GLAS 1204 - 63

The Glas 1004 is a small two-door, four-seater automobile

produced by Hans Glas GmbH at Dingolfing. It was first

exhibited in public, in coupé form, at the Frankfurt Motor

Show in September 1961.

Volume production of the 1004 coupé started in May 1962, and in January 1963 saloon/sedan  and cabriolet versions joined the range along with the more powerful Glas 1204. September  1965 saw a yet more powerful variant, the Glas 1304. In September 1966, a fastback  Kombilimousine (estate) was added. The 04s were produced at least until December 1967,  and new cars were listed for sale through much of 1968.

Origins

In 1960 the company’s research workshop came up with an engine that used an  unconventional camshaft drive. Product developer Leonhard Ischinger, who had joined Glas  from BMW, had produced a four-cylinder OHC engine with valve gear driven using a toothed  rubber cam-belt, which at that time was a novel idea. The 992 cc engine provided a  maximum output of 31 kW (42 PS) at 5,000 rpm. During 1961 the company added a modern  coupé body using the chassis of the Glas Isar which for this application had been lengthened  by 10 cm. The result was the 1004 prototype which appeared at the Motor Show in  September of that year.

S 1004

Volume production began in May 1962 and the first cars were delivered in August. The car  retained the water cooled 992 cc engine of the prototype which at this stage still delivered a claimed 31 kW (42 PS) of maximum power at 5,000 rpm. Drive was to the rear wheels via a  four-speed manual transmission incorporating – still slightly unusually for this size of car –  synchromesh on all four forward speeds. The S 1004 came with a steel monocoque steel body strengthened, from the start on this  model, by reinforcing box sections under the floor. Commentators noted the contrast  between the car’s relatively short 2,100 mm wheelbase and the overall 3,835 mm length of  the car, which may, by later standards, have compromised the handling but did permit the  use of a relatively short drive-shaft.  Front suspension used trailing arms and independent springs in combination, while at the  back a rigid “swing” axle was supported by leaf springs. Both at the front and at the back the  suspension was enhanced with “rubber air-filled hollow springs”.  The hydraulically controlled drum brakes operated on all four wheels while the hand brake  operated via a cable linkage to the rear wheels. Steering was of the then common worm and  roller type.  The 2+2 coupé, commended in the manufacturer’s publicity for its “convincingly simple  lines” was advertised at 5,595 DM, a price which increased to 5,865 DM in November 1963.  From January 1963 the cabriolet was also offered, priced at a recommended 6,500 DM. The  Glas 1004 had the smallest engine in the range, and this was offered in combination with the  full four seater sedan/saloon only from September 1965. A still unusual optional extra from  August 1963 was disc brakes on the front wheels, fitted for an extra 195 DM.  Press comment in a country where technical innovation generates enthusiasm was very  positive in respect of the car’s status as the world’s first production car to be fitted with a  belt driven camshaft, but criticised the unresponsiveness of the standard drum brakes and  the heavy clutch. The car’s tendency to pitch under acceleration or sharp braking which was attributed to its short wheel base also drew criticism as did the “back to front” gear box  which, as on the existing Isar, had originally been intended for a (never produced except as a prototype) front-wheel drive small car and accordingly positioned first and third gears  nearest to the driver, with second and fourth nearest the front of the car.

1204/S 1204

The full four seater arrived in January with the 1204 which had its cylinder stroke extended  from 61 mm to 73 mm, to give an engine capacity of 1,189 cc and claimed maximum power  of 39 kW (53 PS) at 5,100 rpm. The larger engined car was also offered as a coupé and as a  cabriolet. 

1004 TS/1204 TS

In November 1963 Glas added twin carburettor versions of both the 992 cc and 1,189 cc  engined cars which were branded as the Glas 1004 TS and the Glas 1204 TS. Claimed  maximum horsepower output on these twin carburettor powered cars were 46 kW (63 PS) at  6,000 rpm and 51 kW (70 PS) at 5,750 rpm respectively. The faster 1204 TS now came with a  reported top speed of 160 km/h which matched the 100 mph barrier in the US, and put this  relatively light-weight car on terms with several Porsche and Alfa Romeo sports cars in terms  of straight line performance. The 1204 TS also managed acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h (63  mph) in 11.9 seconds, although the car with this engine no longer offered “small car” levels  of fuel economy. The TS powered versionsof the car came with front disc brakes included in  the price which provided, according to a contemporary report, “good stopping power with  little effort”. With the 1204 TS, in May 1964 Glas were offering for 6,980 DM a sporting and  well appointed car that in many respects matched competitor vehicles priced at 10,000 DM  or more. In 1964 the Glas 1204 TS also enjoyed competition success. A 1204 TS driven by Gerhard  Bodmer finished in eighth position of the 86 cars that started in the 500 km Nürburgring race,  achieving a class win in the process. The Bodmer/Schmidt partnership were equally  successful in the Spa-Francorchamps 24 hour race, finishing eighth overall and achieving a  class win ahead of their team-mates Lambrechts and Mombaerts in another 1204 TS. 

1963

Engine 1189 cc 4 cylinders Power 70 HP Top speed 160 km/h Lenght/width 3,83 m/1,50 m Weight 750 kg