peter thorogoods 1966 nsu spider ( believed to be the sole example in Australia )
NSU WANKEL SPIDER
Back in the 60's I was living in England and looking to buy my first car. In the back streets of North London was a dealer that had the "odd" cars that I always fancied, including Panhard 24BT, BMW 700 , and the DKW Junior that I eventually purchased. The "holy grail" for me was the pretty NSU Wankel Spider, and whilst I had only ever seen pictures of them , I knew that it was the car I really wanted. It was also a car that I could NOT afford, as it sold for the same price as an E Type Jaguar.
After moving to Melbourne in 1975, I continued my love affair with unusual cars, particularly DKW, and in May 1994 I happened to see an advertisement for an NSU Spider in an American car magazine. The dealer was based in Texas and as the vendor was a Mazda executive, and as the photographs looked alright, I bought it. Upon arrival it was obviously NOT from sunny Texas and had been sent there for sale from New York. Hence the discovery of rust and rot around the bottom 3 inches of the car led me to embark upon a full restoration.
The engine and mechanicals had only 20,000 miles shown on the tripmeter, but the engine was smoky and the "Achilles heal " of rotary engines, seal wear, was evident. A local Mazda mechanic made a butchers job of repairs and I eventually had to send the engine to Dr Fabritius in Germany as he is the specialist in Wankel repairs. Six months latter the rebuilt engine arrived back in Melbourne in pristine condition. The engine designation is KKM502 with displacement of 498 cc , developing approx. 50 hp ( DIN) at 6000 rpm. It has ported induction and exhaust controlled by rotor position. Alloy rotor housing and solex HHD 2 stage carby. It is water cooled from a radiator at the front, and with a sturdy electric fan to handle the high running temperatures. The engine is mounted under the rear boot, driving the rear wheels thru a 4 speed gearbox . The all up weight is 770kg, allowing a top speed of just over 90 mph. As with all rotaries, the fuel consumption is high at about 26 mpg.
Tony Carter in Wandin was commissioned to rebuild the body, with a total strip down brief. Trimming was given to Cel Pezzimenti of Design Auto Interiors and he skilfully reused much of the irreplaceable original trim material, only using matching new where necessary.
A decade after buying the car it was back on the road and taken to various shows in Melbourne and also driven to Canberra for the German Autofest. To my knowledge it is the only Wankel Spider in Australia, as most are still in the Fatherland, where there is a thriving Wankel Spider Club.
A little history regarding the rotary, which was going to change the future way engines worked when introduced in the 60's . After many years experimenting with rotary designs, Dr Felix Wankel working at the Neckersulm factory of NSU ( an abbreviation for Neckersulm, the town where the Neckar and Sulm rivers meet ) Germany, the engine was ready to be introduced. A smaller rotary had been utilised as a blower for the NSU motor bikes which captured many world records driven by Gustav Baumm 50cc - 196 kph, 100cc 222kph, and 125cc 242kph. Indeed NSU were the largest produces of bikes post WW2.The next step was to put the experimential engine in a little Prinz sedan for road evaluation.
As new technology, the Board decided that the time was right to go to the next stage , and have a small production run, and for this , the pretty Sport Prinz Bertone body was adapted and made into a roadster. Whilst this was done for economical reasons, the detail of the car is exquisite and the hood mechanism folding into the boot is complex and well thought out.
Production started in 1964, when 161 were made, 1965 - 925, 1966 - 578 and finishing in 1967 with 719. A total of only 2,375 being built. Most went to oil and car companies, who were keen to evaluate the new rotary engines. Speiss tuned Spiders became serious competition cars , winning hill climbs and rallies, but I suspect engine rebuilds were required frequently.
My car came off the production line on 3rd March 1966. VIN 5602191 engine 5021570. I believe it was the 197 th made. Production colours were red , white with just a few blue ones, but I decided on black. Regrettably not such a good colour for keeping clean!!
History has been unkind to the rotary engine, and after the Spider, NSU launched the 'Car of the Decade', the twin rotor Ro80. Metal technology was not up to todays standards, and high seal and housing wear , with expensive factory replacements, caused the end of the Ro80, and indeed the passing of NSU to VW and eventually into the Audi fold.
After moving to Melbourne in 1975, I continued my love affair with unusual cars, particularly DKW, and in May 1994 I happened to see an advertisement for an NSU Spider in an American car magazine. The dealer was based in Texas and as the vendor was a Mazda executive, and as the photographs looked alright, I bought it. Upon arrival it was obviously NOT from sunny Texas and had been sent there for sale from New York. Hence the discovery of rust and rot around the bottom 3 inches of the car led me to embark upon a full restoration.
