1938 DKW GP racer

[zippy49]

Hi all, last year I had the pleasure of attending the AHRMA races at Willow Springs Raceway, Rosamond, California. There is often a pretty nice static display as well as many historic racers on the track.

Virgil Elings, the owner of the motorcycle museum in Solvang, had brought his 1938 500 GP racer. He said it was one of two known to exist, and they had been smuggled out through Italy after WWII. This is a twin "split single" design, water cooled, with a fifth air cooled cylinder underneath to supercharge the crankcase.

And best of all...he did a lap on it! The sound - which was described as loud enough to hear in England from the IOM TT - was unbelievable. Each power pulse had the most sharp attack; the waveform had a vertical front.

This year's event is this weekend, if anyone else wants to go. The weather will be cold and breezy. As opposed to the other two types - hot and breezy and just breezy.

[therealche]

A true wonder. Ive never heard on of the twins but was at the TT when they bought two of the 350 singles ( with 3 pistons!) over for a classic lap of honour. They were absolutely deafening!

[CRB]

...and twenty years later they made this beauty. http://www.oldbug.com/56deek.htm


It may not have two wheels, but it is still family.

[DAVID THOMPSON]

DO CLICK THE LINK ABOVE THE PICTURE THIS IS AS GOOD AS IT GETS FOR A RESTORED CAR OR TRUCK


windows all the way around and they could sell a bunch of those here next year
dave

nice looking van the current crop looks really bad

[zippy49]

Wow what a rare gem. Thanks for the link! But I doubt it would be safe on the interstate....top speed of maybe 50 - 55?

I note that it brought $101,750 at auction - seems pretty cheap, actually. Wonder where it is now.

[zippy49]

A true wonder. Ive never heard on of the twins but was at the TT when they bought two of the 350 singles ( with 3 pistons!) over for a classic lap of honour. They were absolutely deafening!

Although the 500 only has two spark plugs, it has four pistons plus the supercharger. Was the 350 basically half of that? This was before DKW's Herr Schnurle invented loop scavenging, as used in that 1957 van. But Puch continued to build 'split single' bikes that were sold under Sears and Roebuck's Allstate brand into the 1960's. I rode a 250 once, it had amazing torque for a two smoke.

[therealche]

Yes it was. Split single plus supercharger ( this is the 250 but was the same as the 350)

DKW made all sorts of supercharged 2 strokes, the oddest I think being an 2 cylinder opposed 250 with a sliding vane supercharger.



Apparently the race shop all ended up in Russia after the war where copies of many designs were built

[therealche]

A selection of DKW designs! Shame the FIM banned the forced induction in 1946

[CRB]

Shame the FIM banned the forced induction in 1946

Spoilsports.

[Dzundzun]

Greetings all, not been here for a bit but wow that van is a stunning restoration!

Can anyone elucidate re the link between the DKW triple two stroke and that which was used in SAAB 96s in the early 60s and also in Wartburgs in the 1970s? There HAS to be a connection?

[CRB]

The Saab was based on the DKW, from Wiki, but known anyway, 'The first Saab two-stroke engine was based on a DKW design.' though I had never looked into the Wartburg possiblity.

A quick check up ont' web and lo and behold from Automobilwerk Eisenach Wiki again,'The first new model had a three-cylinder two-stroke engine, the IFA 309. This was based on a DKW prototype, the F9, that was developed in 1939, but not put into production. The manufacture of models derived from pre-war BMWs, finished at the end of 1955.In 1956, the first Wartburg (Type 311 and later the 312) was launched with a new design, but maintaining the DKW based two-stroke engine.'

Bingo, all family. especially since the two-stroke Saabs are stunning.

[BubbleOz]

The 2nd GP racer did come up for sale in Australia about a year or two ago, meticulously restored.
A bike to die for!!!

Cheers!

[CRB]

...and twenty years later they made this beauty.

It may not have two wheels, but it is still family.

No work done on the bike but another DKW photograph discovered.
http://www.stilltimecollection.co.uk/detail/29931-tpt-transport-truck-lorry-wagon-paris-france-salon-dkw.html



You all really need to see everything on this site. Janice is happy to receive information on the photographs.

[CRB]

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=5873280

About halfway down. More of the same.

[GPbikes201]

The pre-war ones. The ones which competed in the lightweight classes were good aswell. The one in the link, titled under DKW URE 175cc. Probably difficult to get permission since it's in Italy and in UK but will link the site by copy/paste etc. Almost forgot. It's a later one aswell.
http://www.sculturameccanica.it/