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Historic WWII Military Vehicle story by Victor Ma 28/12/2007
1937 Germany kfz Leicher Einheits-Pkw small 4x4x4 off road vehicle
Model: TypB20/325/R180/R200/G5/R200 Typ40 Einh.Pkw Kfz.2 4wds made by Hanomag/BMW/Stoewer/*Mercedes between 1936-40. (1940-43 Stoewer simplifitied version R200 Typ 40 Special got front wheel steering only) R180,R200,B20,BMW325,G5 total 8400 been made. R200 Typ 40 total around 4700 been made.( only 2 wheel steering. ) Body Style: Open body with 4 door, 3 door, 3, 4seat.There were some models which differed on the rear door and rear body and locations of the spare tire mount. The we here was a 3 door radio model. Construction: Steel open body,3 door or 4 door, with ladder type steel chassis. Engine: Water cooled 4 cylinder, OHV dry sump motor a)1757cc 42hp,b)1991cc 50hp,c)1997cc 50hp,d) 6 cylinder 1957cc 50hp,e) Mercedes G5 got a 2006cc side valve 4 cylinder engine 45hp. ( all early BMW, Hanomag and Stoewer got R180 1757cc engine ) Transmission: 5 speed ZF full time 4 wd Gearbox with 3 self locking differentials at each Axle and gear box. Suspension: 4 wheel independent suspension, twin coil spring each wheel part time 4 wheel steering.( 1936 - early 1940 model.) *Mercedes G5 got single coil spring at each wheel. (1937-1941) ( 4 wheel steering for off road use only, under 20km/h ) Brake System: 4 wheel Drum brake cable control mechanic type ( R200 Special Typ 40 2 wheel steering model got hydraulic brake system.) Max speed: 80 Km/h,4 wheel steering for off road use only. ( all early BMW, Hanomag got Stoewer R180 engine with 1757cc got 75km/h on the road but I believe all Kfz Pkw model speed over 90km/h. )  History:
The German successes at the beginning of WWII, was largely due to
their tactic of " Blitzkrieg " and demonstrated not only the
effectiveness of the mechanization, but also the importance of
deploying innovative modern military transport vehicles. After WWI
the first light car use by the Reichswehf was the Dixi 3/15 ps.,
which was the British Austin Seven. Produced under license by Dixi,
of Eisenach. In 1929 Dixi was absorbed by BMW and the car was
continued under the BMW name until 1931. In the early 30s, army
transport decided that the car with a 1.5L engine will be the
light car, (Pkw ) The wehrmacht specified large numbers of
personnel carriers, constructed on light medium and heavy motor
car chassis. Most were
 available
with a civilian rear wheel drive only and the performance was not
great. Then in 1935 Stoewer, a very early German auto maker,
building cars since 1899, (This Co Total production was about
40000 vehicle from 1899-1945,about 190 Vehicle are know to exist
today.) designed a prototype 4x4x4. This vehicle had a high
performance and possessed an incredible off road chassis, way
ahead of its time, resembling modern specifications not found on
vehicles until today. In 1936 Stoewer manufactured the R180
special, but the company was not big enough for the mass
production required and BMW ( a motor cycle and light car maker )
plus Hanomag ( a locomotive and heavy tractor, semi track maker )
joined in production of the same car between 1937-1940. This is
similar to the how Willys MB and Ford GPW were manufacturing the
jeep at same time in the early 40's. The Germany Army knew how an advanced heavy duty multi-purpose off road truck would be instrumental in providing an advantage in the coming battles and another example of their innovation was the motorcycles, some with side car, and with a 3x2 shaft-drive powering the side car wheel also. They produced  many
4 wheeled to 6 wheeled off road trucks, from 1/4 ton to 6.5 tons
and Semitracks from 11/2 ton Kettenkraftrad HK 101 to 18
