This blog is an archive of DKW related articles, manuals, brochures and posts. It also covers East German successor marques, such as IFA, AWZ, Wartburg, Sachsenring, MZ and IWL.
Wednesday, 28 December 2022
New Audi Tradition Publication - Ein Blicke - Die Fahrzeugsammelung Der Audi AG
Audi Tradition has published a new book - and it's about time! The new book, titled "Einblicke - Die Fahrzeugsammelung der Audi AG" (translated into English - Insights - The Auto Collection of Audi AG). Audi Tradition, Audi's heritage foundation, was formed in the early 2000s to preserve and promote the company's historical legacy. Many important vehicles, which until then had only been preserved thanks to the efforts of private collectors, were purchased and added to the company's collection. The most important vehicles are of course on public display at the Audi Tradition Museum Mobile in Ingolstadt, but there are many more vehicles hidden in Audi Tradition's basement. These vehicles are rarely seen by the public.
Audi Tradition has set its photographers into the basement to photograph and document many of these vehicles to give a taste of what has been hidden away. Here is a small sample from the new book:
DKW's late 1930s sidecar race machines used a racing version of the 600cc Reichklasse water-cooled twin car engine,
The last Horch. This car was custom built for Auto Union managing director Richard Bruhn in the 1950s. The chassis and engine were prewar but the body was of a modern design and construction. This car was later found sitting in the desert in Texas and purchased by Audi Tradition.
The rally winning Audi Quattro
The start of the technical legacy, DKW's pioneering DKW Frontreib F1 (on the left) and its successor, the F2 (right) joined with a 'baby Horch' DKW F5 roadster.
Garage camera view. Note the rare F10 in the top left corner.
Another 'as found' example. Wanderer W25K roadster, recovered in the US.
A modern classic, the Audi TT.
The book is currently available in German but we must expect an English version to arrive soon:
https://www.audi-mediacenter.com/de/fotos/detail/audi-tradition-buch-einblicke-114185
Thursday, 15 December 2022
1953 DKW F89P Renovation - Sorbey Autocentre, Denmark
Sorbey Autocentre in Bilverkstad in Denmark has taken on a project to restore to running a 1953 DKW F89P Karmann-bodied four-seater cabriolet. They have been documenting the project on YouTube, which is excellent. It's all in Danish of course, but it's still good to watch. Enjoy!
Episode One:
Episode Two:
Episode Three:
Episode Four:
Episode Five:
Episode Six:
Episode Seven:
Episode Eight
Episode Nine
Episode Ten
Episode Eleven
Episode Twelve
Episode Thirteen
Episode Fourteen
Episode Fifteen
Episode Sixteen
Episode Seventeen
Episode Eighteen
Episode Nineteen
Episode Twenty
Episode Twenty One
Episode Twenty Two
Highlights video:
Sörby Autocenter AB Mekonomen Bilverkstad Ronneby
With the customer in focus, we always give you a comprehensive solution to meet your needs and simplify your workshop visit. As a guarantee of quality, we give you at least a 3-year warranty, and always carry out service according to the car manufacturer's recommendations. Which means that you always have your factory and new car warranty on the car and get an approved stamp in the service book.
We always work with high quality and service so that you as a customer can feel that your car is in safe hands. If you have questions or concerns about your car, you are welcome to swing by and we will be happy to answer them over a cup of coffee.
The service also includes a year's roadside assistance, which means that you get help in the event of, for example, a puncture, a petrol stop or an engine breakdown. Do you want to split the payment? We offer you 4 months of interest-free installments. Welcome!
Besök vår Facebook sida: www.facebook.com/sorbyautocenter/
Önskar Ni komma i kontakt med oss nås vi på: sorby.autocenter@telia.com
Besök gärna våra Youtube vänners kanaler: @livetpaochutanforscenen
Wednesday, 14 December 2022
DKW F9 - The Forgotten Superstar Video
I would like to give a big shout out to the team at the Buchan B-Sport YouTube channel for putting together two really excellent videos about the history of the DKW F9 and its modern successors. These are really well put together and very interesting. Please enjoy and give them a like.