The engine and mechanicals had only 20,000 miles shown on the tripmeter, but the engine was smoky and the "Achilles heal " of rotary engines, seal wear, was evident. A local Mazda mechanic made a butchers job of repairs and I eventually had to send the engine to Dr Fabritius in Germany as he is the specialist in Wankel repairs. Six months latter the rebuilt engine arrived back in Melbourne in pristine condition. The engine designation is KKM502 with displacement of 498 cc , developing approx. 50 hp ( DIN) at 6000 rpm. It has ported induction and exhaust controlled by rotor position. Alloy rotor housing and solex HHD 2 stage carby. It is water cooled from a radiator at the front, and with a sturdy electric fan to handle the high running temperatures. The engine is mounted under the rear boot, driving the rear wheels thru a 4 speed gearbox . The all up weight is 770kg, allowing a top speed of just over 90 mph. As with all rotaries, the fuel consumption is high at about 26 mpg.
Tony Carter in Wandin was commissioned to rebuild the body, with a total strip down brief. Trimming was given to Cel Pezzimenti of Design Auto Interiors and he skilfully reused much of the irreplaceable original trim material, only using matching new where necessary.
A decade after buying the car it was back on the road and taken to various shows in Melbourne and also driven to Canberra for the German Autofest. To my knowledge it is the only Wankel Spider in Australia, as most are still in the Fatherland, where there is a thriving Wankel Spider Club.
A little history regarding the rotary, which was going to change the future way engines worked when introduced in the 60's . After many years experimenting with rotary designs, Dr Felix Wankel working at the Neckersulm factory of NSU ( an abbreviation for Neckersulm, the town where the Neckar and Sulm rivers meet ) Germany, the engine was ready to be introduced. A smaller rotary had been utilised as a blower for the NSU motor bikes which captured many world records driven by Gustav Baumm 50cc - 196 kph, 100cc 222kph, and 125cc 242kph. Indeed NSU were the largest produces of bikes post WW2.The next step was to put the experimential engine in a little Prinz sedan for road evaluation.
As new technology, the Board decided that the time was right to go to the next stage , and have a small production run, and for this , the pretty Sport Prinz Bertone body was adapted and made into a roadster. Whilst this was done for economical reasons, the detail of the car is exquisite and the hood mechanism folding into the boot is complex and well thought out.
Production started in 1964, when 161 were made, 1965 - 925, 1966 - 578 and finishing in 1967 with 719. A total of only 2,375 being built. Most went to oil and car companies, who were keen to evaluate the new rotary engines. Speiss tuned Spiders became serious competition cars , winning hill climbs and rallies, but I suspect engine rebuilds were required frequently.
My car came off the production line on 3rd March 1966. VIN 5602191 engine 5021570. I believe it was the 197 th made. Production colours were red , white with just a few blue ones, but I decided on black. Regrettably not such a good colour for keeping clean!!
History has been unkind to the rotary engine, and after the Spider, NSU launched the 'Car of the Decade', the twin rotor Ro80. Metal technology was not up to todays standards, and high seal and housing wear , with expensive factory replacements, caused the end of the Ro80, and indeed the passing of NSU to VW and eventually into the Audi fold.
Murray's car - 1969 - featured in Australian classic car dec 2012
pls see article below:
Chassis number 380 01 11176
original engine number 612 01 11188
Engine number is now 612 01 12296 ( about no. 4! )
manufactured 8 september 1969 ( peak Ro80 production was 42 cars per day in October 1969 !)
offical Australian Export model
original colour Hunter Green
Black interior
MPH Speedo
Battery for the Tropics
Displayed at the Perth Motor Show in 1970 (in its original hunting green body colour).
Subject of a road test by R.A.C. of W.A. in Road Patrol, 1970.
Purchased from Tony Harman who used to run the NSU Register in Perth - a very nice fellow and very knowledgeable.
Tony had given the car a major restoration - full stripdown and repaint of the body in white, interior restoration, rebuild of all mechanical components (most importantly the NSU engine) and he also added Haltech fuel injection and direct fire ignition. Tony never quite finished the car due to other commitments - he is a very keen cyclist.