ton-capacity Sd.Kfz.9 As the Nazi war machine continued a military build up, many good designs were funded and many innovative prototypes were developed. If they proved themselves under testing they would go into full production with a big car maker. In the end of 1936, Honamog, BMW and Stoewer got the order to build an incredible advanced high performance 1/2 ton off road small 4x4 vehicle. With an H type steel chassis, front 1.8-2.0L OHV dry sump engine, 5 speed ZF gear box, full time 4 wheel drive system, self locking  middle
differential at gear box, independent coils all around front and
rear suspension, both front and rear axle with self locking
Differentials, part time 4 wheel steering,( rear wheel steering
for under 20km/h use or for off road only). A steel open body,
with a 3 door or 4 door design. The three manufacturers used the
same parts to assemble these vehicles. They appeared in every theatre of the war in North Africa, some went to the Eastern front and even at Russian They were widely used without any modifications, thus demonstrating the great adaptability and versatility of this vehicle.  In the same time, Mercedes-PKW also built a similar type G5 (W152) with a side valve 45hp 2.0L 4 cylinder engine. It looks same as the Mercedes 170 engine but a little more powerful ). Chassis and suspension, gearbox all close to the specs of the Stoewer, but single coil at each wheel. The Mercedes-Benz G5 is very interesting, as a military vehicle the Pkw Kubelwagen was mainly used by Germany's allies during WWII, Rumania, Hungary etc, the few that remained in Germany were usually privately bought and used by the German Fire Service or German  Alpine
Red Cross. As the G5 was not an official German military vehicle,
but a private design by Mercedes, it was therefore sold to
Germany's allies as there was a very limited choice of customers
for privately designed German vehicles during war time. 378 have
been made. This vehicle is very similar to the Stoewer R180/R200,Hanomag B20,BMW 325.It was not a copy. This was the German army had ordered all car manufacturers in 1933 to design a "Einheits-Pkw mit Allradantrieb" , a Uniform Passenger Car with 4WD. All manufacturers had to follow identical blueprints and technical layout. At end of 2007 one G5 complete car needing a full restoration and rebuild. The complete rust car Asked over half million Euro. Meanwhile the USA army does not have any small all wheel drive vehicles until 1940, instead Bantam, Willys and Ford use a 4wd truck design to build a small GP. It uses 4 wheel leaf  spring,
2 live axles, an H type ladder chassis, a 2L side valve engine and
a 3 speed gear box with part time 4x4 system. We know this as the
first US jeep. Willys and Ford build over 600,000 2.2L MB/GPW between
1942-45. Also some Dodge mid size 4x4 made between 1940-45
WC6/WC7/T202-VC1/T211-WC15 and WC56/WC57 base from a 1/2 ton and
3/4 ton Dodge 4x4 truck, front and rear with live axle, 4 wheel
leaf spring .
Today every people believe Jeep = small
sturdy multi-purpose motor vehicle with four-wheel drive, can go
any where. Than Jeep must be the Germany 1936 made Kfz
R180,B20,BMW325 not US 1940 made Willys MA,Bantam MKII,1941 Bantam
BRC or Ford GP. At 1941 Ford use a GP chassis to build a all time
4WDS jeep, Willys also build another 4WDS at 1945, But both
unsuccessful, because all time 4WS made the driving more
difficult, when speed over 25KM/H, the car can not under control.
 The
British army does not even have a small 4x4 during WWII, Instead
they use a lot of 30s civilian 8-12hp rear wheel drive light van
chassis manufactured for military use by Morris, Austin, Standard,
Hillman, Vauxhall, Wolseley, Humber, Ford, Commer, Guy and
Bedford. They all use a 4x2 light truck as the base of this army
vehicle. Some just lift the suspension a little and fit over size
off road tires on the light van. No performance off road vehicle
until 1949, when they use a Willys jeep 2.2L engine chassis to put
a Rover 1.6L engine and put the steering in the middle and make a
3 seat 4x4. This was a copy of MB/GP jeep but with less power and
only 3 seats, incredibly this was the first Land Rover prototype.
