The Dutch name DAF—Van Doorne Automobielfabriek(Van Doorne’s Automobile Factory)—is world-famous for its beefy trucks. But some familiar with its massive long-haul semis might be surprised to learn that DAF produced compact and small family cars from 1959 to 1974.
Two points to remember about these DAF cars are that they were all two-door models (though some count hatchback versions as three-door vehicles); and they all were Variomatic cars, being fitted with DAF’s continuously-variable transmission. In the Variomatic system, the engine powers a bevel drive (under the rear seat), which rotates two output shafts, each spinning a V-belt. In turn, each V-belt drives one of the back wheels.
The belts run on a pair of pulleys, which consist of two conical pieces that slide away from and toward each other via centrifugal weights and engine vacuum. The movement of the cones alters the inside diameter of the pulleys, causing the belts to turn at different speeds, thus creating step-less, continually-variable gear ratios.
Most of the Variomatics had no differential because the two driving belts—each turning an individual swing-axle—operated like a limited-slip differential. Should one belt break, you could drive your DAF home or to a repair service on the remaining belt!
One quality of the Variomatic system is that it enabled the DAF cars to go as fast in reverse as they could be driven forward. This peculiarity led to Dutch reverse racing events, which are held in the Netherlands to this day.
DAF 600
In 1957, DAF announced its 600 sedan. Debuting at the 1958 Amsterdam Motor Show, the four-seat 600 had a front-mounted, 590-cc air-cooled two-cylinder (flat-twin) engine of 22 hp, giving a top speed of 57 mph. Going into production in 1959, the 600 was less than 12-feet long and had a tighter turning radius than did the Volkswagen Beetle.
The main principle for the 600 was that it be easy to drive. DAF accomplished this with the Variomatic system, which had two gears—Forward and Reverse! The vehicle inspired catchphrases such as “the car of a hundred gears,” and “the Dutch with no clutch.”
The 600 was recognizable by its hood which dipped between the headlights, with the DAF logo across the front. The trunk lid likewise dropped between the taillights (and tailfins) and had the DAF logo affixed. In its two-tone paintwork, with 12-inch wheels, whitewalls and chromed hubcaps sporting the DAF logo, the 600 had an endearing, toy-like appearance. The 600 was a breakthrough: it was the first fully-automatic economy car. The 600 models were the Standard, Luxury, Luxury for export to the USA, and Pickup.
DAF 750, Daffodil (DAF 30)
The automaker introduced its upgraded version of the 600 in 1961, the 750. With an air-cooled, 30 hp, 746-cc, two-cylinder (flat-twin) motor, this model could do 65 mph. It had the overall body shape of the 600, but with a wider grille. The 750 could be had in Standard, Luxury, and Pickup versions. For 1962, DAF added a 750 Panel Van and a Combi variant, the latter a combination station wagon/panel van.
Also, in 1962, DAF introduced the Daffodil, which was basically a 750 with extra chrome, a different grille and more lavish fittings (including an emblem of a daffodil on the steering wheel). The name was a combination of “DAF” and “krokodil” (“crocodile”), as the front of the car evoked the reptile’s face. (The dipping hood made the headlights appear raised, like a pair of crocodile’s eyes; and the grille looked like a wide, grinning mouth.)
The Daffodil was as easy to drive as the 600—you couldn’t go far wrong with only Forward and Reverse—and a Variomatic wasn’t likely to stall in traffic. The Daffodil proved popular and became a Dutch export to countries such as Germany and the UK. In some markets it was known as the “DAF 30,” as “Daffodil” didn’t translate well into German, for example.
Daffodil (DAF 31)
In 1963, came the Daffodil 31, supplanting the 750 and 30. It was available as a Standard, Luxury, Luxury Extra, Pickup, Panel Van and Combi. For the 31, DAF consulted sports car designer Giovanni Michelotti, who was famous for his Italian and British car designs.
Michelotti brought sharper edges and more pronounced fins to the Daffodil. The rear roofline of the 31 was angular, while the 30’s was rounded. The 31 otherwise carried the basic body shape of the 600 and DAF 30, and it had the 746-cc powerplant and performance of the 30. However, DAF gave the interior of the 31 a substantial upgrade and fitted the car with 13-inch wheels.
