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Porsche’s Answer To The Jeep: The Rare 1955 Porsche Type 597 “Jagdwagen”

The Porsche Type 597, perhaps best known as the “Jagdwagen” or “hunting car,” is an amphibious military 4×4 developed for a German military tender in the early 1950s.

The car you see here is chassis #005, the 5th prototype that was built from a total of 22. The Jagdwagen is powered by a modified Porsche 356 engine, it has selectable four-wheel drive, and a sealed monocoque hull that doubled as a hull for amphibious deployment.

Fast Facts – The Porsche Type 597 “Jagdwagen”

The Porsche Type 597 “Jagdwagen” is undoubtably one of the most interesting Porsches of the 1950s and in a way, it as a combination of Porsche’s experience designing both sports cars and tractors.
Ferdinand Porsche had prior experience developing off-road military vehicles for the German military during WWII, including both the Kübelwagen and the (appropriately named) amphibious Schwimmwagen.
In the early 1950s the German military put out a tender for a locally produced off-road vehicle to fill the same role as the American Jeep and British Land Rover. Just three German manufacturers produced prototypes – Porsche, Auto Union (DKW), and Goliath (a Borgward subsidiary).
The three prototype designs were the Porsche Type 597, the DKW Munga, and the Goliath Type 31. The Munga would ultimately win, largely because it could be produced in the volumes required and because it was inexpensive. The Porsche design was arguably the best of the three.
The Porsche Type 597 you see here is the 5th prototype produced of 22 total. In all 71 Porsche Type 597s would be built and it’s thought that approximately 50 remain.

The Jeep, The Land Rover, And The Germans

During WWII the Willys Jeep had proven itself as one of the most valuable vehicles of the conflict, in fact on a pound-for-pound basis it was probably the most useful military vehicle ever made.

Above Video: This is original footage of the Porsche 597 in testing in 1954. As you can see, it has excellent off-road ability and would have been a good match for either the Jeep or Land Rover.

During WWII the Germans had the two-wheel-drive Kübelwagen (50,435 built) and the four-wheel drive amphibious Schwimmwagen (14,265 built). In the post war years the German military wanted a vehicle more like the Jeep, something small, lightweight, simple, four-wheel drive, inexpensive, and able to be produced in large numbers.

A tender was put out and three manufacturers responded DKW (Auto Union), Goliath (a Borgward subsidiary), and Porsche. Interestingly Germany’s largest automaker, Volkswagen, didn’t submit a design proposal despite the fact that they had the most experience building vehicles of this type – possibly because they were struggling to keep up with demand for the Volkswagen Beetle.

Ultimately the DKW Munga would win the tender, the name “Munga” comes from the German term “Mehrzweck Universal Geländewagen mit Allradantrieb,” which translates to “Multi-Purpose Universal Off-Road Car With All-Wheel Drive.”

The Porsche Type 597 “Jagdwagen”

The Porsche Type 597 was developed with the benefit of Ferdinand Porsche’s prior experience developing the Kübelwagen and Schwimmwagen during WWII. Many of these lessons were integrated into the Type 597, particularly those from the four-wheel drive amphibious Schwimmwagen, which would essentially be a direct ancestor of the new Porsche 4×4.

The design of the Porsche Type 597 was clearly influenced by earlier military designs from Ferdinand Porsche, including the Kübelwagen and Schwimmwagen from WWII.

The Type 597 is historically notable for a few reasons, perhaps most of all for the fact that it was Porsche’s first four-wheel drive. Years later in 2002 the company would release the Porsche Cayenne followed by the Porsche Macan. These two SUVs would become the marque’s best-selling vehicles, helping to ensure the company’s survival well into the future.

The Type 597 has a stamped steel monocoque chassis that was designed using lessons from the Schwimmwagen. The body essentially acted as a watertight hull, and some early development versions were fitted with a propeller and oars specifically for water use.

Power was provided by a modified version of the flat-four, rear-mounted engine from the Porsche 356. Initially in 1.5 liter displacement, with later models getting the 1.6 liter version. Power was listed as 50 bhp, enough to give the Type 597 a top speed of 100 km/h (62 mph) and the ability to climb gradients of up to 65%.

