Here we have the all-new, for 1955, Franklin HiWay 1500. Unlike some British manufacturers Franklin decided to offer our cars in LHD for the export market. This is the base model, of the HiWay, with the base 1500 engine.
The HiWay’s primary design is as a medium sized family car.
Our ethos is the manufacture of reliable and affordable vehicles for the modern family.
The 1948 Courageux Ambronay
First introduced in 1946 using a 750cc 4 cylinder engine from Couraguex’s motorcycle range this produced 28bhp@5000rpm.
Photo to show the semaphore trafficators
SCCR1_-mart1n2005-_Courageux_Ambronay_Berline_Luxe.car|attachment (108.2 KB)
Didn’t know that semaphores existed in Automation. They are OK in this era but I don’t know when they were outlawed, got to check that up. 
I don’t think they were ever “outlawed” just that normal indicators became a better solution in the late 50’s/early 60’s.
b e a u t i f u l
Andreas Holtzmann was a wealthy industrialist from the town of Schaffhausen, Switzerland. An avid automobile enthusiast, he owned a successful trading company that sold various European brands, as well as a coachbuilding company contracted to a couple of manufacturers. More importantly, he founded his own auto company on the side, HSM - Holtzmann Schaffhausen Motoren - for designing & building racers that he himself often drove. At first, these were largely based on components from existing cars, and were bespoke examples that nobody outside of him or the racers he sponsored would drive. With the global economy on it’s way to recovery though, and no longer content to simply kitbash parts together, he decided to try his hand at creating his own car for sale. Given his experience in luxury brands and in racing/motorsports, and the new trend of GT cars, it was almost a given that his first creation would be a sports GT too. Thus, the HSM V8 was born.
To create the engine, he brought in an engineer associate of his as a partner, Sandro Kobelt. Both Sandro and Andreas agreed on going with a V8, hoping that such an engine would make a splash. The engine ended up being a 3.0L, flatplane V8, using the slightly more modern DAOHC system as opposed to valves; carbureted with DCOE carbs, it generated a respectable 143 hp/145 PS. Mated to a 4-speed manual, the car could hit 100 km/h in a speedy 9.5 seconds - though the gearing was quite long.
Every car was hand-made, thus no two individuals were exactly alike. It used a tubular space frame chassis - derived from HSM’s experience with racers - and a classic steel body. It came as a 2+2 coupe as standard, but a 2+2 cabriolet version was also offered. Though Andreas had wanted to create an aluminum body for the car, HSM lacked the proper tooling and it proved to be too expensive to create with his limited resources. The suspension was rather innovative, being fully independent and based on double wishbones both back and front, for better handling and a softer ride. The interior featured both a high-end radio and plush leather upholstery with wood accents as standard, aiming for an ideal balance between luxury and sportiness in this GT car.
Ultimately, it was clear early on that the HSM V8 assembly cost way too much to make any substantial profit, despite it’s high price tag ($29,990 AMU) that put it in the realm of the (also unprofitable) BMW 503 and the legendary 300SL. From 1955 to 1959, only about 256 were produced, the vast majority of them being the coupe model.
In a way though, the lack of profitability of the HSM V8 was a good thing. Immediately after it’s launch, Andreas and Sandro decided to continue their partnership and focus on designing a more manageable, mass production car. They founded the company Automobile Munot on the basis of HSM in order to market this car, which would eventually become the Helvetia.
Ardent had opened the doors to importers in Scandinavia in 1948. Before the introduction of the Spanish-built Wren, choices were limited to the “traditionally American” models, such as this 400-series model.
With the V8 remaining exclusive to North America at the time, the largest motor importers were allowed was the 240 cubic inch Orion-6. This 2-door coupe featured this motor, connected to a three-on-the-tree manual, with front and rear bench seating. This particular model was also upscale, with a standard AM radio, blowout resistant tires, and full wheel covers.
I asked a friend that have worked with the annual safety inspection of vehicles we have here and he said that semaphores are actually OK until 1983. Since they faded away into oblivion long before that I will not care about any date there. Use common sense. Semaphores on a 1982 car is just silly.
Also, with just a little over 5 hours left, I have submissions from:
@interior
@cake_ape
@abg7
@Petakabras
@Edsel
@Tez
@AMuteCrypt
@AndiD
@conan
@BannedByAndroid
@Restomod
@Maverick74
@HighOctaneLove
@Jaimz
@Mart1n2005
@Quneitra
@VicVictory
Shout if you are forgotten. Also, 3 slots left according to the rules but since it is so close to the closing of submissions, I will accept all entries I get before the time runs out.
