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Art & Inspiration Auto Union Race Car (O/T)

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by scootermcrad, Jun 3, 2009.

  1. scootermcrad
    Joined: Sep 20, 2005
    Posts: 12,382

    scootermcrad
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    This might be a little on the off topic side, but I ran across this car (the D-type specifically) on a friends blog and it caught my attention. Seem to be a bunch of us into old race cars around here, so I thought I would at least share. The metal work alone is very inspirational! Maybe it will inspire someone else.

    Here's the scoop... (the history text below was found at http://www.autouniondtype.com/)


    This unique race car was built by the order of Adolf Hitler before the World War 2. He offered 500,000 Marks in 1933 to build the fastest and most powerful racecar ever, to show the whole world that Germany is the most advanced country. Auto Union was the brand that later became Audi. The Auto Union D Type won several Grand Prix races, but after the war most of the cars were destroyed or lost. In the 1980's an American D Type fan, Paul Karassik, found the only 2 remaining car in the Soviet Union. One of these is the 1938 pre-model, and the other is the 1939 improved model. The 1939 model is going to be auctioned on 2007. February 17. in Paris. This vintage car is the most expensive car ever sold (11.5 million).

    I got so excited when I saw this car that I didn't even THINK to check to see if anyone had already talked about this car. DUH! here are some links to some other thread about this car and other Auto Union racers, including a thread by the boss. The topic is worth of starting again, for sure! Amazing cars!!

    http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=311943&highlight=auto+union
    http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=250364&highlight=auto+union
    http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=202913&highlight=auto+union
    http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=136413&highlight=auto+union
    http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=157748&highlight=auto+union


    Here are some other links on the car:
    http://www.autouniondtype.com/
    http://www.autoblog.com/2007/02/28/update-christies-explains-pulling-auto-union-d-type-from-auctio/
    http://carscoop.blogspot.com/2007/01/1939-auto-union-type-d-racing-car-to-be.html


    Some eye candy taken off the net...

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  2. Give Crosthwaite and Gardiner enough money and I´m sure they´d build you another one.
     
  3. scootermcrad
    Joined: Sep 20, 2005
    Posts: 12,382

    scootermcrad
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Damn! Also inspirational... :rolleyes:

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  4. scootermcrad
    Joined: Sep 20, 2005
    Posts: 12,382

    scootermcrad
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Is anyone on here building anything like this in their shop/business? I know there are some of you crazy metal guys here that are into doing scratch-built racers. Maybe you can share.
     

  5. JeffreyJames
    Joined: Jun 13, 2007
    Posts: 16,628

    JeffreyJames
    Member
    from SUGAR CITY

    Hve you heard the youtube videos of these things running in NYC when they were put in an Audi dealership (I think)? They are one of the raddest sounding cars ever. These cars make me weak in the knees dude .....for real.

    One thing I always wanted to see done on a Hot rod was the inverted Louvers much like the ones on this type D. They almost look like shark gills.

    They are beautiful to so the least.
     
  6. scootermcrad
    Joined: Sep 20, 2005
    Posts: 12,382

    scootermcrad
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Yeah! Amazing sounding! And YES! I agree those louvers are awesome looking!
     
  7. JeffreyJames
    Joined: Jun 13, 2007
    Posts: 16,628

    JeffreyJames
    Member
    from SUGAR CITY

    I would love to build something like these (way way waaaaay dumbed down of course) someday. I always wanted to save my '31 Chevy chassis and build upon that. I think that something along what Kirk is doing with a wider platform and more euro less Miller could really turn out cool.
     
  8. general gow
    Joined: Feb 5, 2003
    Posts: 6,407

    general gow
    MODERATOR
    Staff Member

    so tasty. the lines are just so purposeful. and i think i am a fan of the inverted louvers too.
     
  9. Weasel
    Joined: Dec 30, 2007
    Posts: 6,698

    Weasel
    Member

    Pure Art baby, Art... Sieg Heil!
     
  10. Beach Bum
    Joined: May 7, 2006
    Posts: 573

    Beach Bum
    Member

    Whats really interesting is the story of the guy who found the remains of two D-Types in Russia and was able to buy them and sneak them out. One car's frame had been cut in half and was being used as a farm trailer.

    Crosthwaite and Gardiner will build you one, but only with Audi's permission. Audi provided copies of all of the technical drawings and info on the cars with the proviso that they had say on any replicas that were built. Bernie Eccelstone, the evil dwarf of Formula 1, has an approved replica.

    The car in the pics above with the lovely young thing in the drivers seat was supposed to be auctioned last year but was withdrawn at the last minute. It seems that it was claimed that it was a specific chassis number and that it had won a Grand Prix. Well, some research came out that put that in doubt and the car was pulled. Also notice in the first pic that the nose is dented. A little accident unloading it in London prior to the aborted auction. D'oh!

    Cheers,
    Kurt O.
     
  11. scootermcrad
    Joined: Sep 20, 2005
    Posts: 12,382

    scootermcrad
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I noticed that too! Wondered about that. I figured you would be one of the guys to step up and mentioned it. HA! :D

    Trully an awesome car!
     
  12. Beach Bum
    Joined: May 7, 2006
    Posts: 573

    Beach Bum
    Member

  13. boldventure
    Joined: Mar 7, 2008
    Posts: 1,766

    boldventure
    Member

    [Crosthwaite and Gardiner will build you one, but only with Audi's permission. Audi provided copies of all of the technical drawings and info on the cars with the proviso that they had say on any replicas that were built. Bernie Eccelstone, the evil dwarf of Formula 1, has an approved replica. ]

    I would love to see the technical drawings for that car! The details are as intricate as a fine watch.
     
