45 replies to this topic

[Rainer Nyberg]

Is anyone aware of any competition history for the Melkus RS1000?
It was built in small numbers from 1969 into the seventies. 101 cars built according to the Melkus homepage. Heinz Melkus was a competent east-german racedriver and constructor. He built both single-seaters and this GT.

Some sources indicates that the car was homologated into FIA Group 4, so it is obvious that competition was at least planned.

I have not any picture of the car on a racing-track so I am curious of it ever did see any action, both in the west and behind the iron-curtain.

[Vitesse2]

Group 4 homologation was based on a minimum production of 500 units and the Melkus does not appear on the 1972 or 1975 Yellow Book lists.

[Vitesse2]

Hmm - I see their homepage calls it a "Rennsportlegende" and also the "DDR-Ferrari". With a Wartburg engine??

[Rainer Nyberg]

Well, I guess compared with the Trabbi, a RS1000 with 90 horses available it was the closest thing to a Ferrari in East Germany?

In western terms it could be compared to other 1960s kit-cars, maybe like the Unipower or Mini Marcos?

CSI homologated the Porsche 917 in 1969 after a 25-car production run, wasn't that Group 4?

[Wolf]

Rainer, I belive AMS TV (TV show of Auto, Motor und Sport)did a small reportage on this car some time ago ('tis been a while now, and i don't recall whether they said anything about racing). And I *thik* I might've seen or heard the car mentioned in their reportage of historic racing involving ex. DDR cars (they're, IIRC, trying to recreate some sort of Veteran C'ship). They can be found (and contacted, IIRC) at http://www.vox.de/ , but if You can't find Your way around the German site I'll take a look tonight.

[Rainer Nyberg]

Some cars sports decals with 'Pneumant Team' letters, could this have been a racing team?

I know Pneumant manufactured tyres in DDR, but I am not aware of any racing team they might have had.

[Frank de Jong]

Originally posted by Rainer Nyberg
CSI homologated the Porsche 917 in 1969 after a 25-car production run, wasn't that Group 4?

Rainer, the FIA groups were heavily revised after 1969.
The Porsche was originally a group 4 car, a 'sports car', with the 25 car minimum production. That was: up to and including 1969. In 1970, sportscars were transferred to group 5, which was effective (in the WSC) until 1971 only, then the Porsches had to go elswhere.
GT's (like the Porsche 911) were group 3 until 1969, in 1970 they were moved into group 4, or, as "production" cars, stayed in group 3.

Now according to this definition, the Melkus was not a GT (despite its name), but could have been a sportscar, though it's difficult to see the point in this. If it had a 5-litre engine, okay...

Interesting car though, for me this is what TNF is all about.

[No27]

Check the German Melkus register. I found it on a rather amusing site about eastern European cars.

[Michael Müller]

Remember quite well the national (German) motorsport scene in the first half of the 70s, which was organized as follows:
Group 1 - touring cars slightly modified
Group 2 - touring cars heavily modified
Group 3 - GT cars slightly modified
Group 4 - GT cars heavily modified
Group 5 - Prototypes < 3000 cc
Group 6 - Sports Cars < 5000 cc
Group 7 - monoposti in various formulae
Later that decade (1976/77/78?) Group 5 and 6 changed, Group 5 became TC & GT extremely modifed (silhouette cars as e.g. used in the Deutsche Rennsportmeisterschaft), and Group 6 was Sports Cars (i.e. Prototypes) of all versions. Frank is right, before 1970 Group 4 was different, meaning Sports Cars with max. 5000 cc and homologation figure of 25 minimum, which included the 917. Obviously the homologation figures for Group 4 changed in 1970, with the result that only the GT cars remained in that group, and the pseudo-serial cars like the 917 and the 512 moved to the newly established Group 6, nevertheless eligible for the WSC up to 1971.

The Melkus as far I know was homologated already in 1969, meaning in old Group 4 = “serial” sports cars with 25 minimum built. The ADMV (East German Motor Sport Association) was partner in the project and responsible for the homologation. From the beginning the Melkus RS 1000 was projected purely as competition car, for purchase it was necessary to present an actual ADMV racing licence, and a written declaration the use the car for motorsport. Every Melkus was road licenced, because car trailers had been in short supply, and luckily the bureaucrats forgot the word “exclusive” in the declaration, so not few Melkus RS 1000 had been bought for road use. Applying for race licence needs some time, but still much less than waiting 15 years (!) for a standard Trabant or Wartburg road car, and the delivery time for a Melkus was rather (unusual) short. Entering one or two national events, and finding out that one is unsuitable for this kind of sport, was very often the standard procedure. The price was rather high at 28.600 MMM (Mickey Mouse Marks), compared to the 19.000 of a standard Wartburg, but availability and image counted...!