Maestrum M32 800 Manual
The 1955 Maestrum M32 is a small, RWD hatchback released in 1953 by Maestrum Motor Company England (or Maestrum for short.) Featured is the 1955 800 Manual, a relatively high-trim version of the M32. It featured a 800cc Inline 4 newly-developed for the “M” series (typically small RWD hatchbacks) that produced 27.8 horsepower, and could get 22.8 UK MPG under test conditions. This was paired to a brand new three-on-the-tree manual gearbox that allowed for relatively fast acceleration but was still easy to drive. (A two-speed automatic was also available, however it was quite outdated by the time the M32 released.)
The M32 was also known by another name: the Karuma Fruitfly, a Japanese exclusive car sold by Karuma Motor Company, a small Japanese Kei Car company. 3251 M32’s were shipped to Karuma for a small payment, where they were sold to allow for Karuma to develop new models.
The M32 was exported to Sweden during the mid '55, around 3 months after it’s release in the UK.
The M32 800 cost £472.59 when new.
The 1951 Anhultz Mimas
With this post i am entering AMP Holdings (Anhultz Automobile Manufacturing) and it’s subsidiaries for this competition.
The subsidiaries include:
Lore surrounding this car:
With the German invasion of the Netherlands to get around French defenses, Anhultz basically ceased any and all operations and erased any traces of them existing. The most important assets and people were moved to the eastern coast of Canada. Not much happened until 1941, at which the damage of the war was becoming increasingly clear. As such, the small remaining team started work on making a bare-bones economy car to revitalize the economy once the war is over. The prototype vehicle was done in a little over three years, at which point it went into testing and refinement until the war was over and they could move back to the Netherlands. Upon arrival, they found their factory building largely intact, but stripped of it’s contents, leaving space for new production lines. As such, in 1946, the primitive Anhultz Mimas made it to the market. Shown here is the 1951 update, featuring only few changes from the 1946 model.
Semaphores on any car after 1960 is just cool.
ENTRIES FOR RD1 CLOSED!
ROUND 2: 1956-65
A short summary of the era:
The war is now very much behind us. The wheels are turning faster and faster, it seems like there is no end to the growth. The economy is strong, the companies are building everything they can produce, the exports are strong and the standards of living are rising for every day. Now we are in something that most people view as the golden era of the country.
What happened during this era? (OOC: Including this as it might reflect society as a whole, important to consider in this challenge)
1956: To fight the lack of apartments, the government decides that 53 000 ones should be built the coming year. M/S Stockholm collides with S/S Andrea Doria. Volvo presents the 120-series “Amazon”. IKEA introduces their flat packaging.
1957: Automobile sales in Sweden are reaching new records. There is now almost a million cars in the country.
1958: Work time is shortened from 48 to 45 hours a week. The first female cops starts their duty in Stockholm. Also, the church of Sweden gives a “yes” to female priests later during the year. The hamburger is introduced to the country.
1959: Joakim Bonnier wins Formula 1. Ingemar Johanssons becomes heavyweight champion in boxing after a knockout on Floyd Patterson. Sweden joins EFTA.
1960: A Saab 35 “Draken” becomes the first aircraft to reach Mach 2 in Sweden. There is now 1 millon TV recievers in the country.
1961: The Vasa ship, that sank in 1628, is salvaged. Radio Nord starts transmitting commercial radio (banned in Sweden) from international water. That leads to the start of a second official radio channel in the country.
1962: An april fools joke that one could get colour television by pulling a nylon stocking over the TV is fooling many people. Stricter radio laws are forcing Radio Nord to stop.
1963: A law requiring 4 weeks of paid leave per year is passed.
1964: Stig Wennerström is sentenced to lifetime prison for his espionage for Soviet.
1965: The first experiments with colour TV starts in the country. The first lawsuit is held against Astra for the damage Taldiomid given to pregnant women had done to their children.
CAR RULESET:
Model year - 1965 or older
Trim year - 1956 - 1965
Engine family year - 1965 or older
Engine variant year - no newer than the trim year of the car
Banned parts:
Racing intakes
Racing tubular headers
Semi slicks
Restricted parts:
Alu or fiberglass bodies not recommended except for sports cars. May result in binning, if you are unsure, ask first.
Lockers are only allowed on 4x4 vehicles.
