SOLVED: si_788 - Mercedes-Benz - LA 2623-6x6 Wüstenschiff - by E. Hartmann

[fromwien]

Are we looking for..

..a German coachbuilder which was in financial troubles in the 80s, is  currently in business, has or had a connection to 'Friederichs'. The puzzle coachbuilder is as well-known as 'Schmitz', was previously specialized in buses, but today they build up other vehicles?

Is this conclusio right or not?

[sichel]

Are we looking for..

..a German coachbuilder which was in financial troubles in the 80s, is  currently in business, has or had a connection to 'Friederichs'. The puzzle coachbuilder is as well-known as 'Schmitz', was previously specialized in buses, but today they build up other vehicles?

Is this conclusio right or not?

I never commented on the financial situation of the coachbuilder we looking for.
Finding out the connection to Friederichs could help with the solution.
On the subject of 'Schmitz', see #83

[marmer]

Is it Hartmann (Alsfeld)?

[sichel]

Yes. Year of construction is missing. Loccked for three attempts.

[fromwien]

Is it Hartmann (Alsfeld)?

..you were quicker than me..

[marmer]

Headlights moved to the bumper in 1968, so maybe 1967?

[sichel]

Your reasoning is valid, but my source mentions a much later year of construction. I'm travelling and will clarify this on Thursday.

[marmer]

S.N.T.V. in Algeria was founded in November, 1971, so, maybe 1972?  Beyond that, I'd just have to guess year by year.

[sichel]

@marmer, my source mentions 1979 as the year of manufacture.
With the narrow bumper and the headlights in the radiator grille, the heavy bonnet vehicles were still being built for export until the 1980s. But then as 2624.
I can't resolve this contradiction. Either a typo (1979 instead of 1970 or 1969) or a very late conversion...
Therefore, the year of construction is dropped from the assessment and you get your next point.

[marmer]

Thanks!  It's a conundrum.  I did find a few mentions of a patent for Hartmann for bus body floor construction -- maybe related to the "air sprung floor."   That stylized angular "bird" logo is for SNTV, which as I said was founded in 1971 and it is still used by its successor EPE-TV.  It could be as late as 1983, I suppose, when the company was reorganized into EPE-TV, but all the pictures I could find that late were of later road-going Mercedes buses.  The Algerian government was heavily involved in the management of both cargo transport and passenger transport, with several different agencies.  I saw a brief mention in a British book about transport history about buses in North Africa being built on heavy truck all-wheel drive chassis because of poor road conditions but with no further details.  I would be willing to believe that this was a converted Kipper or box truck, since it's a 2623.  Finally, I could find no connection between the German word "Wüstenschiff" and this vehicle.  Mostly it was used either for early Renault buses of the 1930s or for modern overlanding vehicles used by adventurous folks traveling in remote and sometimes dangerous regions.  But thanks for the Hartmann brochure.  Hartmann's later work is very difficult to find prior to their incorporation into Carl Friederichs GmbH.

[sichel]

Thank you for your further background information.

[gte4289]