Small Scale Style from Scaglione

During the late 19^th and first half of the 20^th centuries, Neckarsulm Strickmaschinen Union – NSU – dabbled with automobile production, but was mainly known for its motorcycles.  However, a more concerted fresh new start with cars began in 1957 with a model type named Prinz.  A small saloon, the Prinz was powered by an air cooled, rear located 583 cc twin cylinder engine.  A distinctive feature of the NSU twin was its utilisation of a connecting rod driving the overhead camshaft from the crankshaft.  The system, known as ‘NSU Ultramax,’ clearly had reliability/durability advantages compared with the more usual chain, gear or belt drive, but would have added to costs somewhat significantly. (See here).

Despite the limitations of its size and small capacity powertrain, the Prinz was successful in terms of sales, with about 95,000 units made in the period ’57-’62.  Not quite a microcar – more a super-compact - it met the needs of a large, city-dwelling demographic seeking economic motoring.  Such owners had no need for full four seat capacity for lengthy journeys.  The ‘economy’ criterion was met by the Prinz being a car that cost all of £425 brand new.  But, as throughout the history of automobile manufacturing and marketing, modesty is never absolute and it wasn’t long before designers at Neckarsulm were doodling sporty body shapes over the basic Prinz platform.  After all, Volkswagen had not long ago put a sports coupe body jointly developed by Carrozzeria Ghia and Karmann GmbH onto the Beetle chassis, and the resulting car had proven an aesthetic and commercial success.  NSU turned to another fast-developing carrozzeria to explore a similar project.  This was Bertone, where Nuccio, son of the firm’s founder, was intent on modernising and expanding its operations, especially in terms of vehicle assembly in addition to body styling and construction.  And Bertone had been benefiting since ’52 by having the talented stylist, Franco Scaglione, in-house.  Scaglione was at the time riding a crest of success and acclaim through his recent work for Alfa Romeo, (the startling Berlinetta Aerodinamica Tecnica (BAT) concepts, the Giulietta Sprint and the Sprint Speciale), Abarth and Aston Martin.  Confident and adventurous, Scaglione drew a distinctively attractive fastback body which the NSU management found very much to its liking.  Little wonder as Scaglione had flattered the executives at Neckarsulm by presenting them with the opportunity to market a Prinz that had a similar look to the glamorous Maserati 350 GT Bertone which was on his drawing board around the same time.  The Sport Prinz was first presented at Frankfurt in ’58, with series manufacture and deliveries beginning in ’59.

Left: Sport Prinz; right: Maserati 350 GT – both by Scaglione

According to most sources, Bertone built the first 250 Sport Prinz bodies in the Carrozzeria’s Grugliasco workshops near Turin. This operation was then transferred to the firm of Drautz, conveniently also located in Neckarsulm.

From the outset until ’62, the 583 cc engine with Bing carburettor was rated at 30 bhp DIN (or, claimed, 36 SAE), with torque at 42 Nm.  The car’s kerb weight was quoted as 530 Kg, allowing a top speed of over 80 mph, though the 0-60 mph acceleration time was over 20 seconds.  However, being nimble and handling well, the model was to be seen on race circuits in 1960 and with some success, for example at the Nurburgring in September, where Siegfried Mullers and Bernd Degner were GT600 class winners in the 500 Km. 

In ’61 two cars ran in the Monte Carlo Rally. Eugen Schaefer/Henri Benveniste’s #116, which finished 60^th, is seen below:

Courtesy Getty Images

The second car, in the hands of Jose Behra/Jean Berges, was an excellent 8^th . 

During 1960/61/62, SCCA racing in the U.S, saw Sport Prinz participation from time to time, notably with Alfred Zantzinger at the wheel.  At the Sebring 12 Hours in ’61, Fred Fischhof and John Eisenhauer took the GT600 class honours.  Remarkably, in June ’63, six Sport Prinz entries were seen at the Nurburgring 6 Hours, a round of the European Touring Car Challenge.  Most successful was the Isar Racing Team car driven by Ernst Hamberger and Manfred Gieth to 1^st in the up-to-600 cc class – indeed, the model recorded a 1-2-3 finish at this arduous event.  The winning car is #8, centre, in the photograph below.

