At Barn Finds, we’re no strangers to classics that have remained part of the same family since Day One. However, when the vehicle in question is quirky and its history spans two continents and almost six decades, it is bound to catch our attention. Therefore, I must say a big thank you to Barn Finder Barney for spotting this 1967 Goggomobil TS250 Coupe. It ticks the boxes previously stated, doing so while retaining its original paint. It has a genuine 19,900 miles on the clock and is a turnkey proposition following a recent comprehensive engine rebuild. You will find this German classic listed here on Craigslist in Cocoa, Florida. If affordability forms part of your selection process, the seller’s price of $9,950 OBO allows the TS250 to tick another box for you.
Goggomobil set up shop in the Bavarian town of Dingolfing in 1955. The company focused on producing affordable microcars, with the TS250 Coupe joining its range in 1957. Radical updates weren’t part of the company’s philosophy, with the transition from suicide to conventional doors in 1964 representing the only major change during the TS250’s production life. The history of this 1967 example is fascinating, with the seller’s father-in-law purchasing the vehicle off the showroom floor in the beautiful Bavarian alpine town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen. It remained on home soil until his passing in 2018 before making the long journey to North America. It can be considered a genuine survivor, wearing its original White paint and the stripes that were applied when it was new. The paint is in good order, there are no major panel imperfections, and no evidence or mention of rust. The seller replaced the chrome trim in 2023, with the luggage rack a practical feature considering the lack of significant trunk space. The glass is in good condition, and the wheels retain their original hubcaps.
The Goggomobil’s interior presents nicely following a seat retrim in the correct Red vinyl in 2019. The remaining upholstery and the painted surfaces are exceptional for their age, and the only visible flaws worth noting are a couple of small cracks and some minor wear on the wheel. The TS250 represented motoring at its most affordable and basic, but the addition of an aftermarket stereo should relieve boredom if the new owner elects to undertake long road trips. The stereo installation hasn’t involved cutting or other modifications, and could be reversed if the buyer prefers originality.
As the TS250 model name suggests, this Goggomobil derives its power from a twin-cylinder air-cooled engine with a capacity of 247cc. This rear-mounted powerplant sends its 14hp and 14 ft/lbs of torque to the road via a four-speed manual transaxle. The company quoted a top speed of 52mph, but that poor little twin would be screaming its head off at that speed, so I’d opt for more sedate progress if I were behind the wheel. The seller’s father-in-law had used the TS250 fairly regularly until his passing, but circumstances meant that by the time it landed on local shores, the engine had seized. Thankfully, new parts to perform a revival were readily available, with this rebuild requiring new barrels, pistons, a crankshaft, and rods. The transmission was rebuilt, and the clutch was replaced at the same time, ensuring that the Goggomobil is in excellent mechanical health. Its odometer shows 32,000 kilometers, which equates to around 19,900 miles. The vehicle is heavily documented, including the original German Title, Owner’s Manual, Shop Repair books, and a range of receipts for the performed work. The seller will also throw in any removed parts for those wanting an additional slice of this car’s history.
A question often posed by enthusiasts is whether the ownership history of a classic adds to its potential value. There is no hard-and-fast answer, but it is undoubtedly true that certain vehicles will be worth more under the right circumstances. For instance, any Pontiac Trans Am owned by the late Burt Reynolds will command a premium due to his indelible association with the badge through the “Smokey and the Bandit” movie franchise. This 1967 Goggomobil TS250 Coupe doesn’t fall into that category, but its story represents an excellent conversation starter at a show or a Cars & Coffee. The seller’s price is realistic for a TS250 of this caliber, and if your leanings are towards the quirky end of the classic world, that makes it worth a closer look.
Always fascinated by cars like these. I can smell the exhaust from here. The author doesn’t mention these were 2 strokes, and horribly anemic for anything here. Apparently, they made a 300 and 400 as well( whistles), and what did we have? 396 Chevelles, and such. To put things in perspective, I looked up that city, just SW of Munich, and quite mountainous. I doubt any Autobahn out there. This car went 8 blocks to the train station, and local jaunts, and did just fine. I’m surprised the seller went with the original motor, I suppose for originality, and a Hayabusa motor would probably kill yourself. As is, it did 0-60 in,,,oops,,N/A,,,0-50 then, in a whopping 39.5 seconds, and the 1/4 mile in a blistering 27.8@ 44mph. Okay, not its intent, but it did get almost 50 mpg, and that’s what was important,,,then,,,to them. To us? Good heavens, we had cars that would pass this in 2nd gear, Niagara Falls down the intake,,, but then,,well, you know.
