I just happened to be in Flowery Branch GA visiting relatives and had
the opportunity to visit with Sean at Euro-truck Importers. He carries
Mogs and Pinzies and a few military VW Things, along with spares and a
few trailers. It was blistering under the midday Georgia sun and Sarah
and I, on the bike and in our leathers, were about to collapse when Sean
appeared with the keys to the Pinz.
What a hoot. Al I can say is that I now really, really like Pinzgauers!
For those in the dark a Pinzgauer is a military vehicle similar in
appearance to a 101 LR, but a bit smaller.
I comes with a 90 HP air cooled (mostly Porsche) four cylinder engine.
This is coupled to a transfer case that drives a modular central drive
tube. At each axle there is a locking differential assembly that
connects to the wheels via CV jointed portal axles. The ground clearance
is excellent.
On the road the acceleration is car like and the engine is smooth and
quiet. The driving position is right up front and the visibility is
excellent, like a VW Transporter. The gearbox is fully synchromesh, so
no missed shifts. Braking was very good with its large finned drums.
Steering was quite sure, but a load would have made it more sure-footed.
The springs tend to push the axles down so that the truck runs on the
outside edge of the tires. Interior appointments are zero.
Unfortunately, the drive train is very noisy with a very whiny gear
noise from straight cut gears. I suppose this could be abated with
heavier synth lubes and a big thick cattle mat in the bed.
The bed is huge and the side seats flop inward to form a diamond plate
cargo bed.
Body construction is all steel, but on these early seventies vintage
trucks, there was little rust. They all are heavily undercoated. The
muffler seems to be the soft spot as all of them were welded up here or
there.
The soft top is made of synthetic material, fits well and wraps far
enough down so that it keeps water out. A continuous rubber bungee keeps
it flat and it doesn't flap in the wind at speed. Hard tops are
available.
My personal fondness is for the radio body or K model which has five
doors.
There is a six by six also which is slightly longer (a little slower and
a little heavier). I suppose that you could make an 10x10 if you wanted
to by simply adding more spacers and axle assemblies!
Anyway, Pinzgauers are very fun, not expensive and easy to live with. A
good choice to augment the Rover collection.
-- Bill Adams 3D & Motion Graphics Design Director International Broadcasting Bureau Washington, D.C. 202-205-9638 badams@ibb.gov'66 Land Rover 109 SW Diesel '81 GoldWing '69 Le Sabre Convertible '63 Pearson Vanguard "Practicing the ancient art of ren-ching"
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