This car has some interesting features:
Nearly every component of the car has been replaced or reconditioned :
Rebuilt KKM612 NSU engine with new rotor housings and last series titanium alloy apex seals
Converted to electronic fuel injection ( originally solex compond sidedraft ) Haltech E6K programmable computer and 32mm motorcycle throttle bodies, yielding an estimated 20% more power ( est 135 hp @5,500 rpm , 135 lbft @ 4,000 rpm ) Estimated top speed is 200kph @ 6,500 rpm redline , 0 -100 kph is 10 seconds
Direct Fire Ignition has also been fitted , single coil & Bosch variable dwell ignition module
An electric vacuum pump has been fitted for the brakes , so that the original mechanical pump now only runs the vacuum clutch
original engine number 612 01 11188
Engine number is now 612 01 12296 ( about no. 4! )
manufactured 8 september 1969 ( peak Ro80 production was 42 cars per day in October 1969 !)
offical Australian Export model
original colour Hunter Green
Black interior
MPH Speedo
Battery for the Tropics
Displayed at the Perth Motor Show in 1970 (in its original hunting green body colour).
Subject of a road test by R.A.C. of W.A. in Road Patrol, 1970.
Purchased from Tony Harman who used to run the NSU Register in Perth - a very nice fellow and very knowledgeable.
Tony had given the car a major restoration - full stripdown and repaint of the body in white, interior restoration, rebuild of all mechanical components (most importantly the NSU engine) and he also added Haltech fuel injection and direct fire ignition. Tony never quite finished the car due to other commitments - he is a very keen cyclist.
This car has some interesting features:
- Genuine NSU alloy wheels - these are extremely rare in Australia - I have only ever seen one other set on a car. ( custom made centres )
- Original 4 headlight set (many cars have been converted to the later one-piece European lights) .Changed to early curved glass March 2013
- A clock that actually works because it has been restored!
- oil cooler and oil temp gauge fitted
- Intermittent wipers added (later cars had this)
- nice 80s stereo, koni shocks
Nearly every component of the car has been replaced or reconditioned :
Rebuilt KKM612 NSU engine with new rotor housings and last series titanium alloy apex seals
Converted to electronic fuel injection ( originally solex compond sidedraft ) Haltech E6K programmable computer and 32mm motorcycle throttle bodies, yielding an estimated 20% more power ( est 135 hp @5,500 rpm , 135 lbft @ 4,000 rpm ) Estimated top speed is 200kph @ 6,500 rpm redline , 0 -100 kph is 10 seconds
Direct Fire Ignition has also been fitted , single coil & Bosch variable dwell ignition module
An electric vacuum pump has been fitted for the brakes , so that the original mechanical pump now only runs the vacuum clutch
nsu and unusual - the rotary you have never heard of ...
AUSTRALIAN CLASSIC CAR - DECEMBER 2012
lap at eastern creek
MURRAY MULES IS THE DRIVER HERE - IN HIS OLD RED CAR
Michael Deane's 1969
Purchased 1970
$6,400 plus on road costs from Alan Henry Motors , Fyshwick ACT
Engine trouble was experienced soon after the warranty expired! The engine became difficult to start ( low compression ) and the spark plugs were heated to help starting ( a common occurrance with worn Ro80 engines ). An engine was shipped from Germany at great expense - but it only lasted about one year as well!! ( Michael thought if he bought a German made car he would NOT experience any mechanical trouble.
Michael's car is the only one accounted for of the 7 sold in the ACT.
Micheal sold the car to Alex Rodgers ( deceased 1998 ) in 1971 with 35,000 miles on it. ( Apparently he sold it at the pub when he was drunk - the Finnish Club - Bowman St Macquarie.) From recently found information, Alex sold the car after a short time and bought it back off John W Grant Motor Cycles on 23. 09 . 1973 for $4,200. Alex owned the car till 1998, maintaining it in excellent order . He replaced the engine in the car 3 times :
1. at 58,000 miles in October 1974. It was bought from an Audi - NSU dealer in Canberra - it may have been Greg Cusack Motors
2. again replaced 27.09.1979 - engine no. 0001000103AX , cost $4,215.55 from Greg Cusack, 28 Mort St Braddon
3. an engine was imported from Germany about July 1984 , eng no. 8406120 , cost DM 5865 , he also imported from Germany :
Alex had the car fully resprayed by Autohaus Perfection August 1993 , cost $4,822.00 Alex decided to sell the car due to health problems. Terry Nicholls ( deceased ) , a part time car restorer , bought the car and various parts . Terry reskinned the dash, replaced the door rubbers, and rebuilt the clutch after the car broke down in Adelaide.
