Date: circa late 1960s
Location: Stationsplein 's-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands
Source: BobPieters83 via the Hemmings Nation Flickr Pool
What do you see here?
from Hemmings Daily – News for the collector car enthusiast http://ift.tt/2fwXNMV
Monday, October 31, 2016
‘s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands
from Hemmings Daily – News for the collector car enthusiast http://ift.tt/2fwXNMV
‘s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands
Date: circa late 1960s
Location: Stationsplein ‘s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands
Source: BobPieters83 via the Hemmings Nation Flickr Pool
What do you see here?
from Hemmings Daily – News for the collector car enthusiast http://ift.tt/2fwXNMV
Hemmings Find of the Day – 1968 Chevrolet K20
Lifted 1968 Chevrolet K20 for sale on Hemmings.com. From the seller’s description:
8ft fleetside box with a frame off professional restoration. Stock body with grill and emblems being changed to chevy and wheel weld moldings added. All cab, fenders, hood, box and tailgate have new metal panels. All trim and chrome all in good condition or new. All old paint was stripped and redone in a base coat clear coat to show finish. Glass all in good condition. Padded dash, fully gauged instrument cluster, custom steering wheel, sholder seat belts added, with 90s style 40/60 bench seat. Door panels visors, arm rest all redone. All new ruber and weather stripping. All steering components rebuilt to new, all frame and components blasted and painted, all under cab and box sprayed with bed liner. It has a 4 1/2 in. suspension lift and 3 in. body lift. Rancho shocks, stabilizer bars, rear ladder bars, all rubber bushings new. It has a turbo 400 trans, chrome pan. Stall conv. upgrade, gear driven heavy duty transfercase. Front diff. is 80s 77/810, lock out hubs, rear diff is military style with 457 gears, detroit locker. Stock 454 V8(1981) 4bbl roch. carb hei ignition, stock manifold, all rebuilt and painted body color. Fuel tank removed from cab and put between frame rails with cab hole filled. All new 2 1/2 in exhaust. Power brakes, disc in front and drums on rear. Whole system is new, master cylinder, lines, and hoses. It has 15/38.5-16lt radial super swamper tires. Very nice truck always stored inside and taken good care of. A little over 5k miles on since restoration.
See more Chevrolet trucks for sale on Hemmings.com.
from Hemmings Daily – News for the collector car enthusiast http://ift.tt/2e4TbIG
One tool to do it all: The Unimog turns 70
First test drive on October 9, 1946. Chief designer Heinrich Roessler is behind the wheel while Hans Zabel, who gave the Unimog its name, stands on the right. Photos courtesy Daimler-Benz.
In 1944, with Germany facing serious food shortages in the aftermath of World War II, Daimler-Benz AG engineer Albert Friedrich had the idea to create an agricultural implement that could not only help to plant and harvest crops, but drive them into town was well. Later known as the Unimog, an abbreviation of Universal Motor Geraet, or universal motorized device, the truck that would go on to become the world’s most versatile off-roader began testing 70 years ago this month.
Friedrich had been the head of aircraft development at Daimler-Benz, but in the postwar years turned his attention to the reconstruction effort. Returning to Stuttgart to help rebuild his former company, now forbidden from building aircraft (or even four-wheel drive vehicles), Friedrich laid out the plans for his envisioned do-it-all farming vehicle.
December 1946: The prototype gains a cab and a Daimler-Benz OM636 diesel engine.
The first blueprint for such a vehicle was presented to the Daimler-Benz board of directors in September of 1945, but surprisingly, little interest was shown in the proposed project. Despite the lack of enthusiasm, the engineering plans were presented before the Production Control Commission, a group headed by the American military, which granted approval to proceed with the construction of 10 examples for testing.
Manufacturing company Erhard & Söhne was tasked with building the approved prototypes, and in January of 1946 Friedrich handed the project over to its chief designer, Heinrich Rössler. Over the next two months, Rössler worked to finalize the design of the vehicle, then referred to as the “engine-driven multi-purpose machine.”
