If a carmaker can sell a car made of plywood and vinyl, it’s facing a pretty strong market. And so it was with Lloyd, a brand name that Borgward resurrected in 1950 to sell cheap vehicles to customers ready to splurge after WWII. Lloyd’s first post-war car was called the Leukoplastbomber by derisive owners, who used “plasters”- aka band aids – to fix damage in its leatherette body. Steel was on ration, still, and only larger companies were able to buy any. So Lloyd soldiered along with alternative materials, gradually phasing from wood/vinyl to wood/thin rolled steel and finally all steel by 1957. Lloyd never owned its own presses, requiring the benevolence of other car makers to press its panels and ship them to the factory for finishing. Here on craigslist we have a 1958 Lloyd Alexander LP 600 for sale with an asking price of $7500. The car is located in Nashville, Tennessee, and we thank Chuck F. for the tip!
The 600 improved upon the Leukoplastbomber, but the forces of evolution – in the form of Volkswagen – drove the species to extinction shortly after this car was made. The interior remained deadly simple, with one gauge and a few scattered switches on offer, an overlapping metal-door’d glove box, and tiny pedals. By now the car had outgrown the two-stroke configuration favored by Lloyd earlier: the LP 600 would have a front-mounted, 596 cc air-cooled two-cylinder four-stroke. The Lloyd was one of the first cars with a transversely-mounted motor and an inline gearbox driving the front wheels. It also wore swing-axle rear suspension; here’s a Lloyd doing the “tuck ‘n roll”.
Two versions of the 600 were available – the base model with 19 hp, and the TS at 25 hp. The base model came with a column-shift three-speed manual and took a minute (literally) to attain its top speed of 60 mph; if you sprung for the high-output TS you got a four-speed and maybe a few seconds off the sprint to 60. The seller notes his car has the latter, so it must be a TS. Restored about ten years ago, this example is said to run and drive well.
Lloyd’s nomenclature used letters to define body styles – the “LP” was a sedan or “limousine”. The company also made vans, convertibles, and station wagons. Details like suicide doors, outside panel hinges, and contoured front and rear lenses, along with its dumpling looks, are like catnip to microcar fans. Lloyds don’t come up for sale often, and this one is exceptionally nice. I could see this little number selling very close to the ask.
I know, but I just can’t contain myself, what year? ’58? Look at what these folks drove compared to our ’58 Buicks and such. Was this the same planet? Look at the simplicity here, I love it! As for the “TS”, it’s that extra 6 HP that gets you over the hill. Horribly inept even on a flat with a stiff Colorado head wind. When I was a lad, we had an older Jewish doctor that made house calls( remember those?) and he drove Lloyds and Borgwards. We thought it odd, a Jewish doctor would drive a German car, but he did. He always made it even in the coldest days. I never thought about if it had air cooling or front drive, and why he chose that car for his “rounds”.
We seem to associate the Germans with what went on with distain, especially in my family, but you know what? As I grew older, and people that were affected died off, I forgot all that, and aside from you know who, I think Germany was the leader in mechanical design, and still is. Probably why they got as far as they did in the war. Many talented workers came to Milwaukee from Germany, had a guaranteed job as a machinist, and didn’t speak a word of English.
When I was in Germany on vacation years ago, I stayed in Heidelberg and attended a car show I wasn’t even aware was going on–nice bonus! Anyhoo, met an older guy when I stopped to look at a restored LLoyd Alexander of this vintage. I had to wrap my head around the fact that the car was so tiny. The man said his Uncle had one in the late 50s, and died in a horrible accident in that car. Apparently it folded up like a house of cards with little to no protection of any kind. The man said that’s why Lloyds have 2 door handles…the car doubles as your coffin in a wreck.
I had bought a 57 Lloyd 600 at an estate sale a while back for 300 bucks,in ohio,couldn’t find any parts for it,so I sold it to a guy in Pennsylvania. It was off white with a turquoise top
I’ve driven very small cars since I fell in love with a ’41 Crosley during WW2… it’s just my “thing.”
However, I still say that anything is safer than a totally out-in-the-environment two-wheeler. Other big pluses are staying dry and reasonably warm in inclemency and not having to put one’s feet down when coming to a stop.
Low power? It’s called a “challenge,” sort of like getting the most out of what’s available on a closed road course. I’m sure some of our commenters like Howard A and driveinstyle know what “energy management” is, they’re from the real Road Warrior pre-turbo tribe. We KNOW that “driving” is more than guiding a self-driving suppository.
I came across the saying somewhere along the line, that said a man who drives a Lloyd does not fear death.
Quite a lot of mistakes – Lloyd made steel – bodies from spring 1955 on – wards ( partially from March 1953 to spring 1955; last thing to be made of steel was the roof.