Although homologated internationally, the Melkus was only entered in national GDR and Comecon events. One of the reasons surely was the change of CSI groups from 1970 onwards, which put the Melkus into the prototype class, the other probably was that sending teams to the other side of the iron curtain represented always a “risk”. In the Comecon the Melkus for sure was a competitive machine, don’t know any real challengers (do you?), and although the car was not eligible anymore in Group 4 internationally, obviously the Commies didn’t care for their own events.

[Rainer Nyberg]

Thanks both Frank and Michael, it was more or less as I anticipated. I was aware that there was some reshuffling among the groups circa 1970. And the list Michael shows, is how I always have interpreted those FIA groupings. The pre-1970 days are a bit hazy but it is a bit clearer now.

But I have read about the fuzz about the homologation of the Porsche 917 into the 'production GT' category. Surely this effort contributed to the adjustments of the FIA/CSI groupings.

While not too familiar with eastern-bloc GT cars, as Michael says, one wonders what the competition would have been. Probably a mix of GT and various prototype machinery. Czechs were quite prominent in the former eastern-bloc and maybe some Russian and Estonian specials could be possible as well.

Maybe some TNF members has some insight?

[Martin Krejci]

I remember racing these cars several times at my home town Havirov in late 1970s . I was very young but I remember these very slow coupes from DDR among spiders fields.

They always ran in Group 6 1300cc International race and were driven by various DDR drivers. I don't remember this car was ever raced by a Czech driver. They were 1000cc cars, so usually run 1 or 2 laps behind Czech top drivers of the time like Miroslav Adamek or Miran Velkoborsky - both are known also from European Interserie. I have also some photos that my farther took at the time. I am sure it raced also in DDR where I know some Schleiz race was held for group 6 spiders (and Coupes as Melkus RS1000 was) and hopefully so more.

There was a national championship for sportscars in Czech Republic that ended in 1980. Originally (since early 1970s) group 5 car were allowed but most part of the field were various modified touring cars, but later factory Skoda Spider and several cars of MTX 2-01 spider appeared. In the middle of seveties many home built cars add the spice to the championship. After 1976 championship was changed to group 6 2000 plus group 6 1300 plus group 5. In 1978 it was changed again only for group 6 1300 cars. I don't remember GT cars (groups 3 and 4) had ever championship in Czech Republic or other Easters countries. So I doubt Melkus RS 1000 was a true GT car ever.

I will ask my brother to post here more results and photos as he is specialized more than me on this subject.

[anjakub]

Rainer,
In the copy of „Illustrierter Motorsport” (4/1989) I found a few information about race history for the Melkus RS1000.

The first race for the Melkus RS1000 cars was held on 31 May 1970 on the Bernauer Schleife circuit (5 laps). Ten cars took part in the race, which was won by Hartmut Thassler (average: race 96,589 km/h and fastest lap 99,005 km/h).
The next (?) race was Lückendorfer Bergrennen (hillclimb race) on 2 August 1970. In this event fastest was Peter-Frank Findeisen.
In 1972 the Melkus RS1000 cars were homologated into Group B6, class 62 – 1150 cc (east-german nomenclature). Klaus Günther was the best driver.
In 1972 the Cup of the ADMV took Frieder Rädlein.
In the next year Frieder Rädlein again won the cup.
In the end of 1973 Heinz Melkus presented his first Spider (Group B5). With this car Ulli Melkus, son of Heinz Melkus, won race in Schleiz above Joachim Arger, Rädlein, Heinz Melkus and the lady driver Helga Heinrich.
1979 was the last year of the Melkus RS1000 competition. The best driver in this season – Helga Heinrich.

The picture of the car on a racing track see:
Jürgen Meissner website (former East German Formula Easter driver)
http://www.juergen-m.../hauptframe.htm
and click Helga Heinrich then Seiten 4
or click Ulli Melkus then Seiten:2 (sorry, probably corrupted).

Andrzej

[Don Capps]

Andrzej,

Wonderful! Thank you so much!

[Rainer Nyberg]

Yes, very good information!

Ten cars showing up for the initial race was not bad at all.
Seems like the RS1000 ran in a class of their own?

Helga Heinrich - even women raced in GDR?

[anjakub]

Very incomplete list of the racing results Melkus RS1000.