Its track (1.27 meters, or 50 inches) needed to be wide enough to span two rows of planted potatoes, its top speed was to be 50 km/h (31 MPH), and it was to be fitted with wheels of equal size, making it easier for a farmer to drive his crops over public roads to the nearest market. Four-wheel drive, with locking front and rear differentials was another requirement, even though this precluded Daimler-Benz from building the early examples.
For simplicity, it was to use a frame and suspension similar to that found in cars and trucks of the day, while a cab with upholstered seats and a fabric covering ensured protection from the elements. For versatility, it was to have equipment mounting points on the front, rear and sides, with PTO points to match, and its bed would have a carrying capacity of one ton. Power was to come from a small diesel engine, though the prototype was initially constructed with a gasoline engine for the sake of expediency.
An Unimog set up for road and rail use, demonstrating its versatility.
The first prototype (now known as the Unimog, a name coined by development team member Hans Zabel) was delivered for testing in October of 1946, and on October 6, Rössler himself drove the test vehicle, missing much of its sheet metal but laden with a full load of timber, on a rutted forest road.
Following a successful test period, the Unimog entered production in 1947, with assembly transferred to a new partner, Boehringer. Erhard & Söhne lacked the capability to produce the Unimog in reasonable volume, while Mercedes-Benz was still prohibited from building AWD vehicles. A new diesel engine, the Daimler-Benz OM636, powered the early production units and gave farmers a standardized fuel type.
Manufacturing transferred to Daimler-Benz’s Gaggenau plant in 1951, and the interlocking U-shaped rams’ horns logo that had previously symbolized the Unimog was replaced by the familiar three-pointed star. A long-wheelbase model joined the lineup, and in 1953, a metal-enclosed cab became an option for the first time. By 1954, no fewer than 66 different agricultural appliances could be attached to the Unimog, and a year later, Daimler-Benz split the product line into two distinct models: one targeted to farming and municipal use, another targeted to overland transport in areas where roads were scarce, if not altogether nonexistent.
A modern Unimog demonstrates its versatility.
That same year, 1955, saw the Unimog adopted for service with the Bundeswehr (German army), and the vehicle’s robustness and versatility would see it pressed into service with armies around the globe. In 1966, Daimler-Benz produced the 100,000th Unimog, and a mere 11 years later, doubled that production number, reaching 200,000 examples built. Today, over 400,000 Unimogs have been delivered to customers around the world, though in North America the truck remains something of an oddity.
It isn’t for a lack of effort on the part of Daimler-Benz, which imported Unimogs to these shores via tractor dealer Case from 1975 to 1980. In 2002, the Unimog returned, this time sold through Freightliner dealerships, but in five years of sales, just 184 examples were delivered to commercial and municipal customers. Faced with tightening emissions regulations, Daimler-Benz again withdrew the Unimog from North America in 2007.
A modern Unimog brush truck.
Today, seven decades since the initial Unimog prototype proved the merits of Friedrich’s idea, the truck remains the vehicle of choice for customers requiring the go (almost) anywhere, do (almost) anything capabilities that the rig, in its many forms, delivers. Daimler-Benz claims that, “No other commercial vehicle in the world can function as a tractor, towing vehicle, truck, fire-fighting and exploration vehicle, bus and working machine,” a point we certainly wouldn’t argue. Happy birthday, Unimog, and here’s to many more.
from Hemmings Daily – News for the collector car enthusiast http://ift.tt/2e4QQNE
John Fitch’s archives donated to International Motor Racing Research Center
John Fitch racing an MG-TD at Linden, New Jersey, in 1950. Photo courtesy IMRRC.
Folks in the world of cars knew, admired and respected the late John Fitch. He was a racer, a patriot, a fighter pilot, a track designer, a historian of all things automotive and an inventor with traffic safety at the forefront of his research. He amassed a myriad collection of trophies, books, photos and a lot more in his travels, and thanks to his sons John, Christopher, and Stephen Fitch, that trove has been donated to the International Motor Racing Research Center in Watkins Glen, New York, greatly expanding its existing John Cooper Fitch collection.
