What is it?
Our book truck isn’t just a rolling bookstore, it’s a piece of history on four wheels. Built in 1973, it’s called a Haflinger, made by Steyr Puch. The Austrian 4×4 vehicle was never meant to carry books. Most Haflingers were barebones workhorses for farms and mountain trails. Ours? It’s something altogether unique.
As far as we know, this is the only right-hand drive Haflinger with a fiberglass cab in the US. That makes it not only a curiosity for collectors, but a true one‑of‑a‑kind time capsule repurposed for readers. Where it once hauled tools and supplies, it now carts stories and connection, turning heads everywhere it goes.
Designed as a replacement for the US Army Jeeps that were left behind for use by the Austrian Army after World War II, they were manufactured by Steyr-Daimler-Puch from the late 1950s until 1975. Capable of carrying up to 4 people (2 in front and 2 in the jump seats), and weighing only 1300 lbs, it’s light enough that if it got stuck it could just be lifted and moved by its passengers.
Around 16,500 were made over the course of production. Only about 500 were ever sold in the United States. They were truly multi-purpose vehicles as some were converted to ambulances, tractors and fire trucks.
Even though ours is driven on city streets, this little powerhouse is fully capable of going just about anywhere on and off road.
