Hako Hans Koch & Sohn HAKOrecord

The HAKOrecord is powered by an air-cooled single-cylinder engine of 148 cc, producing 6 hp at 4,500 rpm and running on a two-stroke fuel mix of 1:25, previously 1:20. Power is transmitted through a belt drive, with speed changed through a manual gearbox combined with a Variomatic adjustment. At a weight of 135 kg, a length of 1,850 mm, a height of 1,250 mm and a width of 850 mm, the machine reaches a top speed of 18 km/h, fitted with 6.00-16, or alternatively 4.00-12, front tyres.

Such a light single-cylinder two-stroke with belt drive and Variomatic adjustment is among the simplest and lightest drive solutions in small-tractor building of the 1950s: the Variomatic adjustment allows stepless matching of travel speed to drawbar pull, similar to a V-belt transmission, without needing the mechanics of a full gearbox with several fixed ratios. A machine of this weight and output was intended for the smallest gardens, tree nurseries or yard work, not for field work on larger areas.

When buying a HAKOrecord secondhand, the condition of the drive belt and the Variomatic adjustment matters most, since wear here directly affects power transmission. Also worth checking are the cooling fins of the air-cooled engine, the carburettor setting for the two-stroke mix, and the tyres in their stated special sizes; spare parts for such an old and light small machine are now only available through specialist collectors and suppliers.