Re: 1949 Porsche Gmund Cars

[Porschinelle]

Metzeler founded in 1863 in Munich was a rubber manufacturer
They have grown with the car industry
Their trade mark is the elephant
As Good year they produced airship

[Porschinelle]

Their automobile tyres had good reputation in the automobile racing car world and used by most of the German sport cars manufacturers such as Mercedes Benz and Porsche
They did not survive to the "radial" revolution introduced by the French copmpany Michelin and stopped manufacturing car tyres in 1979 concentrating on motorcycles tyres
They still exist to day

but they belong to the Italian Pirelli since 1986

[Don C]

They make fine motorcycle tires, used them on BMW boxters many years.

[Pat]

I had Metzler tires on my 1966 VW 1300 purchased new by a serviceman in Germany and shipped home by US military. I bought it with 7000 miles on it in 1966.

[Porschinelle]

Germany 1950

[Pat]

I lived in Munich from 1949-51 and I remember going to races in 1950 at Munich Reim airport with Dad who was in charge of rebuilding civil aviation capabilities in Bavaria. I was just 7 then but I remember seeing the Auto Union prewar racers, a car that Willy Messerschmidt was racing and a number of motorcycles with and without side cars. I also remember seeing my first 356 coupe in 51.

I also remember a 4 door VW beetle that picked my Dad up every morning to take him out to the Munich Reim airport see this link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Munich-Riem_Airport. My father with his 1948 Packard at Munich Riem airport is in the following photo.

[JTR70]

Great old photo of your father in his prime Pat! Thanks for sharing it and the story! Justin

Thank you too Gerard! Fantastic posts as always!

[Porschinelle]

In 1951 Auguste Veuillet (boss of Sonauto the French Porsche distributor) and his friend Edmond Mouche entered the last Gmund SL 356/02-063 built in the 24 hours Le Mans race

[Porschinelle]

[Porschinelle]

Made a mistake, please forget pic of car number 50 and replace it by this one (all three pics courtesy Jacques Mertens)

[Porschinelle]

The Porsche Stuttgart museum exhibit a clone of this car

[Porschinelle]

[Porschinelle]

To copme back to the pic of the car race number 50
It is still a Gmund 356GT but the one driven again by the same French team of pilots at the Le Mans 1952 race where again they were the only off the 3 starting 356 to finish the race

[Porschinelle]

[Porschinelle]

To end this item I found on e bay a poster representing a Gmund 356/2 tribute car with race number 46 exhibited several years ago in the US (Amelia Island/Miami ,)
Again this car is not a true reproduction