’63 Nurburgring 6 Hours Courtesy Holger Vogel

A few weeks later, Hans Braun won the same class at the ETCC round at Zandvoort.  In the Tour de France, Sport Prinz cars were 2^nd and 3^rd in class.  There was some Sport Prinz representation at the major hillclimb events at Rossfeld and Mont Ventoux in ’64, while Christian Chauvin was class winner at the ’65 running of the Coupes de Paris. 

The Sport Prinz was the subject of a road test report in the November ’60 issue of Motor Sport magazine.  Comments included: 

(The engine) . . . idles unevenly but once under way smooths out, although the noise is still very reminiscent of a two-stroke engine.  The gearbox operates in the rather disconnected way of so many rear-engined cars, and the synchromesh tends to obstruct gear selection, especially in first gear.  To obtain good downward gear changes it is advisable to double-declutch, a manoeuvre which is aided by reasonably sensibly placed pedals. With 36 b.h.p. to move just over 10 cwt. along, the acceleration is more than brisk and the Sport Prinz will certainly never get in the way of other traffic.  Normal cruising speed is an indicated 60 m.p.h., while the needle will swing round to 80 m.p.h. on a slight downgrade, and a more fully run-in car (our test car had covered 1,500 miles) would probably reach the claimed 85 m.p.h. top speed. Remember, this car has a capacity of 583 c.c. ! 

On first acquaintance handling appears fussy but this is due to a combination of fairly firm suspension and rack-and-pinion steering having only 2.4 turns lock-to-lock. When the driver becomes more accustomed to the car he begins to fling it about in complete confidence, and although the Sport Prinz oversteers quite strongly it is difficult to make the rear end break away. 

On the open road it becomes a very pleasant car to drive . . . cornered with great verve . . . it is possible that the claimed 47 m.p.g. could be reached if a less aggressive driving technique was employed. The brakes of the test car required quite heavy pedal pressures and fade could be induced after two or three stops from above 60 m.p.h., but in normal use they appeared to be adequate. 

Rather expensive in this country the sporting version of these interesting economy cars from Neckarsalum will obviously find a limited market, but the man who wants to own a car of individual character could well consider the Sport Prinz. 

The magazine’s observation about expense was driven by the test car being priced at £970 – nearly twice that of the Prinz saloon.

 

An early-production (probably ’60) survivor is #4102499, sold for restoration in September ’24.

Courtesy Hagerty - RacineJoe

Two other ’60-made cars have featured in recent media coverage.  Another red one, chassis number unknown, is owned by a resident of Foley, a town to the North West of Minneapolis, U.S.  The owner’s experience with the car and details of his restoration work can found at https://www.oldcarsweekly.com/features/car-of-the-week-1960-nsu-sport-prinz.

Courtesy Active Interest Media

Another, again finished in red, was recently photographed as body/paint restoration was concluding.  Location of this one was Astoria, New York, U.S.

Courtesy Peter Kumar

The quality of classic car restoration standards has benefitted from technological advances in recent years, with some stunning results to be seen at the premier international concours events.  At the same time, an appreciation of ‘naturally aged’ cars and their patina has gathered momentum, generating interest in preservation as a principle just as valid as craft/artisan based restoration.  For those liking patina-porn, the ’62 Sport Prinz below will surely prove attractive.

Courtesy Wannenes

The ’63 #4112286 displays the various badges/plate in rather better condition:

Courtesy Artcurial

The car was sold by Artcurial in ’21 in Monaco for €7,748.  This was below an estimate of €10-15,000.  It appears to be in reasonable, usable condition, but the winning bidder was no doubt anticipating the need for substantial expenditure on a thorough restoration.  This would likely be fully justifiable given that the car apparently has no areas of very serious deterioration.

Courtesy Artcurial

Produced the following year, #4122861 was offered by Osenat (Fontainebleau, France) in 2013 with an estimate of €5-7,000.  A successful, above-reserve bid was however not recorded.

