Prototyp Automuseum Hamburg, pt. I

Part one of the photos taken at the sublime Prototyp Automusuem in Hamburg. The museum focuses on hand-built and prototype German cars. I took well over 200 pix here, enough to burn through a good chunk of my phone's remaining memory, along with 2/3 of the battery. Here's the first part. (Sheesh, when did this turn into a car blog anyway?)

 Mathé Universal shop truck and hand-built racer:

 Period skis and other artifacts inside

Toboggan and skis up top:

Inspection decals:

Otto Mathé developed special lubricants to prolong oil change intervals. Apparently he was also a race car builder/sponsor.

Mathé Fetzenflieger MA01:

 

Porsche power:

Cockpit:

Nose-mounted tach:

Shop bike (finally a two-wheeler):

Denzel 1500S

Built by Wolfgang Denzel, his first roadsters were based on the VW Kübelwagen chassis.

 Porsche TAG Turbo F1 engine, circa 1983-87:

 80° V6, twin turbo, 1498cc

Developed 900 bhp at 13,000 RPM

Polensky Monopoletta F3 racer:

 Powered by a BMW twin motorcycle engine:

Repair/restoration shop:

VW US Army Käfer

 note the VW embossing at the top of the taillamp

 meaty rubber

 naturally it's a split window

 Original KdF (Kraft durch Freude - "strength through joy") brochure:

 callouts

KdF pins

 VW Papler Polizeikäfer:

Spartan accomodations:

A four-door Beetle:

Signal lamp:

Semaphore:

 No creature comforts here:

Type 1 engine cutaway:

 VW toys:

 Camo'd and cool typography:

 Original Mercedes-Benz advertising art:

 More two-wheeled love:

 Plenty more to come...

Down On The Street

Spotted in the village of Rancho Santa Fe this morning (the same place I shot these cars months ago), was this unassuming Porsche 356.

Get a little closer and the details start to emerge. Like fog lamps integrated into the bodywork:

A beautiful Continental Badge:

And a 1500 SUPER-adorned engine lid 'round back:

It's a 1955 356 1500 Super Coupe. Equipped with Porsche's first true racing motor - 1488ccs with an output of 70 HP. This example underwent a meticulous three year restoration and is perfect in every sense of the word.

"beehive" taillamps

The photos do not do the color justice. A subtle sand beige over red. It's also equipped with a sunroof.

Check out the vintage rally stopwatches on the glovebox  lid.

According to the owner, this car participated in rallies from new, which explains the timepieces and axillary lamps. If I could ever manage to afford a 356, I'd want it to look exactly like this one. Well, I might swap the chromed wheels for a set painted silver or body color.

Hamburg Pix, pt. II

Electra GmbH office dog Elmo:

Moped gas cap:

Funny in any language:

 

Passing another tour boat on the Osterbekkanal:

Tour boat control panel:

Deck chairs, die Bucht bar:

 

Hamburg station:

Bäckerei Brezeln:

Smurfy:

Fanwear:

Hamburg city crest, as done in the medium of Lego:

How Hamburgers say "good morning":

Old buoy:

Wavy bricks - this looked pretty trippy in person:

Prototyp auto museum (more on this amazing place later):

Apparel store light display:

Saint Nikolai Memorial, built 1845-74, destroyed during WWII:

Doppelgänger:

Stereotype (note flowers in basket):

Bier Bikes, I am seeing them far more frequently in Germany:

Flea market:

Flea market wares:

 Flea market beater bikes:

Outrageous octopus:

Fantastic Frenchies:

The famous Große Freiheit in the Reeperbahn. This is the street where the club that The Beatles honed their craft in the early 60s:

Beatles monument:

John, George, Ringo & Paul

 

 I assume this represents Stuart Sutcliff

Hafen City:

More trains:

Lufthansa Hamburg Senator Room outdoor deck:

 StadtRad (city bike), my daily rental:

Control tower, Heathrow (not Hamburg):