Magnesium wheels only allowed on very high end sports car (if you are unsure, ask)
Fuel type: Any, but premium might put some cars at a disadvantage.
Emissions/loudness: No emissions restrictions. At least one muffler required.
Safety: No regulations yet, but a car that will kill its passengers in a fender bender has never been a great image booster, not even back then.
Lights:
At least one pair of headlights required - can have any shape since Sweden never had any sealed beam regulations, and in this era other shapes than round started to appear. White or yellow lenses forward. One pair of extra parking lamps allowed, not required.
Turn signals required front and rear. The exception is that one side mounted turn signal can be accepted, IF the lens is visible from both front and rear. The lens then has to be orange. White or orange turn signals up front, red or orange turn signals in the rear.
At least one pair of taillights and one pair of brakelights. They can be combined in the same fixture. If orange rear turn signals is used, a red fixture with one bulb is OK in the rear, but for red turn signals, at least two bulbs are required (in one or two red fixtures). One or two backup lights optional, not mandatory
Wiper/washers: At least one wiper required. Washers not required.
Mirrors: Not required
License plate: One up front, one in the back. Any shape or (unaltered) size. There are no 50s Swedish plates in the game anyway and in this era you bought a DIY license plate kit on the gas station (sic!) when you got the car, so they could differ a bit in size.
Gas cap: Any placement, didn’t even have to be on the outside of the car in this era so no visible gas cap required.
Tyres: Crossplies or radials, but keep in mind that except for on french cars radials were very rare during this period. Maximum rim diameter 16 inches. Minimum tyre profile 75.
Others: Hard, protruding hood ornaments are banned 1959 and later. To give you a little hint of the rules, this is OK:
Not this:
Naming:
Model/Trim : SCCR2 - Your name / The name of the car
Family/Variant : SCCR2 - Your name / The name of the engine
DEADLINE: Sunday the 17th of October, 6 PM CET
Before this, I want the car file sent to me via PM, and also a presentation, ad, or similar of the car in this thread.
(Feel free to ask any questions!)
Strange how there’s no judgements on the cars, is it for later?
I am working on the last writeups at the moment, I guess that you will have them tomorrow if I won’t finish them tonight.
Just check out the rules once again, I forgot the laws regarding hood ornaments.
Decided to split the reviews in two…
REPRINT FROM TRAFIKJOURNALEN #1 2021
CARS THAT INFLUENCED CAR CULTURE.
PART 1: THE POSTWAR YEARS
There is no question about it, some cars have a greater influence on the car culture in a country than others. Sometimes it is hard to find a pattern in why, other times it is obvious. Some cars are classics when they leave the factory, others will take rather strange turns throughout history.
So, at Trafikjournalen, we now have decided to take a look at the most important cars that have shaped the car culture in this country. The ones that have made the biggest impact will also get a special mention for that. It is not a competition per se, but we still think that some cars are more worth mentioning than others. But the roots behind this article series is to do a deep dive into history and try to find out why some vehicles do have a cult status that others doesn’t have.
Let’s start with the years directly after the war, since some of the roots can be deeply rooted…
The Schnell 2500/2 could have been a car that just had faded away slowly in our memories. Instead, it got a more or less infamous reputation, that still stays to this day, despite most of the cars being gone forever.
It all looked promising from the start. It was one of the first attempts from Schnell to build their own body instead of leaving it to the coachbuilders. For its era, the design was very contemporary, impressing many people as a first attempt. The car had a nice 2.5 litre 6 cylinder, featuring a primitive form of overhead camshaft technology in an era where many cars still used prewar flathead engines. A power output of 124 hp was not bad for its era, and it was fast, being able to reach 197 km/h.
But, that also overpowered the narrow crossplies and abysmal drum brakes of the era. It should be said that Schnell was by no means more sparsely equipped than other cars from the era there though. But it also was obvious in one way that Schnell was a bit inexperienced in building their own bodies - it could not even keep up with the low safety standards of the era. It didn’t have splinter free glass in the windows - they had the same simple form of glass that you have in the windows of your house. The door locks weren’t any more advanced than the one of your porch door either, only of the single stage type. So, even if only a few cars were sold in the Swedish market it has a quite dark history. Some nasty accidents with the powerful and unsafe 2500/2 actually sparked the traffic safety debate, more or less. Was there a need for speed limits, safer cars, safer roads, safer drivers?
Now, seen in a modern perspective, the question is if the 2500/2 was that much worse than other cars of the era. No matter what, only a handful of cars are said to be remaining and most of them rarely see the light of day anyway. Maybe the bad reputation stays 70 years later.