Daffodil (DAF 32)
For 1965, DAF presented the Daffodil 32. The 32 was offered in the same six formats as the 31. For this model, DAF again turned to Michelotti, this time for an extensive reworking of the body.
Michelotti continued with the angular roof, changed the grille, and brought a shallower down-sweep of the hood and trunk lid than had been on previous models. With the front of the 32’s crocodile appearance lessened, the result was a boxier, less distinctive-looking vehicle. The 32 retained the mechanicals and performance of the 31.
DAF 32 S
DAF produced its Sedan Rally version, the Daffodil 32 S, for 1966. Available exclusively in white, the 32 S had a 763-cc engine with a modified carburetor and bigger air cleaner, giving the car a 20% power increase to 36 hp and a 75 mph top speed.
Considering how the Variomatic system fared in racing, if one rear wheel lost its grip on ice or in mud, the other rear wheel could still get full torque from its V-belt. This provided excellent traction, which was ideal for rallying and a strong point of DAF rally cars.
Though these autos weren’t particularly fast, they were robust with excellent weight distribution which made them stable and aided their road-holding capabilities. DAF produced 500 32 S cars.
DAF 33
Introduced in 1967, the 33 had basically the same body as the 32, but DAF dropped the Daffodil name for this model. Fitted with a 746-cc motor, the engine produced 32 hp which could push the 33 to 70 mph. It was produced in the variants of Sedan, Sedan Deluxe, Pickup, Station Wagon, and Panel Van.
The 33 was manufactured all the way into 1974, a point which marked the end of the Daffodil line. In 1975, DAF sold its automobile manufacturing operation to Volvo, and from then on focused on producing its trucks and transmissions.
Rallying
How did these Dutch “rubber-band”-driven cars perform in competition? Well, fasten your seatbelts. The rally story of DAF cars began when Austrian Rudi Hunger and his son entered domestic competitions with their DAF 600. They won first in class (up to 700-cc) in the 1960 Austrian Winter Trials and the Austrian Alpine Rally. The Collinet-Franmian team of Belgium, likewise in a DAF 600, won first in class in the 1960 Belgian challenges 12 Heures de Huy and Rallye de Verviers(the latter in the up to 700-cc class).
After this auspicious beginning, starting in 1961 DAF cars were entered in other European rallies, their teams racking up a number of distinguished class wins along the way. (Modifications of DAF cars for rallying included the fitting of aluminum plates to protect the engine and Variomatic transmission.) The Dutch Bergh-Smulders team achieved two class wins with a Daffodil in the 1961 Tulip Rally, and another Daffodil came in first in the 500-700-cc class in the 1961 Course de Côte du Col de Raus. In the 1963 Liège-Sofia-Liège Rally, the Belgian-Swiss Ransy-Rebetez team took second in the up to 1000-cc class. Their Daffodil was the smallest car to ever finish this punishing course while achieving a classification placing.
The efficiency of the Variomatic system was to prove itself again in slippery conditions when Dutchman Rob Slotemaker, driving a Daffodil, won fifth place in the GT class in the 1964 Neige et Glace (“Snow and Ice”), and in the 1965 Swedish Winter Rally where he took second in the up to 1000-cc class.In the 1964 Coupes des Alpes, the French Laurent-Marche team piloting a Daffodil won first in the up to 850-cc class, and in the 1966 event took second in the up to 1000-cc class and eighth overall. The British Bertorelli-Warren team won first in the up to 1000-cc class in the 1965 Express & Star Rally in Wales, while the French Laurent-Marche duo took first in the up to 1000-cc class in the 1965 RAC Rally in Britain.
In the extremely twisty 1966 Tour de Corse, the Dutch team Slotemaker-Geest drove an 850-cc Daffodil prototype to win its class and take eleventh overall. The French team Laurent-Verley won first in the up to 1000-cc class in the 1966 Neige et Glace, and DAF cars made quite a splash at the 1966 Marathon de la Route when they took first, second and third places in the up to 850-cc class. Laurent-Marche won first in the up to 850-cc class in the 1966 Critérium des Cévennes, and in the 1967 Rallye Bayonne French team Laurent-Coolen took first in the up to 850-cc class.
