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veskovici
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Joined: September 11, 2006
Posts: 359
Location: Belgrade
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Wiggy
Samba Member
Joined: April 17, 2003
Posts: 6601
Location: Downingtown, PA
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 Posted: Fri Nov 30, 2007 12:38 pm Post subject: Re: Schmidt & Hoffman |
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| LASplit wrote: |
My '52 Standard was delivered to Schmidt & Hoffmann in Kiel, Germany, in late August 1952. Is this the same Hoffmann that had the dealership in New York? Technically, my car is a "Hoffmann" car, although maybe a different Hoffmann? Just curious.
LASplit |
No.
Must be delivered to NYC.
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Kevin "Wiggy"
My 58 Ghia Vert
My 51 Split 11G
My 57 Deluxe
My 56 Oval |
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Genrich
Samba Member
Joined: February 09, 2004
Posts: 147
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| Posted: Fri Nov 30, 2007 11:04 pm Post subject: Nor-Cal imports |
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My November 9 of 53 Bug lists the Country of Destination as
Riviera Motors Ltd. San Francisco.
Now does that make it a Hoffmann car?
How far did his import rights go?
Erich
| Quote: |
| Technically the shake up occured in Jan 1954, as Will van de Kamp started on January 20th 1954.....and the Hoffman Contract was not renewed past Dec 31st 1953. Certainly as Gotfried Lange appointed new distributors in 1953 all around the US, it was obvious that things were going to change. |
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5 out of 4 people have problems with fractions. |
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Wiggy
Samba Member
Joined: April 17, 2003
Posts: 6601
Location: Downingtown, PA
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| Posted: Thu Dec 06, 2007 6:55 am Post subject: |
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Here is what I have as a confirmed Hoffman split:
YEAR CHASSIS# TYPE
1950 1-181543 11G
1950 1-182800 11a
1950 1-185699 11c
1950 1-185703 11c
1950 1-189825 11a
1950 1-189827 11a
1950 1-189970 11a
1950 1-192747 11G
1951 1-221683 11A
1951 1-231348 11c
1951 1-237408 11a
1951 1-266008 11A
1951 1-266201 15A
1951 1-291675 11G
1951 1-291837 15A
1951 1-310840 11c
1952 1-316333 11c
1952 1-319992 11g
1952 1-348799 11a
1952 1-369200 11c
1952 1-370776 11a
1952 1-390643 11c
1952 1-409328 11a
1952 1-409331 11c
1952 1-413681 11a
1952 1-417064 11c
1952 1-423576 11G
1953 1-428936 11c
1953 1-428963 11c
1953 1-429218 11c
1953 1-429593 11a
Plus, I have a barndoor bus.
1952 20-028923 24A
Keep them coming. I'll see if there is a way to share all of this information.
I actually have a list of over 2,200 splits.
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Kevin "Wiggy"
My 58 Ghia Vert
My 51 Split 11G
My 57 Deluxe
My 56 Oval |
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52HoffmanSplit
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Joined: April 07, 2006
Posts: 1272
Location: Lamorinda CA
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| Posted: Thu Dec 06, 2007 8:24 am Post subject: |
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Cool... Thanks Kev... always interesting to see this type of info... I probably should post these in the "cool pictures" section.. but here are a few of the Hoffman Dealership in NY.. where our cars got their start. Probably most of these have been posted here but thought I would throw them up.
Above: Where is this Cabriolet now?? Looks like Max in the light colored suit.
Below: Here is Max Hoffman in his Porsche... circa 1951/52.. he was a pretty famous motorcycle and car driver in his day (pre-war).... and continued to "have fun with it" after the war.
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DB
9/1950 Hoffman Standard
11/1966 Porsche 912
10/1966 Porsche 912
7/1968 Type 265 Double Cab
10/1958 Type 117 |
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ScrapJunkie
(O\U|U/O)
Joined: March 17, 2004
Posts: 3977
Location: Hutchinson, Kansas
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| Posted: Thu Dec 06, 2007 3:32 pm Post subject: |
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What are these wheels? I've never seen any like that before.
