# 1956 DKW Schnellaster Auto Union



## xchox (Jan 28, 2006)

So my buddy Marc just bought this... I LOVE IT!
1956 DKW Schnellaster Auto Union
"When they first came out, they were only 2 cylinder engines with 22 hp and because of the lack of power, they went with a 3 cylinder 32 hp engine which I bet is what is in there now."
If anyone has any good sources of information for this vehicle im sure Marc would appreciate it!


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## vedipus (Sep 16, 2004)

*Re: 1956 DKW Schnellaster Auto Union (xchox)*

http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif I love it! I bet it would be a big hit at Audi shows. I hope your friend can do a full restoration. Looks fairly solid, especially considering that it's in Ontario. Post some more pics. I'd like to see the back. It looks like the headlights have been altered somewhat. I would think they are supposed to have lenses under those chrome rings like a contemporary Beetle.
All I can tell you about the van is that I can remember that Road & Track magazine did a comparison test between a DKW van and the VW Microbus during the 50's. I have the magazine in my extensive collection. Unfortunately, R&T didn't start their indexes until a few years later IIRC. So I would have to pull out the magazines and open each one until I found the article. More significant, I am working 1,000 miles from my collection, so I can't look for anything at the moment. Maybe around Christmas.
I can't read the entire emblem on the hood, but I believe that 3***6 was a DKW advertising theme at the time. It referred to how their 3-cylinder 2-strokes were the equivalent of a 6-cylinder 4-stroke. Wishful thinking. This would confirm that the van has the 2-stroke 3-cylinder.


_Modified by vedipus at 11:23 PM 11-3-2007_


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## vedipus (Sep 16, 2004)

*Re: 1956 DKW Schnellaster Auto Union (vedipus)*

By the way, I'd like to see some pics of your Skodas as well. I've never seen one in America. Are your cars ones that were sold in Canada during the '80s?


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## xchox (Jan 28, 2006)

*Re: 1956 DKW Schnellaster Auto Union (vedipus)*

Yes, They were imported into Canada. And when VAG took over, they canceled selling them here in Canada!
Wheel Restore
http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=3329461
The Shop
http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=3298933
One of the three I am currently restoring
http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=3329455
The engine after it's been cleaned up
http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=3496467
A complete list of all my vehicles
http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=3254246
What my car should look like when it is done
http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=3516422


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## VW Fox (Aug 1, 2000)

*Re: 1956 DKW Schnellaster Auto Union (xchox)*

Wow, nice find! Hope this piece of history gets restored to some extent. Reading a different thread I found online looks like it's headed in a different direction. My vote would be to keep the powerplant Audi/VW.







to picking it up and doing something with it.


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## teach2 (Aug 3, 2005)

OMG! I cannot tell you how much I would LOVE to have one of those! as Alex said, it looks pretty solid. Please ask your friend to log on and post more photos.
What a cool vehicle!


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## vedipus (Sep 16, 2004)

*Re: (teach2)*

I just found a 1957 DKW car ad for sale on the internet. The slogan was "3=6"


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## vedipus (Sep 16, 2004)

*Re: (vedipus)*

Ok, I dug up the old issue of Road&Track with the road test of the DKW van vs the VW Microbus. My scanning abilities leave a lot to be desired, but hopefully this will work.
I think the vans covered may be camper models. The article mentions an earlier review of the DKW van in the July '56 issue, but I don't have that one.
Enjoy!








































_Modified by vedipus at 9:29 PM 11-23-2007_
_Modified by vedipus at 9:44 PM 11-23-2007_


_Modified by vedipus at 10:20 PM 11-23-2007_


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## VW Fox (Aug 1, 2000)

*Re: 1956 DKW Schnellaster Auto Union (xchox)*

Bump for updates about this project.
Pictures (of other examples) taken from Dope Shizz thread:


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## [email protected] (Apr 9, 2004)

*Re: (vedipus)*

Somebody with the ALMS had one of those at Sebring last year. Very cool find.









More pics:
http://www.fourtitude.com/gall...rt=24#


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