Apollocar

Adler 7/15 HP
Car : Adler 7/15 HP
Year : 1912
Engine : 4 cylinders in line
Bore and stroke :75×100 mm
Cylinder capacity : 1768 cc
Gears : 3 forward
Brake horse power :15
Maximum speed : 42 mph
Wheelbase : 7 ft 10 ins (2.38 m)
Suspension : front and rear :semi-elliptic leaf- springs
Adler Fahrradwerke was founded in 1886 by Heinrich Kleyer in Frankfurt, initially producing bicycles and then motorcycles and typewriters. Adler turned to cars in 1899 with products that featured single-cylinder De Dion-Bouton engines and shaft drive and continued their involvement for 40 years.

The well known engineer Edmund Rumpler had refurbished the cars by 1903, fitting them with independent suspension, and engines and gearboxes in a single unit. In 1912 Adler opened an assembly shop in Vienna. They had also reached an apreement with an English coach-builder, Morgan. Morgan bought Adler chassis and fitted them with bodywork to suit the tastes of British buyers.
The 7/15 in an example of this collaboration as the body was built by Morgan. The engine was a derivative of the 1909 6/14 (stroke increased from 88 mm to 100 mm) having side valves, a twin block L cylinder head and magneto and coil dual ignition. An ear trumpet was positioned beside the driver’s seat so that the chauffeur could receive the passener’s instructions. Adler stopped producing cars at the outbreak of the Second World War, but it resumed the production of motorcycles in 1957.

Apollo 4/12 PS
Car : Apollo 4/12 PS
Year : 1913
Engine : 4 cylinders in line
Bore and stroke :75×116 mm
Cylinder capacity : 2040 cc
Gears : 4 forward
Brake horse power :20
Maximum speed : 56 mph
Wheelbase : 7 ft 2½ ins (2.20 m)
Suspension : front and rear :semi-elliptic leaf- springs
Apollo began as Ruppe & Sohn of Apolda in Thuringia but in 1910 it became Apollo Werke. It then started the manufacture of water and air-cooled vehicles (the latter were uncommon at that time) under the management of Karl Slevogt who was both a well respected engineer and a skilled driver.

The best known car was the sports version of the 1911 4/12 with a unit construction 1000 cc engine and gearbox that developed 12 bhp at 1,800 revs. There was also a Typ B Spezial (20 bhp at 2,200 revs) illustrated here. A record breaking car was developed from the latter which produced almost twice the power due to the capacity being raised to over 2000 cc. The 4-cylinder engine developed a heftly 28 bhp at 2,000 revs which gave a maximum speed of 56 mph. It weighed less than 1,545 lb (700 kg). Its sporting successes led Apollo to widen its production and it built large capacity engines, also water-cooled and, after the war, a V-8 with four wheel brakes. Apollo went out of business in 1926, leaving behind the memory of a small but well run and highly flexible company. During the period when it was regularly taking part in races it was quite common for its nippy little cars to cause problems for even the most powerful Bugattis on the race track.

Audi K 14/50 PS
Car : Audi K 14/50 PS
Year : 1923
Engine : 4 cylinders in line
Bore and stroke :90×140 mm
Cylinder capacity : 3536 cc
Gears : 4 forward
Brake horse power : 50
Maximum speed : 56 mph
Wheelbase : 11 ft 6½ ins (3.52 m)
Suspension : front and rear :semi-elliptic leaf- springs

Audi was born as the result of a quarrel which in June 1909 forced August Horch to leave the firm that bore his name. A variety of reasons were responsible for his being outvoted, not least of which were Horch’s racing failures in 1907. It took him only a month to found Horch Automobil Werke but the court at Leipzig ordered him to change its name (the new company name was very like the old one). August Horch then chose the latinised version of his own name, Audi (‘hark’ or ‘listen’). The 14/50 was also known as the Alpensieger because a string of victories won by Audis in Alpine competitions during 1912, 1913 and 1914 rapidly gave the German firm the reputation of being invincible in this type of event. The 14/50’s engine had overhead valves and many of its parts were in light alloy. Rudge spoke wheels were used. It was the first mass produced German car to have the driver’s position on the left. There was one brake on the transmission and a pedal brake that acted on the rear wheels. Its maximum speed was 56 mph. The 14/50 PS was replaced by the unsuccessful 18/70 PS Model M. Horch handed the technical direction of Audi to others and in 1928 it was absorbed into DKW.

Benz 20/35 PS
Car : Benz 20/35 PS
Year : 1910-1911
Engine : 4 cylinders in line
Bore and stroke :105×140 mm
Cylinder capacity : 4851 cc
Gears : 4 forward
Brake horse power : 35
Maximum speed : 52 mph
Wheelbase : 10 ft 10 ins (3.30 m)
Suspension : front and rear :semi-elliptic leaf- springs
Karl Benz, along with Gottieb Daimler, was the inventor of the internal combustion engine as a practical means of propulsion. The 20/35 PS, however, still used chain drive. Benz’s reputation increased with the arrival of a highly talented engineer, Hans Nieble, although the cars, which were very well built , fast and all powered by 4-cylinder engines (until1914) , remained in essence conservative.

