A Dutch Oddball That Actually "Runs"

DAF—short for Van Doorne's Automobiel Fabriek—built cars for people who thought Citroëns were too mainstream. The 600 was their first passenger car, debuting in 1959 with something called Variomatic: the world's first production continuously variable transmission, driven by rubber belts. Sixty-two years before CVTs became the appliance of choice for commuter sedans, some engineers in the Netherlands said "what if we made a tiny car with infinite gear ratios" and actually pulled it off. About 57,000 were built before production ended in 1963.

This particular specimen lives in a New York workshop, buried under moving blankets and surrounded by what appears to be an entire estate sale. The maroon paint—faded to something approaching dusty plum—wears decades of storage grime, but the body panels look straight and the glass is intact. That chrome DAF script on the nose remains attached. The seller claims it runs, which for a 65-year-old Dutch microcar with rubber-belt drive is either a miracle or a lie worth investigating. More compelling: the deal includes extra engines and spare parts. Given that finding DAF 600 components in America requires either time travel or fluency in Dutch classified ads, this matters.

You're buying a project that requires enthusiasm and probably a willingness to fabricate parts from scratch. The 600's air-cooled flat-twin made about 22 horsepower when new, so expectations should be calibrated accordingly. This is a car for the person who wants to explain Variomatic technology at cars and coffee, not someone looking for reliable transportation. Title status and ownership history remain mysteries the seller hasn't bothered to clarify, so bring questions.