1955 DKW Schnellaster Tieflader 3=6. Photos by Brian Henniker, courtesy Gooding & Company.
DKW Schnellaster Kastenwagens (rapid delivery panel vans) have proven popular at auction in the past two years, with a 1956 example netting $101,750 at a 2013 Pebble Beach auction and a 1960 model commanding $60,500 in Scottsdale last January. Adding to the model’s appeal is its rarity, and now auction firm Gooding is hoping that an even less common 1955 DKW Schnellaster Tieflader (rapid delivery low loader) pickup can draw big money at next month’s Scottsdale sale.
Like the other models in the Schnellaster series, the Tieflader used a rather unconventional three-cylinder, two-stroke engine for power. Though a mere 896cc (54.7-cu.in) in displacement, the single Solex carburetor-equipped engine still produced a semi-respectable 42 horsepower and 57 pound-feet of torque. In fact, the 3=6 in the Schnellaster model name denoted that DKW’s two-stroke triple rivaled the output from competitor’s four-stroke six-cylinder engines of the day, while remaining lighter and far more compact.
A four-speed manual transmission was the sole gearbox offering, and Schnellaster models featured a fully independent suspension in front and rear. Up front, a transverse-mounted leafspring design was used, while in the rear the company adopted a trailing arm and torsion bar setup. Stopping duties were handled by hydraulic drum brakes in all four corners.
Schnellaster models utilized front-wheel drive, which permitted a low floor in both van and pickup models. In the case of the Tieflader pickup, the cargo area was a mere 16-inches off the ground, but the trade-off was intrusive rear-wheel tubs. DKW managed to turn this into an advantage: Thanks to their (nearly) flat tops and reinforced sides, the tubs form benches to carry additional cargo or, traffic laws aside, a few more workers. Period DKW Schnellaster literature shows that a second pickup model, featuring a high and flat bed mounted over the rear fenders, was also part of the lineup (at least in European dealerships).
The Tieflader pickup to be offered is from the first year of 3=6 engine production, and its build sheet shows that it was originally an export model assembled in Ingolstadt in March of 1955. Sold new through Peter Satori Motors in Pasadena, California, the pickup was reportedly in use until 1960, at which time it was stored in a California warehouse. Rediscovered in 2012, the DKW has been treated to a show-quality restoration in its original Java Brown livery, with every effort made to reuse existing parts or source new-old-stock parts where possible.
Uncommon even when new, the consignor claims this Schnellaster Tieflader 3=6 pickup is the only one in North America, and the only known fully restored example in the world. Even if this claim proves overly ambitious, the Tieflader pickup is a distinctive piece of Auto Union (and hence, Audi and Volkswagen) history, and its next owner is unlikely to encounter another on the concours circuit. Given the vehicle’s exclusivity and condition, Gooding predicts a selling price between $90,000 and $100,000 when the pickup crosses the block in Scottsdale next month.
Gooding & Company’s Scottdale, Arizona, sale will take place on January 16 and 17, 2015. For additional information, visit GoodingCo.com.
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