Designed by the famed Bertone Studios and released in 1958, the Sport Prinz was an attempt by NSU to inject some sporting excitement into its range. It offered improvements in performance over its 2-door sedan cousin, and during its 10-years of production, just over 20,000 of these little cars rolled off the production line. The owner of this 1960 model has commenced the restoration work but has now decided to part with it. Located in Riverside, California, you will find the NSU listed for sale here on Craigslist with an asking price of $4,750. I have to say a big thank you to Barn Finder Pat L for spotting this little classic for us.

The Sport Prinz appears to be quite a promising little project car. There are a few minor dings on the body, but nothing particularly horrendous. The glass all looks to be present and in good condition, as does all of the external chrome and trim. The only rust in the vehicle is contained to the driver’s side rocker, and that should be pretty straightforward to fix.

Strap yourself in tight folks, because under the hood you’ve got a 583cc 2-cylinder engine that’s pumping out 36 hp. This is fed to the road via a 4-speed manual transmission. These engines are noisy, but they are quite a willing performer. NSU claimed a top speed of 99 mph for the Sport Prinz, although 83 mph was a more realistic figure. The engine in this car runs well and has been resealed, fitted with a new carburetor, and a new exhaust. The car also has a new brake master cylinder, although the owner does suggest that new wheel cylinders might be a wise investment. The owner also claims that the car has only covered a genuine 26,000 miles, and while he doesn’t indicate whether he has documentary evidence to back this, it’s a claim that I find to be quite plausible.

The interior of the NSU represents pretty basic motoring, which was quite common at the time. However, the owner of this particular car has undertaken some of the work required to whip the interior into shape. The car features new door trims and new covers on the front seats. It doesn’t appear as though the rear seat is present, so a replacement may need to be sourced. It’s also worth remembering that the rear seat is essentially a “children only” zone, as rear legroom is extremely limited. It also looks like the next owner will need to source a new headliner and new carpet, while the painted surfaces may need to be freshened when the outside of the car gets a fresh coat of paint.

The NSU Sport Prinz is a cute little car, and when restored, this is one car that is sure to start conversations wherever it goes. It really does look like a pretty straightforward restoration project and would be an ideal starting point for anyone intent on dipping their toe into the classic car scene for the first time.