Haflinger (vehicle)
The Steyr -Puch Haflinger is a small, lightweight SUV with four-wheel drive of the Austrian company Steyr -Daimler -Puch AG. It was produced from 1959 to 1974 and primarily delivered as a military vehicle in the Austrian Armed Forces and to the Swiss Army, but also built in several civilian versions. The Haflinger was developed primarily for use in the mountains.
History
The Steyr -Puch " Haflinger ", named after the famous eponymous mountain - horse race, is the result of discussions at a screening of motorcycles for the Austrian Army. For the construction of Erich Ledwinka was responsible, the son of the major automotive and longtime Tatra chief designer Hans Ledwinka. The manufacturer- internal name is AP 700 ( short wheelbase ) and AP 703 ( Long Wheel Base ). The combination of letters stands for " wheel - platform ".
The Haflinger is about 2.85 or 3.15 meters long, 1.35 meters wide, depending on wheelbase and is powered by a built- in rear, air-cooled two -cylinder boxer engine with 643 cc displacement and initially 22 and later 24 and last 27 hp. It has a central tube frame similar to that of Tatra trucks and empty weighs about 600 kg and has a payload of 500 kg and a towing capacity of 350 kg and can be provided with various structures. As a municipal vehicle with reinforced chassis and frame and brake booster payload is 1,200 kg.
The Haflinger proved a surprising success and was produced in different variants. There were in addition to the military versions for Switzerland, Austria, Sweden, Indonesia and Australia in the civilian sector different models. These include, for example, the "Municipal Haflinger " (usually supplied with the tenacity polyester cab ), the "Tropical Haflinger " with an additional cyclone air filter on the snout or the countries of versions according to the respective regulations of other states, such as the " Pathfinder " with " frog eyes " ( Sealed Beam headlights ) for the U.S., the " Steyr -Puch 700AP " said Italy version with " Squirrel indicators " and the right-hand drive for the UK. In addition, Haflinger were delivered in special designs to firefighters and mountain rescue.
Despite the small dimensions of the Haflinger of some armed forces was used as a weapons platform. The Austrian Army used him as a mount for a heavy Browning M2 machine gun or recoilless gun of the type M18. Switzerland and Sweden The armies endowed him to part with an unusual armament of six forward and a further eight rearward anti-tank missiles of type Bofors Bantam.
Military and off-road enthusiasts will appreciate the all-wheel drive vehicle as extreme terrain. The Haflinger has around two separate differential locks and an independent suspension on forked portal swing half-axles with coil springs, so that even with a small wheel size results in a large ground clearance. Each half axle has about 25 cm of motion, the final ratio is carried out in the wheel hubs.
Particular advantages of the vehicle are:
- Low center of gravity due to the low central tube chassis and the lack of an upper body assembly
- Large overhang angles front and rear and cheaper ramp angle at the center, which facilitates the crossing of obstacles
- The two separate differential locks allow advancement of the vehicle even if only one wheel has traction
- The portal axles lead to axle center to the wheel center, what the ground clearance increased without having to rely on bigger wheels
- The suspension is fully independent on all four wheels and offers at great ability entanglement maximum possible traction.
However, a disadvantage of the vehicle is the comparatively low engine power and the associated low speed of 75, 64, 58 or even 52 km / h (depending on the transmission and final drive ratio ) so that it is less suitable for longer distances and why people like her Haflinger today etc. are preferred transport for long journeys to meetings with trailers or small trucks.
The "big brother" of the Haflinger, which appears from the outside at first glance like a larger version of this was later marketed under the name Steyr -Puch Pinzgauer. The Pinzgauer was (and still is) also available with three driven axles to the drive formula 6x6 and is still one of the geländegängigsten vehicles at all.
A "H2 ", ie a " Haflinger 2 " was planned as the successor to the small SUV, but was not implemented as originally projected design. This, however, eventually became the Puch G or identical Mercedes -Benz G-Class, which is today still produces the Magna plant in Graz.
From Steyr -Puch Haflinger total of 16,647 vehicles of all variants were produced in the years 1959 to 1974.
Haflinger today
Many decommissioned army vehicles were bought up gradually from classic car lovers all over the world. Held regular rallies and meetings of Haflinger owners, especially in southern Germany, Austria and Switzerland. It has established itself in these countries a wide scene of lovers of this vehicle, but there are also a number of owners in the UK, the U.S., Canada, Australia and Asia. One of the most famous and important Club meeting will be held in the village of Hafling ( Avelengo ) near Merano in South Tyrol ( northern Italy) every year.
The director Nikolaus Geyrhalter told that he could bring the film equipment on virtually every hill with his " Haflinger " if the production has a helicopter use is not permitted.
Variants
The Haflinger was little change in its production time basically, but there were some significant changes and variations:
- Series 1: 4 -speed transmission (original model)
- Series 2: 5 -speed transmission with creeper and higher engine power, on request with a longer wheelbase
- Polycab: on request delivery with a fully enclosed fiberglass cab
- Snow Wiesel: Wheels for operations on snow and / or ice replaced by small chain drives
- Swiss Military: Hybrid version of elements of the 1st and 2nd series and special bumpers, roof plan and other details
- USA version: "Pathfinder" ( Scouts ) model called with " bugeye " Sealed beam headlamps, and other modifications in accordance with U.S. regulations