Other DAF cars also excelled in competition, namely the 44 and 55 models. In the 1967 Monte Carlo Rally, French team Laurent-Marché drove a 44 to win second in class, and in the 1968 event the pair took first in class, again in a 44. In 1968 the Belgian-French team Haxhe-Coolen driving a 55 was the class 2 winner in the Coupe des Alpes, and a Belgian team piloting a 55 achieved second in class in the 1968 Marathon de la Route. Two other 55s driven by Dutch teams famously completed the punishing 1968 Daily Express London-to-Sydney Marathon. In this event the Slotemaker-Janssen duo placed 17thoverall of the 56, which finished (out of 98 entrants).
French team Marché-Pasquier took first in class at Monte Carlo in 1969 with a 55, and Laurent-Marché also in a 55 won third place overall in the 1969 Acropolis Rally. Belgian and French teams driving DAF 55s took 11thand 12thplaces overall respectively in the 1969 Rally Sanremo. In the 1969 Tulip Rally, Belgian, French and Dutch teams piloting 55s placed fourth, fifth and seventh overall respectively. The rally performances of DAF cars energized sales of the vehicles, and by the late 1960s the DAF factory was turning out about 940 cars per day.
The Other DAF Cars
The DAF 600 through the 33 are classified as DAF’s A-bodied cars, while the 44 through the 66 listed here are the DAF B-bodied cars.
DAF 44: Presented in 1966 with a Michelotti-designed body, the 44 initiated DAF’s series of larger cars. Its two-cylinder 844cc air-cooled engine produced 40 hp, giving the 44 a top speed of 76 mph.
DAF 46: Introduced in 1974, this model succeeded the 44. With the same engine and maximum speed of the 44, the 46 had a Dion rear axle driven by one belt.
DAF 55: Carrying on the body style of the 44, the 1967 55 had a Renault 1108-cc water-cooled four-cylinder motor. This gave the car 50 hp and an 85 mph top speed.
DAF 66: Premiering in 1972, the 66 continued with the 55’s 1108-cc power-plant, but was fitted with a Dion rear axle with leaf springs and a differential. The 66 had performance similar to that of the 55.
DAF History
DAF’s origins go to 1928, with Hubertus and Willem van Doorne’s machine and repair shop in Eindhoven, North Brabant. As they expanded into trailer-making in 1932, they became Van Doorne’s Aanhangwagenfabriek(Doorne’s Trailer Factory, DAF). Due to DAF’s development of its breakthrough featherweight semi-trailer with its fifth-wheel coupling, business boomed.
In 1935, DAF initiated its Trado system which enabled the conversion of 4×2 trucks into 6×4 off-road vehicles. Many military trucks were converted from 4×2 to 6×4 with Trado retrofits. DAF went on to create the demountable rail container system, an early form of the now globally-used container method of shipping, in 1936.
As DAF edged toward truck manufacture, it changed its name to Van Doorne’s Automobielfabriek in 1948, and presented its first truck prototypes in 1949. Production of the A-30, A-50 and A-60 trucks began in 1950, requiring factory expansion. Through the early 1950s DAF provided 4×4, 6×4 and 6×6 military trucks to the Dutch Army. Commercial truck production grew through the decade.
DAF introduced a long-haul semi in 1962, the 2600 Series, making the firm a market leader in international haulage. DAF expanded production into Westerlo, Belgium in 1965, and introduced many truck models throughout the 1960s and 1970s. In the 1980s, DAF collaborated with British Leyland on vans and trucks, culminating in the DAF takeover of Leyland.
In 1996, American truck-maker PACCAR acquired DAF, and DAF began exports to Australia in 1999. The DAF LF Series was named International Truck of the Year for 2002. Leyland assembles and designs DAF trucks in England, and as of 2012, DAF also manufactures in Brazil.
