Barndoor Coachbuilders #1: Hans Kohlruss’ Buses

[djfordmanjack]

Wouldn't that be great ?

Easy as that, see a pic online, get in touch, pick up an early coachbuild Transporter....

Not gonna happen, though. I don't think any of their buses survived. They also had a slightly newer 1960ish BG/SWR DLX, when the old horses were taken off duty.

I remember a conversation, when Valentin, Mark Evy and me visited another tourist bus business in Southern Austria some years ago ( When Mark drove the KRSS to Austria). We talked to the founder of the business and he told us how he had bought a KRSS converted BD bus new and he put a gazillion miles on it before ordering another brandnew og works DLX, in 1959 I believe he said, when retiring the old bus.
That KRSS bus (not Mark's) helped him to pay the next one and on to purchasing larger fullsize traveling buses.
The early buses were really used hard and were often gone by the early 1960s !
_________________
Hotrods, Fords, Veedubs and Triumph Twins !

52 Barndoor DLX Coachbuild project
55 Wolfsburg panel project, og paint Taubenblau L31
62 Dickholmer, custom color Seeblau L360
63 1500 Notch, og paint Rubin Rot L456
67 1500 Käfer, og paint Lotus weiß L282 w/red interior

[ambu55]

I found a picture online, with a Deluxe FORD, no VW, but it might be a conversion by Kohlruss...? so my question is, did anyone see Kohlruss cars from the fifties or early sixties, based on Ford or others, non-VW ??

The original Ford FK 800 and 1000 had panels, busses, deluxes, and also the Panorama, they had corner windows like VW Samba, and Skylight, long ones, but only SIX roof skylights... this one has no cornerglass, but an extra small window like deluxe Ford FK, and it has 8 roof windows , never seen on a Ford !! Also, their Panorama didn't have a soft top, but smaller opening...

[djfordmanjack]

I think the factory Panorama Fk 800 was only offered very late in the model years, I think 1961 or 63 up. Judging by the other cars in the pic ( Opels and Peugeot) and the photo grain, this is rather mid 50s. So there were no factory Panoramic buses available yet directly from Ford Germany. so IT MUST be a coachbuild. And this fits the time frame when KRSS did these custom work buses (mid to late 1950s).That said, I have never heard or seen a KRSS converted Ford before.
It is interesting that the skylites look close to VW proportions, but not just right. They appear to be short of that. although they have rounded corners.
The VW and the Ford bus bodies are nearly exactly the same size. But the Ford roof is more sloping in front of the B posts than on a VW. maybe that is the reason for not having roof windows in that area.
You can see in the factory brochure of the FK 800 how the foremost skylites have a different shape and crown.
_________________
Hotrods, Fords, Veedubs and Triumph Twins !

52 Barndoor DLX Coachbuild project
55 Wolfsburg panel project, og paint Taubenblau L31
62 Dickholmer, custom color Seeblau L360
63 1500 Notch, og paint Rubin Rot L456
67 1500 Käfer, og paint Lotus weiß L282 w/red interior

[ambu55]

[djfordmanjack]

obviously the Großglockner Edelweißhütte.

https://www.grossglockner.at/gg/de/naturbewegung/edelweisshuette

edit: This pic is way nicer....

_________________
Hotrods, Fords, Veedubs and Triumph Twins !

52 Barndoor DLX Coachbuild project
55 Wolfsburg panel project, og paint Taubenblau L31
62 Dickholmer, custom color Seeblau L360
63 1500 Notch, og paint Rubin Rot L456
67 1500 Käfer, og paint Lotus weiß L282 w/red interior

[paella]

It seems, that in 1953 Hans Kohlruss had connections to a newspaper from Salzburg. The first article (24.Juli.1953):

He sold a Bus to a taxi company in Salzburg and got support from the city of Salzburg to use a vw bus as taxi. You know, Austria is famous for its rules and regulations.
His business case was to be cheaper than a vw deluxe. In this case, 10.000 to 13.000 ATS cheaper, than a Samba. 10.000 ATS 1953 would be 6.900 Euros today.
This Taxi was the famous "Der kleine Mozart", and found his place at the Mirabellplatz.
Kohlruss claims that he already sold 6 Taxis to Tirol, Kärnten, Oberösterreich und Salzkammergut.
Maybe this is the one from Tirol:

Next Week there was an article about the Kohlruss-History (31.Juli.1953):

Kohlruss senior started the company 1913 in Radautz, Bukowina. In 1941 they had to move to Oberschlesien. In 1945 they started in Vienna.
Kohlruss states, that it as not easy to start a shop in Austria. In 1953 Kohlruss opened a new shop in Salzburg, to get access to the western zone.
Kohlruss also claims, that it is very hard to get good staff. Dont forget, Austria was still occupied at this time.
The next article from August 1953:

Again Kohlruss wants to push his Taxi idea, and that he is cheaper than a Samba. His calculation:
VW Transporter 63.000 ATS, 43.550 Euros today
modifications from 10.000 to 33.000 ATS
6.900 to 22.800 Euros today
VW Samba 103.000 ATS
here are some of his job offers:

In 1952 Kohlruss moved from Vienna II to Vienna 20.
There was another advertisment in the Salzburger Nachrichten 1953.
A vw-dealer in Salzburg offered a bus, probably a samba:
1952 with 21.000 km and radio for 67.000 ATS (46.300 Euros today).
Maybe I will take it.

[djfordmanjack]

That is some fantastic trivia !!!! Thank you very much for sharing! It is totally interesting that even back in 1953 the article is using the name or term 'Samba' which never was an official VW model name.
the last pic was obviously taken at the Salzburg property of KRSS. great to see the fancy aluminium side glass frames, overlapping windows, bulky rear package trim and it's a pre mid-1953 bus ! Even has wheel trim rings. probably the most beautiful DLX ever (coach)built (imho).

Now I am taking a train back to Szbg, 1953. I may qualify....
(KRSS was looking for body work and paint workers)
_________________
Hotrods, Fords, Veedubs and Triumph Twins !

52 Barndoor DLX Coachbuild project
55 Wolfsburg panel project, og paint Taubenblau L31
62 Dickholmer, custom color Seeblau L360
63 1500 Notch, og paint Rubin Rot L456
67 1500 Käfer, og paint Lotus weiß L282 w/red interior

[djfordmanjack]

Another interesting detail is, that they mention how obviously Kohlruss brothers came from Radautz, Bukowina county ( half Romanian/Ukraine), they were called 'Volksdeutsche' meaning they were born and living German native language in the many different properties of the Austrian Empire. I have a longtime friend, whose grandparents also had to move from Romania in that time period. Native German speakers and surname. this is not about nationalism, but about historical facts.
The article states they were using national workers and supply (Austrian post WWII) to help the fledging industry, which I can confirm by hearing firsthand from a KRSS employee, isn't totally true. It is also mentioned in the other report, they had tech support or interest from Italy, and I heard firsthand, that the knee height trim (the wide chrome trim, typically a KRSS detail) was purchased from Italian suppliers.
_________________
Hotrods, Fords, Veedubs and Triumph Twins !

52 Barndoor DLX Coachbuild project
55 Wolfsburg panel project, og paint Taubenblau L31
62 Dickholmer, custom color Seeblau L360
63 1500 Notch, og paint Rubin Rot L456
67 1500 Käfer, og paint Lotus weiß L282 w/red interior