#4122861 Courtesy Osenat

Also a ’64 Sport Prinz, #4113783 was offered at auction in 2023, but the highest bid, €11,500, was short of the reserve.

#4113783 Courtesy Classic.com

#4117939 is unusual in being right hand drive.  First registered in the UK in ’65, it was apparently built to a factory ‘GT’ specification which included front discs and a reprofiled camshaft.  Much later, around ’08, a subsequent owner had the engine replaced with a 4 cylinder NSU unit.  At the same time chassis improvements were made and competition-use modifications – including a roll cage – were carried out.  There are also some bodywork alterations, most notably to the engine deck lid – Abarth GT style - to allow greater air intake/circulation for cooling purposes.  Engine performance is significantly increased at 52 bhp with peak torque of 53 lbs/ft.  Despite these various modifications and expenditures, the car made just a modest £6.900 when sold at auction in February ’24.

#4117939 Courtesy Manor Park Classics

In contrast, #4119347, a ’66 car, appears to be a good example of a Sport Prinz in preserved standard specification.  Bonham’s lot description for its auction sale in ’18 includes the statement, ‘(the car was) comprehensively restored in 2004, though the interior was in such good condition that it was decided it did not need renovation and as a result possesses a lovely patina.’  It was estimated to sell for €18-25,000 but the reserve was apparently not reached.

#4119347 Courtesy Bonhams Cars

Another inconclusive auction involved the ’67-manfactured #4118719, offered on Bring a Trailer in ’20.  High bid – unsuccessful – was $9.400.

Courtesy AaronCCG, BaT

 

The engine bay and front trunk of this car are in particularly pleasing condition:

Courtesy AaronCCG, BaT

Of the same age, #4117627 made for a more successful auction lot when offered also on Bring a Trailer in September ’20, selling for $16,040.

#4117627 Courtesy 246dinoguy, BaT

As with the immediately preceding car, a clean bay allows a good view of the engine’s simplicity and the ease of accessibility for service/repair work.  Given the modest power output, the deployment of twin coils – seen at the bottom of the photograph, might seem somewhat ironic!

#4117627 Courtesy 246dinoguy, BaT

Another ’67 car is #4121650 and, like #4117939, is right hand drive and used in the early years of the century for some historic rallying, though without any serious competition-related mechanical or bodywork modifications.  The car was sold in ’18 for £5,060.

#4121650 Courtesy Brightwells

Once again, a rhd/’67 Sport Prinz, #4121694 was sold in ’21 by Iconic Auctioneers for £8,769.  No other details are currently available, though the car appears to be in good, running condition, as seen below:

#4121694 Courtesy Iconic Auctioneers

The latest-made, (’68), car of which I have a photograph is #4122062.  In describing the car for a sale in July 2012 of cars owned by the Prince of Monaco, Artcurial included a note about the interior: (It) 'has not been touched and offers all its period freshness, with its impeccable carpets, its two-tone cloth and leatherette seats with white piping, its delightfully sporty dashboard nicely painted, the steering in black bakelite with circular chrome-horn, chrome door handles and bellow-like door pockets.’  The hammer price realised was €25,023.

Courtesy Artcurial

As seen in this survey, the NSU Sport Prinz does not generally command high values in the current classic car market.  A clear limitation is the modesty of motive power type since this not only makes for a vehicle with limited dynamic characteristics, but also robs it substantially of technical interest.  However, whilst the provenance, (ownership by the Monegasque monarchy), of #4122062 was no doubt a positive contributing factor, the price realised for this vehicle indicates the potential for well-preserved/original specification examples.

Axed Too Soon

 

Everyone knows about Ferruccio Lamborghini’s ‘journey’ from tractors to supercars via heating and climatization appliances, but not so many are aware of the meandering path taken by the Bavarian car maker, Hans Glas GmbH.  This also involved initial production of farm machinery, but was abruptly switched to scooters when they became popular post-war, only for that focus to be abandoned when micro cars became the next new craze in the mid-Fifties, resulting in the Glas signature product, the Goggomobile.  Over a 14 year production run more than a quarter of a million Goggomobiles were built at the Dingolfing factory, with a healthy proportion being exported, including to the U.S. despite that market being characterised by vehicles four times the size!