When it arrived in 1954, the economy was blooming and people were ready to step up a notch from the most simple automobiles, and the AEKI 100 managed to get everything right. It was by no means cheap - but economical enough. It was not a sports car - but fast enough. It was no barge - but large enough. It was the symbol for status and wealth among middle class families - without being excessive. And everyone and his mother had one in the mid to late 50s.
Fast forward some years, for a teen driver with a fresh license, what’s the natural step? Of course inheriting the old AEKI 100 from your parents. The engine had potential to be tuned, the clean styling was seen as a blank canvas for customizers. And probably about everything that could be done to an AEKI 100 has probably been done too.
You would have thought that the AEKI 100 craze would have faded away in the 70s, but at the exact right time, the movie “The last night with the gang” * appeared in 1973. The 50s was hot again and if you couldn’t get your hands on a 50s yank, the AEKI 100 was a suitable replacement. Chrome wheels, flame paint jobs, even V8 conversions were seen.
The cult factor means that many first time drivers got AEKI 100 cars still in the 90s, but by then prices were rising, and many examples were restored to showroom condition, making them out of reach if your wallet was thin. Ironically, you could still by then see beat up daily driven examples that were refusing to die, roaming the streets like cockroaches.
Was the AEKI 100 the best car ever made? No, but it was just good enough. “Lagom”. And it struck the heart of the Swedes. There are songs written as tributes to it. The main character in one of the most popular comic strips in Sweden drives one. There are numerous examples at any cars & coffee event.
The car had a soul, and mr. Average could identify himself in that soul.
( * = “American Graffiti” reference, the movie had the name “Sista natten med gänget” in Swedish, meaning “The last night with the gang”)
It also took a long time for the Vertu B to gain any interest among the vintage car crowd. Form followed function here, it was by no means the most stylish vehicle around. Yet, since the functionalism was not really driven in absurdum, it was not seen as charming for those reasons either, it was just an old van and the memories of them had mostly faded away when 50s cars were gaining any interest among collectors.
So was the Vertu B totally doomed then? Maybe not. Some Vertus have survived, some barn finds have been brought into the daylight, some of them have even been imported, now we are talking about the last 10 years though. All of a sudden, many small businesses saw the Vertus as a chic little rolling billboard. They even got borderline trendy, along with many other forgotten commercial vehicles from the past. So if you think that your ecological sourdough bread will taste better if you can buy it from a little unloved and quirky 50s van, chances are that you will find one, at least if you are in one of the larger cities.
And frankly speaking, chances are that you will have a greater chance there than on a vintage car show.
“All cars nowadays look the same”.
Yes, you have heard that many times, but the question is if it is anything new about that at all? When the KAI K40 arrived, it looked like if it as well could have been a badge engineered version of the AEKI 100. The shape and size were nearly identical and some differences in trim were everything that set the design apart - yet the K40 Premier was in some ways a different beast.
On the Swedish market it was kind of aimed against AEKI, and one could easily understand why some buyers opted for a K40 instead. For a slightly higher price, you got a 100 hp six cylinder instead of a 66 hp four, automatic transmission and a more upper class interior. But at the same time it had some drawbacks that did not make it the smash hit that the AEKI was. You did not get the same durability for example, even if that was hard to know when the cars arrived at the market. It was not Swedish - which didn’t necessarily make the car any worse, but still probably felt like an argument for buying an AEKI for many people. But also, it came a year too late. The craze about the AEKI 100 was already around, and what people asked for was not a copycat version with some nicer upholstery bits and a larger engine. That lead to the model - maybe a little bit unfair - being lower down the sales chart all the time.
The K40 buyers were maybe often a special kind of breed too. We’re talking about people that most often were pedantic, taking very well care of their beloved cars. That, combined with the for its era excellent protection against rust, means that many of them survived in good shape while the competitors were more or less disappearing from the roads. Although the value was low for many years - and still is, considering that it doesn’t carry the same kind of “scene tax” as, for example, the AEKI 100. And if you find one, it’s less likely to have been messed with.
So, if you want an entry level ticket to 50s motoring, the K40 is often worth considering - and many people also do. Finally they start appearing on classic car shows, often unrestored and well preserved. One can always wonder - where were they during all those years?