Fully independent torsion bar suspension with shock absorbers is fitted front and back, with drum brakes at all four wheels and selectable four-wheel drive. A folding soft top was provided for inclement weather and early versions had no doors, just high sills. Some later versions would receive steel doors.

The interior of the Jagdwagen is spartan, there is seating for four, a folding soft top, a fold down windscreen, and some space for cargo.

When it became clear that Porsche wouldn’t win the military tender they tried marketing the Type 597 for outdoors people and hunters, hence the nickname “Jagdwagen” or “hunting car.” By the end of production in 1958 just 71 examples had been built (including the 22 prototypes), and it’s believed that approximately 50 have survived to the current day.

The Type 597 Jagdwagen Shown Here

As mentioned above, the Jagdwagen you see here is chassis #005, the 5th prototype of the 22 that were made. Given that this is an early prototype it’ll be of particular interest to collectors, collectors that have in the past included the likes of former Jagdwagen owner Jerry Seinfeld.

This vehicle has had a complete, professional restoration that was completed in Germany. It’s now finished in period-correct Olive Green paintwork, it’s fitted with a matching green canvas interior, and it has the correct folding top.

This Jagdwagen is now due to roll across the auction block with RM Sotheby’s in August in Monterey, California. If you’d like to read more about it or register to bid you can visit the listing here.

Above Video: This short film gives a fast-paced look back at the history of the Porsche Type 597.

Images courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

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Retro Vanlife: A 1982 Chevrolet K20 Scottsdale 4×4 Caveman Camper

This 1982 Chevrolet K20 Scottsdale has been fitted with a 1973 Caveman Camper and the original 6.2 liter diesel V8 has been removed and replaced with a more modern and more powerful 7.4 liter (454 cubic inch) gasoline V8.

Four-wheel drive camper rigs like this exploded in popularity in the 1970s, they allowed an entire generation of Americans to venture off the beaten trail for weekends or weeks at a time, with (almost) all the modern conveniences of a house.

Fast Facts – A Chevrolet K20 4×4 Caveman Camper

The Chevrolet K20 is a member of the Chevrolet C/K family of pickup trucks that were released in 1959 and sold until the year 2000 through four generations, with a slew of major upgrades over the decades.
These trucks were all body-on-chassis with a front mounted engine that drove either the rear wheels only or all four wheels on the 4×4 models. Both single and double cab versions were offered.
The 1982 Chevrolet K20 you see here is from the third generation of the model series. This example is 4×4 and it has a three-speed automatic transmission with a two-speed transfer case. The original 6.2 liter diesel V8 has been replaced with a 7.4 liter gasoline V8.
The truck is fitted with a 1973 Caveman Camper with its original wood-veneer paneling, high-pile green carpeting, and flower-patterned upholstery. The camper has four jacks allowing it to be removed so the truck can be used separately.

Caveman Campers

Caveman campers entered production as early as 1958, there’s a very limited amount of reliable information about the company online, likely as they ceased production back in 1980.

The Caveman Camper on the back has sleeping space for two, a dinette set, a kitchenette with an oven, gas burners, and a fridge, a toilet, shower, and plenty of cabinet space.

It appears that the company was based on Vancouver Island in Canada and that they built truck campers, travel trailers, and Class C motorhomes.

The Caveman Camper you see here is a great example of 1970s-era truck camper, it’s finished with a slew of retro features like wood-veneer paneling, high-pile green carpeting, and flower-patterned upholstery.

Inside you’ll find a double bed sized alcove above the truck cab, a dinette with with seating for 3-4 people, a toilet and shower, a kitchenette with a sink/tap, refrigerator, oven and gas burners, and plenty of cabinet space.

The camper is showing signs of age, as you might expect for an unrestored example that’s almost 50 years old. That said it all appears to be entirely serviceable, and it’ll be popular with fans of retro interior design.

The Chevrolet K20 4×4 Camper Shown Here

The pickup truck you see here is a 1983 Chevrolet K20 with the “Scottsdale” trim option, a step up over the Custom Deluxe and base trim levels.

