1943 Opel "Blitz" 3,6 Omnibus Cab

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$20,000 USD | Sold

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Addendum
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Manufacturer: Opel Division of General Motors, Germany

Production Year: 1943

Engine: Opel, 3.6-liter, 68-hp, six-cylinder, liquid-cooled, gasoline

Transmission: 5F1R

Brakes: Hydraulic

Length: 24-feet

Width: 7-feet, 10-inches

Height: 9-feet (to top of cargo area bonnet)

Weight: Approximately 3.6-tons

Armor: None

Armament: NONE on this example - Could be fitted with a 7.92-mm MG34 or MG42 machine gun

Maximum Speed: Approximately 50-mph

Wheelbase: 15-feet, 3-inches

Markings: German 16th Infantry Division, Supply Company

The Opel Blitz (Lightning) 3,6 with omnibus cab is a rare version of the 3-ton, 4x2 medium truck series. The long wheel-base chassis (15-feet, 3-inches) was originally produced for the so called “Wehrmacht (military) bus” with an enclosed omnibus-type body. It was later decided to utilize the chassis for a longer cargo bed version medium truck. The special omnibus cab was built at the Friedrich Rometschen plant in Berlin. Production of the Opel 4x2 3-ton series began in 1938 at the Opel Brandenburg / Havel plant under the direction of Heinz Nordhoff whom, after WW II, became head of Volkswagen. The 4x2 Opel Blitz 3-ton was one of the first standardized military truck models that was developed from guidelines established by the Schell-Program. In 1938, General Schell, Director of Motorization for the Wehrmacht (German military), proposed to cut back procurement of vehicles of all types to just a few standard chassis (from 113 to 30). Truck models were reduced to classes of 1, 1-1/2, 3, 4-1/2 and 6-1/2-tons, most with a basic 4x2 (S-Type) and a 4x4 (A-Type) version. The Opel Blitz 3-ton 4x2 Omnibus Cab version was only suited for road use. A total of 8,336 Omnibus Opels were built.