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(O\U|U/O) Top Vw (o\UU/o) |
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[email protected]
Samba Member
Joined: September 22, 2002
Posts: 1243
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| Posted: Thu Dec 06, 2007 7:16 pm Post subject: |
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| I wonder what was the first year for a Hoffman vert? |
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Wiggy
Samba Member
Joined: April 17, 2003
Posts: 6601
Location: Downingtown, PA
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[email protected]
Samba Member
Joined: September 22, 2002
Posts: 1243
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| Posted: Fri Dec 07, 2007 9:42 am Post subject: |
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| hmmm I always thought they came in lsfter 50, so maybe my 50 vert is also a hoffman car. With The km trip spedo I just thought it to be a owner import, but since know ever seen one in mph maybe they just had to have it even if in KM.I have to get it together and send for the info. |
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billmetric
Samba Member
Joined: March 16, 2006
Posts: 1060
Location: Columbus City USA
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| Posted: Sat Dec 08, 2007 7:34 pm Post subject: |
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I keep putting off adding my Hoffman standard to the list, the serial number is: -1-0361584- I have the NYC delivery confirmation paperwork from the museum in Wolfsburg etc. its a grey 11A with chrome handles and bumpers and black window winder knobs on the chrome handles, I still have no idea if Hoffman standards had chrome or black painted wipers? also it had a cute pink pin stripe right below the trim line where chrome would have been if it was a deluxe, the pin stripe looks like it was put there when new, I wonder if the wheels were striped too but unfortunately I didnt get any of the original 16 inchers with it when I bought it 
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There is an idea of a Billmetric; some kind of abstraction. But there is no real me: only an entity, something illusory. And though I can hide my cold gaze, and you can shake my hand and feel flesh gripping yours and maybe you can even sense our lifestyles are probably comparable... I simply am not there... |
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t3kg
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Joined: June 14, 2006
Posts: 2712
Location: Los Angeles
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opiesskate
Samba Member
Joined: February 19, 2005
Posts: 75
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| Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2008 3:16 pm Post subject: |
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Year: 1952
Type: 11c sedan deLuxe
Chassis: 1-0398939
Body: 337587
Engine: 1-0482924
Built: Oct. 7th 1952
Left Factory: Oct. 11th 1952
Delivered: VW Distributing Co. NewYork/USA
M code's: M018,M020,M010,M068
Purchased in Green Bay, Wisconsin (2005)
Now Located in Northern Iowa |
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sethm
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Joined: November 10, 2005
Posts: 206
Location: Jacksonville, NC
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| Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2008 7:22 pm Post subject: |
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What is so special about this Max Hoffman guy. The only thing I could come up with was that he was the first importer of VW's?
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66 Westy/Dormobile convert |
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52HoffmanSplit
Samba Member
Joined: April 07, 2006
Posts: 1272
Location: Lamorinda CA
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| Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2008 7:55 pm Post subject: |
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| sethm wrote: |
| What is so special about this Max Hoffman guy. The only thing I could come up with was that he was the first importer of VW's? |
Well.. That's enough for me actually. But here is a little light reading for you courtesy of Wikipedia. It fails to mention Max was also a champion motorcycle and automobile racer in Europe in the 1920's and 30's.
Max Hoffman (1904 - 1981) was an Austrian-born importer of automobiles into the United States during the 1950s. Doing business among gentlemen who knew one another well, he was renowned for his handshake deals that always were upheld without a written contract. Often he became the sole importer for manufacturers of what became known as "foreign cars". Orders for these automobiles were placed through direct contact with this one man.
Max Hoffman was inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame in 2003. Knowing the U.S. market very well, Hoffman thus made suggestions to European automakers about models they should build for the booming post-war American market and for modifications of existing models. Many special automobiles were then built. Those models often became successful and famous, such as the Mercedes-Benz 300SL, the "Gull Wing" model.
Dealers made requests through him, not only for existing models, but for new types of automobiles that they thought their customers would purchase. Close relationships with the manufacturers developed through Hoffman.
Some of the dealers, such as Lake Underwood and his team's machine engineer, Dick DeBiasse, became instrumental in development, testing, and racing automobiles that would appeal to the American market or influence their choices of brands for purchase.
From 1950 until 1953, Hoffmann was the importer and distributor for Volkswagen for the eastern United States. Hoffmann was also the importer and sole distributor for BMW from the mid-sixties until he sold his business to BMW of North America in 1975.
