporter)? It had them all, in 1949. Time to give it a little overdue recognition"

This article lays the full story out;  http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2010/03/the-mother-of-all-modern-minivans-1949-dkw-schnellaster/


AutoUnioNZ

Not only was the Schnellaster (in three cylinder form) quicker than its competitor, the VW Kombi, but it also had the advantage of a low rear door - which was very good for loading heavy items, such as pianos.  In fact, many Schnellasters were used in the piano moving trade.  They were renowned for being able to carry very heavy loads.

Despite the aforementioned advantages over the Volkswagen, they also had disadvantages - and ultimately the VW won out -  the Schnellaster was primitive in certain areas, such as the under bonnet fuel tank, which (Shock, Horror!) was above the drivers knees, and had no fuel gauge (it had to dipped).  The seats were not very comfortable, and the unlined cabin was very noisy once underway. It did have a "face" though and was a car with personality!

That said - surviving Schnellasters are getting more valuable all the time - and unbelievably one sold in the USA (admittedly concours) for over $120 000 US some years ago - others, like this one http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2013/12/24/one-of-two-restored-dkw-schnellaster-kastenwagens-in-the-u-s-heads-to-auction/ have been near the $60k mark.  There are a fair few survivors ( a number of probably 2-300 RHD vehicles and maybe 500 LHD) - restoration projects and runners.



The one Kiwi survivor is an F800/3 model and belongs to Brian Rule and currently resides in Hamilton - awaiting restoration.  It is a RHD example, originally from South Africa, having made its way to NZ in the early 1960's in the hands of South African immigrants.  Unfortunately I do not have a photo of it.


AutoUnioNZ

This two cylinder example lives across the Ditch in Australia;


AutoUnioNZ

"From 1955 to 1962, DKW built a limited-production electric version of its Schnellaster Kastenwagen delivery van, targeted to niche customers. Just 100 examples were assembled, and only two are known to survive today."  Audi restored one stunning example for themselves, see this link with the full story;

http://blog.hemmings.com/?p=394641