“The collection reflects John Fitch’s remarkable and varied life as a talented international race car driver, an innovative inventor of road and driver safety equipment, a designer of racing and production cars, and an author who shared his exceptional story through his books,” IMRRC archivist Jenny Ambrose said. “We are honored to serve as the largest historical repository of materials related to John Fitch.”
The family’s donation was facilitated by longtime Fitch friend and historian Larry Berman, a native of the Boston area, who said, “To carry this forward, the IMRRC has developed a world-class reputation, which motivated me to obtain the Fitch archives donated by his family.
Fitch died on October 31, 2012, at the age of 95. A large part of the donation consists of trophies and cups that he earned by winning more than 20 major races during his 18 years as an active driver. In addition to being the first national champion of the Sports Car Club of America in 1951, Fitch also won Sebring outright in 1953, won his class at the 1955 Mille Miglia, and captured a golden jubilee Tourist Trophy win at the dangerous Dundrod circuit in Northern Ireland that same year. Also in 1955, he was a member of the Mercedes-Benz works team at Le Mans, which ended in tragedy when his co-driver, Pierre Levegh, plunged his exploding car into the crowd, killing more than 80.
Beyond the trophies, the Fitch collection also includes numerous photographs, clippings, race programs and other documentation of his career. Those papers also include his correspondence on the cars he built (the Corvair Sprint and Fitch Phoenix, among others) and his efforts to develop an early impact-absorption system for race tracks, among other creations. For more information on the IMRRC and its mission, visit RacingArchives.com.
from Hemmings Daily – News for the collector car enthusiast http://ift.tt/2fwlDs5
Hemmings Find of the Day – 1968 Chevrolet K20
Lifted 1968 Chevrolet K20 for sale on Hemmings.com. From the seller's description:
8ft fleetside box with a frame off professional restoration. Stock body with grill and emblems being changed to chevy and wheel weld moldings added. All cab, fenders, hood, box and tailgate have new metal panels. All trim and chrome all in good condition or new. All old paint was stripped and redone in a base coat clear coat to show finish. Glass all in good condition. Padded dash, fully gauged instrument cluster, custom steering wheel, sholder seat belts added, with 90s style 40/60 bench seat. Door panels visors, arm rest all redone. All new ruber and weather stripping. All steering components rebuilt to new, all frame and components blasted and painted, all under cab and box sprayed with bed liner. It has a 4 1/2 in. suspension lift and 3 in. body lift. Rancho shocks, stabilizer bars, rear ladder bars, all rubber bushings new. It has a turbo 400 trans, chrome pan. Stall conv. upgrade, gear driven heavy duty transfercase. Front diff. is 80s 77/810, lock out hubs, rear diff is military style with 457 gears, detroit locker. Stock 454 V8(1981) 4bbl roch. carb hei ignition, stock manifold, all rebuilt and painted body color. Fuel tank removed from cab and put between frame rails with cab hole filled. All new 2 1/2 in exhaust. Power brakes, disc in front and drums on rear. Whole system is new, master cylinder, lines, and hoses. It has 15/38.5-16lt radial super swamper tires. Very nice truck always stored inside and taken good care of. A little over 5k miles on since restoration.
See more Chevrolet trucks for sale on Hemmings.com.
from Hemmings Daily – News for the collector car enthusiast http://ift.tt/2e4TbIG
One tool to do it all: The Unimog turns 70
First test drive on October 9, 1946. Chief designer Heinrich Roessler is behind the wheel while Hans Zabel, who gave the Unimog its name, stands on the right. Photos courtesy Daimler-Benz.
In 1944, with Germany facing serious food shortages in the aftermath of World War II, Daimler-Benz AG engineer Albert Friedrich had the idea to create an agricultural implement that could not only help to plant and harvest crops, but drive them into town was well. Later known as the Unimog, an abbreviation of Universal Motor Geraet, or universal motorized device, the truck that would go on to become the world's most versatile off-roader began testing 70 years ago this month.
Friedrich had been the head of aircraft development at Daimler-Benz, but in the postwar years turned his attention to the reconstruction effort. Returning to Stuttgart to help rebuild his former company, now forbidden from building aircraft (or even four-wheel drive vehicles), Friedrich laid out the plans for his envisioned do-it-all farming vehicle.
