Overseas, it’s not uncommon to see small 3-wheeled, small displacement trucks working hard, but this 1951 Goliath GD750 3-Wheeled Pickup Truck actually makes these little guys look appealing. Trucks like this pristine example of the 1951 Goliath GD750 3-Wheeled Pickup Truck helped rebuild Europe after World War II.
Established in Bremen, Germany in 1928, the Goliath Automobile Company was successful in building popular three-wheeled cars before the war. The Goliath GD 750 started with a 14 horsepower 398cc 2-stroke 2-cylinder engine powering the rear wheels through a floor-mounted 4-speed manual transmission. Maximum speed was about 31 mph (50-kmh), unladen. Later, a 15 hp 465cc 2-stroke, 2-cylinder engine was introduced that made 15 hp. This allowed the Goliath GD 750 to hit about 34 mph (55 kph).
Not exactly a speed-machine, but the Goliath GD 750 was never built for long highway runs. Introduced in 1949, the GD 750 was engineered to hold over 1,600 lbs (750 kg) and be easy to maneuver in tightly-spaced European villages and cities. It was extremely utilitarian with variants, such as delivery vans and 25 other configurations, offered as well. Around 30,000 of these little trucks were produced until production ceased in 1955.
At the time, the 3.6-4.4 thousand Deutsche marks which was about $800 – $1,200 between 1949 – 1951.
Several automakers around the world built (and still build) three wheeled trucks. With the right load in the back, they are fairly stable and are (usually) very inexpensive to own and run. Choosing this 1951 Goliath GD750 3-Wheeled Pickup Truck, which was recently on bringatrailer.com, was a no-brainer. Just LOOK at it!
Speaking of small displacement pickup trucks…
A special thanks nodum.org site’s information.