The problem with the Cabrera 100 Deluxe was that it arrived too late. Swedish buyers were already stepping up a notch. A few years earlier, everything with wheels could be sold, especially if it was cheap and economical, but in 1954, that train already had gone, the market was a bit saturated with economy cars. The Cabrera was not any worse than the competition but on the other hand it didn’t offer much over them either. It simply existed, sold in mediocre numbers, was used up and largely forgotten. In the 60s and 70s, they were more or less a forgotten chapter of the automobile history in this country.
Then in the 80s something happened. One of the more popular TV shows in the country started featuring a famous stand up comedian, playing his role character “Sven with the Cabrera”. In every episode, this man was bragging so much about how fast he had been driving with his Cabrera, how it had braked from full speed in just a couple of meters, had been driving on two wheels, and so on, and so on. Yes, you probably remember him.
The Cabrera 100 Deluxe got kind of a cult status after that. The few remaining examples that were. And its owners are probably quite tired of being called “Sven” now, or hearing all his old Cabrera sketches being told as soon as they show up at a car meet.
It was maybe not expected, and the Cabrera 100 didn’t really skyrocket in value, nor will it ever be the vintage vehicle for everyone, but it is interesting how things can take a turn sometimes.
We understand that it may be totally unknown for you - the Cade Scutermovil is among the more obscure vehicles that have ever been driving (albeit barely) around on Swedish roads. It is more a symbol of a complete failure. Let us explain…
When looking at it, it is easy to get the impression that it was inspired by the legendary Willys Jeep, but nothing could be furter from the truth. This vehicle drives on one front wheel. Yes. One. The engine in itself is a 10 hp inline 3 with a displacement just under 300 cc. Brakes? Hmm….let’s just say that they do exist. And that they aren’t THAT much worse compared to the brakes of the Schnell 2500/2. But the difference was that the Scutermovil could barely reach 70 km/h so, well, it is easier to excuse that one.
Equipment? Steering wheel and headlights.
This little spanish joke of a car maybe was the right vehicle in its home country. But in Sweden it turned out to be a massive flop. It was simply too primitive, too sparsely equipped, too small, too slow, already in the early 50s. Most people rather bought a small motorcycle, and we can understand them. It was better at almost everything, and the weather protection were about as bad. And the difference between this and most other microcars was that the Scutermovil had four wheels, not three. “But that’s a good thing?”, you say. It was not. It meant that you could not drive the Scutermovil on a motorcycle license.
The importer pulled the plug after a little more than a handful examples were sold. And to put it this way, a car that was impossible to sell in postwar Sweden, it was doomed, no question about it. And how many cars is known to remain in the country, you may ask?
One. Yes, one. And yet, if you have kids, you may notice that it feels surprisingly familiar.
Yes. That childrens TV show with the little annoying talking car. Of course that’s exactly THAT car. The only remaining Cade Scutermovil in the country.
At least it was good for something.
Nothing gets more classic than a sleek old British roadster, right? And if you wanted to be a cool cat in 1954, the F&S A-3500 really hit the right spot. With a top speed of almost 220 km/h and a 0-100 time of 9.8 seconds it had downright blazing performance for its era. The reason for this was the 3.5 litre 6-cylinder found under the bonnet, with a power output of 148 hp. Not bad for the 50s, and yet it didn’t feature any large amount of exotic technology. Just good old pushrods.
And among the sports car crowd it was a favourite already as new. As we have already stated, it was among the better performers on the market, but yet it was not overly expensive. It did not cost much more than a KAI K40 in fact. That led to the A-3500 being a surprisingly strong seller in the Swedish market. And as the sports car people was among the first true “automobile enthusiasts”, it could really be said that this was an enthusiast vehicle already when it left the factory. And, of course, it also got a huge following among the motorsports crowd.
Yet, despite having a sane pricing as new, and being sold in quite large numbers, getting an used A-3500 was never a cheap affair, not even in the mid 70s when prices did hit the bottom. They have always been sought after, and it is easy to understand why. Then, the nostalgia craze struck in the 80s, meaning that many cars were restored to factory condition, and values were steadily rising.
Today the A-3500 has its given place among the vintage car crowd, as well as when it comes to historical racing, where it really could be said to be doing the things that it is intended to do.
Because when it was presented, it was a surprisingly decent family car. The design was stylish, very modern, even if maybe not much did set it apart from the crowd. Fuel economy was good for the era, performance was adequate, reliability and build quality on a high level. The driving dynamics weren’t the best, but on the other hand, that could be said about many cars from the 50s. It had enough room for a family and was sold at a competitive price. And it sold. And sold and sold and sold, and the buyers were generally satisfied with it.