December 1946: The prototype gains a cab and a Daimler-Benz OM636 diesel engine.
The first blueprint for such a vehicle was presented to the Daimler-Benz board of directors in September of 1945, but surprisingly, little interest was shown in the proposed project. Despite the lack of enthusiasm, the engineering plans were presented before the Production Control Commission, a group headed by the American military, which granted approval to proceed with the construction of 10 examples for testing.
Manufacturing company Erhard & Söhne was tasked with building the approved prototypes, and in January of 1946 Friedrich handed the project over to its chief designer, Heinrich Rössler. Over the next two months, Rössler worked to finalize the design of the vehicle, then referred to as the "engine-driven multi-purpose machine."
Its track (1.27 meters, or 50 inches) needed to be wide enough to span two rows of planted potatoes, its top speed was to be 50 km/h (31 MPH), and it was to be fitted with wheels of equal size, making it easier for a farmer to drive his crops over public roads to the nearest market. Four-wheel drive, with locking front and rear differentials was another requirement, even though this precluded Daimler-Benz from building the early examples.
For simplicity, it was to use a frame and suspension similar to that found in cars and trucks of the day, while a cab with upholstered seats and a fabric covering ensured protection from the elements. For versatility, it was to have equipment mounting points on the front, rear and sides, with PTO points to match, and its bed would have a carrying capacity of one ton. Power was to come from a small diesel engine, though the prototype was initially constructed with a gasoline engine for the sake of expediency.
An Unimog set up for road and rail use, demonstrating its versatility.
The first prototype (now known as the Unimog, a name coined by development team member Hans Zabel) was delivered for testing in October of 1946, and on October 6, Rössler himself drove the test vehicle, missing much of its sheet metal but laden with a full load of timber, on a rutted forest road.
Following a successful test period, the Unimog entered production in 1947, with assembly transferred to a new partner, Boehringer. Erhard & Söhne lacked the capability to produce the Unimog in reasonable volume, while Mercedes-Benz was still prohibited from building AWD vehicles. A new diesel engine, the Daimler-Benz OM636, powered the early production units and gave farmers a standardized fuel type.
Manufacturing transferred to Daimler-Benz's Gaggenau plant in 1951, and the interlocking U-shaped rams' horns logo that had previously symbolized the Unimog was replaced by the familiar three-pointed star. A long-wheelbase model joined the lineup, and in 1953, a metal-enclosed cab became an option for the first time. By 1954, no fewer than 66 different agricultural appliances could be attached to the Unimog, and a year later, Daimler-Benz split the product line into two distinct models: one targeted to farming and municipal use, another targeted to overland transport in areas where roads were scarce, if not altogether nonexistent.
A modern Unimog demonstrates its versatility.
That same year, 1955, saw the Unimog adopted for service with the Bundeswehr (German army), and the vehicle's robustness and versatility would see it pressed into service with armies around the globe. In 1966, Daimler-Benz produced the 100,000th Unimog, and a mere 11 years later, doubled that production number, reaching 200,000 examples built. Today, over 400,000 Unimogs have been delivered to customers around the world, though in North America the truck remains something of an oddity.
It isn't for a lack of effort on the part of Daimler-Benz, which imported Unimogs to these shores via tractor dealer Case from 1975 to 1980. In 2002, the Unimog returned, this time sold through Freightliner dealerships, but in five years of sales, just 184 examples were delivered to commercial and municipal customers. Faced with tightening emissions regulations, Daimler-Benz again withdrew the Unimog from North America in 2007.
A modern Unimog brush truck.
Today, seven decades since the initial Unimog prototype proved the merits of Friedrich's idea, the truck remains the vehicle of choice for customers requiring the go (almost) anywhere, do (almost) anything capabilities that the rig, in its many forms, delivers. Daimler-Benz claims that, "No other commercial vehicle in the world can function as a tractor, towing vehicle, truck, fire-fighting and exploration vehicle, bus and working machine," a point we certainly wouldn't argue. Happy birthday, Unimog, and here's to many more.
from Hemmings Daily – News for the collector car enthusiast http://ift.tt/2e4QQNE
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