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The Van
From 1949 to 1962, DKW produced a van with a trailing-arm rear suspension system
which incorporated springs in the cross bar assembly. It had a very modern
layout with a front engine and front-wheel drive, but the engine was terribly
weak. First the van used the prewar engine of the F8 with two cylinders, 700 cc
and 20 hp (22 hp after 1952). This was definitely not enough when the van was
fully charged. Things went (a little) better in 1955 when the van received the
three cylinder unit with 900 cc, producing 32 hp.
Thanks to its layout the van had a low floor configuration, with the load areas
about 40 cm from the ground. It was also fitted with a large single rear door
fitted to hinges on the right-hand side. The van proved popular; one example
being a company in Stellenbosch, South Africa, that sold musical instruments:
their DKW van, used for the transport of pianos because of the low floor and
large door, became iconic in the town.
Spanish built DKW F 1000 L van (circa 1970)
Spanish built DKW F 1000 L van (circa 1970)
DKW logo in the F 1000 L. IMOSA means Industrias del Motor, S.A.
DKW logo in the F 1000 L. IMOSA means Industrias del Motor, S.A.
The van was also produced in Vitoria, Spain. DKW (pronounced "de-ca-uve") become
a common term for any van, and is still used today. The Spanish subsidiary also
produced a modern successor, introduced in 1963 and called DKW F 1000 L. This
van started with the three cylinder 1000 cc engine, but later received a
Mercedes-Benz Diesel engine and finally was renamed a Mercedes-Benz.
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