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Date:         Wed, 22 Apr 2009 16:47:35 -0400
Reply-To:     Chris S <szpejankowski@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Chris S <szpejankowski@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: DDR cars, Vanagon, etc ...
Comments: To: Zolly <zolo@foxinternet.net>
In-Reply-To:  <5ebe10a0904221334t3054c80cv7e18c4fe4261eb73@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8

And... I found a Barkas Westfalia!

http://b1000.wz.cz/barkas.jpg

2009/4/22 Chris S <szpejankowski@gmail.com>

> You're probably thinking of Barkas. It was powered by the same two > stroke engine as Wartburg and was front wheel drive as well. I > remember it as the DDR equivalent of the VW Bus. > > It's interesting how Chrysler claims invention of the minivan. Europe > had small mikrobus-type vehicles long before Chrysler ever dreamed of > mass producing a small and efficient people mover. > > On 4/22/09, Zolly <zolo@foxinternet.net> wrote: > > Ah, that's right the DKW. There were still a few of them in the fifties > and > > sixties. The Wartburg looked better. There was a two stroke van made in > > the DDR, I even drove one. That was about the size of a bus or Vanagon. > I > > don't recall the name of it now, but it's on my lip. There was no > culture > > those days of people owning one and driving around and living in it or > such, > > like here with a VW Bus or Westfalia. Not even gipsies did it. The > control > > of people was way too strong to have anyone running around. Especially > the > > fact that you had to have a full time job. There were more jobs than > > people, because three did the job of one. People had to be occupied to > be > > under control. > > I owned a Russian made bike that used to be a DKW before the war. They > took > > all the factories they could, away to Russia. German machinery and > > technology was very advanced those days, compared to the rest of the > world. > > Tooling of a vehicle is still today the largest expense to manufacture > one. > > Here on this list sometimes we talk about having the whole car made again > > from scratch. All the dies of the body cost lots, even if only one > machine > > was used to make them. > > Those dies may still exist in South Africa. I know a few guys who were > in > > the manufacturing there, making the dies for the cars. > > Well, I'll stop this before I get too deep into it. > > Zoltan > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Chris S" <szpejankowski@GMAIL.COM> > > To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM> > > Sent: Wednesday, April 22, 2009 9:18 AM > > Subject: Re: Cool Vanagon Paint Job > > > > > >> My dad bought a Wartburg 311 when I was 11. It is based on an old > >> DKW/Audi design with a 3 cylinder 1l two stroke engine. It was a > >> pretty car, hence no Trabant in our family. > >> > >> Gee, that gives me a Vanagon engine conversion idea. ;-) > >> > >> On 4/22/09, Zoltan <thewestyman@gmail.com> wrote: > >>> Well, I'm not an East German or a one time owner of a Trabant. It is a > >>> car > >>> with two two-stroke cylinders, sounding like a lawn mower, the frame is > >>> steel the body is some pressed syntetic material or fibre glass, so you > >>> did > >>> not see one with a rusted out door. Not a heavy car, four seater, made > >>> in > >>> the DDR. Ended production after the take over, even had to replace the > >>> engine with a four stroke one. It smoked and smelled but those who had > >>> one > >>> loved it for being trouble free and running forever. Front wheel > drive. > >>> Sputtering. Four seater, two door. > >>> The word Trabant means "travelling mate" or something to that effect. > A > >>> real simbol of the 'good old times' of the communist era. It was to > them > >>> > >>> as > >>> the VW Beatle to us. > >>> The East Germans also had a three cylinder car that was bigger and > faster > >>> and nicer, kind of like a 'communist Mercedes', called Wartburg. > >>> Now, you don't see any of them in Europe. They are gone just as the > >>> Citroen > >>> DS or the Citroen 2CV. > >>> > >>> But the communists had a few other cars people here in the US would > never > >>> recognize. One of them was a rear flat engined air-cooled car with > four > >>> seats and two doors, made in the Soviet Unio, bearing the name of the > >>> town > >>> is made in, Zaporozetz. > >>> > >>> Those of us who grew up in those times, remember the times in good > spirit > >>> for we were young and playful and healthy and in love, etc. Otherwise > it > >>> was shit. > >>> Zoltan > >>> > >>> ----- Original Message ----- > >>> From: Tom Buese > >>> To: Zoltan > >>> Cc: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM > >>> Sent: Tuesday, April 21, 2009 8:11 PM > >>> Subject: Re: Cool Vanagon Paint Job > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> On Apr 21, 2009, at 6:58 PM, Zoltan wrote: > >>> > >>> > >>> It would impossible for an American to even guess this car painted > >>> on. > >>> It > >>> is a Trabant 601, if I'm not mistaken. And I bet, I'm not. > >>> One of the nicest and most fun paint job. > >>> > >>> > >>> OK, I'll show my ignorance, what is a Trabant-French? > >>> > >>> > >>> YMMV, > >>> > >>> > >>> Mr. BZ > >>> > >>> > >>> Zoltan > >>> > >>> > >>> ----- Original Message ----- > >>> From: "Mister Tom" <TomsGroups@SALICOS.COM> > >>> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM> > >>> Sent: Tuesday, April 21, 2009 3:50 PM > >>> Subject: Cool Vanagon Paint Job > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3384/3334006588_3092a1321d.jpg?v=0 > >>> > >>> > >>> Tom Buese > >>> tombuese@comcast.net > >>> > >> > >> -- > >> Sent from my mobile device > >> > >> Chris S. > >> Disclaimer: "Death and serious injury may occur" > > > > > > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > > > > > > No virus found in this incoming message. > > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > > Version: 8.0.238 / Virus Database: 270.12.2/2072 - Release Date: 04/21/09 > > 16:48:00 > > > > > > -- > Sent from my mobile device > > Chris S. > Disclaimer: "Death and serious injury may occur" >

-- Chris S. Disclaimer: "Death and serious injury may occur"


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