Framo V901 HP
Built: 1953-1953 · Series: V901
More machines from model year 1953
Not the right version? The data comes from vehicle registers holding many near-identical versions side by side. Photograph the data plate — we read make and type from it. Open the scanner e-mail address required
Framo V901 – the East German light van from Hainichen with a three-cylinder two-stroke engine, 900 to 992 cm³, 940 to 1,090 kg unladen weight, up to 1,900 kg gross weight, predecessor of the Barkas B1000
The Framo V901 was the light van of the VEB Framo works in Hainichen, Saxony, which had built vehicles and engines since the 1920s and became East Germany's most important maker of light commercial vehicles. The V901 ran from the late 1950s into the early 1960s with a three-cylinder two-stroke engine and front-wheel drive, an unusual layout for its time that gave the vehicle a low, flat load floor. The variants V901, V901 HP, V901/2, V901/2 HP and V901/2-Z-LK differ in engine output and body; the range was replaced in Hainichen in 1961 by its successor design, the Barkas B1000, which initially kept the two-stroke three-cylinder engine.
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The register lists here five versions with a three-cylinder engine of 900 to 992 cm³, unladen weights from 940 to 1,090 kg, gross weights from 1,645 to 1,900 kg and widths from 1,550 to 1,750 mm.
In East Germany's planned economy the V901 was one of the few light commercial vehicles and supplied trades, the postal service and commerce; its front-drive layout with a low load floor was ahead of its time in Eastern Europe and only spread in large numbers with the Barkas B1000.
Used Framo V901s are rare today and of interest mainly to collectors: what matters is the condition of the two-stroke engine and its lubrication, rust on the chassis and body panels, and the availability of parts, which runs largely through enthusiasts and Barkas successor parts.
Sources: Kennwerte der Modelle Framo V901, (Wikipedia)
Technical data
Engine
| Cylinders | 3correct |
|---|
Dimensions and weights
| Width | 1,670 mmcorrect |
|---|---|
| Wheelbase | 2,780 mmcorrect |
| Unladen weight | 970 kgcorrect |
| Gross vehicle weight | 1,645 kgcorrect |
Drivetrain and chassis
| Wheels | 4correct |
|---|
Frequently asked questions
How much does the Framo V901 HP weigh?
The unladen weight is 970 kg.
What is the gross vehicle weight of the Framo V901 HP?
1,645 kg.
What engine does the Framo V901 HP have?
3 cylinders.
When was the Framo V901 HP built?
Production years: 1953.
What to check before buying
- Check the hour meter against the service records — a replaced instrument is the most common gap.
- Compare the data plate and chassis number with the papers.
- Check the weights in the papers against the figures here — attachments change them.
- Ask about parts availability for this build year — the running costs hang on it.
A general list for this type of machine — no substitute for an inspection or an appraiser.
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This page carries 8 individual figures for this model. They come from 1 recorded source; every figure can be traced there. What we cannot document is not here — we leave gaps open rather than estimate them.
The technical data on this page comes from official vehicle registration records (RDW/Traficom), not from the manufacturer.
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Other models in this series
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