Solved: Allemano's № 903 - 1934 Gaubschat bodied truck for Landrock laundries

[Allemano]

Sorry I didn't reply to that, but that steering wheel might lead you to wrong conclusions. I don't know why it's apparently RHD, but it's not from those countries where you drive on the wrong site of the street...

[Allemano]

It predates WW II by five years.

[Bill Murray]

Thanks again for not abandoning us, this is not an easy quiz for sure.

Regarding the RHD vs LHD question, there were several countries prior to WWII that were in a nominal sense a LHD country but where many private and commercial vehicles were fitted with RHD.  Italy and Switzerland come to mind here.  Then of course there was Sweden, one of my 4 "adopted" homelands, where it was a declared RHD country but virtually every car and truck was LHD and more or less only busses and Postal vehicles were RHD up until 1967.

The next question is it depends on where you live, but WWII began for Europe in 1939 and I assume you are using this as the date from which to go backwards. or 1934 as the build year for this beauty.

[Allemano]

Yes it's from 1934 and it's indeed an advertising vehicle.

Let's say you're circling the right country... It's still not one of the above mentioned.

[4popoid]

Based on your last reply, is it a 1934 German product?

[Allemano]

Yes it's from Germany!

I just need the coachbuilder and the name of the company it was built for.

(not easy I think..)

[Wendax]

Looking for German semi-trailer buses, Karosserie Schumann from Werdau comes to mind.

[Carnut]

There are more countries drive on the left than people sometimes realise.
Most of Africa did until they all started to gain independence in the late 50s/early 60s, when many switched over to the right for reasons I don't know; also Pakistan, many Caribbean countries, Thailand.. The pool is actually quite big!

[Allemano]

Looking for German semi-trailer buses, Karosserie Schumann from Werdau comes to mind.

Not them.

[pguillem]

Looking for German semi-trailer buses, Karosserie Schumann from Werdau comes to mind.

Not them.

Gaubschat ?  It built beautiful Werbewagen for Kienzle Uhren.

[Allemano]

Looking for German semi-trailer buses, Karosserie Schumann from Werdau comes to mind.

Not them.

Gaubschat ?  It built beautiful Werbewagen for Kienzle Uhren.

Gaubschat is correct! Locked for you!

[pguillem]

I can.t find any Gaubschat vehicle related with boats or yachting.  Probably Wendax will know this one.

[mymokke]

Is this still locked?

[Allemano]

I can.t find any Gaubschat vehicle related with boats or yachting.  Probably Wendax will know this one.

It's not related to boats or yachting.

Is this still locked?

unlocked again!

[Wendax]

It was shown at the 1934 Berlin show: "The biggest vehicle exhibited was the Gaubschat articulated six-wheeler equipped as a dry cleaner's showroom and carrier with large windows and hundreds of dresses on hangers along the sides. An elaborately equipped travelling shop of this make was shown outside."

[Allemano]

It was shown at the 1934 Berlin show: "The biggest vehicle exhibited was the Gaubschat articulated six-wheeler equipped as a dry cleaner's showroom and carrier with large windows and hundreds of dresses on hangers along the sides. An elaborately equipped travelling shop of this make was shown outside."

That's a good start! Locked for you to find the company's name.

[Wendax]

I'll start with the biggest one: Spindler from Berlin, which had been taken over by Schering in 1925?

[Allemano]

I'll start with the biggest one: Spindler from Berlin, which had been taken over by Schering in 1925?

Not them, but you're in the right city.


I added one point to pguillem's score. He already correctly replied to what I've asked for.
Another point's waiting.

[Wendax]

After Bill Murray gave me a big hint by supplying the latter part of the company name, I remembered the full name that I had seen quite a while ago when a picture of this truck was auctioned. I didn't make the connection to a Berlin dry cleaner then, because it sounded much more like a sightseeing company. The name we are looking for is Landrock.

Thanks, Bill!  :hail:

[Wendax]

I thought I had deleted the photo, but it was in my files all the time!

[Allemano]

Very nice, good job!
Next point to your tally.

[Bill Murray]

Great job Gerd!!!!

After our exchange, I was finally able to break through some of the Berlin history sites with the additional information.

I gather the company was called Wäscherie Landrock and was based in Köpernick. (Sorry, I misplaced my umlaut instructions).

I won't post the story here, but there is also another chapter of the history of the Gaubschat firm on the internet.
Sad, but a part of history.

Edit:  I found the umlaut instruction and fixed the two words.

Bill

[Wendax]

Yes, some of the most awful trucks in history were made by Gaubschat, and that is not meant aesthetically.

[Bill Murray]

One more quick query/comment.

I am still unsure why this truck/tractor is fitted with RHD as it is being used in Germany at a time when I believe virtually all traffic was on the right.

I am not familiar with the use of these travelling display trailers in Germany, and they were not terribly popular in the US from what I can see at least when it comes to something like selling a dry cleaning service.

Can it be that the truck/tractor trailer was supposed to be parked next to the sidewalks in heavy pedestrian traffic areas?
My theory is that unless the display was at a fair or exposition, almost no-one could see what was in the windows on the side opposite the driver, ie, when the truck was moving in traffic.  On the other hand the driver could maneuver the truck much better from the right side to the sidewalk and also be able to monitor the visitor/viewer traffic, and/or hand out leaflets etc. to prospective customers.

Any ideas??

Bill

[Carnut]

it is being used in Germany at a time when I believe virtually all traffic was on the right.

Hopefully it all was, otherwise there must have been major problems!