Michael bought his old car back in 1998 ( after 27 years ! ) for $8,500 - more than he paid for the car originally! Since owning the car the following work has been done:
gearbox side seals replaced
vacuum pump rebuilt
carbies replaced
electric fuel pump fitted
thermostat replaced
brake master cyl seals replaced
Micheal's car has all the books : service books, owners manual, workshop manual , times guide and history file. Michael even has the original factory toolboard.
Facts on the car from Audi Tradition :
Chassis no. 380 01 12038 - the 12,038th Ro80 built
Production date : 17 . 10 . 1969
Original engine no. 612 01 12130
Current engine no. R8111R42361 ( the car has had 5 engines including the original )
Colour : 427 Padmagrun ( green )
Export : Australia Extras : front headrests, mile speedo , normal glass
Michael says the interior colour has been changed twice ; originally tan , then black , then back to tan!
$6,400 plus on road costs from Alan Henry Motors , Fyshwick ACT
Engine trouble was experienced soon after the warranty expired! The engine became difficult to start ( low compression ) and the spark plugs were heated to help starting ( a common occurrance with worn Ro80 engines ). An engine was shipped from Germany at great expense - but it only lasted about one year as well!! ( Michael thought if he bought a German made car he would NOT experience any mechanical trouble.
Michael's car is the only one accounted for of the 7 sold in the ACT.
Micheal sold the car to Alex Rodgers ( deceased 1998 ) in 1971 with 35,000 miles on it. ( Apparently he sold it at the pub when he was drunk - the Finnish Club - Bowman St Macquarie.) From recently found information, Alex sold the car after a short time and bought it back off John W Grant Motor Cycles on 23. 09 . 1973 for $4,200. Alex owned the car till 1998, maintaining it in excellent order . He replaced the engine in the car 3 times :
1. at 58,000 miles in October 1974. It was bought from an Audi - NSU dealer in Canberra - it may have been Greg Cusack Motors
2. again replaced 27.09.1979 - engine no. 0001000103AX , cost $4,215.55 from Greg Cusack, 28 Mort St Braddon
3. an engine was imported from Germany about July 1984 , eng no. 8406120 , cost DM 5865 , he also imported from Germany :
- rear exhaust silencer DM 302
- front shock set DM 273
- clutch servo motor DM 182
Alex had the car fully resprayed by Autohaus Perfection August 1993 , cost $4,822.00 Alex decided to sell the car due to health problems. Terry Nicholls ( deceased ) , a part time car restorer , bought the car and various parts . Terry reskinned the dash, replaced the door rubbers, and rebuilt the clutch after the car broke down in Adelaide.
Michael bought his old car back in 1998 ( after 27 years ! ) for $8,500 - more than he paid for the car originally! Since owning the car the following work has been done:
gearbox side seals replaced
vacuum pump rebuilt
carbies replaced
electric fuel pump fitted
thermostat replaced
brake master cyl seals replaced
Micheal's car has all the books : service books, owners manual, workshop manual , times guide and history file. Michael even has the original factory toolboard.
Facts on the car from Audi Tradition :
Chassis no. 380 01 12038 - the 12,038th Ro80 built
Production date : 17 . 10 . 1969
Original engine no. 612 01 12130
Current engine no. R8111R42361 ( the car has had 5 engines including the original )
Colour : 427 Padmagrun ( green )
Export : Australia Extras : front headrests, mile speedo , normal glass
Michael says the interior colour has been changed twice ; originally tan , then black , then back to tan!
DAVID BECKER'S 1976
THIS IS A PRIVATE IMPORT - INTERIOR, TAIL LIGHTS , AND BUMPERS ARE DIFFERENT TO THE OFFICIAL EARLIER AUSTRALIAN CARS, AND IT ALSO HAS A SUNROOF!
rO80 lands in Sydney
As a schoolboy growing up in England in the 1960s , the sight of an NSU Ro80 was like witnessing the arrival of a spaceship! . Compared with other family sedans at the time, the Ro80 had an 'other world' quality about it. It was both stylistically and technically a major leap forward of design. It looked and sounded unlike anything else!
Some 30 years on, and now living in Australia, I decided it was time to hunt down an Ro80 so I could convert the memory into physical effect. I set
off searching via all the usual channels, and after a while , a late production model in the UK caught my eye, residing on the Scottish border. It was from the second last year of manufacture - 1976, with just 46,000 miles on the clock. Notwithstanding the fabulous colour options of the marque, this one was a disappointing metallic brown. But it seemed to fit the bill in all other respects.
