EFA Auto Museum

EFA Auto Museum
Amerang, Germany
June 30

Sometimes plans come together. Bob had heard about a museum of German cars in the boondocks of southern Bavaria but couldn't find the city on any map. A visit to an always-helpful "I" (tourist information office) in Burghausen uncovered a brochure with a map. Voila. A task for the afternoon was in hand. And so here's a bunch of pictures of German cars. Saves you the 6.50€ entry fee.

The guy behind the desk, when asked why the museum is in such a small town on the outskirts of nowhere, just said "Yep, isn't it". They count 220 cars, most nicely restored but some left in original, used but serviceable condition. They are arranged into an orderly manor - Porsches together. 1930s cars together. Horch/Wanderer/Auto Union together. Big Benz's, Maybachs, etc. together. Microcars. Roadsters. etc. Here's some of interest, chronologically.

At the front door are a 1886 Daimler and an 1886 Benz.
Either there are hundreds of these in museums around the world or these,
like many others, are replicas.

1909 Opel

1911 Adler

1918 Benz - a very big boattailed car.

Notice the taillight stalks.

1925 Hanomag - Very aerodynamic for it's day.
The slab sides, integrated fenders, and rear engine don't match the wood spoke wheels.

1927 Dixie - A forerunner of BMW.

1928 DKW - Fabric-covered body.

1931 BMW - boattailed small roadster.

1931 Mercedes Benz - gorgeous.

1934 Adler

1934 BMW

1934 Hanomag

1934 Ford Eifel

1936 DKW

1936 Mercedes Benz Type 170H - notice the star emblem on the hood.
We thought it was a VW prototype and maybe it is.

1936 Wanderer - A predecessor of AUDI

1937 Adler - Looking like a Chrysler Airflow of the same era.

1937 BMW - gorgeous.

1937 Wanderer

1938 BMW

1938 Horch Woody - three rows of seats.

1938 Opel Kapitan - looks like an Auburn.

1939 Ford Taunus (not Taurus)
Smaller than a American 1939 ford but very similar.

1939 NSU Fiat Spider - Fiat engineering sold to the world very early.

1942 VW Schwimmenwagen.

1949 IFA

After WWII, there were many microcars produced in Europe, mainly Germany. As the economy recovered and people needed cheap transportation many engineering exercises were tried. Most not very successfully. They are fascinating. There's a museum devoted to these microcars in the north of Germany and we hope to get there.

1950 Kleinschnittger

1952 Ford Taunus

1954 Fuldamobil - 3 wheeler and looks like a plastic body, not to mention a death trap.

1955 Messerschmitt

1956 Heinkel - looking like a copy of the Isetta but came out a year earlier.

1956 Maico

1957 BMW Isetta - 4 wheels but the back two are only a foot apart.

1957 BMW Isetta - 2 door, 4 passenger model.

1957 Gogomobil - When was the last time you saw a gogomobil?

1957 Viktoria - looks like another plastic body.

1957 Zundapp - Now this one is a pip.
The front door is in the front and the back door is in the back.
The 2nd bench seat faces backward.
The only windows which open are the wing 4 vent windows, the back two as scoops.
There's a gap between the front and rear seats where a spare tire lays down.
We just can't make this stuff up.