In the beginning started only Melkus RS1000 cars, later with different spiders.

1973
Der Pokal des Präsidiums des ADMV der DDR (Cup of the presidium of the ADMV - East German Motor Sport Association)
Category B5, class bis 1300 cc

Bernauer Schleife (27 May 1973)
10 laps = 50,740 km
start 26 (included 2 drivers from Czechoslovakia on MTX spiders), finish 17
1. Frieder Rädlein (RS1000) 27.10,2 = 111,899 km/h
2. Joachim Anger (RS1000)
3. Klaus Günther (RS1000)

Bautzener Autobahnring (3 Juni 1973)
10 laps = 29,2 km
Start 14, finish 11
1. Frieder Rädlein 17.42,2 = 98,945 km/h
2. Joachim Anger
3. Klaus Günther
4. Helga Heinrich
5. Jakob
6. Anacker
FL. Anger 1.44,6 = 100,497
All – Melkus RS1000

Schleizer Dreieck (5 August 1973)
8 laps = 61,048 km
1. Ulli Melkus (Melkus Wartburg-Spyder) 29.20,7 = 124,821 km/h
2. Frieder Rädlein (RS1000)
3. Heinz Melkus (RS1000)
4. Helga Heinrich (RS1000)
5. Jakob (RS1000)

1974
Bautzener Autobahnring (9 June 1974)
10 laps
Start 14, laps 12
1. Klaus Ludwig (Wartburg Spyder) 20.03,8 = 87,323 km/h
2. Anacker (Warturg Spyder)
3. Jakob (RS1000)
4. Klaus Günther (RS1000)
5. Helga Heinrich (Wartburg Spyder)
5. Peter Städtler (RS1000)
FL. Ludwig 99,357 km/h

1975
Schleizer Dreieck (3 August 1975)
Category B5, class bis 1150 cc
Start 21, finish 11
1. Klaus Ludwig (SEG-Spider) 24.32,8 = 130,568
2. Heinz Melkus (RS1000)
3. Peter Städtler (RS1000)
4. Greve (RS1000)
5. Jakob (RS1000)
6. Peter Melkus (RS1000)
7. Assman (Trabant Spezial)
FL Ludwig 131,821 km/h

End classification – Der Pokal des Präsidiums des ADMV der DDR (category B5 - 1150) 1975
1. Klaus Ludwig
2. Heinz Melkus
3. Peter Städtler

Still I’m looking for the rest of the racing results Melkus RS1000

Andrzej

[Rainer Nyberg]

Thanks for your continued research Andrzej, it is much valuable.

[Rainer Nyberg]

Seems like there is also an East-German race driver called Klaus Ludwig.

[Frank de Jong]

The other one was fighting with Albrecht Krebs for the DRM title at the time

[Martin Krejci]

Andrzej: thank you very much for this information about races of group B5 in DDR. If you had any other results of DDR B5 races even without RS1000 running in it, it would be nice to see it too.

By the way, I know that in Eastern countries in seveties and early 80s groups were called like A1, A2, A3 A4, B5 (since 1976 A5), B6, B7 and B8 while in English speaking countries it was never shown like that but groups were known just as Group 1, Group 2 ... Group 6... Can anybody explain that difference. Was it just because communist countries wanted to be different...

[anjakub]

The second results list (also very incomplete) Melkus RS1000 and group was called in Eastern countries - B6.

1976
Group B6 bis 1150 cc
Schleiz
8.08.1976
12 laps. Start 19, finish 12 cars
1. Joachim Anger - Wartburg Spider 25.17,7 = 126,706 km/h
2. Peter Melkus - Melkus RS1000
3. Scharfe - Shiguli
4. Heinz Melkus - Melkus RS1000
5. B. Müller - Sappo-Shiguli
6. P. Städtler - Melkus RS1000
7. Helmut Assmann - Trabant
8. Höppner - Melkus RS1000
9. R. Schreiber - Melkus RS1000
10. Hemisch - Trabant
FL: Anger 3.33,9 = 128,432 km/h


End classification group B6 - 1150 cc (Bestenermittlung des ADMV der DDR)
1. Joachim Anger 45 (15,15,15,15)
2. Peter Melkus 32 (6,12,12,8)
3. Heinz Melkus 30 (8,-,10,12)
4. P. Städtler 24 (3,10,8,6)
5. Helmut Assmann 21 (-,6,6,10)
6. Peter Röbke 21 (10,8,0,3)
Joachim Anger won all races in season 1976: Annaberg-Buchholz (hillclimb), Heiligenstadt (hc), Schleiz (track race) and Inselsberg (hc).