A deal was done, and with the help of an import agent , the car arrived about 4 months later. It was a horrible wet day when I set off to Port Botany to collect the car. It was parked at the back of a dismal and filthy shed, looking forlon covered in dust. It even had straw in the doors, despite the hefty port charge for cleaning. It coughed to life briefly, then refused to start again. After some scraping of the plugs & ignition points, the engine reluctantly spluttered back to life.
I set off back to Manly, a trip of about 25kms in the rain. The car was running very rough, stalling at every standstill. I had read Classic Car Journalist Martin Buckley's comments about how coarse these engines are at idle, but surely not as bad as this. The fanbelt was slipping and the vehicle would decelerate dramatically with throttle off. After a couple of kilometres I got out and felt the wheels. Both back wheels were very HOT , the offside alarmingly so. But I decided to press on with caution.
As I approached the Harbour Bridge, I heard a sharp noise from under the bonnet - it was without a doubt the noise of the fanbelt exiting the engine bay. Sure enough, the temperature started to rise quickly. The afternoon traffic was just beginning to thicken up and stopping on the Harbour Bridge was not a desirable option. I decided with luck I could get to the bridge apex, and then would coast down the other side and pull off into North Sydney. Anxiously I watched the temperature rise quickly into the red.....good grief, I was going to seize the engine on my 1st drive! I pulled off into Alfred St in North Sydney , steam spewing from everywhere, coolant drenching onto the ground.
As luck would have it , a mechanics workshop was a few paces away and after waiting an hour I drove the car promptly into their premises. It was fixed the next day, and I continued the journey home with only slightly less anxiety.
That night I was reading a book about the Ro80, a fabulous Brooklands publication of road tests taken through the production life of the vehicle. The last story is by Martin Buckley, who was putting one through its paces. As I looked at a photo of Buckley cornering with gusto, there was something familiar about the English plates. NMX 630P. I went outside with a torch, and sure enough, there parked on my drive was NMX 630P ! My thus far soured experience was transformed in an instant; it felt good to own the car featured in a publication, particularly one examined by such a notable classic car tragic!
After registering with the RTA, I set to remedial work. The brake pistons were all in very poor condition , but once cleaned , and with the odd replacement and new seals, they worked perfectly. With a new set of plugs, a through clean of the carby, and a few miles of use the engine started to run well. It fires up easily even when left for a couple of weeks , with none of the horrendous smoke stories that are indicative of worn rotor seals. In fact, though it drops a little oil, it rarely needs a top up despite lubrication being a total loss system. There is some minor rust in the front guards which I am attending to. But other than that the car is in great shape.
I have needed very few spares. But on occasion, Ive been grateful to Murray Mules in Canberra, a vital resource and friend when owing this piece of automotive obscurity. Murray is very knowledgeable and seems to dig into a rich vein of Ro80 spares. Other minor spares have been purchased via the internet : there's a sizeable stash in Holland.
Last winter whilst pottering around a 2nd hand shop I noticed a classic car encyclopedia under a table. I casually started flicking through the pages, slowing down as the alphabet reached NSU. There to my astonishment was a double page article featuring NMX 630P yet again! My car isn't just featured in the road test publication, but is captured in a classic car compendium too. With such published exposure, ant though of a respray to replace the metallic brown is now banished from my plans.
Its a breathtakingly modern car and lives up to the expectations formed in my youth. I like everything about it. If you ignore the skinny steering wheel and the soft sprung ride typical of the era, in every other respect it drives like a contemporary car. It is adequately powerful for todays traffic conditions and supremely stable at speed. With a road tested top speed of 110 mph , it was a fast car in its day. It is still a relaxing and very capable high speed car.
modern day risk analysis techniques ensure that any engineering advancements in car design are incremental; in todays environment no car manufacturer could come up with the sort of leap forward that the Ro80 represented in 1967. To quote Martin Buckley, we will never see its like again.
Some 30 years on, and now living in Australia, I decided it was time to hunt down an Ro80 so I could convert the memory into physical effect. I set
off searching via all the usual channels, and after a while , a late production model in the UK caught my eye, residing on the Scottish border. It was from the second last year of manufacture - 1976, with just 46,000 miles on the clock. Notwithstanding the fabulous colour options of the marque, this one was a disappointing metallic brown. But it seemed to fit the bill in all other respects.
A deal was done, and with the help of an import agent , the car arrived about 4 months later. It was a horrible wet day when I set off to Port Botany to collect the car. It was parked at the back of a dismal and filthy shed, looking forlon covered in dust. It even had straw in the doors, despite the hefty port charge for cleaning. It coughed to life briefly, then refused to start again. After some scraping of the plugs & ignition points, the engine reluctantly spluttered back to life.