Made me giggle when I saw it. But the picture with it on the car trailer made me laugh out loud.
And he could store it in the spare bedroom. Poor wifey.
Go to an auto parts store and ask the kid behind the counter for parts, just for laughs. I ask one kid for a part for a 67 El Camino and he said, What kinda car is that???
Those stripes look more ’87 than ’67.
From the side the back glass looks like a 1964-Barracuda
Looks like a mini 64 Barracuda
Love everything about this cutie, including the the Alfa Romeo-esque grill!
I’d buy a Gogomobil just for the name alone.
I seem to remember every little “puddle jumper” was called “Goggomobil”, especially the BMW Isetta.
Way too much power for me to handle!!!!!!!
Kinda Cuda, Ghia, A. Romeo ,I like it.
“Quirky”…is the word!
Any idea if the pinstripes are painted on or if they are removable vinyl? My local Cars & Coffee has a strict rule against doing burnouts. I guess this car would be safe.
I always wanted a Goggomobil from Dingolfing.
These cars were the brainchild of Hermann Glas. He found there was a market for very small cars in German after WW2. They were simple and economical. Before the takeover of his company in 1967 by BMW, he made larger cars like my Glas 1700GT.
The GLAS Club is very active in Germany and also in the US. Parts are readily available.
Good small cars.
There’s a very famous and much loved Australian Yellow Pages ad where a big Scotsman is looking for parts for his Goggomobile and it follows his efforts to find parts using the phone book. Worth a look, I think it’s on You Tube…..
Thanks Stu! I did a YT search for “Goggomobile cars” first and I found over a dozen videos on them, one with somebody pulling two mini bikes on a trailer even. After that I did a search for “Goggomobil car yellow pages commercial” and the one you’re talking about showed up. I’ve never seen one of these cars before but I think they’re really cool.. as did someone else apparently because the Craigslist ad has been deleted so it looks like it was sold.
Wait- No snarky luggage rack comments?
Only that it is interchangeable with the one on my bicycle.
I owned a similar TS in beige for several years around 2005. I agree with the comment that likens it to a tiny Alfa. It is, by far, the most attractive, micro car out there from a standpoint of conventional design. It had a quirky sideways shift movement, although there were models equipped with an electric pre-selector. I was living in the Hudson Valley at the time with all its hilly river banks, and was thankful that a German owner Had installed a four-way flasher! The car was a hoot. I had dreams of casting a miniature 1955 Chysler grille for it, as the body, glass area and even the tail lights already have the right look. In the end, 13 hp limited it too much. I replaced it with a Honda Z-600, then a slightly modified FIAT 500 (1965). But none could handle those hills. I finally found a car with enough power to run with the big boys in a 1981 Suzuki SC100 coupe– same size and performance as a vintage Mini Cooper, but much rarer.
I’m curious what the spare parts situation is with the end of the “de minimus” tariff exemption. Currently, the German postal system is not accepting parcels destined for the US.
Good question. Back then in 2005, you could get almost anything (much if it brand new or newly remanufactured) from one guy in Bavaria, Uwe Staufenberg. That was 20 years ago, but a quick check indicates he’s still at it.The political situation aside, these cars are pretty reliable once brought up to spec, and the tech is elegantly simple and straightforward. For the last 15 years, prime examples were being offered in the $20-$25K range in the States, which seemed crazy to me, having purchased mine for $5200 plus shipping out of Germany, from California Classix, just a few years before. That said, there must be a contingent of new buyers who realized that 13 hp minicars were not much more than cute toys, fun to drive down to the corner for milk, but terrifying when a big dump truck is in the mirror. One can well imagine the situation where a significant other refuses to sit in the passenger seat and the car goes back on the market almost immediately. As I have always been into micro/mini cars. My answer was to move up in the horsepower ratings until I got to a car that kept up nicely with traffic on fast two lanes, and accelerates well enough to stay out of their way.