4 – speed was optional – series in the ” TS “, available on the ” Alexander “. No more 3 – speed from 1958 on – wards on Alexander and Alexander TS:
Alexander ” TS ” has got a coil – spring – rear – axle – whilst the 600 Standard got the leaf – springs of the Lloyd 400.
Having a look at the carb would tell straight away, if this is a TS- I do not believe so.
Seats were different as well on the TS. Speedo to 140 Km/h on the TS.
And : not true that the Lloyd was ” one of the first ” with a transverse – engine. DKW had that from 1931 on – wards.
This Lloyd would a lovely addition to Bostons Bubble Car Museum, come on Mrs Cooper get some money crossing the Atlantic. Britain had a Lloyd made in Hull I think. Michelle perhaps you can research the various makes named Lloyd.
Interesting car but my question is this, where does one find parts if needed? I bet it would be fun for curvy back roads.
https://www.lloyd-days.com/teiledienst-des-clubs/lloyd-teilekompass/
and other Borgward Clubs….
Wow this car is absolutely mint! Those floor mats are unobtainium. That interior is spotless and the material is extremely nice. I’m over in MA and have 5 of these cars. Two 60 sedans, a 60 wagon with optional Saxomat vacuum clutch (for odd points), a 58 wagon and a 56 LC600 convertible. I absolutely love these little cars. They’re very well built, fun to drive and the motors are tough as hell, if small. Most parts are available through the Lloyd Friends club in Germany, many parts can be found locally if you’re resourceful enough.
My ex-father in law was an ice Racer. I used to he also but no where to do that in Nevada. He used to talk about “the fast guys” drove Lloyd’s, Goliaths and Bordwards. Then VWs, Porsche and Corvairs came on the scene. A friend has a Borgward in very nice original condition only the engine is apart. I like the body style of the Borgward, the Lloyd, not so much.
No thanks! My first car was Fiat 600D with suicide doors. It lived up to its name of Fix It Again Toney.
I had a ’59 TS Kombi that I drove to college for a couple of years. Mine had chrome tubular bumpers, which came in handy once – with my usual exuberant but not particularly skilled style, I managed to smack the left rear wheel on a curb, bending the wheel. We had the lug wrench, but no jack, so I had to hold the left rear of the car off the ground while my roommate changed the wheel. Light car; about 1300lbs with most of it in front. We had a lot of fun in that car and it was perfectly capable of making my 60 mile commute through the Ozarks.
My father drove a Borgward Isabella, his was a 59. In that same era neighbors of my grandmother had a Lloyd in the barn, I was like 5 and remember those neighbors telling me that it was unsafe to drive on Massachusetts roads; this would’ve been around 62,63. When my grandmother sold her house in the 80’s that Lloyd was still in the barn and I’ve never seen another since.
Snohomish Washington in the late 70’s or so a friend put one of these on his Toyota 4×4 frame after he rolled the Toyota. The car happened to be pink, so we called it the PINK FLOYD!
Nice! Roger Waters should be contacting you about copyright infringement. :) He has some unusual views, and just turned 81.
The engines are not that hard to rebuild. My Dad helped me rebuilt mine in pir garage.
Thot the garage looked familiar. I think this is being sold by the Lane Motor Museum in Nashville, known for their micro cars. Great museum!!
Believe it or not, I think I saw one of these in Havana, Cuba back in January.
I’ve seen pics of no less than 4 different ones down there, so far! One green wagon, one orange TS sedan and 2 different blue sedans.
There was one of these in an Australian Mobilgas Trial and also one in the 1961(?) Armstrong 500 (the forerunner to the Bathurst 1,000)
I owned a 58 Lloyd which I put way too many long distance miles on. One trip
from Chicago to Pensacola, FL. Another trip from Chicago to southern Illinois
about a 600 mile roundtrip. Needless to say that’s not the kind of driving that
the little car was designed for. I “fell” for another little car (Moretti) and traded
the Lloyd in for the brand new Moretti. Unfortunately, the Moretti turned out to
be a totally unreliable car and I eventually asked the dealer to give me my
Lloyd back and he could have the Moretti back. Thank goodness he allowed
me “out” of the deal. I was very young and when I think back of what
transpired I now realize how fortunate I was to dissolve the deal. He could
certainly have made me “stick” to the deal. I took the Lloyd back and drove
it many more miles.
I have a 58 Alex 600 i just picked up to restore and i am having a hard time finding parts can anyone give me any ideas of where to get parts.
The Lloyd Friends club in Germany can get you pretty much anything you need for these cars. If you’re looking for online info, manuals or anything then google Lloydselig.com. It’s an all English website that has all needed manuals scanned in.
Thank you I’ll check that out today.