Looking for something unusual to haul mulch this Spring? How about a 1952 Tempo Hanseat three-wheeler? This German artifact is listed here on eBay, at a price of $17,800. A few days before it showed up on eBay, it was recorded as sold through Hemmings for $14,490. That sale apparently fell through, and now the seller is moving overseas so he’s trying again. Whatever the backstory, this truck was treated to a nut-and-bolt restoration in Germany about eight years ago, and then imported to the US in about 2022. While it can haul about 1650 lbs, I’d be more likely to drive it to the local Cruise-In than load it up with barkdust.
Germany’s post-war economy began to boom after about 1948, but citizens were still short of nearly everything – including cheap transportation. The Tempo was originally conceived as front-load motorcycle – almost a motorized wheelbarrow. In 1939, it was evolved into a more conventional rear-cargo design – while retaining its three wheels. By 1949, the Hanseat arrived, with improvements to boost sales. This truck is powered by a water-cooled, 396 cc in-line two-stroke, good for about 14 hp. The horse and buggy hadn’t faded from the scene completely, so though today we would scoff at any vehicle generating only 14 hp, that was considered pretty good if your other choice was riding Ol’ Dobbin to town.
Power is delivered via chain to the front axle, providing reasonably good torque. The gearbox is a manual. The undercarriage is as nice as the topside.
Suicide doors – well, why not? Rear visibility is minimal out of that postage-stamp of a rear window – and I’m not seeing much in the way of mirrors. The single top-mounted wiper blade was typical for the era. This interior reminds me of a Model A, particularly around the gauge cluster.
The wooden rear bed, very narrow tires, and unique assortment of rear lamps/reflectors/lenses remind us this is no ordinary truck, even aside from its three-wheeled configuration. I don’t have evidence to support this notion, but it looks to me like the bed sides might fold down to make a platform. Other than selling the Hanseat in Europe, the factory also licensed production in India. The Bajaj-Tempo Hanseat was produced at Akurdi, Pune, until 2000 – decades after the last of these rolled off the line in Germany. These vehicles were nearly ubiquitous as people- and cargo-movers in India, their smoky little engines chattering away as they labored along rough roads. Would you want to own this vintage hauler?
This is really neat. I got a good laugh out of Michelles line, “that was considered pretty good if your other choice was riding Ol’ Dobbin to town.” Poor Ol’ Dobbin. This being front wheel drive ( singular form) caught my attention. I never would have guessed that at first glance, not without looking underneath it. The shifter kind of looks like a Citroën 2CV gear shift. I wonder if it operates the same way? I like the Model A style dashboard too. Everything that you need……. Nothing that you don’t. Thank you for yet again Michelle for showing me yet another vehicle I never knew existed, but is really unique.
Besides the rare/unusual (especially the long lost Italian classics!) you’ve a knack for finding and researching stuff some really crazy cool stuff, Michelle to which this is a shining example.
Cool.
Gentlemen, you’re very welcome. The good news is, there’s always weird stuff out there, it never ends. Stay tuned.
I had a slightly later Tempo pickup called a Matador. It had 4 wheels, and looked a bit like a VW split window pickup. It was powered by a Heinkel 2 cylinder engine and had front wheel drive. I sold it many years ago to the Lane museum.
Ms. Rand, you certainly give us a varied amount of submissions, I want this shown here, if it gets posted, that is, because your posts generate a lot of interest, too bad the comment part is so screwed up and has been for as long as I’ve been a member. I’m convinced if the comments were fixed, you’d have a lot more appreciation for your posts. Are you happy with that? As a writer, I wouldn’t be. People rip on me because I point out the negative, but it seems in life, I’ve learned, for everything that’s good, there is always a nemesis, an “anti” something, of sorts. Our society is geared for good, and suppresses the bad, well, not me. Take this site for example, great writers, and wonderful audience, fun topics( despite the prices) then the weakest link is the lack of attention to the comment problems. If I hear “what problems?, I’ll scream and at 1:30am, that could be a problem.
Thanks for your attention, if any, to this matter, and as far as the subject vehicle, cute, not RAM dually compliant, but I bet does wicked front wheel burnouts,, and $15 grand is clear, these folks just don’t know what to do with their money. Rant complete, for now, what’s next?
“…wicked front wheel burnouts..” there’s a comic visual for the day-thank you, Howard!
And yes, life is a matter of balance-which one of the two wolves you feed from the Cherokee legend..
https://www.drnicolepoell.com/blog/2018/7/10/blog-headline-376gb-tm28t
Howard… ” what problems ” lol 👍
Anyways when I was parousing this interesting article I read 396… and immediately my mind went to the big block lol. And for a second i thought … what the…
Excellent write-up Michelle. Like Nevadahalfrack says, crazy and cool.
Neat little truck, German engineering YAH VOLT, BUT that single wheel front drive would suck with 1,000lbs in the bed on a dirt or wet road on a hill….
This would turn some head’s at the home Depot or Ace hardware, kinda wonder how many of these are in the US and how many have been cut in half and turned into a trailer