  14. scootermcrad
    Joined: Sep 20, 2005
    Posts: 12,382

    scootermcrad
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    That sad thing is, if I had 10 or 15 mil, I probably WOULD buy something like that before buying a big bitchin house overlooking the ocean, or something, and keep renting my little apartment. HA! :rolleyes: A sickness... The car would be worth more later anyway.
     
  15. miller91
    Joined: Dec 7, 2008
    Posts: 542

    miller91
    Member

    To me this is not off topic at all. There are SO many ideas that you can get from this historic cars that were built (and now restored) by amazing craftsmen. By the way, in some cases, these cars were built with magnesium bodies, as if aluminum isn't difficult enough. Auto Union worked with less money than Mercedes-Benz, however produced innovative and incredibly powerful machines. I had the good fortune to be at Goodwood Festival of Speed 2003, where a D-type Auto Union, after a meticulous pre-start preparation, fired up with a throaty roar. I was a foot away, despite pungent fuel vapors (god knows what's in that mix) and a glorious, deafening exhaust. Heaven...
     
  16. b-a-r
    Joined: Mar 3, 2007
    Posts: 64

    b-a-r
    Member
    from Oakland

    Car was up at Sears Point last weekend for the Wine Country Classic, snapped some pix.. beautiful car...

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  17. hugh m
    Joined: Jul 18, 2007
    Posts: 2,143

    hugh m
    Member
    from ct.

    Some one posted the later Porsche Can-Am cars the other day...what a difference. These, to my uneducated eye, look as nice as Millers.
     
  18. miller91
    Joined: Dec 7, 2008
    Posts: 542

    miller91
    Member

    With the Great Tazio Nuvolari, or Bernd Rosemeyer at the wheel, these Auto Unions must have been nothing short of shocking to see in a four wheel power drift...
     
  19. scootermcrad
    Joined: Sep 20, 2005
    Posts: 12,382

    scootermcrad
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Awesome pictures!! Thanks for sharing!!
     
  20. scootermcrad
    Joined: Sep 20, 2005
    Posts: 12,382

    scootermcrad
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Any chance someone might know more about the silver paints used in this era?
     
  21. theHIGHLANDER
    Joined: Jun 3, 2005
    Posts: 10,245

    theHIGHLANDER
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    While we might go into denial (purposely!), I think they are even nicer looking considering the end result. Remember form follows function and the early race world is oveflowing with that idea. Just to name a few: GT40 (all versions), 1/4 midgets, early modifieds, can am, early Ferraris like the Testarossa and 250 GTO. Least we forget to include them in that idea, even though it's like drinking Dom Perignon right from the bottle, early front engine dragsters. Anyone else able to relate them all to each other?

    Thanks for brining them (Auto Unions) up again...love it.
     
  22. Revhead
    Joined: Mar 19, 2001
    Posts: 3,027

    Revhead
    Member
    from Dallas, TX

    Unfortunately I don't think they handled worth a damn. Theres a modern video where they brought out three of them and putted them around town and it clearly demonstrates how easily they would bring the tail around. Still they are nice looking, well msot of them at least (no.5 is pretty ugly).

    From the look of the results, it looks like they failed in being the best of the best. Not many 1st place finishes by auto union in this list. Looks like Alfa was hard to beat.

    http://www.kolumbus.fi/leif.snellman/gpw3.htm
     
  23. One of my favorite cars. Reminds me of the Messerschitt Bf 109. So purposeful and menacing. Beautiful.
     
  24. JeffreyJames
    Joined: Jun 13, 2007
    Posts: 16,628

    JeffreyJames
    Member
    from SUGAR CITY

    I was just thinking about that too Scooter. That silver is nice. What would be cool is to see a Tank or Lakester built with some of this influence and taste.
     
  25. Let's just say I have some plans scribbled out. Jeem has been warned.
     
  26. KIRK!
    Joined: Feb 20, 2002
    Posts: 12,031

    KIRK!
    Member

    Sofa King Cool!!!!!
     
  27. Beach Bum
    Joined: May 7, 2006
    Posts: 573

    Beach Bum
    Member

    The races highlighted in blue in that list are Grand Prixs that counted towards the championship. The others are major non-championship events. Mercedes and Auto Union didn't compete in many of the lesser events. Alfas and Bugattis are dominant in those lesser events because there were (relatively speaking) so many of them. Bugatti and Alfa always built customer cars for privateers. The Mercedes and Auto Union GP cars were strictly factory efforts.

    Cheers,
    Kurt O.
     
  28. miller91
    Joined: Dec 7, 2008
    Posts: 542

    miller91
    Member

    A nod towards their competition, M-B's and Alfas of the period. The championship was swapped between A-U and M-B in the immediate pre-war (ww2) period.
     
  29. miller91
    Joined: Dec 7, 2008
    Posts: 542

    miller91
    Member

    and Alfa's mid-engined response to the Auto Unions, never raced if I recall right.
     
  30. Rootie Kazoootie
    Joined: Nov 27, 2006
    Posts: 8,134

    Rootie Kazoootie
    Member
    from Colorado

    The Rounds Rocket Spl. Indy car of 1949. A collaberation of Lujie Lesovesky and Emil Diedt. Too porky and undeveloped to get up to qualifying speed, but a noble attempt none the less.
     

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