1962 Steyr Puch Haflinger Is Weird Military Truck Fun In A Mini Package
If you've always wanted a Unimog or a Pinzgauer but they are just too big, you are looking at the perfect solution. It's not a Pinzgauer post shrink ray, it's a 1962 Steyr Puch Haflinger (Steyr Puch did later design and build the much larger Pinzgauer though). This rare Austrian mini truck is currently for sale on Ebay.
A decade after the conclusion of WW2, the Austrian Army was looking to replace their aging fleet of surplus Jeeps with something more modern and Austrian made. The Steyr Puch Haflinger is the awesome result. Designed with portal axles, differential lockers and a fully independent suspension, the Haflingers low center of gravity and lack of significant body work made it a capable off road vehicle in a small package.
The Haflinger is perfect for anyone who has a burning desire to own a spartan and capable off road military vehicle but needs it in a small package. A rear engined air cooled twin cylinder 600cc boxer provides the power for the Haflinger. The mini truck weighs only 1400 pounds and isn't a whole lot bigger than some UTVs but the Haflinger is still 50 state road legal. To us, this means the possibilities for using this mini truck are nearly endless.
Every once in a great while when one of these mini military trucks come up for sale I quickly remember how badly I want one. Haflingers are more affordable and smaller than the larger Unimog, which are unfortunately two major obstacles standing between myself and Unimog ownership. They are also even more obscure than a Unimog or a Pinzgauer, which has to mean getting parts is a nightmare if you can even find a decent Haflinger to purchase in the first place.
For these two reasons I always come back to reality and reconsider trading my trusty Scout for a Haflinger. That doesn't mean there aren't still hours lost to day dreaming about my idealized vision of Haflinger ownership. Even though his particular example is far from perfect according to the owner it drives great on and off road. Best of all it is selling with No Reserve which means someone will be taking this mini truck home. Bidding for this awesome Haflinger is currently at only $5400 with a little under two days left on the auction, a steal in my eyes for an awesome little truck.