Scampolo

Scampolo

Walter Arnold and Walter Komossa built DKW engined sports cars at Recklinghausen, Germany, during the late 1940s. Their 500, Scampolo, built initially to the German kleinstrennwagen formula, used a water cooled, two stroke DKW engine which drove through a DKW front wheel drive system, modified to drive the rear wheels. De Dion suspension also featured at the rear. The car was light and nimble and performed very well, winning nearly all the German races in 1948 in Komossa's hands. It is interesting to note how the Scampolo was much more like the English cars, in this regard, with the focus on weight and simplicity, as opposed the majority of eigenbau with extensive (and therefore heavy) aerodynamic bodywork. The name Scampolo seems to derive from the 1932 film "Scampolo, a child of the streets", staring Dolly Haas as Scampolo.

By 1949, Walter had more competition from Lehder in his LTE Juwel, the Condor and Helmut Deutz in his Scampolo but still took two wins at the Nürburgring plus Lübeck and Kiel to take the West German Championship. Deutz managed wins at Malente, Leverkusen and Hamburg to finish sixth overall.

Germany adopted the 500cc Formula 3 for 1950, with some races run as mixed classes. Inevitably it proved more challenging with competition from the Cooper Mk IV of Toni Kreuzer and Monopolettas of  Walter Schlüter and Helmut Polensky, Komossa still took overall wins at Frankfurt, Nürburgring, Kiel and Donauringrennen to end the year in fourth with Deutz in seventh after a brace of seconds. In ninth, tenth and eleventh came the Scampolos of  Adolf Glunz, Willy Arnolds and Günther Schlüter, though sadly Günther was killed in his at the German Grand Prix in August.

By 1951, International Formula 3 was in full swing and the major races were dominated by the British in the latest Cooper Nortons with Moss in the Kieft. Scampolos were still competitive for local events taking wins at Kiel, Leverkusen and Braunschweig plus a great day at Donauringrennen, on 8th July, when Walter led home the sister cars of Helmut Deutz, Willy Rentrop and Herbert Petz. Walter again won the West German Championship with Deutz in fifth, Rentrop in seventh and Petz in eighth.

In 1952, Helmut Deutz gave the car it's first swansong to take the West German Championship, with wins at Halle Saale Schleife (in the East), Kiel, Leverkusen and Essen, his car being fitted with a Norton engine during the year. Komossa took a win at Hockenheim to finish equal third with Kurt Kuhnke in his Cooper Mk IV.

scampolo.jpg (14725 bytes)By 1953 though, Coopers were starting to be imported in numbers and would take all the lead places, Deutz making sixth overall with no wins and single podium. However, '53 would also see the beginning of a second swansong for the car when East German, Willy Lehman acquired one, mid year to replace his Grün,. fitted with a BMW engine. He won at Schwerin (East) in August and Braunschweig (West) and took the East German Championship.

Willi dominated in the East, winning in '54, '55, '56 and '57, only giving best to Heinz Melkus in 1958, the final full year.

Walter Komossa at the wheel at Hockenheim.

Scampolo 1.jpg (77678 bytes)

Rear De Dion suspension and gearbox details exposed in Autosport, May 1951

After the success of the 500 pair built a Mk II car, a slightly awkward looking two seater, again using a rear mounted DKW engine and rather more attractive barchetta with a 750cc BMW engine.