Disclaimer – I absolutely love odd ball classics cars. Like a moth to a flame I am attracted to vehicles that the average car buff has never heard of. Given my project car buying history it is clear that I am also a sucker for hopeless case cars. Anything that is worn out, hacked up or just fallen into disrepair from neglect. If I was not married I would likely would be the vehicle version of the crazy cat lady. DougD’s comment on the Hudson Hornet outtake alerted me to the Hackenberger auction in Ohio on June 15th. Follow along as we virtually check out some of the more interesting lots.
We will start off with the Tatra that was also mentioned in the Hudson post. This one appears to be the smaller 600 or Tatraplan with its grill missing. Only 6342 of these flat four powered sedans were built between 1946 and 1952. While the iconic V8 powered T77 and T87 Tatras are most well known the 600 also displays the unique streamlined styling and is well worth saving.
Perhaps you would prefer your rear engine car with half the number of cylinders? This Vespa 400 might fit the bill. Better known for their scooters Vespa also made this two stroke, two cylinder, rear engine micro car between 1957 and 1961. I spy a few other micro cars in this shot including a Goggomobil, Crosley Hot Shot, Subaru 360, and a H-M-Vehicles Free-Way three wheeler.
Here is a better photo of the Crosley Hot Shot (there was also a similar Super Sport model that had doors). These featured a 26.5-hp, 44-cid engine that did well in “index of performance” style motorsports.
A front view of the Subaru 360. These were most commonly delivered in white but this one appears to have received an amateur blue paint job at some point.
It appears that the collection includes at least one BMW Isetta as well. These are one of the most well known micro cars and will likely command a strong price.
I cannot recall ever seeing a Studebaker school bus. Unfortunately this one has gone pass the point of patina to merely rusty looking.
The Leata Caballero (I have also seen it spelt as Cabalero with one L) is based off the humble Chevrolet Chevette. Steinbaugh Manufacturing built around one hundred of these luxury fitted Chevettes in Post Falls, Idaho from 1975 to 1977. The custom body styling is a little reminiscent of a narrowed Monte Carlo.
There is also a pickup variant available. The padded roof is an essential Seventies touch.
Another interesting pickup truck on offer is this Powell. These ultra boxy trucks were built in the 1950s on an older Plymouth chassis with a variety of Dodge, Plymouth and Chrysler engines fitted. Interesting fact – the early bumpers were made from wood before being replaced with metal units over safety concerns.
No interesting car collection would be complete without something French. This Panhard certainly fits the bill. It looks reasonably complete and will hopefully be bought by someone with the resources to restore it.
This Morris Minor might be a little more mundane than the Panhard but parts would certainly be easier to obtain. A rare Austin A40 Somerset Coupe (convertible) sits next to it.
A few early Hondas represent Japan – a N600 sedan and a pair of Z600 hatchbacks.
As well as this Suzuki LJ two stroke. It appears to be dwarfed by the tractors near by.
I believe this is a DKW 1000 rather than the earlier DKW 3=6. These feature front wheel drive with a two stroke three cylinder engine. This one appears to have suffered a sunburn and a flat tire but appears to be reasonably solid otherwise.
A selection of London cabs from different eras.
Renault 10 if you like your French cars to resemble to the box they were delivered in.
Lots of patina on this old Jaguar saloon.
This Sunbeam Rapier (correction) is another Brit and appears to be in good shape. I think that might be a Crosley Transferable behind it.
An early King Midget.
A couple different takes on delivery vehicles.
Where else would you see a Studebaker limousine with slot mag wheels and a roof rack?
1 of 435 Kaiser Darrin 161 sports car made. This one seemed to be equipped with some kind of hardtop.
An Austin Bantam looking even stubbier than usual from this vantage point.
Electric Elcar already loaded on a trailer. A second one in the same color appears in the background of other photos.
If that Studebaker bus did not appeal how about this classic Mercedes?
Unfortunately for me but likely good for my wife’s sanity this auction is a bit too far away for me to drag a new treasure home. If I could attend I would have a hard time deciding where to place my bid. Ultimately and impractically the micro cars would hold greatest appeal like this Subaru 360 pickup truck.
Or this solid looking NSU Prinz. What would tempt you to bid? Check out the full listing here: VanDerBrink Auctions.
I see at least two 1958 Packards, including this incredibly rare wagon.
This is only a half hour or so from me, so I plan on covering the event for CC. Let me know if you have any photo requests.
Tatra T600 pls!
About the most pathetic car ever produced by a major manufacturer ever. Very sad. Not that it isn’t collectable.
It’s not much of a Packard, but a very well equipped Studebaker….
Leata Caballero Would be the ones that got my bid.
