Classic Audi spotted!

[Steve Sears]

David,
Our club is located at www.DKWClub.org
We almost always have at least one SP in the newsletter classifieds for
sale - and other cars anywhere from $0 (yes, free for pick-up) to $10,000+
(for the really mint, mostly overseas ones).  The DKW Monzas and Pumas (made
in Brazil)  are probably the most sought after postwar ones - the Monzas
were essentially racecars in production cladding (sorta like the Sport
Quattros of Audidom).  There are a few in the US - and are really big bucks
when they're available.  The 1000SP and F12 2-seat Cabrios are next
popular - an F12 was on eBay a while back.
Parts are available - in the US there are some suppliers of misc parts but
most are in Germany (eg: www.mobilitaeten.de) or South Africa
(www.dkw.co.za).  Rust is a common problem with these cars - the floor is
the first to go.  Martin Heese (Mobilitaeten) has repair panels for some of
these cars.  Unlike VW Beetles, however, the DKW/Auto Unions are not unibody
and the floor is not so structural (generic patch panels can be used).  The
most common problem is siezed engines.  The DKW engines were fed with a
pressurized crankcase.  The oil vapour (from 33:1 to 40:1 mix) lubed the
bearings.  The problem was, if the car was unused for a while and was left
outside in changing temp/humidity, the pistons and bearings would sieze up -
resulting in a dead engine.  My '64's pistons are in the process of being
removed - piece by piece - from the block in the hope of scavenging the
crankshaft and con-rods from the assembly.  The car was left outside in
Pennsylvania for a number of years - then engine was siezed and the floor
rusty.  The '62 was stored inside from '72 to about '95 - it runs like a top
(after firing out the mouse nest/dead mouse from the rear muffler).  I still
had to treat the floor with POR15 to keep the rust from dissolving it.
Maintenance is quite easy - although the car is reputed to burn points
(something I'll be checking this summer), it has only 7 basic moving parts
in the engine - 3 pistons, 3 con-rods, and the crankshaft.  No valves (side
valve), no water pump (thermosyphon).  It has 3 points on the end of the
crankshaft, and 3 coils over the engine.  I've removed the engine (less the
transmission and aluminum head) from the '64 by myself, by hand.  The beauty
of the car is in the simplicity - the interior vents redirect heat from the
rad which is located at the back of the engine compartment, cooled by a fan
which is part of the generator assembly.  DKW developed an oil injection
system which was known to fail - catastrophically - in winter.  Both of my
cars have the "Lubrimat" system - the '62 has one installed for
demonstration purposes only - it pumps oil in a circuit - and I run
synthetic Redline 2-stroke or Belray H1R - it smells less like a snowmobile
with the stuff.
These cars are by no means a Triumph - expect to be passed by most cars on
the highway - after they slow down to identify "What is THAT?".  I just turn
up the radio and cruise - I'm never in a hurry when I'm driving the Deek.
Suggested reading?  The club newsletter is really excellent....I can't say
enough about it.....
(Other than I'm behind schedule in producing the next issue...)  The web has
some good pages - the links are on the Club's site.
BTW - The Wartburgs and Trabants were produced in the East in the former
Auto Union factories from before WWII.  Last year I had my Junior at a meet
with a couple of Trabants - the similarity is striking (even though the
Trabbis would never show rust - they have cotton/plastic bodies)
As a word of warning, though, don't expect a small car to cost less to
restore than a larger car.  It might be a good idea to look for a restored
Deek than a "money pit" (like my '64) - it might end up costing less in the
end.
Steve Sears
1987 5kTQ
1980 5k
1962 and '64 Auto Union DKW Junior deLuxes
[SPAM Blocker Note: Remove SHOES to reply]

> From: David <duandcc_forums at cox.net>
> To: "Steve Sears" <steve.sears at SHOESsoil-mat.on.ca>,
> <quattro at audifans.com>
> Subject: Re: Re: Classic Audi spotted!
> Date: Fri, 4 Apr 2003 9:21:54 -0500
>
> Can anybody supply me with alink or contact information on the club? I'm
in=
>  the market for a fun little roadster, and this might be the ticket. I was
=
> considering cars like a TR6/7/8, but I would love to stay in the family.
Is=
>  there any suggested reading on these beauties? How hard is it to keep one
=
> of these? Like getting parts, having simple wortk done like maintenance
tun=
> eups, etc?