This 1973 Steyr-Puch Pinzgauer 710 K combines military provenance with almost two decades of documented travel history. The former Swiss Army radio vehicle returned to Austria in 2007 with 34,127 kilometres and has remained with its current owner ever since; the documented mileage now stands at 64,786 kilometres. During its second life as a camping and expedition vehicle, it travelled to destinations including Iceland, Spain, Corsica, Sardinia and Scotland, as well as to events in Normandy commemorating the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings in 2024. Extensive historical documentation, including the original military logbook, accompanies the vehicle.
The Pinzgauer was developed as an Austrian off-road vehicle for demanding military and civilian applications. Development began in the 1960s; the available documentation names DI Erich Ledwinka as chief engineer. On 17 May 1971, the first Pinzgauer was publicly presented after almost six years of development and 18 pre-production vehicles.
Its construction was consistently geared towards off-road capability and a wide range of applications. The central tube frame allowed for various body configurations, ranging from communications and logistics vehicles to ambulances and emergency-service vehicles. The 710 K combines this concept with a closed box body. The example offered here is powered by an air-cooled 2,499 cc inline four-cylinder petrol engine and a five-speed manual gearbox with four-wheel drive.
The angular box body is finished today in matt olive green. The photographs show the unmistakably functional design of the Pinzgauer, with short overhangs and a body in which practicality clearly takes precedence over decoration. Additional touring equipment such as the WARN winch at the front, externally mounted spare fuel cans and the removable bicycle carrier underline its current use.
During the winter of 2019/2020, the body was completely stripped of rust and repainted inside and out. The former military paint was replaced with a conventional matt olive-green finish. The current paintwork should therefore explicitly not be regarded as the original military livery.
The Pinzgauer has long since exchanged its original role as a radio vehicle for a second life as a touring vehicle. The interior was converted into a camping vehicle by its first Swiss private owner and modernised again in 2019/2020. According to the verified documentation, the original components of the radio-vehicle configuration are still present and are included with the vehicle.
The current conversion features two leather seats in the cockpit, insulated solid-wood panelling, storage space and sleeping accommodation for two people. There is also a 70-litre water tank with an electric pump and a kitchen unit with an ORIGO 3000 spirit stove, sink, tap and electric extractor fan. The onboard electrical system combines 24- and 12-volt systems with a power converter, 230-volt sockets and LED lighting. An outdoor shower is also fitted.
The Pinzgauer is equipped with a 2,499 cc four-cylinder petrol engine, four-wheel drive and a five-speed manual gearbox. There is a discrepancy in the available vehicle data regarding power output: the historical vehicle description states 84 hp, while the structured dataset lists 90 hp or 66 kW. Since both figures appear in the available data, the discrepancy is explicitly noted here rather than presenting either figure as unquestionably correct.
According to the documented condition report, the engine and gearbox operate normally; the vehicle is registered and roadworthy. In 2022, the generator and charging system were inspected, the voltage regulator was replaced, and various cables and small components were renewed. After longer periods of standing, several starting attempts may be required according to the owner; the choke is used for this purpose.
The auxiliary heater features separate ducting for the cockpit and rear interior but is currently not fully functional due to a lack of replacement parts. This known technical issue is explicitly disclosed.
The history of chassis number 5751815 begins in the military sphere. According to the verified documentation, the Pinzgauer was transferred by the Austrian Armed Forces to the Swiss Army, where it was used as a radio vehicle. The original military logbook from the 1970s, including the registration plate M+24739, has been preserved.
At the beginning of the 2000s, the 710 K entered Swiss private ownership and was first converted into a multifunctional camping vehicle. In 2007, it returned to Austria and was acquired by its current owner. At the time of the journey bringing it back, the odometer showed a documented 34,127 kilometres.
What followed was less a life in a collection than one of purposeful use: Iceland in 2007, Spain in 2009, Corsica in 2015, Sardinia in 2017, Scotland in 2022 and France in 2024. Further journeys took it to destinations including the Faroe Islands, Norway, Denmark, Germany and Italy. In 2024, the Pinzgauer also participated in events commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Allied D-Day landings in Normandy. Today, the odometer shows a documented 64,786 kilometres.
The documentation is unusually extensive. Available and verified documents include the individual approval certificate dated 30 April 2007, inspection reports, the original Swiss vehicle registration document and customs clearance certificate, as well as the historical military logbook. Additional documents include the original owner's manual, a booklet covering the radio-vehicle equipment, lubrication chart and wiring diagram.
Since its acquisition in 2007, inspection reports have reportedly been prepared every two years, with servicing carried out as part of the regular inspections. The most recent service was completed in February 2025; the current Austrian inspection sticker is stated to be valid until October 2027. No separate condition or valuation report is available.
This Pinzgauer is neither an untouched military vehicle nor an arbitrarily modified off-roader. Its original identity as a radio vehicle is documented, significant original components have been retained, and at the same time it has been consistently developed over decades for a civilian second life. The traceable transformation from Swiss military vehicle to extensively travelled camping and expedition vehicle is what defines its character.
For collectors and users alike, its appeal therefore lies as much in its provenance as in its actual usability. The documented 64,786 kilometres, almost twenty years with its current owner, numerous European journeys and extensive documentation create an unusually coherent biography. The fact that the paintwork and interior conversion no longer correspond to the original military specification is documented just as transparently as the auxiliary heater's currently limited functionality.
Some off-roaders look adventurous. This one has actually made the journeys. Iceland, Corsica, Sardinia, Scotland and finally Normandy – the Pinzgauer carries its history not as decoration, but in its logbook. I particularly like the fact that nobody is trying to present the camping conversion as military originality. It was a radio vehicle, became a touring vehicle and remained a Pinzgauer throughout: angular, uncompromising and apparently happiest wherever an ordinary road gradually becomes more of a suggestion.
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