The Soviet Union Army built the GAZ-67B between 42-53, a 4 cylinder 3.3L engine with 4 speed gear box, parts time 4wd system. 2 live axle, leaf springs, like a BM/GPW jeep. Over 60,000 have been made. Japan at mid of the 1930s produced a Kurogane model 95 small tiny ( some people say "Black Medal") 4x4 with a twin cylinder V shape 1.4L air cooled motorcycle engine, 3 speed gear box, and a  unreliable
4wd system. The front IFS got flexible joint without rocker arm
cover. to the front differential. A total of 4,775 been made. This
car was very unreliable and under power. Clearly the evidence is that Germany standard military Vehicles were the best in the world at that time. Until today, over 70 years later no SUV or 4x4 had a better mechanical design than the Hanomag/BMW/Stoewer/Mercedes car. It is a super off roader and has a modern performance and reliable design. Both three manufactures built the first series unit as a command car, standard staff car, radio car, field  Telephone
unit, anti-aircraft car ,maintenance work shop, scout car, etc,.
This is a Great off road car of the 20th Century.Because the price to made this type small off road vehicle is too high and the capacity is not big enough to carry 5-7 persons and power not enough to towing a Gun. Maintenance and supply of spare parts were another major problem, as they were deployed to Eastern front, North Africa and on the Russian. In 1940 the production stopped, Hanomag  model
less than 2000 unit and BMW made 3225 unit. The more simple easy
maintenance low cost, light weight off road vehicle VW 82 KdF
Kubelwagen was in full production. At the same time, Steyr 1500A, Horch 108, Auto Union/Horch 901Type40 also built a 1-1.5 tonnes 7seat with a powerful V8 3.5-3.8L big size multi-purpose vehicle for towing, although Stoewer was still making some Kfz (but without 4 wheel steering model R200 Special Type 40.) From 1936-1944.Around 7,500 were made by Stoewer.  As all the early 4WDS Kfz1,Kfz.2,Kfz3,Kfz4,20B and LEPkw used from beginning of the WWII in North Africa and on the Eastern front and Russian, until the end of the war. This type of small high performance off road vehicle were mostly destroyed during the war. After the War not many have survived, most of Stoewer later R200 Type 40 model were used by the fire Dept, air port service and used in Eastern Europe after the War. Today not many early R180.B20, BMW 325 and Mercedes G5  4wds
models have survived, you still can find a few in the world; A
little No. of Stoewer later model R200 Typ 40 in Museums and
others on historic vehicle collectors hand in Europe. The one we
have acquired is from France and was shipped to New York and now
in Hong Kong at our 4wd Co. We believe this is only one in Asia,
it is very complete no rust and in reliable running condition,
with 3 door model Kfz.2 and it is use for Radio/ field Telephone
or a field maintenance vehicle at WWII use by the German Army at
Eastern front. We believe some OE parts still at Eastern Europe
and Russian. if you know some early R180,B20,BMW325 parts, or a
complete car, please kindly e mail us at
metaltankmodel@yahoo.com
or put at www.tankmodel.com
,We will pay cash to buy them, any parts, like engine parts, gear
box, axle, suspension, differentials, shock, chassis, body parts,
door,
light, cv joint, propeller shaft, steering box, wheel or a rust
body, etc. We also need war time picture and manual, magazine,
history, every thing about this early type B20/R180,325/G5,R200
Typ 40.Shipping is not a problem, we will pay the fright. If you got one such as R180,B20,BMW325 or even a Stoewer R200,Mercedes 170VL,Mercedes G4,G5,Horch 901,Auto Union/Horch 108,Steyr 1500,KdF 60,82e,87,82,166, Trippel, Tempo, etc, please e mail us. We will have some nice new metal parts for your collection, such as alloy made fuel tank, War time head light cover, new radiator etc. We can hand made some metal parts to help your car running. we also made 1:8,1:6 WWII metal tank model in HK. Here are our tank model website www.tankmodel.com |
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