1977
End classification group B6 bis 1150 (Bestenermittlung des ADMV der DDR)
1. Peter Röbke
2. Peter Aley
3. Bernd Olzscha

Group B6 bis 1300 cc
Schleiz
31.07.1977
8 laps. Start 15, finish 11 cars
1. Miroslav Adamek (Czechoslovakia) Brixner-NSU 26.21,2 = 138,991
2. Michalik (Czechoslovakia) Skoda-Spider 27.25,1
3. Klaus Ludwig (DDR) Wartburg-Spider 29.20,0
FL: Adamek 3.14,8 = 141,024 km/h
Miroslav Adamek is (was) one of the best Czech sporscar drivers.

1978
End classification group B6 - 1300 cc (Bestenermittlung des ADMV der DDR)
1. Joachim Anger
2. Peter Aley
3. Helga Heinrich
(only hillclimb races - Annaberg, Erla-Cransdorf, Merkers, Watershausen)

1979
End classification group B6 - 1150 cc (Bestenermittlung des ADMV der DDR)
1. Helga Heinrich
2. Manfred Glöckner
3. Peter Aley

[Lutz]

Hi,
Jürgen Meißner has a picture on his website.
According to the subtitle the race was the 1971 Schleiz RS1000 Race.
The driver is Ulli Melkus.
Here is the picture:

[Rob29]

Amazing-yet another area of racing ,I have never previously heard of. Plus one more for my database of female race drivers,and a championship winner at that!

[Rainer Nyberg]

Yes I have visited this source of information. It has some very interesting pictures of you are interested in racing behind the iron-curtain.

[Roman]

I have also some images and results from races with Melkus RS1000 (Schleiz, Havirov/CZ, Most/CZ...). I will make short list of them.

Ecce Homo 1976 - Peter Melkus - DNF

[Roman]

