|
|
PUCHThe 1900 's
Steyr-Daimler-Puch was a large manufacturing conglomerate based in Steyr, Austria. The company was founded as Josef und Franz Werndl and Company in 1864 as a rifle manufacturer, but became known as Steyr-Werke AG in 1924. The company began producing bicycles in 1894, and automobiles in 1915. In 1934, Steyr merged with Puch and Austro-Daimler to form Steyr-Daimler-Puch. The conglomerate was broken up in 1990, with Steyr Tractor being sold to Case Corporation, Puch's motorcycle division going to Piaggio, Steyr Mannlicher producing weapons, and Steyr's automobile production combined with Magna as Magna Steyr.
The 1970 's
SDP was the initial designer and manufacturer of the Pinzgauer. They produced the Pinzgauer from 1971 till 2000.
The 1990 's
In 1998 the production of heavy armed vehicles was sold to an Austrian investor company which sold the company called Steyr-Daimler-Puch Spezialfahrzeug (SSF) in 2003 to the US-company General Dynamics.
Steyr Daimler Puch
1899: Johann Puch registers his Styrian bicycle factory.
1900: First car built by Puch.
1904: Puch motorcylces
1928: Puch and Austro Daimler (who started by building Daimler cars under licence) merge to form Austro Daimler Puch Werke AG.
1934: Austro Daimler Puch and Steyr Works merge to form Steyr Daimler Puch AG.
1952: First scooters.
1954: First mopeds.
1957: Puch 500 car, based on the Fiat 500 but with 2-cylinder 500cc Puch engine. It is hard to believe but the car was successfully rallied!
1959: Haflinger.
1971: Pinzgauer 4×4 and 6×6.
1979: G-wagen production in cooperation with Mercedes Benz.
1984: VW Transporter Syncro (4x4) production (to 1992).
1987: Motorcycle and bicycle business sold, to Piaggio of Italy.
1990: Eurostar, ~SFT+Chrysler, build Chrysler Voyager (Daimler Chrysler buys out Eurostar in 1999).
1994: Production of Jeep Grand Cherokees, LHD and all RHD models.
1996: Production of Mercedes Benz E-class 4MATIC (4x4).
1998: Steyr Daimler Puch AG bought by Magna Int. Inc..
2000: Steyr sold the Pinzgauer production facilities to Automotive Technic Ltd. of Aldershot, Hampshire; the former importer for Pinzgauer in England has a contract from the [British] Army for new Pinzgauers.
Puch scooters
Puch motorcycle 250 SGS
The late 1950s saw strong sales of the Puch 125cc two-stroke single motorscooters, which had three gears shifted from the left twistgrip. These machines developed a reputation for reliability and were popular for daily commuting, providing good weather protection and ease of use with an electric starter. In this role their moderate performance, with a top speed of around 45mph, was not a problem. Later models had a 150cc engine and foot-operation, giving better performance of 6 hp instead of 5 hp but retaining the three gears.
Puch produced the famous Twingle engine and the Maxi, Puch Newport, and MK mopeds, which were popular from the late 1970s to early 1980s.
In Austria and the Netherlands, Puch mopeds played a big role in the 1960s popular culture.
Puch Maxi
The Maxi is one of Puch's most well known machines along with the Magnum, The Puch Maxi is a moped fitted with a single cylinder, 49cc , two stroke engine .
The engine produced around 2hp and could propel the rider up to the dizzying speeds of 30 mph.
Although with modifications, such as racing exhausts and air filters etc, speeds of 45mph or more are within reach.
It was started using the pedals which could be engaged and disengaged from the engine so it could be ridden as a normal bicycle.
Later models did not have pedals, and instead were started with a kick start mechanism.
This machine was cheap to buy and was very popular amongst people who wanted a small machine to ride easily through the towns.
|
|
