Year and place: from around 1948, Borgholm

Seen in the right perspectives, one Hehner was a great Swedish car.

The design reminds me of late 1940s Cadillac convertible, an open 2-seater with long sweeping lines. A very unusual design for a Swedish car.

Hans Hehner was a man with talent and technical skill. He built the frame from steel tubes, made the metal body, and the drive chain except the engine. The air-cooled engine was placed behind the seats. The four wheels had individual suspension.

Too good to be true? No. But, the car had some 'oddities'.

It was fitted with a chain-driven 1-wheel drive system, through which the 20hp 500cc DKW 1940 motorcycle engine gave the car a top speed of 80 km/h.

Yes, it was a small car. The wheels were made for normal small aircrafts, and the hub-caps were baking tins. But, the car looked great.

One of his grandchildren told me that Hans Hehner built five cars. I haven't managed to open the file with the photo of his first car, unfortunately.

This is another of them, apparently using a twin-cylinder DKW engine.

A similar sports car was this one, inspired by a Ferrari and based on a Simca chassis with a Simca V8 engine.

Hehner also built this motorcycle. The photo was taken in the early 1950s.

An interesting design.

Among the later cars were a midget racing car.

It is believed that this is the Hehner midget car.

(All photos from Magnus Lindsäth. Thank you.)

Sadly Hans Hehner died when he was just 49 years old. One special 'car' has been saved, though. A pedal car that was found again in the 1980s, and since then it has been driven frequently by his children and grandchildren.

If anyone knows what happened to the cars and motorcycle that Hans Hehner constructed, and especially if they have been preserved, please let me know. His grandchildren really would like to see at least of them.

2007-12-18. www.konditori100.se. Text/pictures: Arne Granfoss © (if not other named). Prod: AG Informice