This pair of NSU Prinzes (hopefully I got the plural form right) have one running engine between them–the seller started it two years ago and has continued to run the engine. A lack of brakes and severe clutch chatter kept them from running it further. The silver car’s engine is out, and while the seller tried to start it they were unsuccessful. In case you aren’t familiar with these cars, the engines are two-cylinders–more than a little unusual in the car world! The ad states there are enough parts for one complete car, but unfortunately, there’s no title for either. The pair of NSU’s are in Easton, Connecticut and are listed here on eBay, where bidding opens at $2,000 without a reserve. These little German coupes have a fine reputation when finished, but I’m not sure I’d want to take these two on. Do you feel differently?
For $2K without title(s)? I think not. Prinzes are neat little cars, and the Sport version is pretty. For a couple hundred bucks, I might be tempted. Don’t know how easy parts are to run down, but I suppose you could throw a Kohler in there to get it running.
No Thanks. These cars are to obscure to be worth the cost of parts.
My cousin has a similar car: 1964 NSU Spider, the first car in the world with the Wankel
A little too little, both body and engine. The body is a decent design by Bertone, and looks like some other cars of the era also done by Bertone like the ASA, but the Prinz version is too stubby to look very appealing.
A later Prinz model got a Wankel engine and I remember seeing Jay Leno talk about and drive his. It had some pep but I think Jay said that the rotary engine couldn’t go very long between rebuilds. I think the 2-strokes in the Prinzes featured here likely also need rebuilds more often than most people would be OK with.
These are not 2 strokes. They are parallel twins with overhead cam driven by concentric rods. I’ve owned many of these. Parts are not easy to get in the US are are somewhat limited overseas. Shipping costs quickly get out of hand and these could get costly to restore.
These are pretty cool little cars, but you’d probably really have to want one to ignore the cost of resto’
Thanks, Gary, I fixed the error.
Its funny how you guys get all the rare cars over the years ..so many that they dont even interest most of you. There is less than a handful of these in Aussie and
I sold mine a few months ago due to pending interstate move much to my sadness.
Such a pretty microcar. Perhaps one of the prettiest micros yet you are flooded with too many choices of too many vintage cars to want to do the hard yards on these..plus you guys have got the parts we lack here…[in the form of donor cars]
I have seen quite a few over the years come on this blog and others that nothing seems rare in America…we got a handful delivered here…such a good looking car.
Luckily we dont suffer from the “tittle” thing here..just need a receipt for purchase or if registered for the road a “signed over” registration paper.
I am curious though as “tittle” comes up so much on here and elsewhere it seems a missing tittle makes too much hassle for many people [or even impossible to register] I have discovered early cars may be before tittles??. Could someone simply explain the mechanism of a “tittle” to us overseas lookers please and why it is not as simple as a receipt for purchase [i am guessing that equates to your Bill of sale]. These blogs are international but most cars that come on are for sale in the US and although “tittle” is fairly obvious its ramifications are not. From where I stand I’d say blow the tittle I want it..but it seems without tittles its too scary to US buyers.
Rusty, it varies here from state to state. Where I live, I’d never be able to license a car to drive legally without a title.
In the US a title is similar to a property deed. A title is issued by a State Department of Motor Vehicles. It varies by state but the title proves that the title fee (tax) and whatever else, has been paid. A title is usually issued when ownership is transferred to a resident or business of that state. It is used to prove and provide an audit trail of ownership. I hope that helps Rusty.
I have owned a Sport Prinz since 2000. First, as mentioned by someone else, it’s NOT a two-stroke, it’s a two-cylinder but a conventional four-stroke. That’s a rather fundamental error. Second, I have not experienced that parts are impossible to find nor are they very expensive. Not exactly easy to find either, but I have been able to get mechanical parts in the U.S., the U.K. and Germany. Trim parts and glass in particular are hard to find. It’s a lovely little car.
The plural is Prinzen not prizes.
thanks guys that helps
ironically i imagine many aussies think our registration papers work the same but i believe not in that someone can own a car but register it anothers [spouse as example] name thus they purely are registration papers. Although in most cases registration papers are generally and have been used as proof of ownership..
in your case a tittle is definitive in the ownership trail even though it also smacks of gov revenue collecting but thats the nature of government issued papers of any nature.
its both good and bad i guess for you guys.
These cars are in CT. CT doesn’t issue titles on cars this old. You can get a registration but not a tilte.
These have been on the local CL for a along time. I’ve been tempted to check them out but no time and I’d be dead if I brought them home.
– John
john
so it is possible to still register a car in some states but still not have a tittle.
john said : “I’ve been tempted to check them out but no time and I’d be dead if I brought them home.”
ahhh then that would require a certificate [not a tittle] of proof of your passing and the bl@@dy government still gets its fees.
The issue about a title comes up when exporting a car. Since India has opened up the import of cars, it was discovered that it is essential that a title is present. I believe that the US customs also insist on one when the car is exported from there..