But as time went on, more modern cars surpassed the Schumann A160 in most areas, naturally. And since Schumann owners seemed to have less of an emotional connection to their vehicles than, for example, owners of the main competitor, the AEKI 100, they simply replaced their cars without too much drama, and the old Schumann became just…old. A cheap used car, and if you said “Schumann A160” in 1969 people would probably have pictured a rusty heap with faded paint, one hubcap remaining and blue smoke from the tailpipe. Not because the quality level was any lower on the A160 than on its main competition, they were actually well built. But 10-15 years without any care takes its toll on any car, and keep in mind that cars got old fast in this era.
Restorers didn’t open their eyes for the Schumann A160 until the 90s, and by then not many of them were left, sourcing spares was also something of a struggle, both a bit surprising actually considering how many of them that were sold. But it has gained a small but dedicated fanbase, some repro parts are actually produced today, the A160 section of the Schumann owners club is alive and kicking like never before, and it is both accepted and appreciated at any vintage car show today.
But where do you have the largest chance of seeing one? If you’re an automotive enthusiast (probably, since you’re reading this) and on Facebook, you already know the answer. In the “Abandoned wrecks in Sweden” FB group. At least once a week someone has found a completely rusted out and stripped A160 in the woods, and the crowd is typing “SAVE IT!!! Not many of them are left!!!” at a rate that probably makes their keyboards glow.
Boy, if they only knew the trouble associated with restoring one in that condition, they would probably be more quiet…
During World war 2, the Swedish armed forces saw that the Americans had a brilliant idea in their little Willys Jeep. And they also saw the need for a similar vehicle for us Swedes. But they also saw that production in this country would be a great idea. Thus, the contract went to AMM that made the vehicle that later evolved into the Sarek offroader. After the war, civilian production started, and sure, Sareks were sold to various government departments, to farmers, to forestry services, not to mention that there seemed to be a Sarek outside every gas station at least a far bit into the 70s, suited as a light duty tow vehicle as it was. But as the niche vehicle it was, it never quite caught on to private customers.
No, it was the armed forces that kept buying all the Sareks that AMM could even produce for them. And if you did the obligatory military service in the 50s, 60s or 70s, you have probably been riding in or even driving one.
In the 60s and 70s, the Volvo “Puppy” and later the C303 was starting to replace the Sarek for good. That also meant that there was heaps of surplus Sareks for sale, for next to nothing. And then, we were not late to catch the offroad craze that was going on in the states. The Sarek made us do it.
The heaps of Sareks were sold to people lifting them, doing V8 swaps, mounting mud tyres on widened wheels and driving the guts out of them in swamps and mud pits.
Ironically, it might have saved lots of Sareks that otherwise would have been heading for the crusher, but it also means that finding an original one is almost out of the question. Maybe you have to look into the civilian market then. On some small farm in rural Scania where time has stood still for 60 years and it is used as the work vehicle it was intended to be.
But the chances that it is for sale is probably small.
The Zerve PS51 had a 51 hp engine. In a car weighing 720 kg in 1951, that was quite impressive. It also meant that most people had a hard time keeping the foot off the accelerator. Because it literally went like a stink, considering what it was.
Unfortunately that also led to some troubles. Calling the engine “notoriously unreliable” would be unfair, but they could not really cope with abuse and had to be driven with care. Which nobody did. Engines blew up, one after one, and considering the low value of the PS51, and that most people were ready to trade up for larger and more modern cars as the 50s was coming to an end, most of them ended up in the scrapyard. Frankly, the rumours of engine failures did of course lower the second hand values even more.
Another thing to consider is that the roads were very bad back then. Certainly not made for driving like if it was a rallycross competition with a car mostly supposed to be small and light. If the engines kept themself together, the car itself was often in a sad state after some years.
According to restorers, they do work well with modern oils and sane driving. You will more likely encounter one on the backroads than on the highway.
But the speed demons never really lost the grip they had around the PS51. It is quite popular among the historic racing crew. Weighing marginally more than a plastic bag, and with the engine being very tune-able, and also having potential for great driving dynamics for being a 50s RR car, they have quite good track records.
Of course, they are also fully aware that their engines will need overhauling every now and then.
(Flip the page for more reading…)
Pretty good for a tractor company lol. I never considered how quick it was. I was going for a beetle (obviously), but came up with something very different. Thanks for hosting this, can’t wait for the next round.
Do you test them in BeamNG?
i don’t believe so. i don’t think his pc can run beam iirc
