1960 SAURER ALPENWAGEN IIIA COACHWORK BY RAMSEIER & JENZER Chassis No. L4C/21041 Engine No. CT2D/90297 Pale yellow. Engine: in line six cylinder Diesel, 8,720cc, 135bhp; Gearbox: eight gear pneumatic, preselector; Suspension: live axles front and rear; Brakes: four wheel drum. Left hand drive. Adolph Saurer began to manufacture petrol engines in 1888 in Aarbon, Switzerland. The Swiss Postal Services started their famous passenger services with a first line near Bern in 1906, using three buses, one each of the then leading manufacturers Saurer, Berna and FBW. Passenger services became important only after World War I, when the first scheduled service across the Alps was established, the Simplon line in 1919. Saurer started producing special buses for the Alps in 1921 ("Alpenwagen"), distinguished by robustness and reliability, a narrow turning radius and passenger compartments offering panoramic views. A crucial innovation enabling Saurer to master the problem of fading brakes when descending passes was their own invention, patented in 1904, of the motor brake. Between the wars, and probably still in the Fifties, Saurer buses and trucks had a reputation (and price) which caused them to be considered in Europe as being the equivalent to Rolls-Royce cars in their field. In 1982 Saurer was bought up by Daimler-Benz and production stopped soon afterwards. The postal bus offered is one of the last descendants of successive types of "Alpenwagen". It is an Alpenwagen IIIA, the last type of body with a bonnet. It was put into postal service by the local agent for parts of Graubünden, a firm by the name of Soler & Fontana in Ilanz, and still carries the traditional livery of postal buses owned by private agents. The present owner acquired it from Soler & Fontana in the early Eighties and restored it regardless of cost. The body by Ramseier & Jenzer was restored by the makers with bills exceeding SFR 30,000. The interior was converted into a camper with refrigerator, toilets and wine bar, but in such a way that it is easily reversible to the original configuration of 29 seats. A few original seats are still built in. The mechanics have been overhauled and are in excellent condition. It features the famous eight gear pneumatic preselector gearbox and its utterly reliable Diesel engine should be good for many more miles. It is equipped with the silent Nova-Starter system (compressed air) with an additional electric starter, a Webasto heater in addition to the normal heater and comes with copies of all relevant manuals and instructions. Spare parts are obtainable from the vendor by separate negotiation. Needless to say, it has Swiss registration documents.
1960 SAURER ALPENWAGEN IIIA COACHWORK BY RAMSEIER & JENZER Chassis No. L4C/21041 Engine No. CT2D/90297 Pale yellow. Engine: in line six cylinder Diesel, 8,720cc, 135bhp; Gearbox: eight gear pneumatic, preselector; Suspension: live axles front and rear; Brakes: four wheel drum. Left hand drive. Adolph Saurer began to manufacture petrol engines in 1888 in Aarbon, Switzerland. The Swiss Postal Services started their famous passenger services with a first line near Bern in 1906, using three buses, one each of the then leading manufacturers Saurer, Berna and FBW. Passenger services became important only after World War I, when the first scheduled service across the Alps was established, the Simplon line in 1919. Saurer started producing special buses for the Alps in 1921 ("Alpenwagen"), distinguished by robustness and reliability, a narrow turning radius and passenger compartments offering panoramic views. A crucial innovation enabling Saurer to master the problem of fading brakes when descending passes was their own invention, patented in 1904, of the motor brake. Between the wars, and probably still in the Fifties, Saurer buses and trucks had a reputation (and price) which caused them to be considered in Europe as being the equivalent to Rolls-Royce cars in their field. In 1982 Saurer was bought up by Daimler-Benz and production stopped soon afterwards. The postal bus offered is one of the last descendants of successive types of "Alpenwagen". It is an Alpenwagen IIIA, the last type of body with a bonnet. It was put into postal service by the local agent for parts of Graubünden, a firm by the name of Soler & Fontana in Ilanz, and still carries the traditional livery of postal buses owned by private agents. The present owner acquired it from Soler & Fontana in the early Eighties and restored it regardless of cost. The body by Ramseier & Jenzer was restored by the makers with bills exceeding SFR 30,000. The interior was converted into a camper with refrigerator, toilets and wine bar, but in such a way that it is easily reversible to the original configuration of 29 seats. A few original seats are still built in. The mechanics have been overhauled and are in excellent condition. It features the famous eight gear pneumatic preselector gearbox and its utterly reliable Diesel engine should be good for many more miles. It is equipped with the silent Nova-Starter system (compressed air) with an additional electric starter, a Webasto heater in addition to the normal heater and comes with copies of all relevant manuals and instructions. Spare parts are obtainable from the vendor by separate negotiation. Needless to say, it has Swiss registration documents.
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.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