I set off back to Manly, a trip of about 25kms in the rain. The car was running very rough, stalling at every standstill. I had read Classic Car Journalist Martin Buckley's comments about how coarse these engines are at idle, but surely not as bad as this. The fanbelt was slipping and the vehicle would decelerate dramatically with throttle off. After a couple of kilometres I got out and felt the wheels. Both back wheels were very HOT , the offside alarmingly so. But I decided to press on with caution.
As I approached the Harbour Bridge, I heard a sharp noise from under the bonnet - it was without a doubt the noise of the fanbelt exiting the engine bay. Sure enough, the temperature started to rise quickly. The afternoon traffic was just beginning to thicken up and stopping on the Harbour Bridge was not a desirable option. I decided with luck I could get to the bridge apex, and then would coast down the other side and pull off into North Sydney. Anxiously I watched the temperature rise quickly into the red.....good grief, I was going to seize the engine on my 1st drive! I pulled off into Alfred St in North Sydney , steam spewing from everywhere, coolant drenching onto the ground.
As luck would have it , a mechanics workshop was a few paces away and after waiting an hour I drove the car promptly into their premises. It was fixed the next day, and I continued the journey home with only slightly less anxiety.
That night I was reading a book about the Ro80, a fabulous Brooklands publication of road tests taken through the production life of the vehicle. The last story is by Martin Buckley, who was putting one through its paces. As I looked at a photo of Buckley cornering with gusto, there was something familiar about the English plates. NMX 630P. I went outside with a torch, and sure enough, there parked on my drive was NMX 630P ! My thus far soured experience was transformed in an instant; it felt good to own the car featured in a publication, particularly one examined by such a notable classic car tragic!
After registering with the RTA, I set to remedial work. The brake pistons were all in very poor condition , but once cleaned , and with the odd replacement and new seals, they worked perfectly. With a new set of plugs, a through clean of the carby, and a few miles of use the engine started to run well. It fires up easily even when left for a couple of weeks , with none of the horrendous smoke stories that are indicative of worn rotor seals. In fact, though it drops a little oil, it rarely needs a top up despite lubrication being a total loss system. There is some minor rust in the front guards which I am attending to. But other than that the car is in great shape.
I have needed very few spares. But on occasion, Ive been grateful to Murray Mules in Canberra, a vital resource and friend when owing this piece of automotive obscurity. Murray is very knowledgeable and seems to dig into a rich vein of Ro80 spares. Other minor spares have been purchased via the internet : there's a sizeable stash in Holland.
Last winter whilst pottering around a 2nd hand shop I noticed a classic car encyclopedia under a table. I casually started flicking through the pages, slowing down as the alphabet reached NSU. There to my astonishment was a double page article featuring NMX 630P yet again! My car isn't just featured in the road test publication, but is captured in a classic car compendium too. With such published exposure, ant though of a respray to replace the metallic brown is now banished from my plans.
Its a breathtakingly modern car and lives up to the expectations formed in my youth. I like everything about it. If you ignore the skinny steering wheel and the soft sprung ride typical of the era, in every other respect it drives like a contemporary car. It is adequately powerful for todays traffic conditions and supremely stable at speed. With a road tested top speed of 110 mph , it was a fast car in its day. It is still a relaxing and very capable high speed car.
modern day risk analysis techniques ensure that any engineering advancements in car design are incremental; in todays environment no car manufacturer could come up with the sort of leap forward that the Ro80 represented in 1967. To quote Martin Buckley, we will never see its like again.
facts on david beckers car :
Chassis no. 0861000719 or W6-4416006
En
En
ian darragh'S 1969
Chassis no. 380 01 12166
I saw the Ro80 for the first time in a dealership in Perth in late 1969 / early 1970, and was immediately smitten. The Ro80 was, and remains a very beautiful sculptured vehicle shape with many advanced mechanical features. The new price was almost twice my annual salary at the time. It wasn't until 1983 that I finally obtained one. I still have it and it has long been a love / hate relationship.
The vehicle was originally delivered new in Queensland and purchased from its first owner by Don Coney with about 27,000 miles on the clock. I bought it from Don when it had travelled about 34,000 miles. It has now done 81,000 miles.
I was soon introduced to the remarkable Mal Gardner ( deceased ) , trading as Citcon Motors. Mal serviced and repaired NSU's and Citroens using his many wrecks as his main source of parts, supplemented by some new parts salvaged from previous dealerships and servicing workshops.