I’m fairly sure I could find Chevette replacement parts for the mechanical issues
Plus I liked the Chevette I had in high school so it would be kinda fun to drive a pimpmobile version
Yes, I’ve never heard of this car before and would like to see a writeup about it on CC.
Ask and you shall receive: https://www.curbsideclassic.com/blog/chevrolet-mini-carlo-brougham-its-looking-for-some-broughmance/
Thanks Paul! You’re amazing!
This is that guy in Akron, right?
All the oddball cars in the world and not one Yugo…
It’s a unicorn round-up!
I can’t explain why, but I have recently been overcome with the desire to pick up a Fiat 850 (Spider, Racer__the fixed roof version of the Spider, but especially the 850 Coupe).
There’s an 850 Spider/Racer in the background of the Electric Elcar a trailer pic.
I certainly have better/faster sportscars already, but there’s just something about a sub-1 litre car I can’t shake…
A friend of mine had an 850 Spider eons ago…miserable little rust bucket. I tried one on at the Detroit show when they were new. The Spider and Racer had the advantage of actually having enough room inside for a human size person.
Scan from the brochure.
I saw exactly one of the coupes in the metal in my life. It was a hopeless rust bucket by then. The headlights had been removed and the holes filled with bondo.
I have never seen an 850 sedan on the road. Tried it out at the show. Front wheelwell intrusion into the driver’s footbox was so severe that it was impossible for me to press any one pedal at a time. The pedals were so tiny and crammed into such a small space that I would invariably press two pedals no matter where I put my size 10s.
In the mid 70s, the clutch went “out” on my Audi Fox, with the needed parts being on back order. I looked around for a low priced beater and found a 7 year old Valiant Signet. A few days after I had driven my “new” car to work a co-worker with a 70 Fiat 850 Coupe that I had always admired (it looked like the one in that brochure), told me he would have been happy to sell me his Fiat if he had known I was looking for a car.
I want to bid on the Corolla wagon, the Borgward Isabella, the Porsches, the Barracuda, the Mighty Mite and any of the Mopars or Studebakers if they’re rust free. The Porsche 901 would be a good investment, while the 924S is a great car to drive.
I used to think I was a sucker for almost every car out there, too. To me they are like stray dogs (or in the case of these micro cars, stray puppies). But having driven a reasonably wide variety of cars in the last 50 years, I don’t have the time or space to own as many cars as I want. Therefore, cars I buy or at least desire to own MUST be usable/drivable at speeds up to 60-65 MPH. A few of the cars here won’t qualify for that.
Someone (perhaps The Lane Museum? ) should buy that Tatra and restore it.
Therefore, cars I buy or at least desire to own MUST be usable/drivable at speeds up to 60-65 MPH
Agreed. Cars are meant to be driven. Sitting in the garage unused, they are as useful as a snow globe collection. While there are people who drive things like a Subie 360 on public streets, 0-60, if attainable at all, in 20+ seconds does not appeal to me. That 124 Spider behind the Subie pickup, or the Javelin, would be another matter.
Fortunately, I have a 1 car garage and my relatively new VeeDub has dibs on that, so my checkbook is safe.
…hey Jim, do I see a Studebaker Scotsman wagon?
Yeah, that Tatra has Jeff Lane written all over it. For that matter, basically this whole collection is Lane’s kind of stuff, with its emphasis on the micro and the otherwise quirky. I hope Jeff is there with a fat checkbook. Heck, if he has the scratch or the financing, he should make an offer for the whole collection.
Oh, Jeff Lane will be there. Truth be told, we have many examples of the oddball cars already in the collection, but there are a few I am sure we could find a home for.
We are afraid that prices will go bananas at this, like they did with the Bruce Weiner collection a few years ago.
There’s a picture of Ron and a mini-bio over at Road & Track.
I see a Nash Airflyte in the overhead shot…that would be my fantasy pick.
Left appendage for the Powell. I would have liked to meet that guy, our tastes seem to run alike.
It’s a curious story, and one I’ve been meaning to write up here for some time. Recycling Plymouth chassis and given them a rather modern pickup body, which was ahead of its time.
Remember Powell Motors’ most famous (and last) product was ‘The Homer’ before their take over by Komatsu Motors.
The blue and white “delivery vehicle” is a Studebaker Zip Van mailtruck that the US post Office used back in the sixties. Note the right hand drive.
I absolutely love the top picture. it looks like someone’s toy car collection that was left exposed in the garage or attic for too long.
I don’t know where to start, but the MBZ bus would be one, as well as that lengthened Studebaker, and….
I absolutely love the top picture. it looks like someone’s toy car collection that was left exposed in the garage or attic for too long.