The Glas Factory at Dingolfing, North East of Munich

Indeed, such was the success of the Goggomobile that in ‘59 Glas was considered to be in sufficiently good financial health to be fit to support BMW and Auto Union when both were struggling to survive. A plan was formulated for the three marques to collaborate with a consolidated/simplified range of products, but Hans Glas declined to agree to the idea. Ironically, a few years later, when it was Glas that was slipping from ongoing viability, BMW provided the solution, taking the company over in November ’66.

That situation had come about because of Glas’s failure to create and effectively market new conventionally sized models to take over from the diminutive Goggomobile. Several models, from the Isar, (launched ’58), through to the 2600 and 3000 V8 Coupes, (launched ’66), did not capture customer enthusiasm and fell short on planned projected sales volumes/market share. But, amongst these, a model with two variants boasted many positive features, looked very good and performed well: the type 211, 1300 and 1700 GTs. Perhaps they amounted to a success-likely combination of Italian aesthetic flair with Germanic engineering quality and efficiency.

The Glas 1300 GT as presented in ‘65

Torinese stylist Pietro Frua had re-established a carrozziere in his own name in the late 50s after a period of employment at Ghia.  Several design projects were then completed in collaboration with Carrozzeria Italsuisse.  These attracted praise from within the industry and enhanced his reputation, but for his business the breakthrough came in ’62 when Frua entered into talks with Glas.  The first outcome was a prototype GT closely based on a design Frua had been developing for Borgward.  This was debuted at Frankfurt, in autumn ’63.  It went into production with a 1290 cc engine and body made by Carrozzeria Maggiora, (at Moncalieri, just south of Turin), the following Spring.  Reception was broadly favourable, Road & Track magazine for instance commenting in its road test report: 

In designing the Glas 1300, the factory started with a clean sheet of paper, no limitations imposed by the necessity for incorporating parts of existing models, and some refreshing ideas. The result is a handsome, comfortable, small GT car of advanced design with as much performance as one can rightly expect from a 1290 cc power unit.

The magazine did however express concern, not so much about its features themselves, but about possible customer resistance arising from unfamiliarity with some aspects of the engine’s specification.  Mainly, this related to the employment of a belt to drive the overhead camshaft.  Glas had pioneered this form of valve gear actuation on a ‘normal’ car only two years previously, on the 1004 models.  Road & Track thought that the 25,000 miles belt replacement schedule might deter customers from considering purchase, though the writer claimed that the renewal operation was very easily and quickly performed – presumably parroting what the factory engineers had told him and quite at odds with the contemporary, well known reality whereby much care is required since even a small error in reassembly can result in very serious damage to an engine.

Glas GT cutaway engine/transmission showing the belt-driven valve gear

The most basic specification version of the Glas 1300 GT was priced at around £1070.  This put the model at a disadvantage as, for instance, an Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint 1300 was significantly less expensive – though, perhaps surprisingly, the Glas was quicker, with 88 bhp against the Alfa’s 80. 

Registered in ’65, #1894 featured on Bring a Trailer in 2021; its reserve of $9500 however was not reached.  It appeared to be in usable condition at that time, though comprehensive restoration would be necessary sooner or later.  As seen below, the seats are trimmed in black vinyl, standard specification at the time.  This is the only 1300 built in ‘64/’65 with a flat bonnet panel for which I have a survivor photograph.  Ongoing from September ’65, the model was manufactured with the same panel used for the 1700 – this having a longitudinal, central, rectangular ‘hump’ needed because of the height of the larger capacity engine.  This bulge incorporated an air intake aperture just behind the trailing edge of the front panel.

Courtesy Kucarfa

Courtesy RM Sotheby’s

The central bonnet bulge and air intake aperture are seen in the photograph above of #1364.  RM Sotheby’s 2020 auction lot description details imply that this is also a survivor from the first year of production, (despite the bulge form bonnet).  It was offered on the basis of a need for thorough restoration as the car had been out of use for many years.  This can be readily appreciated from the view of the engine bay seen below.  This also shows the standard twin Solex 35 mm carburettor installation.  Also reproduced is the chassis number plate - a standard format and rivetted to the right hand inner front panel of each and every car.

