1954 Denzel WD 1300 Series II
- Engine
- Volkswagen flat-four air-cooled (factory-exchange unit, replacing original Porsche 356-derived engine)
Chassis DK28 is a 1954 WD Denzel 1300, one of approximately 65 examples produced by Austrian engineer Wolfgang Denzel, supplied new through Auto Portuguesa of Lisbon. First registered on 15 April 1954 to noted Portuguese racing driver Joaquim Filipe Nogueira, the car enjoyed an active first season across 13 events including a class win at the Rali a Aveiro. Its documented ownership chain is unbroken from delivery through to the present, and it retains its original Portuguese registration plate.
Ownership
- —Auction saleSold €109,250 (≈ $120K)
- 1954-04-15 → 1955-02-01Factory deliveryJoaquim Filipe Nogueirafull documentation
First registered owner, took delivery via Auto Portuguesa of Lisbon. Active competitor with the car throughout 1954, achieving multiple class wins and outright victories across 13 events.
- 1955-02-01 → 1956Private saleRenato Azevedopartial documentation
Primarily used the car for road purposes; no competition results recorded during his ownership.
- 1956 → 1956Private saleJosé Teixeirapartial documentation
Engaged racing driver Daniel Magalhaes to campaign the car during the 1956 season, with documented class victories.
- 1956 → 1961-10-24Private saleDaniel Magalhaespartial documentation
Originally drove the car for Teixeira before purchasing it outright. Continued racing in 1957 with two known recorded results, then retained the car for several years before selling.
- 1961-10-24 →Private saleRui de Lemospartial documentation
Fellow Portuguese racing driver who acquired the car. Ownership chain fully documented through the 1960s up to January 1999.
- 1999-01-14 →Acquisition unknownCurrent vendorfull documentation
Registered the car on 14 January 1999 and has retained it for over 27 years. The original first registration plate remains on the car; engine replaced at some point with a factory-exchange air-cooled Volkswagen unit.
Competition
- 19491949 Austrian Alpine Rally1st in class
Achieved by the first Denzel prototype, co-built with Hubert Stroinigg; not chassis DK28.
- 19541954 Tangier Grand Prix support raceDriver: Joaquim Filipe Nogueira2nd
One of 13 events contested by Nogueira with this car during the 1954 season.
- 1954-04-16Rali a AveiroDriver: Joaquim Filipe Nogueira1st overall
First competitive outing for chassis DK28, held just one day after the car was road registered.
- 1956Praia de RochaDriver: Daniel Magalhaes3rd in class
One of three documented events in which Magalhaes competed while the car was owned by José Teixeira.
- 1956Rali EmancipaçãoDriver: Daniel Magalhaes1st in class
Second known result from the 1956 season, driven on behalf of owner José Teixeira.
Maintenance & restoration
- —Modification
The original engine was replaced at an undetermined point with a factory-exchange Volkswagen air-cooled unit, described as a common practice for raced examples of this type.
Exact date of the substitution is unknown; the replacement unit is a period-correct factory-exchange item.
Are you the owner of this car?
This car's public record is built from its auction and competition history. Register your ownership and privately add your own records to make it a verified Legacy Metrics passport — provenance that backs your car's value at sale and gives your insurer evidence to price against. Roy reviews and verifies every registration personally.