I am conflicted about situations like this. The guy was clearly a hoarder as the cars were not cared for. At least many of them appear to be indoors, not moldering away exposed to the elements like in the defunct AMC dealership in North Carolina.
Incredible stuff. So many fantastic cars, it’s uncanny…. The man liked his Studes. But the amount of obscure bubblecars and other weird, small-production cars like that Leata Caballero is jaw-dropping.
The Tatra is a great find, of course. It’s a pre-51 model, made by Tatra themselves (the 51-52 models made by Skoda have a less pointy rear hood).
Incidentally, the Vespa 400 was French-made. Piaggio, who made the scooters, was told by Fiat to go make its cars outside Italy or else. The bodies were made by Facel. About 29,000 units were made in four years — not bad, but well below Piaggio’s expectations.
Vespa 400 at the Orphan show in Ypsilanti a couple years ago.
Our Vespa 400:
You’re not helping, you know that David? I suspect that we would not be wise to bid, I haven’t seen anything as to if they have clear titles or not, and there are new additional step in the export process, so dragging something back to Canada right away might not go so well.
Besides, I like being married. Would be cool to attend though, maybe it someone tied my hands behind my back…
Oh, my goodness. So many really unusual cars. The Honda Z600 that my advisor’s Swedish wife, herself rather zaftig, used to drive around Columbus in the ’70’s. When she got in it and closed the door it seemed like the car kind of folded around her, a perfect fit. That International Travelall and the Jeep Forward Control don’t have enough rust on the rocker panels, but the dust makes them look so real. Gazing at them makes you think maybe you stepped back in time. My eye is drawn to that Studebaker two door wagon. It is so plain and homely, it looks like it is coming out of long-term foster care and needs a permanent placement. Protective Services should give you a monthly stipend to take it home.
My eye is drawn to that Studebaker two door wagon. It is so plain and homely, it looks like it is coming out of long-term foster care and needs a permanent placement. Protective Services should give you a monthly stipend to take it home.
I think it’s a Scotsman, their ultra low buck car with a cardboard interior and the laffably underpowered Champion 6. While I like several Studebakers, particularly first gen Larks, even I would have to pass on a Scotsman.
I’d go for the Honda N600 sedan and especially the Z600 hatchbacks. These are the initial Honda motor car invasion of the 60’s. Well worth the effort to preserve.
Having driven a Z600 when they were new (it belonged to a friend who regularly loaned it to me – I even rallied it once with my girlfriend), I’d love to get hold of one. Wonderful memories of those little cars.
And they were very competent drivers, too.
Jeep Forward Control Pickup..I see a couple of them in there…I want one.
The ‘Singer Gazelle’, is actually the Sunbeam Rapier. Only the Rapier was available as a Fixed Head Coupe though there was a convertible Rapier and Minx/Gazelle, The car featured is a 1958-59 Series II.
Fantastic assortment – something for everyone – at least everyone with a duster!
Thanks – I have corrected that.
Am I the only one that noticed the ’61 Fury convertible ? There might be a Sonoramic lurking under it’s hood. Maybe even a three speed stick, with floor shift.
The Renault 10 looks like it might be an electric conversion? I don’t know what the interior of the trunk would usually look like.
Love the Tatraplan, Ive seen one in dead condition in Australia once but never a live one or another quite a find and that Singer is actually a Sunbeam Rapier Gazelles were either four door sedans or convertibles only Rapiers came in two door hardtop Great collection.
Thanks – I have corrected that.
Is that tractor a Silver King? I have an old Silver King chainsaw that has to be 50% heavier than a modern saw. Who built that stuff?
The first picture looked like a collection of matchbox toys to me at first glance.
It does. Some just collect on a larger scale!
Is a round up of odd ducks, under one roof. The Studebaker Zip mail van, was in the early 1960’s, same time the zip code was launched. The 3rd gen Camaro, is one of the less weird. I can imagine a drag race between the King Midget & Crosley. Looks like the Powell has shallow,, easy to stamp body panels, like the Willys wagons & pickups. One looks like a dune buggy with a flatbed? Cheers,,
What, nobody mentioning the Amphicar? That one goes for crazy money. And the AMC Typhoon, another rare oddity that should get more love. And a Dauphine. And…and… and….
My gosh, I would go broke at this auction. This guy had almost every oddball car I have ever wanted. I hope he enjoyed them, and that whoever gets them does not let them languish.
I love the Darrin hardtop roof, that’s probably my favorite of the bunch
Amazing collection, and should prove to be an interesting auction.
So many rarities, like a Bricklin, an 8-door Checker wagon, a Borgward Isabella or two, Citroen H-van, Trabant, Packard Clipper wagon. Could this early truck be a Mack?
I bought the yellow honda z600
Had it driving in one week