NSU-Daimler stahlradwagon (Steel – or wire - wheel car)
The car was commissioned by Daimler to be built by NSU at Neckarsulm and was in effect their first production car, Just 10 were made using NSU expertise in making bicycles. The vehicle had a tubular steel chassis that carried the engine beneath the seat and drove a Zahnrad four speed gearbox. The surface carburetor also supplied fuel to the hot-rod ignition burners. Braking was by external contracting system operating on the right rear wheel only. The car was first shown to the public at the Paris World Fair in 1889.
Scratchbuilt 1/16th scale model. Built by Rod.
The model is totally scratch-built from references consisting of two drawings, a photo of a complete vehicle and two photos of the engine, one of which Rod took of an actual engine in the Peugeot Museum. All the references are at odds with each other, one drawing shows handlebar steering and the other tiller steering. The engine is quoted in the specification as a 45o V-twin but drawings and photos suggest the angle to be less so the model is a representation of the vehicle rather than an exact reproduction.
The method for building the wheels on this model is described in our article on respoking wire wheels.
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