The Porsche 356 "Speedster" was introduced in late 1954 because Max Hoffman, as the sole importer of Porsches (as well as other European automobiles) into the United States, told Porsche management that they needed a less expensive, racier version than what they were offering for sale in the American market. With its low, raked windshield—which easily could be removed for weekend racing, bucket seats, and a minimal, folding top, it was an instant hit. The Speedster now is much coveted and sells for over $100,000—when collectors can find one.
As if introducing some of the most famous brands of foreign cars to the U.S. market is not enough, Max Hoffman also resided in a house designed and outfitted totally for him by Frank Lloyd Wright. The house was built a few years after he had Wright design and build his Jaguar showroom on Fifth Avenue.
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DB
9/1950 Hoffman Standard
11/1966 Porsche 912
10/1966 Porsche 912
7/1968 Type 265 Double Cab
10/1958 Type 117 |
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sethm
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Joined: November 10, 2005
Posts: 206
Location: Jacksonville, NC
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| Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2008 8:11 pm Post subject: |
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So if the cars were not sent to Max then Who in the US besides him?
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66 Westy/Dormobile convert |
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52HoffmanSplit
Samba Member
Joined: April 07, 2006
Posts: 1272
Location: Lamorinda CA
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| Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2008 12:18 am Post subject: |
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| sethm wrote: |
| So if the cars were not sent to Max then Who in the US besides him? |
They were ALL sent to Max... he was the sole importer in the US.... however, he acted as the Distributor for East of the Mississippi. The West Coast Distributor was Johnny Von Neumann (another famous racer) and his Competition Motors. Basically, all these VW's came through Hoffman's warehouses and were legally imported by Hoffman.. hence... they are known as Hoffman Cars.. 
My Car I suspect.. was Imported by Hoffman... sent to Competition Motors, who sold it to Sayre VW in Roseburg OR.. which is where it started its life. I Can't prove it... but that's the theory.
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DB
9/1950 Hoffman Standard
11/1966 Porsche 912
10/1966 Porsche 912
7/1968 Type 265 Double Cab
10/1958 Type 117 |
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sethm
Samba Member
Joined: November 10, 2005
Posts: 206
Location: Jacksonville, NC
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| Posted: Fri Feb 01, 2008 3:26 pm Post subject: |
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Just got my birth cert back on my 52 Zwitter and it says "VW-Distributing Co., New York / USA" so I'm guessing Hoffman?
Does it seem odd to the panel that the color "is not mentioned"?
Also it says "M010 and 068 cannot be identified" why even mention it?
Thanks
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66 Westy/Dormobile convert |
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opiesskate
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Joined: February 19, 2005
Posts: 75
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| Posted: Sun Feb 03, 2008 12:24 pm Post subject: |
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here is a more recent photo of the hoffman show room
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opiesskate
Samba Member
Joined: February 19, 2005
Posts: 75
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| Posted: Sun Feb 03, 2008 12:36 pm Post subject: |
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| opiesskate wrote: |
here is a more recent photo of the hoffman show room
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Here's the address:
Hoffman Auto Showroom (now Mercedes-Benz Manhattan)
430 Park Avenue (at 56th Street)
New York NY 10022 |
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erioco
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Joined: February 05, 2004
Posts: 382
Location: St. Louis, MO
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| Posted: Thu Mar 06, 2008 7:49 am Post subject: Hoffman Porsche? Wheels |
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The quote Hoffman "Porsche" is actually one of the Glockler specials that predated the 550, and led to them. Glockler is a very early VW dealer in Germany. He used to race, very successfully both before WWII and after, starting with Hanomag specials, and following with VW specials. The bodies were by a local name body shop and the wheels were usually drilled out to drop unsprung weight. (All my info on this is in boxes at the moment.) I spoke to the body shop owner's family, about 5 years ago, they are no longer in business. After Glockler beat Porsche in some races they got together instead and Glockler ran specials with porsche engines rather than VW engines, by the time they were on VW Glockler 2 they were driving under a Porsche Umbrella and by VW Glocker 3 was called a Porsche. (The odd phrasing of 'VW Glockler' is due to the fact that Glockler counts Glockler 1 as the Hanomag special so the first VW special is Glockler 2, then 3 and 4, which ran as a Porsche.
Eric
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