The Ro80 spent a bit of time at Mal's workshop early on. I did one engine strip down and rebuild with him when a corner seal gave up not long after acquiring the vehicle. This stood me in good stead for the several rebuilds that I have undertaken over the years on NSU and Mazda rotaries.I also received great support from the technical experts who worked for and with me.
As an aside, Mal ran the most cluttered and dirty workshop I have ever seen, but, like those mechanics operating in back alleys of Jakarta, KL etc, he seemed to be able to effect sound repairs amidst the dirt. OH&S wasn't high on his agenda. Mal's use of angle grinders and oxy without any personal protective gear was the norm, but I particularly remember him arc welding ( more tacking than welding ) without any eye protection!!.
Timelines were meaningless for Mal , with small jobs turning into loss of the vehicle for several days as Mal swapped from job to job , chased up new wrecks, etc. On one occasion, the Ro80 was left at Mal's workshop for several weeks with a brake problem. During this time there was a break-in to the workshop. My rear door window was smashed and the contents of a dry powder fire extinguisher emptied into the pristine black interior. Mal replaced the window quickly and retained the vehicle to sort out the brake problem. He decided to use the Ro80 to commute the 30k to work each day while he established the exact nature of the fault. The fault manifested itself by the brakes failing to release after application ( I wasn't informed of the commuting at this time).Of course the inevitable happened! Mal slammed the Ro80 into the back of a Cortina causing substantial damage to the chassis frame and side fenders. Mal undertook to repair the ( uninsured ) vehicle. He eventually did in a fairly rough way and I got it back with fenders from a white Ro80 ( red and white piebald vehicle at this stage ). The Cortina owner and his insurer failed to get satisfaction from Mal and went after me - without success.
After a couple of years out of action, I had the vehicle re-painted, re-trimmed and used it as a work vehicle traveling to many south west towns and further afield to Kalgoorlie and Geraldton. I purchased another Ro80 with a car trailer load of parts from Mal as he finally went out of business. This vehicle subsequently went to another keen NSU owner as part of his collection of 2 and 4 wheel NSUs. I have retained a miscellaneous collection of parts , new and used .
In writing this piece I recall the many times I was let down by Mal and the many times he was able to come to my rescue. I still think kindly of him.
The NSU has had a large impact on my long suffering family, particularly my two girls who affectionately named it Snu, a name which still sticks as it is introduced to their children. Whether it has been helping with repairs or visiting the Munich museum and photographing the last production Ro80, Snu has maintained its presence.
It has a well deserved reputation for its ability to attract attention on the road, matched by its ability to let you down just when you are thinking that this brilliant vehicle is finally reliable. It is the ultimate cure for hubris. The most traumatic of these occasions wasn't an actual break-down but was its temperamental performance at my father funeral.
These break-downs are generally very repairable in situ. I carry a small set of tools and a spare diaphragm for the most common problems which has been the vacuum pump serving the clutch and brakes ( a suitable cork will allow the vehicle to be driven using the carby vacuum even if the diaphragm fails). Other peripherals such as the oil metering pump linkages and the mechanical fuel pump have had their moments. The engine has proved capable of keeping going even when severely compromised. Only once have I had to call in a tow truck.
When running well , the Ro80 is an absolute joy to drive. It handles very well, delivers a comfortable ride, its seating is first class and its interior spacious. After several engine strip downs involving bits and pieces including housings and apex seals from Germany, and with 77,000 miles up, the original single plug engine was pensioned off and I replaced it with a more or less identical engine from Hurley Engineering in the UK. This engine was performing well until I managed to emulsify the oil. It has taken me a long time to get everything right again so it can be used as a daily drive. All appears to be well at the moment ( I say with everything crossed and touching wood).
I am not religious, but am persuaded to the views of St Jude, the patron saint of desperate cases and lost causes. This is witnessed by my long relationship with the Ro80 and earlier dalliances with Mazda RX2s.
I saw the Ro80 for the first time in a dealership in Perth in late 1969 / early 1970, and was immediately smitten. The Ro80 was, and remains a very beautiful sculptured vehicle shape with many advanced mechanical features. The new price was almost twice my annual salary at the time. It wasn't until 1983 that I finally obtained one. I still have it and it has long been a love / hate relationship.
The vehicle was originally delivered new in Queensland and purchased from its first owner by Don Coney with about 27,000 miles on the clock. I bought it from Don when it had travelled about 34,000 miles. It has now done 81,000 miles.
