Konig History

[tim hanna]

As far as die maker, I presume you mean the person who made the interlocking sand pieces formed in the little wooden boxes? If that is what you mean then yes, she did that. Dieter told me she made them. As far as other work she might have done, I'm not sure. The days I was there I saw her every morning and she always wore jeans and a heavy dark turtleneck sweater, but she never seemed interested in getting aquainted or even speaking. I don't know of any particular work station she might have had that I can remember, but I never went upstairs. Maybe Steve Litzell might shed some light.

From the little I know of the dark art of casting producing the sand pieces requires a fair degree of skill.

[Donald]

On occasions when I was in the factory, Margrit only filled parts orders coming in and got parts for repair jobs. She spoke no english and would not even respond to Guten Morgan. I remember once when I bought a set of spark plugs, she insisted I pay first. Although she was not communicative with most customers and employees, she jumped when Dieter wanted something. Someday I will take the time to post my first meeting with Dieter in 1956 and beyond. If I had someone to type for me I could tell a lot of Dieter stories.

[tim hanna]

That was my same impression of Margit Ralph. After a couple of times of saying guten morgen I gave up. If you want to record your stories and send them to me, I will be glad to post them. Joe types too slow as well, and that's why he doesn't tell any of the long winded tales. Get him off in person like Ron did and hooeee......!

Gads! What I'd give for these stories!
Here's one I have. Dieter slung a rope around the bough of a tree in his back yard and then dangled his baby son in it in a baby harness. He then tied another rope to the harness and when Kim and Janeen went around to visit he had his son Peter whistling through the air as he pulled the rope from the outdoor table where they all had lunch.
He said that he was teaching him to fly.

[Steve Litzell]

On occasions when I was in the factory, Margrit only filled parts orders coming in and got parts for repair jobs. She spoke no english and would not even respond to Guten Morgan. I remember once when I bought a set of spark plugs, she insisted I pay first. Although she was not communicative with most customers and employees, she jumped when Dieter wanted something. Someday I will take the time to post my first meeting with Dieter in 1956 and beyond. If I had someone to type for me I could tell a lot of Dieter stories.

Margrit mostly ran the parts counter and controlled the inventory in parts room, She did make sand molds for motors when everyone else was busy and when needed as well as make crates for shipping motors and parts. When the Turkish women ( Can't remember her name) was out or off work Margrit aslo tested and made ignition systems. My experience was like Wayne's and Ralph's as she did not speak any English and would not try and if you said Guten Morgan to her she would just nod back at you. I remember asking Dieter if she did not like me or what, And he said she was just quiet. He then asked her to come over to were we were and in German spoke to her and she just nodded again but after that when i said Guten Morgan, she would always smile at me when she nodded. Of course bringing pastries to the factory in the mornings helped. People I remember were, Uli Collaz (sp) chief motor and crankshaft man as well as shop foreman and the man that taught me crankshafts and motor assembly and how to make parts that fit but did not work, work. This is one sharp cookie here. Bernard Bayer, head gearbox maker including the internal machine work on cases.and the man that taught me gears , gearboxes and the factory humor man. Arno (can't remember his last name) the elder in the shop who roughed in outboard case on ports and also assembled as well as some machining work on aircraft motors, The Turkish man ( don't remember his name) done most of the welding on exhausts and towers, The Turkish women ( CRS on name) who done most of the electrical assembly for all motors and also pressed the taper cones for elbows and lead in's on exhausts. There were always a couple youngsters working either on the stock (fishing) motors and also grinding and polishing of parts. Everyone there would do machine work on all types of parts either for boat, bike and aircraft depending on what needed to be done or what orders for motors or parts. This place run with the precision of a fine tuned machine with "The Master" over looking or knowing in advance what problems the workers were going to have before they knew themselves. Dieter was one of the best that I have had the pleasure to work for and a untiring devotion to his work and work shop. With all of that going on, he still had time for new ideas and was always trying something new. I had the pleasure of watching him make the mold for the late die cast motor blocks. all I can say about that is WOW! a very amazing mind at work.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

You filled in some parts I didn't know Steve. That's what I remember about Margrit, but I never knew about the Turkish women. That must have been after my time. One guy that worked on the long bench on the part of the building where you could drive around the back was a "Palestinian refuge" I was told by Dieter. I think I have a photo of him or two. Kept to himself, but worked all day.

