Johann Distler founded, in 1895 in Nürnberg, the Metallwarenfabrik Johann Distler KG. Until WW1 they mainly produced Penny Toys. Later they also produced cars, planes and mechanical toys. In 1936 the Company was bought by Ernst Völkl (also owner of TRIX) due to the fact that Johann Distler was Jewish and need to sell his company. DISTLER mainly produced for large retailers and mail order. In 1962, production in Germany was seized and the tools were sold to Belgium, where some toys (like the Porsche 356) were still produced for some years.
Very nice KdF Wagen lithographed design or red painted tinplate body with cut out windows and tin litho button headlights. Tin plate chassis with bumpers, seat, rubber wheels and clockwerk motor with a brake lever protruding out the rear hood. There is a "fir tree" symbol stamped into the side of the clockwerk motor and the original key has the same stamping that indicates the well-known German clockwerk specialist company, Gebrüder Bühler. Chassis may or may not be stamped with “MADE IN US ZONE - GERMANY.” License plate registration number 307300. This US ZONE version primarily was produced in red but parts left over from the previous KdF version, such as the blue/gray, blue/green body, driver and metal wheels were used and thus creates several variations. The early version with the KdF colors initially also came with the prewar box. Later the prewar box was stamped "Made in U.S. Zone Germany.
Variations:
Body is painted red or lithographed blue/gray with pinstripes
Grey painted chassis stamped with or without “Made In US Zone – Germany.”
Red or gray tin seat or no tin seat.
Metal or hard rubber wheels with ribbed hubcaps.
Clockwerk motor with a brake lever.
