With well over 100,000 of these scooters having been made, they aren’t as rare as some other makes but there aren’t many of them in the US. This may be the only one in the United States with this rare sidecar. That’s what the seller says about this 1957 Heinkel Tourist 103 A0 scooter with a very rare Wilmsen sidecar. They have this rare scoot listed here on eBay in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The current bid price is $4,444.44 but the reserve isn’t met.
Information that I found on a couple of Heinkel websites says that Heinkel produced just over 34,000 of their Tourist 103 A0 models, which were made between 1955 and 1957 and are now highly sought after by collectors. They are about as unique of a piece of two-wheeled machinery as there ever was. Or in this case, three-wheeled when you include the rare Wilmsen sidecar, possibly the only one in existence in the US.
Heinkel has an interesting history and most of you probably already know that they’re a German company. They built aircraft during World War II, partially with the use of slave labor, so there’s a very dark history there. A lot of folks won’t own anything from certain countries due to family history in fighting wars and I get that 100%. I just thought I’d mention that as it may have come up in the comments. Ok, back to this scooter.
Barn Finds has shown exactly one Heinkel vehicle in the past and it was their “car”, or microcar: the Kabine 150 as seen here. According to the Heinkel Tourist website, 17 Tourist 103 A0s are known to be in the United States at this time but only one with this sidecar. It’s almost more a case of buying the sidecar and getting a Heinkel Tourist scooter thrown in. The seller thinks that the paint may be original on the Heinkel scooter which would be really outstanding but there are a few issues for the next owner to work out.
The engine is Heinkel’s 173 cc with around 10 horsepower. With a new four-speed gearbox, they were known as the Rolls-Royce of scooters in parts of England given how well-made and solid they were and they were priced above most other scooters of the time. This one runs and drives well but will need new tires at some point. Have any of you owned or even seen a Heinkel Tourist scooter?
Sidecars are cool but at the end of the day it’s still just a scooter.
Nobody frequenting this site is getting in that sidecar!
The reference to alleget slave labor maybe politically correct, is however a historic lie. Heinkel produced some of the most spectaculat fighter planes in history and designed the VTL concept which is used by British Harrier. They also invented the ejection seat which has saved countless pilots lives. In addition Heinkel was one of the jet engine pioneers. As far as their scooter goes, it was a superb machine seconded only by the Bastert Einspurauto or possibly the Röhr Roletta and Zündapp Bella. I have never understood the Vespa madness – a cute ¨scooter¨ but no more, but the Heinkel was a real machine on par with with anything on two wheels and vastly superior to most. The side car I have never heard of, but it looks like a nice design. Anyone who saya, it´s still only a scootter obviously has no idea of what he is talking about.
Do you make the allegation that it is a historically incorrect statement you offered and 0 proof that it is historically incorrect only that they also manufactured other things
“While researching the Sachsenhausen concentration camp that was located just outside of Berlin, I discovered that thousands of slave laborers were forced to work for the Heinkel aircraft manufacturing company. When I began to research the Heinkel company I found a biography of the founder Ernst Heinkel on the website of the San Diego Air & Space Museum. I was somewhat shocked to find that he had been selected for their International Air and Space Hall of Fame.” Must have been another Heinkel you were referring to.
Due to political and social restraints as they (wisely) apply to this forum, I cannot answer in detail. Now take a deep breath, count to ten, go to the fridge and get another Corona, open it, pour it into a glass like a civilized person and enjoy it. Cheers and Beers, Gerard
I have no interest in scooters, but this is one of the coolest items on Barn Finds!
Heinkel Flugzeugwerke used forced Jewish labor, starting in 1941.[7]
Wikipedia
And if this is an issue then take down Herr Frederick’s political post.
Its KOOL! Thats really all that needs to be said? Bid or blow by all the irrellevant BS! Just my take.
sorry ppl R so stoooopid. Man’s inhumanity to man knows no bounds (on ALL sides). We need to banish war, prejudice and a bit of anger.
Cool machine (over all and in detail) no matter who made it. I hate what H. Wienstine did, I can enjoy some of his movies (arrest’n prosecute, move on in life).
Sorry for the politics & my own preachiness. Back to “our” topic~
Auction update: it didn’t sell the first go-round and was relisted and didn’t sell again at a high bid price of $5,801.56.