Rare German Auto-Union / Wanderer 1937 W50L.
Wanderer is one of the four rings of Auto-Union, 4 smaller companies that banded together to survive the German depression post WWI. Those four companies were DKW, Audi, Wanderer and Horch. Only DKW and Audi survived past WWII, DKW eventually being purchased by Daimler-Benz in the mid 60's, leaving the 4-rings symbol to Audi.
95% complete, little or no rust, but in need of complete restoration. It's been stored indoors for years, the paint is rough and has been reworked. The door panels are intact but the cloth on the seats has been replaced several times. At last check, the engine still was "free" and turns. In the past, someone replaced the original distributor and starter with Delco instead of the standard Bosch. The speedometer is intact but the other multi-guage is missing.
The Russians captured the Wanderer Werke after WWII and carried off the dies and tooling, eventually building their "Moskovitch" well into the 50's. I understand that some pieces fit the pre-war cars, others are available during German "Old-Timer Festivals", their version of classic car shows.
Wanderer 2 door sport convertibles are pricey but reasonably easy to find, this car is one of three W50's I believe to have found in the world!
If you google "Wanderer W50L", you'll find a nearly identical car in the Netherlands in similar condition, the other is in the Porsche Museum. Professor Porsche left Daimler-Benz in a huff to open his own design studio, this car and it's engine were some of the first commissioned works he did.
Although this car is titled and it's ID plates confirm it as a 1937, it doesn't completely resemble a "proper" model for that year. It also has rear mounted spare tires instead of side mounts as in the car in the Netherlands. The grill and front and rear suicide doors match the museum car.
The collector I purchased this car from claimed that it originally belonged to the German Embassy as the diplomat's limousine. When the Germans bombed Poland in 1939, they were kicked out of the U.S., the keys handed over to their American driver. As told, he eventually sold the car to one of JFK's under secretaries who drove it into the 60's when it broke it's timing gear. After Kennedy was shot, the gentleman was reassigned to North Africa. While in Tunisia, he stopped his car for fuel and struck up a conversation with the station attendant, telling him about his broken Wanderer. The attendant promptly went into the back room and produced a NOS gear! I Have Not been able to verify this story but it's certainly interesting!
If true, is certainly adds to the value of the car.
Please feel free to e-mail questions. No "tire kickers" please! If you don't have the money for both the car and it's restoration, please don't waste my time. I will NOT entertain scammers who will "send a representative with a check and a transporter to get the car"! Thanks for looking!
January 25, 2012 - lowered price by $4000!SOLD
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