This truck is equipped with air conditioning, locking front hubs, seating for three on the front bench seat, front and rear hitch receivers, an AM/FM cassette player, twin fuel tanks, and a CB radio.

This K20 has a 4×4 drivetrain with a three-speed automatic transmission and a two-speed transfer case. As mentioned above this truck was originally fitted with a 6.2 liter diesel V8, this engine has since been removed and replaced with a considerably more powerful 7.4 liter (454 cubic inch) gasoline V8.

The truck is finished in a Mahogany Metallic over Almond two-tone paint scheme, and it has front and rear hitch receivers, Rancho RS5000 shock absorbers, locking front hubs, twin fuel tanks, a CB radio, an AM/FM cassette player, and air conditioning.

The camper is fitted with four jacks, with one at each corner. These can be lowered to the ground to act as legs, allowing the truck to be removed and used normally, then returned and rettached when you want to take it somewhere new.

If you’d like to read more about this camping rig or register to bid you can visit the listing here on Bring A Trailer. It’s being offered for sale out of Salem, Oregon.

Images courtesy of Bring A Trailer

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A BMW K1100 “Flying Brick” Cafe Racer By Kustom Moto

This 1992 BMW K1100 has been rebuilt by the team over at Kustom Moto into a modern cafe racer. Unlike many vintage customs, this bike will be genuinely quick by modern standards thanks to its 100+ bhp engine, its modern suspension, and and uprated brakes.

Nicknamed the “Flying Brick,” the BMW K series motorcycles represented a major technological step forward for the German company when first released in 1982. The K100 is powered by an inline four-cylinder engine with double overhead cams and Bosch LE-Jetronic fuel injection.

Fast Facts – A BMW K1100 Cafe Racer

First appearing in 1982 BMW’s K series “Flying Brick” motorcycles were vastly more advanced than the earlier “Airhead” opposed twin-cylinder engines used in the more traditional BMW motorcycles.
The “Flying Brick” nickname came from the shape of the engine, essentially a rectangular box inline-four cylinder engine laid on its side that some felt resembled a brick.
The impetus behind the creation of the K series motorcycles was the surging popularity of the advanced (and popular) Japanese inline-fours. BMW developed their own unique version, and it would help define the direction of the company going forwards.
The motorcycle you see here is a custom built cafe racer version of the K1100. It has the front forks and brakes from the BMW R nineT, a Wilbers monoshock in the rear, Cerakoted headers with a titanium Akrapovic muffler, and heavily modified aesthetics.

Challenging The Japanese

In the late 1970s it was clear to the executives at BMW Motored that they were going to have to vastly modernize their motorcycle offerings to better compete with the surging popularity of the advanced motorcycles coming out of Japan.

The BMW K series engine is an inline-four that is laid on its side, the valves are on the left and the crankshaft is on the right.

Most agree that it was the release of the Honda CB750 in 1969 that triggered this change. The CB750 with its transversely-mounted inline-four cylinder engine with a single overhead cam, built in 5-speed transmission, electric starter, front disc brake, and no oil leaks was a revelation by the standards of the day.

Many Western motorcycle marques fumbled the ball and didn’t innovate in time to compete with the Japanese and as a result many went bankrupt or were rolled into conglomerates.

As the 1970s progressed and the Big Four Japanese motorcycle manufacturers went from strength to strength BMW began to make plans to significantly upgrade their two wheeled offerings. Inline-four cylinder engines seemed to be the way of the future, however they couldn’t copy the upright transverse layout used by the Japanese (though pioneered originally by the Italians).

The BMW K Series

For the K series BMW developed an inline-four cylinder engine with a 1000cc displacement that was laid on its side, with the cams on the left and the crankshaft on the right. This engine arrangement allowed the torque to be sent directly into the gearbox and from there to a shaft drive to the rear wheel, with just a single 90º direction change to get it to the rear wheel.

This bike is a good example of a modern cafe racer, it’s a 21st century version of those classic bikes ridden by the Ton Up Boys out of the Ace Cafe all those years ago.