I was soon introduced to the remarkable Mal Gardner ( deceased ) , trading as Citcon Motors. Mal serviced and repaired NSU's and Citroens using his many wrecks as his main source of parts, supplemented by some new parts salvaged from previous dealerships and servicing workshops.
The Ro80 spent a bit of time at Mal's workshop early on. I did one engine strip down and rebuild with him when a corner seal gave up not long after acquiring the vehicle. This stood me in good stead for the several rebuilds that I have undertaken over the years on NSU and Mazda rotaries.I also received great support from the technical experts who worked for and with me.
As an aside, Mal ran the most cluttered and dirty workshop I have ever seen, but, like those mechanics operating in back alleys of Jakarta, KL etc, he seemed to be able to effect sound repairs amidst the dirt. OH&S wasn't high on his agenda. Mal's use of angle grinders and oxy without any personal protective gear was the norm, but I particularly remember him arc welding ( more tacking than welding ) without any eye protection!!.
Timelines were meaningless for Mal , with small jobs turning into loss of the vehicle for several days as Mal swapped from job to job , chased up new wrecks, etc. On one occasion, the Ro80 was left at Mal's workshop for several weeks with a brake problem. During this time there was a break-in to the workshop. My rear door window was smashed and the contents of a dry powder fire extinguisher emptied into the pristine black interior. Mal replaced the window quickly and retained the vehicle to sort out the brake problem. He decided to use the Ro80 to commute the 30k to work each day while he established the exact nature of the fault. The fault manifested itself by the brakes failing to release after application ( I wasn't informed of the commuting at this time).Of course the inevitable happened! Mal slammed the Ro80 into the back of a Cortina causing substantial damage to the chassis frame and side fenders. Mal undertook to repair the ( uninsured ) vehicle. He eventually did in a fairly rough way and I got it back with fenders from a white Ro80 ( red and white piebald vehicle at this stage ). The Cortina owner and his insurer failed to get satisfaction from Mal and went after me - without success.
After a couple of years out of action, I had the vehicle re-painted, re-trimmed and used it as a work vehicle traveling to many south west towns and further afield to Kalgoorlie and Geraldton. I purchased another Ro80 with a car trailer load of parts from Mal as he finally went out of business. This vehicle subsequently went to another keen NSU owner as part of his collection of 2 and 4 wheel NSUs. I have retained a miscellaneous collection of parts , new and used .
In writing this piece I recall the many times I was let down by Mal and the many times he was able to come to my rescue. I still think kindly of him.
The NSU has had a large impact on my long suffering family, particularly my two girls who affectionately named it Snu, a name which still sticks as it is introduced to their children. Whether it has been helping with repairs or visiting the Munich museum and photographing the last production Ro80, Snu has maintained its presence.
It has a well deserved reputation for its ability to attract attention on the road, matched by its ability to let you down just when you are thinking that this brilliant vehicle is finally reliable. It is the ultimate cure for hubris. The most traumatic of these occasions wasn't an actual break-down but was its temperamental performance at my father funeral.
These break-downs are generally very repairable in situ. I carry a small set of tools and a spare diaphragm for the most common problems which has been the vacuum pump serving the clutch and brakes ( a suitable cork will allow the vehicle to be driven using the carby vacuum even if the diaphragm fails). Other peripherals such as the oil metering pump linkages and the mechanical fuel pump have had their moments. The engine has proved capable of keeping going even when severely compromised. Only once have I had to call in a tow truck.
When running well , the Ro80 is an absolute joy to drive. It handles very well, delivers a comfortable ride, its seating is first class and its interior spacious. After several engine strip downs involving bits and pieces including housings and apex seals from Germany, and with 77,000 miles up, the original single plug engine was pensioned off and I replaced it with a more or less identical engine from Hurley Engineering in the UK. This engine was performing well until I managed to emulsify the oil. It has taken me a long time to get everything right again so it can be used as a daily drive. All appears to be well at the moment ( I say with everything crossed and touching wood).
I am not religious, but am persuaded to the views of St Jude, the patron saint of desperate cases and lost causes. This is witnessed by my long relationship with the Ro80 and earlier dalliances with Mazda RX2s.
Jim Poate's Car
Tale of Woe !! .......I think that Jim had more trouble with his car than most!! makes for interesting reading and nice to see the Eurocars logo! Jim was kind enough to give me this information that he has kept for nearly 50 years ! I will scan more pages in when I get a chance! The engine was removed 3 times in 13,000 miles !