The front bumper on #1364 differs from the form seen on later cars in not having a pair of indicator lamps mounted to the underside of the blade in line vertically with the headlamp units.  The particular car is also missing the circular reflectors usually mounted between each pair of rear tail and indicator units, (though the appropriate holes are present in the rear panel).  Also noted on cars from early in the production run, are 13” road wheels.  15” wheels were substituted in Autumn ’65 and remained standard specification until the end of production in September ’67.

Another early (’65-built) car – chassis number unknown – is currently in excellent condition and provides a good basis for appreciation of detail features such as the rear lamp units as mentioned above and the two front wing badges mounted one above the other forward of the door aperture leading edge:

Courtesy Columbus Klassic

Also with a chassis number I’ve been unable to trace, the 1300 GT seen below is a ’66 first-registered example.  This is also in nice condition today and the interior shows the pleasing aesthetics of the design.  The instruments layout is easy on the eye and functionally good.  Other points of note are the Nardi-style steering wheel with decorative rim rivets and horn button featuring the Glas crest created for the GT-designated models, dashboard-face script badge to the left of the glove box door and the light colour vinyl trim to the seats and door cards.

Courtesy Gassmann GmbH

In Autumn ’65, the 1290 cc engine was upgraded and consequently re-rated at 74 bhp.  At the same time the 1682 cc version of the engine available in the TS Berlina since the previous year was made available in an additional model named 1700 GT.  As the unit was a little ‘taller,’ a revised bonnet panel with longitudinal raised centre section (’hump’) was necessary, as mentioned above. The 1682 cc engine breathed through twin 40 mm Solex single barrel carburettors, whereas the 1290’s were smaller at 35 mm.  In the GT body this unit enabled a maximum speed of 115 mph and a 0-60 mph time of around 11 seconds (and under 10 seconds according to Sports Car Graphic’s test).  Compared with the Alfa Giulia 1600, the Glas was appreciably faster flat out, though the Giulia had a small advantage in acceleration capability.  Road & Track’s November ’66 Road Test Report, with full performance data, is shown below:

The 1700 GT was priced at around £1285 in the UK – a moderate premium compared with the 1300, justifiable in the light of its higher top speed, something which had become more significant with the extension of motorway/autobahn networks in the UK and Germany. 

A ’66 1700 (chassis number unknown) restored in recent times, shows the limited revisions to the rear bodywork relative to that of the 1300 – boot panel script badge (to ‘1700’) and the reflectors becoming rectangular with radiused corners, where the 1300’s were circular; (however, some 1700s are seen with the circular version):

Courtesy Marc Vorgers

The revised ‘GLAS 1700 GT‘ script badge mounted in the upper right area of the boot lid mentioned above, is seen below on another car – probably ’66 built - for which the chassis number is not currently known.

Courtesy Bonjourlavieille

As seen on #5635 with ‘gold’ finish:

Courtesy Cog Classics

The car is in excellent condition and shows the sleek lines of the fastback very well, as below:

Courtesy Cog Classics

Another ’66 1700, white over red, has had a recent restoration and features a nicely presented engine bay:

Courtesy Bimmerlife

 

#5500 – also from ’66 – is seen below from an angle which enables perception of the shallow V form of the bumper and the lower front bodywork of the GT:

Courtesy GetYourClassic

Alongside the Coupes, the GT was also available as a Cabriolet.  However, only about 7% of production was of cars in this form.  As would be expected, the Cabriolet was a little heavier than the Coupe.  The chassis plate in all, (both 1300 and 1700), closed cars is stamped with a total weight value of 1200 Kg.  As regards kerb/’dry’ weight, the lowest value quoted (factory) for the 1300 Coupe is 800 Kg, while the Cabriolet is 850 Kg.  However, I have seen the value 920 Kg suggested for the Cabriolet.  No other credible variations of these figures for the 1700 have been published. 

The 1700 Cabriolet  was priced at circa £1400 in the UK. 