Niebel changed over from engines with L cylinder heads to ones with T heads and chain drive was slowly replaced by shaft drive. One of Niebel’s masterpieces was the famous Blitzen Benz (200 bhp at 1,600 revs), which driven by Bob Burman, reached 142 mph in 1911. Its 4-cylinder engine had a capacity of 21500 cc. It was Hans Niebel, who by strengthening the design side of Benz and enabling it to assert itself in the racing field, was responsible for the German company’s return to the ranks of the world’s most prestigious manufacturers, in the second decade of this century. The First World War had a very severe effect on it and its recovery was very slow. In 1924 Benz agreed to merge with Daimler and this led to one of the most famous of car manufacturers, also known by the name Mercedes Benz.

DKW F1 500
Car : DKW F1 500
Year : 1931
Engine : twin cylinder in line
Bore and stroke :68×68 mm
Cylinder capacity : 490 cc
Gears : 3 forward
Brake horse power : 15
Maximum speed : 50 mph
Wheelbase : 6 ft 10½ ins (2.10 m)
Suspension : front and rear : transverse leaf- springs
DKW is Das Kleine Wunder, which in translation means ‘the little wonder’. The name, which later became a make, was given to a 25 cc engine by Jorgen Skafte Rasmussen, a Dane, who had settled in Zschopau, Saxony. DKW’s production the moved on from small engines to motorcycles and in 1926, to cars with twin-cylinder two stroke engines of about 600 cc and a self-supporting bodywork of wooden panels covered with imitation leather. In 1931 the front-wheel drive F1 entered production. This had a double member frame with brackets to support the bodywork. It had a unit construction engine and gearbox and independent suspension. The basic 2-seater version of this car weighed a mere 900 pounds (450 kg).

Its production figures give an idea of its success: 4,333 cars in 1931-1932, 13,000 a year in 1934 and 1935 , and almost 40,000 cars in 1937. In 1932, DKW, Audi , Horch and Wanderer linked up to form Auto Union which from 1934 until 1937 was especially well known for its powerful racing cars, gaining its victories with rear-engined cars. Auto-Union was absorbed by Mercedes in 1958 and in 1965 it was sold to Volkswagen. DKW suffered the same fate and after having launched a new line of two stroke models the name was dropped in 1966.

Gaggenau Typ 10/18 PS
Car : Gaggenau Typ 10/18 PS
Year : 1907
Engine : 4 cylinders in line
Bore and stroke :85×115 mm
Cylinder capacity : 2600 cc
Gears : 4 forward
Brake horse power : 20
Maximum speed : 50 mph
Wheelbase : –
Suspension : front and rear :semi-elliptic leaf- springs

Suddeutsche Fabrik of Gaggenau (Gaggenau being the Bavarian town where the factory was situated) started producing cars in 1904. Its origins however go back to 1895 when Bergmanns Industriewerk was founded by Theodore Bergmann. In 1895 he had bought the patent to a car called the Orient Express, designed by Josef Vollmer. The Orient Express was inspired by Karl Benz’s vehicles and had a water-cooled, single-cylinder 4-stroke engine, rear mounted and low tension magneto ignition. The Typ 10/18 , produced until 1910, had a monobloc engine with dual ignition which developed 20 bhp at 1,600 revs. Its maximum speed was about 50 mph.
Gaggenau also started to produce trucks in 1904 when its products were known interchangeably as Gaggenau or SAF (Suddeutsche Automobil-Fabrik). In 1910 SAF was taken over by Benz, with which it already had common interests. It continued to produce cars for a short time but later it concentrated on truck production. In 1926 Gaggenau was completely absorbed into Benz and it lost its separate identity. Gaggenau is also remembered for its involvement in racing, and was particularly active between 1906 and 1910.

Horch 583
Car : Horch 583
Year : 1938
Engine : 8 cylinders in line
Bore and stroke :87×104 mm
Cylinder capacity : 4944 cc
Gears : 5 forward
Brake horse power : 105
Maximum speed : 84 mph
Wheelbase : 11 ft 6 ins (3.50 m) or 12 ft 3½ ins (3.74)
Suspension : front: independent suspension with transverse leaf- springs and
wishbones ; rear : axle with semi-elliptic leaf- springs and hydraulic
shock-absorbers

August Horch was just 30 years old and had small financial means when in 1899 he founded the firm that bore his name, setting its factory up in a Cologne stable. Horch concentrated on light vehicles with motocycle style transmissions and advanced mechanical solutions. In 1902 he moved to Reichenbach in Saxony and in 1903 to Zwichau. The first 4-cylinder was a great success.
However, after internal disagreements August Horch left the company in 1909 to found Audi. Despite Horch’s absence the firm continued to make a name for itself through the refinement of its products. After the war Paul Daimler , who had left Daimler became the technical director. Daimler, supported by the advice of Professor Schlesinger, gave Horch an even more distinctive approach by centering its production on multi-cylinders. There were not many variants of the 853 which was built between1936 and 1939. The engine had an overhead camshaft, pressure lubrication, a 12-volt electrical system, coil ignition and a 5-sped transmission (fourth being direct drive and fifth being over-drive). There was a choice of disc or wire wheels and it had four wheel hydraulic brakes.

