1954 Denzel 1300

The Wolfgang Denzel-built automobile was produced from 1948 through 1980 in Vienna, Austria, and was based on Volkswagen components. The earliest example used a wartime Volkswagen chassis and a 1.1-liter air-cooled flat-four engine. The examples that followed gradually evolved, eventually receiving a chassis of his own design with aluminum coachwork and engines that reached 1,500cc displacement. Denzel (both the car and builder) achieved notable success in European rally and hill climb events, including a class victory at the 1954 Alpine Rally.

Wolfgang was born on January 11, 1908, in Graz, Austria, to parents Wilhelmine and Ignatz Denzel. Before his teenage years, his engineering skills were honed at Ignatz's electrical company; during middle school, he modified and improved bicycles. His passion for cycling soon extended to motorcycles, and by age 21, he had built his first motorcycle. Competing with bicycles and motorcycles would foster a lifelong passion for the sport, and his skills and experience made him nearly unbeatable in endurance events in both the pre- and post-World War II era.

As early as 1939, Denzel was racing sports cars. He contested the Rallye International des Alpes Francaises in a BMW 328 in 1939. By 1948, he had built his own sports car. During his lifetime, Denzel would demonstrate his many talents as an innovator, sportsman, driver, and entrepreneur. Although his automobile company never produced automobiles in significant quantities and he ceased production in 1960, Denzel Auto AG continues as one of Austria's top 100 companies, employing 1,400 workers with annual revenue of nearly $1 billion (USD).

The Name
The Denzel moniker was not bestowed upon the early cars, instead, they were dubbed the VW WD Equipment. Series II cars, produced through 1951, were offered as the VW WD Equipment and the WD Sport. The early examples of the Series III (beginning in 1952) were offered as the WD Super Sport, WD Sport, WD Serien Sport, and WD Sport International. According to period Denze advertisements, the 'Denzel' name was used beginning in 1955. Models included the Denzel 1300, Denzel 1300 Serien Super, Denzel 1300 Sport International, Denzel 1500, and Denzel 1500 Sport International. The 'International' model was intended for competition, and a total of eight examples were built and all were Series III with aluminum bodies.

The Purpose
Denzels were hand built to the highest standards for durability and performance. Period road tests praised the Denzel for its stopping power, potent engines, handling, weight distribution, and lightweight construction. Many articles compared it with its contemporaries, mainly the Porsche, with many authors preferring the Denzel over the 356 Speedster. Due to the labor-intensive build, and the pursuit of perfection, the quantity remained low.

The Denzel Sports Car
Compared to the standard VW platform, the Denzel automobile was shorter and wider with engine choices that included a 1085cc or 1,284cc air-cooled flat-four cylinder unit allowing it to compete in the 1,300cc classes. Additionally, Porsche engines could also be installed. The sole body style was the open roadster, with early examples built from handcrafted steel or plastic, while bodies built in the mid-1950s and beyond were formed from aluminum.

The lightweight sports car had a fully independent suspension, a rear-mounted, air-cooled, four-cylinder engine, and unique coachwork. The design and layout were similar to the Porsche 356, but this was coincidental as both sports cars were created at the same time, independent from each other, and without seeing each other's work. Porsche would produce approximately 78,000 examples of the 356, which Denzel would build (circa) 62 roadsters before shuttering its doors in 1960.

The Series I
The so-called Series I was built from 1948 to 1950, with a total of six created during that time. They used a Volkswagen chassis with a 94.5-inch wheelbase with some sourced from the VW Kubelwagen while others from the Volkswagen Beetle. The very first example was dubbed 'Blue Lightning' and was campaigned by Denzel during the 1949 season. Accolades achieved during the year included a class victory in February at Wintertourenfahrt. In August, at the Osterreichische Alpenfahrt (Austrian Alpine Rally), Denzel won the 1.1-liter class, outpacing the Porsche-designed Type 64 coupe driven by Otto Mathe.

Engines powering the Series I was Volkswagen-sourced units with either a 1,086cc or 1,131 ccc size, tuned with larger intake valves and a pair of carburetors. Generally, Denzel began with the engine casings from Volkswagen or Porsche, and tuned them with Denzel-specific heads, cylinders, crankshaft, connecting rods, push rods, valve train, oil filter and muffler. Volkswagen's cylinder heads had a single intake port while the Denzel's head had dual intake ports allowing better flow. The Denzel cylinder head had a wedge-shaped combustion chamber which was a major improvement over the Porsche and Volkswagen design.

The aerodynamic, smooth, and elegant body design was created by Hubert Stroinigg, a long-time friend of Denzel. The bodies of the Series I cars were formed from plastic, perhaps due to the shortage of sheetmetal following World War II. No Series I cars have survived, as the bodies were prone to cracking and deterioration.

The Series II
Series II cars were built between 1949 and 1951, with a total of five examples constructed. Styling revisions were made to the back, with an elongated and tapered tail. Since these were hand-built, minor differences exist between each example. Three of the Series II models rested on long-wheelbase Volkswagen chassis, while the other two received an experimental short-wheelbase chassis built by Denzel. Engines remained similar to the Series I and all of the bodies were hand-formed from steel. At least two examples of the Series II had rear jump seats.

Both of the short-wheelbase examples earned numerous podium finishes between 1950 and 1954.

Series I and Series II cars had Volkswagen wheels and hubcaps, and the bodies were bolted to the chassis, making them easily removable. A period advertisement stated that the bodies could be removed during the cold, winter months and replaced by a closed-roof Volkswagen body.

The Series III
Production of the Series III began in 1952 with a total of 51 examples built through several (at least three) body revisions and all on Denzel's own short, 82.7-inch wheelbase chassis. Thirty-six examples of the Series III cars were built from 1953 to 1957.

The chassis was comprised of rectangular and round tubes that were welded to curved and flat steel sheet-metal sections, with additional rigidity from the steel sheet-metal tunned running from to back. Unlike the Series I and Series II, the Series III bodies were not easily removable. Special steel wheels with unique centers riveted to aluminum rims with special hubcaps were built by Borrani of Italy to specifications provided by Denzel. The 1,300cc engine offered just over 60 horsepower, and by early 1955, a 1,500cc Denzel-tuned variant was offered with output reaching 85 hp.

The first seven examples of the Series III had steel bodies with a two-piece windshield. Beginning with the 26th overall example built (in 1954), the bodies were made from lightweight aluminum. Eleven examples wearing an updated body design had a two-piece (flat) windshield, and eighteen had a one-piece (curved) windshield. Following another (third) update to the body, Eight Series III examples were built with aluminum coachwork and a one-piece (curved).

Competition
Among the victories achieved during its long and illustrious racing career was a victory in 1954 at the Alpine Rally. The Denzel would earn over two dozen class victories and nearly seventy-five podium finishes between 1952 and 1961. They raced on many different continents in various events, including street and closed-circuit courses, hill climbs, and rallies.

by Daniel Vaughan | May 2023