DKW F9 development:
https://dkwautounionproject.blogspot.com/2017/07/1939-dkw-f9-prototype.html
DKW F89P development:
https://dkwautounionproject.blogspot.com/2017/06/dkw-f89p-new-meisterklasse.html
IFA F9 development:
https://dkwautounionproject.blogspot.com/2020/07/the-development-of-ifa-f9.html
The Buchan Sport channel owner has now purchased an IFA F9 for restoration. Interestingly, I had looked at this car several years ago with an eye to buying it. I didn't proceed however as I thought it might be too much of a challenge (little did I know!). https://dkwautounionproject.blogspot.com/2023/01/1953-ifa-f9-project-buchan-motorsport.html
Saturday, 10 December 2022
DKW Meisterklasse Project - Wheels
Another day of small steps forward. I set myself the task of getting the wheels back on, then the car be taken off the blocks and moved around a little easier. I think it's been on blocks now for more than 18 months!
The left front wheel hub went on without any problem. Then I started on the right and... problem.
The hub has a keyway that locks the hub to the axle stub but...
The axle does not have a key... have I lost a part? Of course, I started cursing myself and thought I would have to back to the forums to work out what is missing, then remembered there was a mysterious component in my bag of brake parts.
And there it is. When I removed the brake hubs 18 months or so ago I remember this semicircular part falling out. I had no idea where it had come from but carefully packed it away with the brake components.
And it slotted straight into the hole and then the hub went back on, no problem.
Now we have two wheels back on. The rear hubs have proven a little more challenging to get back on. They required use of a hub puller to get off and it looks like they'll need a lot more pushing to get back on. There are three sets of bearings in the rear hubs and they do not exactly line up as you push the hub back in. Special tools and lot of sweating is required I think.
Next update:
https://dkwautounionproject.blogspot.com/2023/01/dkw-meisterklasse-project-update.html
Previous update:
https://dkwautounionproject.blogspot.com/2022/11/dkw-meisterklasse-project-update-little.html
DKW Meisterklasse Project Update - Little Steps
Car restoration can be a very slow process. Rewarding, but slow. Back in September 2022 I recieved the engine back and reinstalled it in the car. It seemed like I would be able to make some rapid progress at last, but not quite! There is always another obstacle.
Firstly, I thought I lost the carburetor. It was one of the first things I'd removed from the car when I got it home. I cleaned it up and put it in storage with my parts collection. However, I when I sent my engine for rebuilding, I could not find it anywhere. This was a problem! I did manage to find a spare carburetor I had obtained from Audi Tradition - back when they still sold DKW NOS parts - which I have been messing around with, but it is missing the mounting flange and the air-filter connector.
Like almost all DKW F89P parts, this is rather a rare part on the spares market. I'm still looking through my parts as I'm sure it has to be there somewhere. I mean, I haven't searched the fridge yet....but if you have a lead, I'd like to hear about it.
The radiator was in good condition and only needed a clean up, flush through and repaint. The pipes are attached and I mounted it back in the car. The original aluminium fittings mounting to the engine had eroded considerably but I managed to acquire modern reproductions, however, these appear to be for an F89L and not all of them fit the sedan. I reverted to the original engine top pipe. The bottom pipe (see below) fits okay but the other (top left) will need to cut to fit correctly.
Some assembly required
This piece is for an early F89L as the radiator is not behind the engine but mounted at an angle, tilted forward to left side of then engine (looking forward).
A simple slice and dice
And done.
Once the radiator was back in the car I was able to connect up the gear shifter, which runs through the top of the radiator housing. I was always uncertain how the gear shifter would work in practice. The gear lever is linked to the gear rod by a piece of rubber. When I acquired my car, the rubber was completely rotten and had fallen apart so I'd never seen how it worked. After connecting the two rods with an appropriately sized piece of rubber I was amazed how easily the gears shifted. It will take a little bit of getting used to however.
Update 6 December 2022
Thankfully, with a bit of searching in Germany an F89P carburetor flange has been found. Thanks Dirk. And it goes on (Jan 2023): https://dkwautounionproject.blogspot.com/2023/01/dkw-meisterklasse-project-update.html
Previous update: https://dkwautounionproject.blogspot.com/2022/09/dkw-meisterklasse-project-update-engine.html