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Ww2 Hoffmann moped project

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redline1968

Riding a '38 Autocycle Deluxe
Had this project for a while.. it’s been a slow but interesting one.. first a bit of history on this one.. I bought from the fathers son who brought it back from the war as war booty.. he said his father found it in Germany during the war. I found a photo a the type of bike the nazis were using and the headlight and bracket is picured only. But this helps point it in this direction... well Years gone by and the father thought he’d run kerosene in it to clean it out. it burnt the bearings So it sat in the barn for at least 50 yrs. after he passed, the son brought it over to Oregon from the east coast and here it sat.. i saw it asked and the deal was made. The only pics I have is the nsu model. It’s a Hoffmann jlo 98cc 2speed. It has a front drum break and rear break hub. Pedal back to stop on it like a bicycle.. there’s a blackout switch on it too ...I finally got around to rebuilt the engine and that’s it for now.. the Magnito is so old it will disintegrate in the first second of start up...so I’m searching around to find a substitute which as been a extreme pain. I think I’m going to have it remade....the next problem is the gas tank...I don’t really want to restore the bike but the tank is a problem. It’s rotted inside and this is where I’m debating on what to do. Restore or not., I have everything for the bike including the tire pump and tools it’s 99 percent complete I need the front license plate I have the rear one though....it’s got to be the coolest motorbike moped ever in my opinion...here are a few pics
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my friend Kerry had Hoffman in 1957 I think it was a 1954 model, 2 stroke, I never forgot the sound ring ding ding I would run circles around our whizzers... I think they were copys of the german DKW just like the Harley hummers were..nice project not many around
 
Thank you can’t wait to finish it... they are rare I’ve reasearched the history on them. Not much before 50’s but I did trace it into the 30’s.. most of the information was destroyed on them however I dated this one by the engine numbers.. I think figured out why no info. They were using concentration camp people to work in their factories during the war... this still has to be finally proven but the finger points to it clearly.. a very sad part of history.
 
Seems odd, given that the Germans were such ardent (ahem) record keepers during the war.
 
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Yea.. this seems strange .. from what I can figure out some of them used the Jews for slaves or didn’t want to be associated with the nazi regime so they destroyed all the records of it. Others were totally wrong obliterated during the war. The dates didn’t jive on this one.. info says 1950’s but the engine serial number and bike construction says 1939 ish.. a sad time in our history.. I have to say this bike bears some resemblence to the Vincent black shadow. It’s profile has so much design and great comfort for the rider. I really like this and want to finish it up if I find the magnito.
Seems odd, given that the Germans were such ardent (ahem) record keepers during the war.
 
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