To Be OFFERED AT AUCTION WITHOUT RESERVE at RM Sothebys' The Taj Ma
Garaj Collection event, 28 September 2019.
Estimate:
$5,000 - $10,000
- Very original Porsche "Volkschlepper"
- Includes German registration from 1960-2004
- Excellent candidate for restoration
Please note that this lot is offered on a Bill of Sale only.
Presented here is an excellent opportunity for a Porsche enthusiast
to acquire a very complete and restorable example of Porsche's
"Baby" Diesel tractor, small in stature but eminently usable. This
is a single-cylinder Junior model that was built in 1960 and
registered in Germany from new through 2004. Originally designed by
Dr. Ferdinand Porsche in the middle 1930s, Porsche-Diesel tractors
were put into production under license following World War II by
Allgaier and Hofherr Schrantz, an Austrian concern. Mannesmann AG
subsequently bought the rights to Porsche's air-cooled diesel
engine design and married it to Allgaier's chassis layout.
Mannesmann opened a new manufacturing plant in Friedrichshafen
named Porsche-Diesel Motorenbau GmbH and began producing four
different models: the adorable 14 hp single-cylinder Junior, the 25
hp two-cylinder Standard, the 38 hp Super, and the largest, the 50
hp four-cylinder Master. All these engines utilized Dr. Porsche's
patented "turbo air-cooling" system that kept the vertical
cylinders well ventilated and were fed by a Bosch fuel-injection
pump. The chassis were also innovative. It has been written that
Dr. Porsche was doubtful that most German farmers would be able to
operate a manual gearbox, so he designed a torque-operated
power-transfer system that fed a multi-range gearbox with as many
as eight forward speeds and four in reverse. Porsche-Diesel
tractors were manufactured between 1956 and 1963. Their reputation
for durability lives on, and replacement parts are easily
sourced.
This 1960 Junior is fitted with its original single-cylinder
air-cooled "Economy" engine, displacing just 822 cc and developing
about 14 horsepower at 2,160 rpm. According to its original
Kraftfahrzeugbrief, the German ownership registration, it was
originally sold to a Josef Moser of Landwire, Germany, on 9 August
1960, with subsequent re-registrations noted in 1965, 1966, 1986,
1987, and finally in June 2004. It was subsequently exported to the
United States, where it found its way to John Dixon at the Taj Ma
Garaj in Dayton, Ohio. Ultimately, the tractor was placed on the
corner of the roof of the building as a unique invitation to all
those that visited the collection.
This charming little tractor is offered in cosmetically weathered
condition but presents great potential to enjoy a wonderful piece
of Porsche history.To view this car and others currently consigned
to this auction, please visit the RM website at
rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/tg19.