The additional benefits of this layout include its very low center of gravity and the easy access afforded to all the major engine components for servicing or repairs.

First introduced in 1982, the BMW K100 would be joined by the three-cylinder K75 in 1985, and the BMW K1 would join them both in 1988. Multi-cylinder K series motorcycles remain in production today with BMW, including many of the company’s most advanced models.

The BMW K1100

The BMW K1100 was introduced in 1993 as a replacement for the K100. It featured a slew of upgrades over its predecessor and perhaps most importantly its engine was 10% larger, at 1093cc vs 987cc.

The K1100LT and K1100RS model variants were both high-end sport tourers aimed squarely at the pinnacle of the market in both Europe and the United States.

The front and rear suspension have been completely replaced with modern units and the front brakes have been significantly upgraded, further boosting the performance ability of the 100 bhp bike.

BMW engineers had increased the bore slightly to get the additional swept capacity, they also developed lighter pistons and reduced the engine’s reciprocating mass to reduce vibration and improve performance.

Suspension, aerodynamics, chassis, and brakes were all also similarly improved, some with lessons learned from the BMW K1.

In the early 1990s there were very few sport touring motorcycles that could hold a flame to the K1100 series, and interestingly BMW still remains at the pinnacle of this genre today.

The BMW K1100 Cafe Racer Shown Here

The K1100 you see here has been vastly modified from its original form by the team at Kustom Moto, a team that has become somewhat specialist in the modification of BMW K series motorcycles over the past few years, with a number of builds under their belt.

The rear subframe has been cropped and a shorter single-seat has been fitted – this is a bike that’s designed to carry just a single person at a time.

This build began with a full teardown, the front and rear suspension were completely replaced as were the brakes, and the original bodywork was all discarded in favor of a modern, minimalist look.

The new front end was sourced from a modern BMW R nineT, it includes upside down 55mm forks mounted in bespoke triple trees and it keeps the brakes – a pair of Brembo Monobloc calipers on floating rotors.

In the rear the original suspension has been replaced with a modern, fully-adjustable Wilbers monoshock and there’s an additional disc brake on the back to further aid in stopping. The rear subframe has been cropped and a new seat fitted to match.

Up front you’ll find classic cafe racer clip-ons and a headlight tucked in behind a black grille. The front fender is made from carbon fiber and it covers a chunky Shinko Trail Master tire, there’s a matching unit on the back.

This unusual custom BMW is now being offered for sale on Collecting Cars out of Brighton in the United Kingdom, if you’d like to read ore about it or register to bid you can visit the listing here.

Images courtesy of Collecting Cars

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American Designed + Built – The Byers SR-100: “The Most Beautiful Car In The World”

In February of 1957 the Byers SR-100 was featured on the cover of Road & Track Magazine, John Bond, the owner of the magazine, proclaimed that it was “The Most Beautiful Car In The World.”

Bond was so taken with the design that he actually bought the kit and built one himself alongside company founder Jim Byers. It would be the only car that Bond would ever build himself from scratch.

Fast Facts – The Byers SR-100

The name of the Byers SR-100 is relatively straightforward. Byers is the company founder’s surname, “SR” stands for “Sports Roadster” and “100” tells you the ideal wheelbase of the chassis that the body would be fitted to.
Jim Byers started out in the booming homebuilt car industry in 1952, working on a fiberglass Victress sports car. He would go on to partner with Dick Jones to develop the Meteor SR-1 sports car in 1953.
In 1955 Byers went his own way, he created a new version of the Meteor SR-1 body and called it the SR-100. He sold the fiberglass bodies via ads in the back of car magazines, customers would then fit their new body to the chassis of their choice, with a wheelbase of 100 inches.
The Byers SR-100 you see here was built on a 1953 Kaiser Henry J chassis, it’s powered by a Ford 302 cubic inch (5.0 liter) Ford V8 which is mated to a 3-speed manual transmission. It has independent front suspension, a live axle rear, and four-wheel drum brakes.

Jim Byers And The Most Beautiful Car In The World

Jim Byers joined the fast-growing kit car world in 1952 when he got his start working on the first fiberglass Victress body, a handsome design that had been created by industry pioneers Doc Boyce-Smith and Hugh Jorgensen.