Before you were there Steve, there was one of those young workers you mentioned that was very talented and also a good racer. I guess Dieter hired him because of his talents, or maybe he grew up in the shop and got to be a good racer...I don't know. His name was Bernd Tschierschke and he was one of three sponsored by BOOTE MAGAZINE in 1976. The other two were Kurt Mischke and Manfred Ricthter. Around 1979 or 1980 Bernd married a Canadian girl. I have a Christmas greeting from him but have not heard from him since then. Maybe he will find this site some day and give us some other info.

Bernard Bayerisch......what good memories you brought back to me with the mention of his name Steve. I hve to go now, but will add more later.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

Dieter gave me a tour around Berlin (at that time it was confined to West Berlin).and took me throught the different sectors. I remember going through the British and American sectors, but I don't remember the French. Part of the tour we went through what he said was where the Turkish lived. Seems he also mentioned the gypsies, and I don't think they cared too much for the gypsies. They could cross borders and stay where they wanted to without passport or any i.d.. It wasn't a squalid area at that time. I don't know how it might me now since the east and west have come together, but it was not like other parts of Berlin. But then, European cities were not built like the ones in America. Sometimes the street side looks very bad, but if you get through to the inside, there are gardens, and lush surroundings.

[tim hanna]

Just out of interest is anyone aware of the big outboards Dieter made using Ford V6 engines?

[Master Oil Racing Team]

Never heard of that Tim. Dieter did tell me that some F2 guys from England contacted him about making a multiple cylinder engine for their car. Two stroke. Be very interesting to hear about that Ford V-6.

[Mark75H]

I have images of the brochures with the Ford V-6 Konigs, but no other pictures

[Steve Litzell]

You filled in some parts I didn't know Steve. That's what I remember about Margrit, but I never knew about the Turkish women. That must have been after my time. One guy that worked on the long bench on the part of the building where you could drive around the back was a "Palestinian refuge" I was told by Dieter. I think I have a photo of him or two. Kept to himself, but worked all day.

Before you were there Steve, there was one of those young workers you mentioned that was very talented and also a good racer. I guess Dieter hired him because of his talents, or maybe he grew up in the shop and got to be a good racer...I don't know. His name was Bernd Tschierschke and he was one of three sponsored by BOOTE MAGAZINE in 1976. The other two were Kurt Mischke and Manfred Ricthter. Around 1979 or 1980 Bernd married a Canadian girl. I have a Christmas greeting from him but have not heard from him since then. Maybe he will find this site some day and give us some other info.

Bernard Bayerisch......what good memories you brought back to me with the mention of his name Steve. I hve to go now, but will add more later.

Man I have got to tell you a story about Kurt Mischke, or his Mrs really. We were at a race that Hans put on in Berlin. Like most races they race and then about mid day, they stop racing and have lunch. At Hans race they had a band and a bikini contest during the break. A friend of mine Tom that was with us and I were sitting among the German crowd made up of drivers pit crew and family as well as spectators. We were sitting and having lunch and this atractive lady that sits next to Tom and I, was having a talk with her friends of course in German. That is when the Bikini contest began. Needless to say a Bikini contest in Europe was a lot different than here in USA. As the beauties were displaying their wares and Tom's and my jaws hit the floor, I had a comment about the posibilties of what I would do if I caught one of those beauties. Tom agreed with me and just then, The lady next to me burst out laughing at us, when I said oooops! she understood all that we said. She says yes I did, and that was the end of that, so I thought. you see, seems that even though I knew Kurt through Ralph, Dieter and Hans, I never did meet his MRS until that nite at dinner. Needles to say, My butt took a big bite out of my shorts as I and Tom was embarrassed by our coments earlier that day. All was Ok as she told the story to all and I suffered the harassment all nite. Geez my foot don't taste good most times