As always with a car of this type and of its era, production figures as given by different sources vary to some degree.  Consolidating the available data, the approximate number of units per model manufactured were: 1300 GT: 3500;  1700 GT: 1680; 1300 Cabriolet: 230; 1700 Cabriolet: 120.

 

A ’66 1700, this Cabriolet is apparently fitted with the wider wheel rims, (for 175 mm as opposed to 155 mm width tyres), as specified for the V8-engined Glas Coupes.

Courtesy PreSelect

 

Another ’66 Cabriolet is this example, sold recently by Scuderia Sportiva Colonia – describing it as a car which had undergone a 10 year restoration process concluding in ’22, which included, ‘many small improvements such as seats with headrests (original seats are still available), and conversion to 12 volts.’  The price expectation was circa £85,000.

Courtesy Scuderia Sportiva Colonia

#5220 is again a ’66 1700 GT Cabriolet.  Despite having apparently been restored within the last ten years, the car failed to meet its reserve when offered on Bring a Trailer in ’23, (high bid $35,288).  The BaT description/gallery shows a car in generally good condition with some nice distinctive touches such as 14” Borrani wheels and a wood rimmed Nardi steering wheel.

Courtesy Mario_L, Bring a Trailer

The Glas GT on-track:

 

The early Sixties saw a lot of interest in production specification-based sports car racing, governed by the F.I.A. and run under a hierarchy of Categories (car type/production volume) subdivided by Classes (mainly identified by engine capacity/induction type).  Regarding the latter, there were several classes/’divisions’, for example in ’64, for cars, (1) with an engine smaller than 1150 cc; (2) 1151-1299 cc; (3) 1300-1599 cc, etc.  In the 1151-1299 cc class, a Glas 1300 GT would be pitted against some formidable competition, e.g. Abarth Simca 1300 GT, Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Zagato, Lotus Elite and Bonnet Djet.  At the Nurburgring 1000 Kms in ’64, unsurprisingly, Abarths finished 1-2-3 in class.  However, despite the relative lack of development and experience, the Glas 1300 GT of Gerhard Bodmer/Dieter Schmid came home in 4^th.

Bodmer/Schmid 1300 GT, ‘Ring, ’64. Courtesy H-J Roegler

In August, again at the ‘Ring and that same year, Bodmer took the class victory at the Rheinland-Pfalz Preis meeting.  Belief in the potential of the 1300 GT as a competitive racing car was evidenced by there being no less than five examples running in the Neubiberg round of the Deutsche Rundstrecken-Meisterschaft, (‘DARM’), with drivers, Karl Gollwitzer Jr, Walter Strohmaier, Karl Heblich, Otto Brindl and Helmut Maier.  In the same series, Bodmer finished 2^nd at the DARM round in September at Wunstorf, and 3^rd in the Preis von Tirol at Innsbruck the following month.  Bodmer was placed 4^th in the DARM for ’64. 

1300 GTs were to be seen once again in the DARM the following season, with a win for Bodmer in May at the ‘Ring and a 1-2-3 for the model later that month at Zolder.  In July a 1700 GT appeared at Solitude, though resulting in a DNF, it was not an impressive debut.  Bodmer ‘s 1300 GT was 6^th at the ‘Ring, (GP von Deutschland), on the 1^st August.

Bodmer, Nurburgring, August ’65. Courtesy H-J Roegler

In October, Bodmer enjoyed another class win, this time at Innsbruck.  Bodmer finished the ’65 DARM as champion, (on equal points with Manfred Schiek, who was killed before the end of the season).  Note: some records indicate that Bodmer achieved this championship at the wheel of a Glas 1204 TS, but as can be seen in the photograph above, and in those below (Nurburgring 1000 Kms) he was in a 1300 GT.

With the ’66 season, May saw another good result – 2^nd in class - at the ‘Ring for Bodmer in the ADAC-Hansa-Pokal race, while Helmut Eck went one better and was the class victor later that month at Zandvoort.