This image from 1952 shows Jim Byers (left) helping to hold up the very first Victress fiberglass body. Byers would use this experience to create his own company, and develop the Byers SR-100. If you can identify the man holding the rear of the car please let us know so we can credit him. Image courtesy of Geoff Hacker.

Jim’s time working with moulds and fiberglass on the Victress gave him the hands-on experience he needed for his next project, he worked with Dick Jones to create the Meteor SR-1 sports car in 1953.

The Meteor made its public debut at the 1953 Petersen Motorama at the Pan Pacific Auditorium in Los Angeles, California and it received a warm reception. Byers and Jones decided to go their own separate ways in 1955, it was an amicable split, and they each continued developing their own designs.

Jim made a slew of improvements and modifications to the Meteor and released it later in 1955 as the Byers SR-100. A year later he released the closely related Byers SR-90, a sports car body designed for 90 inch wheelbase chassis.

Between 1955 and 1963 approximately 25 examples of the Byers SR-100 body were sold, it’s not known how many where built into complete cars by those who ordered them. Fiberglass automaker Kellison bought the moulds and rights to the Byers design and sold them in the 1960s, another company bought the rights to the SR-90.

The Byers SR-100

Developed and introduced in 1955, the Byers SR-100 was a lightweight fiberglass body designed to be fitted to chassis with a 100 inch wheelbase. 99 and 101 inch wheelbases could also be accommodated without too much trouble.

This car was refurbished in 2012, works included a new tan interior, new red paintwork, the addition of a Corvette windscreen, and wire wheels.

Jim Byers advertised his sports car in the back of car magazines, alongside a number of similar low-volume fiberglass body manufactures. The 1950s was a boom time for the custom and kit car industries, fiberglass technology seemed to be taking over the world – it was essentially the carbon fiber equivalent of the era.

When ordering your Byers SR-100 you would typically speak with Jim Byers directly, modifications could be made to the body when needed before shipment. Customers needed to source their own chassis, most chose a platform with independent front suspension and a live axle rear.

Engine choices did vary, though many chose a V8 for obvious reasons. The small block Chevrolet V8 had been introduced in 1954, pre-WWII Ford Flathead V8s were a cheaper option, and many cars had their engines and transmissions upgraded over time as there was little reason to keep the cars original.

It’s not know exactly how many SR-100s have survived to the modern day however there is a growing community of people dedicated to saving these cars and their fiberglass peers from the era, largely led by Geoff Hacker at Forgotten Fiberglass.

The 1959 Byers SR-100 Shown Here

The car you see here is a Byers SR-100 from 1959. The car was originally built on a 1953 Kaiser Henry J chassis, a chassis it still has today, but the original drivetrain is a mystery.

This Ford 302 V8 is said to have been sourced from a 1968 Ford Mustang. In Mustang trim it would produce 230 hp at 4,800 rpm with 300 lb ft of torque at 2,600 rpm.

In the 1960s this car had its original engine and transmission removed and replaced with a more modern Ford 302 cubic inch V8 sourced from a 1968 Ford Mustang and paired with a 3-speed manual transmission.

This SR-100 was placed into storage in 1973 where it presumably remained until 2012 when it was acquired by the current owner who is now offering it for sale.

A series of refurbishments began in 2012 to bring the car back to show-ready condition. It was repaired in bright red and a Corvette windshield was sourced and fitted – it looks good and it makes it far easier to find replacement glass in the future if needed.

The interior was re-trimmed with tan leather upholstery, 5″ wire wheels with knock-off hubs were added, a side-mounted exhaust system was fitted, the front fenders were given vents and a discreet hood scoop was added to ensure plenty of fresh cool airflow.

The car also has Stewart Warner instrumentation, a wood-rimmed steering wheel, a Nardi shift knob, a dash-mounted mirror, a fire extinguisher, and lap belts.

The car is now being offered for sale on Bring A Trailer out of San Diego, California. If you’d like to read more about it or register to bid you can visit the listing here.