1972 - Schleiz, B5-2000
Race: * 8 laps AVG: 136,137 km/h
1. - Bervid / CZ MTX 2-01 8 0:27:21,100 MTX works
2. - Jilek / CS MTX 2-01 8 0:27:21,300 MTX works
3. - Bobek / CZ Skoda Spider 8 0:28:03,100 Skoda works
*******************************************************************
1973 - Schleiz
Race:
1. - Bobek / CZ Škoda Spider Skoda works
*******************************************************************
1974 - Schleiz
Spectators: 100.000
Race: AVG: 148,055 km/h
BL: Jílek, MTX 2-01, 3:01,800 151,109 km/h
1. - Jilek / CS MTX 2-01 MTX works
2. - Bobek / CZ Skoda Spider Skoda works
Other starters:
- Gajdos / CZ MTX 2-01 AMK Vitkovice
- Michl / CZ ?
*******************************************************************
1975 - Schleiz B5 DDR 75.round
Race:
In entry list only:
2 Heinz Melkus / DDR RS 1000
10 Peter Röbke / DDR RS 1000
11 Helga Heinrich / DDR Spyder Wartburg
12 Thomas Beck / DDR RS 1000
14 Peter Städler / DDR RS 1000
20 Peter Melkus / DDR RS 1000
21 Norbert Jakob / DDR RS 1000
23 Eckhardt Daasch / DDR Eigenbau Wartburg
26 Wilfred Danilowski / DDR RS 1000
27 Reiner Brandt / DDR Trabant Spezial
28 Dieter Höppner / DDR RS 1000
30 Roland Schreiber / DDR Trabant Spezial
32 Wilhelm Greve / DDR RS 1000
33 Joachim Anger / DDR Spyder Wartburg
35 Hans Scharfe / DDR Spyder Wartburg
52 Helmut Assmann / DDR Trabant Spezial
59 Günter Krautwurst / DDR Trabant Spezial
*******************************************************************
3.8.1975 - Int. Sonderlauf B5-2500 Schleiz (Schleiz Int. B5)
Race: 7,631 km * 10 laps = 76,310 km
1. - Karel Jilek / CS MTX 2-01 10 MTX works
2. - Halada / CS BMW 2002
3. - Rajnoha / SK Alfa Romeo
Did not finish:
- Adamek / CZ NSU
In entry list only:
1 Jaroslav Bobek / CZ Škoda Spyder 2000
3 Boøivoj Korinek / CZ Škoda 2000 MI
4 Oldøich Horsak / CZ Škoda 200RS
5 Wolfgang Küther / DDR Saporoshez 75/1
6 Jiri Gajdos / CZ MTX 2-01 Turbo
9 Eberhard Grüner / DDR Shiguli Spyder
15 Klaus Ludwig / DDR SEG Spyder
24 Petr Bold / CS Lada 2102
25 Zdenek Valek / CZ Gazela
30 Vasil Lescenko / SK MTX 2-01
42 Wolfgang Krug / D Spyder Lada
61 Ksawery Frank / PL Fiat 1600 Polski
64 Andrzej Wojciechowski / PL Fiat 1600 Polski
65 Tadeusz Kudlaty / PL Fiat 1600 Polski
66 Tadeusz Turczuk / PL Fiat 1600 Polski
67 Bogdan Walknowski / PL Fiat 1600 Polski
*******************************************************************
8.8.1976 - 19. Int. Schleizer Dreieck-Rennen (Schleiz DDR B6)
Race:
In entry list only:
2 Heinz Melkus / DDR RS 1000/1120
3 Roland Schreiber / DDR RS 1000/1000
4 Helmut Assmann / DDR Trabant 2 Vergaser
5 Bernd Müller / DDR Sappo Lada
8 Peter Mücke / DDR Zastava
9 Eberhard Grüner / DDR Spyder 1300
10 Peter Röbke / DDR SEG Spyder 1100
11 Helga Heinrich / DDR Spyder 1100
12 Thomas Beck / DDR RS 1000/1150
15 Frank Hausmann / DDR RS 1000/993
16 Karl Hiemisch / DDR Trabant 2 Vergaser
17 Volkmar Wirthgen / DDR Sappo Shiguli RS
18 Jürgen Anders / DDR Trabant 2 Vergaser
19 Bernd Olszaha / DDR RS 1000/992
20 Peter Melkus / DDR RS 1000/1150
21 Norbert Jakob / DDR RS 1000/1118
22 H. Jürgen Thierfelder / DDR Trabant 2 Vergaser
23 Eckhardt Daasch / DDR Eigenbau Wartburg
24 Hartmut Klein / DDR Trabant 2 Vergaser
26 Wilfred Danilowski / DDR RS 1000/993
27 Reiner Brandt / DDR Trabant 2 Vergaser
28 Dieter Höppner / DDR RS 1000/1150G
33 Joachim Anger / DDR Spyder 1150
35 Hans Scharfe / DDR Spyder Lada 1198
40 Günter Krautwurst / DDR Trabant 2 Vergaser
*******************************************************************
8.8.1976 - 19. Int. Schleizer Dreieck-Rennen (Schleiz - Int. B6-2000)
Race: 7,631 km * 10 laps = 76,310 km
1. 46 Miran Velkoborsky / CS MTX Spyder 2000 10
2. 54 Vaclav ml. Bobek / CZ Škoda Spider I
Other starters:
52 Zdenek Halada / CS BMW 2002 Alpina
53 Zdenek Valek / CZ Gazela BMW 2002
In entry list only:
45 Vaclav st. Bervid / CZ Fiat 128 Polski
47 Antonín Galliani Tvrdy / CZ Alfa Romeo 1300
48 Jozsef Cserkuti / H NSU 1300
49 Imre Furmen / H NSU 1000
50 Laszlo Kotan / H Morris Cooper
51 Petr Bilek / CS Zastava MTE
55 Marián Rajnoha / SK Alfa Romeo
56 Vasil Lescenko / SK MTX 2-01 Spyder 2000
58 Miroslav Stary / CZ MTX 2-01 Turbo
59 Jirí Hák / CZ Ford Hakspeed
57 Borivoj Korinek / CZ Škoda Turbokupe
*******************************************************************
7.8.1977 - Int. Schleiz Dreieck-Rennen
Race:
1. - Adamek / CZ Brixner
2. - Mihalik / SK VM 02
3. - Ludwig / DDR ?
4. - Röbke / DDR ?
5. - Grüner / DDR ?
6. - Alan ?
7. - Blon ?

******************************************************************
IMAGES description:
1972_Havirov2.jpg
1975_Schleiz.jpg
1973_Schleiz_hope.jpg
1979_Havirov_Gloy.jpg
1972_Havirov.jpg
1978_Havirov_Melkus.jpg
1975_Havirov_Stadler.jpg
1972_Havirov_Heinrich.jpg

[anjakub]

Roman,

Thank you very much for these old photos. It carries me back to my youth. I remember the old races like the Cup for Peace and Friendship (Pohar miru a pratelství).