Helmut Eck, class winner, Zandvoort, May ‘66. Courtesy Volker Eck

Meanwhile, back at the ‘Ring, Bernd Terbeck won the 1.3 class in a non-championship race and at Hockenheim was equally successful in the DARM.  A week later at the same circuit he was again first across the line.  Terbeck remained on good form, winning at Zandvoort on 5^th June, while Karl Herd was victorious at Hockenheim in the middle of the month.  There was another DARM win for Bodmer at Mainz-Finthen, 19^th June, and in July Herd scored a further championship class win at Hockenheim.  A fortnight later Herd won again at the ‘Ring at the Rheinland-Pfalz Preis event.

Karl Herd, another class win at the ‘Ring, August ’66. Courtesy H-J Roegler

Later that August, Bodmer and Herd recorded a 1-2 at the DARM in Wunstorf.  Terbeck and Eck did the same thing at Zandvoort in the Girling Brakes-sponsored race, 14^th August.  Early in September, Bodmer was again first in class at the ‘Ring 500 Kms, while Joachim Kautz achieved the same feat at Zolder, mid-month.  As the season came towards its end, Bodmer took class honours in mid-October at Aspern.  In ’66, Glas was classified 4^th in the European Touring Car Challenge.

At the Fassberg Flugplatz in late April ’67, Herd and Manfred Becker were 1-2 in class.  Bodmer and Herd replicated that result in May at the Hansa-Pokal DARM meeting.  Another impressive 1-2 was chalked up that month at the ‘Ring 1000 Kms with Bodmer/Schmid leading Friedrich Noenen/Manfred Herbertz over the line.

Bodmer/Schmid, ‘Ring ’67. Courtesy Michael Bratz

Through the rest of the ’67 season, Bodmer continued to secure class wins, 10 in total, mainly in the DARM rounds. Herd scored 2 more, at Mainz-Finthen while Otto Arnold and Becker both drove 1300 GTs to class victory. So ’67 was a notably successful season for the model, with Gerhard Bodmer remaining its leading exponent.

Class wins were elusive in ’68 and though there were a few DARM podiums, reliability had deteriorated, possibly due to drivers needing to push harder against the competition of newer, better performing rival models.

In 1970, Franz-Adolf Kremer founded the Yellow Arrow Racing Team (YART) in Duisburg, Germany. He selected a ’64 Glas 1300 as the team’s car for the debut season, racing it in German, Belgian and Dutch events. Pictures from that year, as displayed on the YART website are seen below:

Courtesy YART

The team’s results were summarised:

Seeking increased competitiveness the following season, the car was modified/rebuilt and raced in the Prototype category, 1300 class.  Power was upped to 138 bhp, while the weight was reduced to 700 Kg.  Running mainly in hillclimb events, a victory was achieved at Osnabruck, with podiums scored at Risselberg, Hoxter and at the circuit race at Zandvoort in August.  The car is seen below at Mainz-Finthen, June ’71:

Courtesy YART

1300/1700 GTs are today, occasionally, seen in Historic events and race meetings, as below:

Courtesy Eyke Wohlbold

 

The impressive ‘65 1300 GT of Helmut Riemer is seen above at the ’22 Riedenburg Classic.

The Glas 1300/1700 GT was an attractive and innovative car with the potential for a long and successful production run. Unfortunately, the Glas company was out of steam, yielding to a take-over by BMW in late ’66. While the Munich marque was primarily interested in acquiring the Glas factory manufacturing capacity at Dingolfing, it was not blind to the potential of the GT, and proceeded at speed to re-engineer the car such that the BMW M116, 1573 cc version of the M10 four cylinder engine could be substituted. At the same time, the rear was reworked to incorporate independent suspension, and styling changes were made to the front and rear in order to create the distinctive ‘BMW look.’. The work was completed in little more than six months, allowing the BMW 1600 GT to go on sale in June ’67. Despite this notably expedient effort, BMW halted production the following year, with only 1259 units built. Strategic review had led to the conclusion that with the existing Neue Klasse range expanding and selling well, a parallel but technologically-variant model of similar size and in the more niche form of a sports coupe would make for additional manufacturing and marketing costs that would not be recoverable by incremental volume.