Taking into account the numerous requests of our readers, we continue today with the publication of the discussion of the technical details of the motor vehicles produced in the German Democratic Republic, which started with the motorcycles. However, before we introduce the passenger cars, let us look at the even more popular commercial vehicles, which start with the so-called station wagons and lead to delivery vans and trucks.
The "IFA-F9 Kombinationwagon"
Characteristics:
This elegant and functional vehicle with front-wheel drive, which can be used to transport people as well as goods, was shown to the public for the first time in 1953 as part of the motor vehicle show at the Leipzig Trade Fair. Equipped with the powerful and easy-to-maintain water-cooled three-cylinder engine of the well-known "IFA F9" sedan as the drive source, the IFA F9 combination sedan with six side windows, is produced in two versions, one made of sheet metal and wood and one with an all-steel body. Both versions seat four passengers, offering its owner the advantage that he can transport smaller, not especially bulky goods with it on weekdays as an express transport and can use it on Sundays or on vacation for driving into the country, for rest and relaxation, whereby the advantage arises that, in addition to four people, he can also take plenty of luggage with him.
A spacious sedan on the outside, the station wagon has four comfortable seats inside and a completely horizontal loading area behind them. Folding the rear seats forward gives a load floor of 1600 mm long, 1150 mm wide and 870 mm high. Both versions have two doors with wind-up windows that give access to the front seats. The combination structure mentioned above is made of sheet metal up to and including the front seats, and behind it rises a hardwood structure clad with plywood panels. The door in the rear wall of the body, which enables easy and quick loading and unloading, is designed in two parts in this version. The upper part with a window is folded up while the lower part made entirely of wood is folded down. The all-steel version, on the other hand, has a one-piece rear door that opens to the outside on the right. The higher demands placed on the vehicle in combination operation have also been taken into account in terms of the chassis. The rear springs have been strengthened in both versions, and oversized 5.50-16" tires are used instead of the 5.00-16" tires usual for the normal sedan.
The IFA F-8 box delivery truck
Before we go into more detail about this model, it should be mentioned that a station wagon based on the chassis of the IFA F8 with front-wheel drive and a 690 cc two-stroke two-cylinder engine will also be supplied, which will be sold in the HO branches for DM 9,400. We will go into more detail about their technical details in one of our next issues.
Characteristics:
The IFA-F8 box delivery van with a combined sheet metal and wooden box body combines the demand for the greatest possible economy for the fast transport of goods of all kinds. The sensible design, tried and tested a thousand times over, with front-wheel drive and the undemanding two-stroke two-cylinder engine, makes this vehicle, with its load capacity of 0.5 tonnes, including the driver and front passenger, just as valuable as a car because it is fast, reliable and economical.
Translated from article in the 1954 June edition of Der Deutschen Strassenverkehr:
https://gdrfahrzeuge.blogspot.com/2023/06/der-deutsche-strassen-verkehr-heft-6.html
Contemporary brochure for the IFA F9 kombi:
https://dkwautounionproject.blogspot.com/2019/04/1954-ifa-f9-universal-english-brochure.html
Contemporary brochure for the IFA F8 kombi:
https://dkwautounionproject.blogspot.com/2020/05/1949-ifa-f8-kombi-van.html
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