Andrzej

[Rob29]

I would be interested in the financial background of racing in a communist country.No advertising seems to be visible in the above photos. How was it financed? In the 60s western drivers went to eastern F3 races and blew off the locals.They stopped going about the time F3 was changed in 1971,since when we heard nothing from east of the AVUS.

[Stefan Ornerdal]

Wonderful info.

220 000 spectators at Schleiz 1988 according to Jürgen Meissner's site!

Stefan

[Geza Sury]

Originally posted by anjakub
I remember the old races like the Cup for Peace and Friendship (Pohar miru a pratelství).

I also remember the last years of that particular championship! I think it died after 1989. Has anyone compiled the results of this series? I have the results of some races, but not much! It would be great to view all the results and see the drawings of the contemporary tracks!

[Option1]

Nothing to add, but I just wanted to say what a wonderful and intriguing thread. Thanks so much to all of you.

Neil

[anjakub]

Geza,

Now I'm doing research of the Cup of Peace and Friendship (Béke Barátság Kupa). I'm looking for all sources (Polish, German, Russian, Czech, Hungarian, Bulgarian and Roumanian) about races, drivers, cars and tracks.

Andrzej

[Geza Sury]

Originally posted by anjakub
Now I'm doing research of the Cup of Peace and Friendship (Béke Barátság Kupa).

Great news Andrzej! I'm very much looking forward to seeing your compilation!
BTW, your Hungarian is perfect!

[fines]

I have some bits and pieces about the Cup of Peace and Friendship lurking somewhere, for so many years now that I don't remember where! I'll try to find them, remind me if I forget!

[Vitesse2]

Andrzej: Motoring News in the UK used to publish reports and results of the Peace & Friendship Cup in the late 60s and early 70s. Unfortunately I no longer have these, but Milan Fistonic may be able to help.

I suggest you start a new thread for this, as it's not really about DDR sports cars any more!

[Brun]

Just to revive this old thread: I saw a Melkus RS1000 at the Technoclassica fair at Essen, last weekend. Used to consider it a weird car. But the more I look at it now, the more beautiful I find it:




Curiously, they had a V6 engine on display there, too. Mind you: a two-stroke V6, which were literally two three-cylinder RS1000-engines welded together with a gearbox to connect the crankshafts. I guess this power plant could easily generate 130 bhp, which would really turn the RS into a rocket. Wonder if someone knows more about it?

[Holger Merten]

Two stroke V6? A Müller Andernach engine. One of the seldom produced V6 engines based on the AU (west) constructions by Müller (living in Andernach, a former engineer of the Auto Union AG)? Could be, AU (west) wanted to place that engine into the Auto Union F 102, better known as DKW F 102 in 1964.

[Ray Bell]

With two crankshafts, that would strictly speaking not be a V6...

But what would you call it? A U6 perhaps?

[Holger Merten]

Ray, sorry, perhaps, here ends my technical english....


A V6 engine could have two crankshafts, or do I have a look in my dictionary?

Okay,okay, I'll asked Brun in German for technical details, and come back. :


But Müller Andernach seems to be possible.

[Ray Bell]

Don't worry about it... it's a minor point...

Especially when German carmakers give the V6 type name to inline engines with offset cylinders.

[just me again]

I remember reading once that the 5. gear in the melkus was between 1. and 3. so the pattern would look like this :
r 1 5 3
2 4
basicly a Wartburg gearbox with a ad on 5. gear.
Bjørn

[Holger Merten]

Originally posted by Ray Bell
With two crankshafts, that would strictly speaking not be a V6...

But what would you call it? A U6 perhaps?

Ahh, oohhhh, a look in the dictionary.

You are absolutly right Ray - sure that would really not speaking to be a V6. It seems more like they put two engines together.

[Ray Bell]

Like I said, it's only a minor point...

At least someone had some dreams and some of them were realised... though I don't know what kind of imagination brought about that gearchange!

[Holger Merten]

Here is a picture of the Müller Andernach V6 (1300ccm, 81Hp) with one (!) crankshaft:


So what Brun has seen, is not a MA-engine.

[Ray Bell]

Well, if that runs (and I'm sure it could), they've been clever enough to oversome some serious crankcase compression issues... wonder if there's two cylinders beating at once?

[Brun]

No no, that's definately not the engine I saw. It really was a construction of two Wartburg three-cyl two-strokes, each with its own crankcase.

I'm trying to find a picture, bear with me.

[Brun]

Found it



I've asked the club for more information. I'm wondering if they ever raced with this engine.