Maybach W5
Car : Maybach W5
Year : 1927
Engine : 6 cylinders in line
Bore and stroke :94×168 mm
Cylinder capacity : 6996 cc
Gears : 2 forward
Brake horse power : 120
Maximum speed : 80 mph
Wheelbase : 12 ft 0 ins (3.66 m)
Suspension : front and rear : semi-elliptic leaf- springs
Maybach was founded in 1912 in Friedrichshafen on Lake Constance to produce engines for airships and airplanes. It turned to cars as a consequence of the armistice imposed on Germany in 1918. Its first engine was a 6-cylinder and this was adopted by the Dutch firm Spyker. From engines it expanded to complete cars (the body being built elsewhere according to the client’s taste). The designer was Karl Maybach, the son of the founder, Whilhelm. He gave his cars large engines whose flexibility allowed the use of the gearbox to be reduced to a minimum. The W5’s transmission only had two speeds (like the Model T Ford’s), first gear was for climbing steep slopes and second gear, direct drive , was for starting and normal progress. Naturally there was a reverse gear. The maximum power of the W5’s engine was 120 bhp at 2,800 revs (it had side valves operated by rockers and camshafts). The W3, which preceded the W5 , was the first German car to have four wheel brakes.

Maybach moved on from 6 cylinders to 12 in an attempt to match its competitors. Maybach, which for years was synonymous with elegance, stopped producing cars in 1945. In 1966 it was absorbed by Daimler-Benz.

Mercedes 28/95 PS
Mercedes-Benz 770
Mercedes-Benz 170 V
Car : Mercedes 28/95 PS
Year : 1922
Engine : 6 cylinders in line
Bore and stroke :105×140 mm
Cylinder capacity : 7250 cc
Gears : 4 forward
Brake horse power : 95
Maximum speed : 72 mph
Wheelbase : 11 ft 0 ins (3.35 m)
Suspension : front and rear : semi-elliptic leaf- springs
The company name has always been and still is Daimler-Benz, but the cars themselves are generally known as Mercedes-Benz. The name Mercedes was imposed by Emil Jellinek who imported the cars into Western Europe and America, as that was the name of his daughter. From 1926 Mercedes was linked to Benz and the three pointed star became the firm’s emblem.

The first machine bearing this name was the 35 PS, dating from 1900, which at the turn of the century won numerous races, especially on the Cote d’Azur. Initially the name was only used for the racing cars but with time it came to be used for the entire production. It was followed by the 28/95 , which was one of Daimler- Mercedes’ most successful racing cars. Although it had a smaller engine, it developed its maximum power of developed its maximum power of approximately 95 bhp at the same engine speed (1,800 revs). It had an overhead camshaft, side valves, and a maximum speed of about 72 mph. In 1921 a versionwith a shorter chassis was driven to victory by Sailer in the Coppa Florio and came second in the Targa Florio. These successes however, must be credited to the driver as the car was not ideally suited to the Sicilian circuit. In the post war period modifications were made to the 18/95. These were mainly in the engine which became monobloc instead of twin block. In 1923 front brakes were added to the car.

The successes it gained in the sporting field encouraged Mercedes to continue racing. The racing and touring models, however, were kept very separate, the tourers being divided into luxury and medium-small cars. This after the merger with Benz in 1926.
The 770 of 1930 was one of the company’s largest capacity and most prestigious machines. Its claimed maximum power was 150 bhp at 2,800 revs under normal conditions and 200 bhp at the same engine speed with full accelerator power as this cut in a supercharger. The engine had overhead valves, dual magneto and coil ignition, twin bodied carburetors, aluminium pistons, nine main bearings, pressure lubrication with a gear pump and water cooling with a pump and thermostat. The transmission had four synchromesh speeds and third gear was direct drive, fourth being overdrive. The suspension was later changed, the semi-elliptic leaf-springs being replaced by independent wheels with swing axles.
It was inevitable that the car’s grandeur, ideal for parades, should lead to the production of both a special closed and open version for use by Hitler. In this form the car’s weight increased from 5,960 pounds (2,700 kg), to 8,160 pounds (3,700 kg). Even the windows were one inch (2.25 cm) thick.
Car : Mercedes 170 V
Year : 1936
Engine : 4 cylinders in line
Bore and stroke :73.5×100 mm
Cylinder capacity : 1697 cc
Gears : 4 forward
Brake horse power : 32
Maximum speed : 69 mph
Wheelbase : 8 ft 6½ ins (2.60m)
Suspension : front: independent suspension with transverse leaf- springs ; rear:
Independent suspension with coil springs