1958 Enzmann 506

The Swiss automobile manufacturer, Enzmann, produced the model 506 from 1957 through 1969 (a few sources say as early as 1960). The '506' was the company's stand number at the 1957 Frankfurt Auto Show when they introduced their new vehicle.

The Enzmann Company purchased Volkswagen Beetle vehicles, then unbolted the body shells from the floorpans, and re-fitted them with lightweight and attractive fiberglass bodywork produced by a boatyard in Grandson. Around 100 examples were produced. Along with the fully assembled vehicle, buyers could also purchase just the fiberglass bodies and do the assembly themselves. Most of the vehicles were powered by Volkswagen engines. Since the Porsche 356 engine was similar, a few vehicles left the factory with this configuration.

by Daniel Vaughan | Oct 2013

An eye-catching Volkswagen-based European sports car, the Enzmann 506 was manufactured by Swiss auto dealers from 1957 through the late 1960s. Emil Enzmann was the creator of the Enzmann car company. His goal in creating his company was to produce a more economical sports car that was actually safer. He had a desire for speed and easy handling. The eldest son of E. Enzmann, a garage owner and hotelier from Entelbuch, Emil himself raised six sons that included a doctor, a mechanic and a physicist. He had the idea to design the sports car in polyester resin, which was quite a novelty for the 1950s.

The designation 506 was merely the stand number under which Enzmann debuted their design at the 1957 Frankfurt Auto Show. The Enzmann company created around 100 of these models by purchasing new Volkswagens, unbolting the Beetle body shells from the floor plans, and refitting them with handsome fiberglass bodywork produced by a boatyard in Grandson. The body is extremely rigid and is entirely one piece with the exception of the gas tank and engine compartment opening. The 506 doesn't have any doors and only indentations for the feet on the sides.

The creation of the Enzmann 506 was created in a very limited series with the work done entirely by hand. The fiberglass body was built inside a female model covered by a separation layer before it was saturated with a polyester resin. Once the resin hardened, the only thing left to do was sand, polish, and paint the surface to manage a completely professional repair.

Enthusiasts could also purchase separate fiberglass bodies to create the assembly by themself. Based on the 1957 Beetle floorplan with Volkswagen engines, the similar Porsche 356 powerplant could also easily fit into the Beetle chassis. With the standard VW engine, the 506 produced 30 hp. Maico brakes were at the front, and some owners added Okrasa tuning parts to these engines with MAG or Judson Superchargers, which brought horsepower up to 42 hp or even 60 hp with one Porsche-Dame engine. The MAG-supercharger kit cost $183, while the Okrasa kit with two downdraft carburetors costs $300.

The fiberglass two-seater 506 was incredibly innovative for the time, and featured an integrated roll bar, safety pelvic strap, and an ergonomically designed sports bucket seat. The cockpit was designed with a raised neck guard since the passengers were exposed to drafts, yet had passenger impact protection. Only three feet high, the Enzmann 506 weighed only 1,212 pounds compared to the Karmann Ghia's 1,760 pound weight and the Volkswagen sedans 1,650-pound curb weight. Because of this weight difference, the Enzmann had a greater performance potential and also sat lower than Volkswagen. The 506's bucket seats provided a much lower center of gravity, as well as being incredibly comfortable and provided a feeling of unity with both the car and the pavement.

A crash-cushion with a handle on each side was found on the passenger side of the instrument panel. The two-seater roadster had a folding roof and hinged side windows. The 506 came with either a simple folding fabric top or a removable fiberglass hardtop that ran easily on tracks. Nestled between the sears and the engine was a rather large trunk compartment. Keeping everything safe while traveling at high speeds was a perlon (similar to nylon) net hung between the baggage compartment and the seats.

The first model was the Enzmann 506 Spider with continuous Plexiglass and a lack of a hood. Eventually following was a convertible with a variety of roof constructions. Though not a true sports car when it came to suspension, transmission or engine, the Enzmann had a very sporty look and followed the typical sports car with its lack of room in favor of performance and better styling.

After 100 models were created Volkswagen chief Nordhoff decided to halt the project since it seemed like competition for its Karmann. Today one could still purchase an Enzmann body kit from actual descendants of the original car, Kari Enzmann who follows in his father's footsteps. The finished vehicle could be ordered with a body, seat shells, and logo, with a 100 hp engine and disc brakes. It was built in Bischofszell. Some original Enzmann 506s can be seen on the road in Switzerland even today.

According to the August 1960 Road & Track article, the Enzmann stripped fiberglass body alone cost $565. For $1,186 one could purchase the Spider body, painted and ready to mount. This model came complete with an electrical system, special windshield, bucket seats, inside finish, outside rearview mirror, and parking guard. Mounting the body onto your Volkswagen frame cost an additional $90 and included altering the torsion bars and leaf springs. It cost $1,430 plus $95 for mounting for the convertible. It was $1,961 for a complete Enzmann-Spider with a factory new frame and $2,156 for the convertible with a folding all-weather top and various other options. These prices don't include all of the additional custom charges.

Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enzmann
http://www.forgottenfiberglass.com/fiberglass-car-marques/foreign-fiberglass/the-1960-enzmann-506-from-switzerland-%E2%80%93-vw-based-european-sports-car/

By Jessica Donaldson