Chevrolet Impala in Romania: 1967 - 2007

Prin 2007, acest Chevrolet Impala era de vanzare la vreo 2250 Euro - o suma acceptabila pentru o masina destul de cautata. Oglinzile neoriginale si R-ul pe portbagaj - simbol folosit numai pana in 1980 - erau dovada ca aceasta masina era un supravietuitor al comunismului. In anii 60 si 70 in Romania, masinile americane, desi nu exact comune, nu erau raritati: fiecare judet avea cateva zeci de exemplare. Nu stiu unde a ajuns masina insa sper ca a ajuns pe maini bune.

Cautand prin poze vechi am descoperit o imagine cu o masina identica. Poza e din 1967, si omul in imagine e din judetul Alba - adica zona care, inainte de 68, avea numere de HD. Aproape sigur masina e una si aceeasi. Nu e prima oara in care aceeasi masina se regaseste in poze vechi si noi, dar intotdeauna ma bucura sa gasesc asa ceva.

In around 2007, this Chevrolet Impala was for sale at around 2250 Euro - a decent sum for a fairly sought-after car. The unoriginal mirrors and the "R" plate on the back - a symbol not used after 1980 - prove that this car was a survivor which had been in Romania under Communism. In the 60s and 70s, American cars, though not exactly common, were no rarities: every county had a fair few. I do not know where the car got to, but I hope it's being looked after.

Looking through old photos, I found an identical car. The picture is from 1967 and the person captured is from Alba county - which, until 1968, was represented by HD plates. Almost certainly, therefore, we're looking at the same car. This isn't the first time I've found the same vehicle in pictures separated by several decades - but it always pleases me to do so.

Bucuresti 1979 x 16

Saisprezece poze din Bucuresti in decembrie 1979. Incepand cu 1979 se importau doua modele noi de masina - Lada 2101, si Skoda 120. Primele exemplare sun deja vizibile in aceste poze. Din nou, de interes este - in poza de langa Universitate - Dacia 1100 cu patru faruri, posibil un rarisim 1100S. In fundal, se vad unele masini occidentala care nu au fost importate oficial: Opel Rekord, Ford Taunus, Volvo 240, si, cel mai surprinzator, BMW seria 3. Bucurestiul arata gri si pustiu. Fata de imaginile surprinse cu cativa ani in urma, nu arata ca un oras prosper. Poate din aceasta cauza, si tinand in cont faptul ca nu prea mai veneau turisti straini, incapand cu aceata perioada pozele cu Bucuresti devin din ce in ce mai rare.

Sixteen pictures of Bucharest from December 1979. From 1979 two new models of car were imported - Lada 2101 and Skoda 120. The first examples can already be seen. Of further interest are the four-headlighted Dacia 1100 - possibly an ultra-rare 1100S - near the University. A few Western cars which would not have been imported officially can be seen: Opel Rekord, Ford Taunus, Volvo 240 and, most surprisingly, a BMW 3-Series. When compared to pictures taken just a few years earlier, Bucharest seems dull and grey, not at all propserous. Perhaps for this reason, as well as the decline in tourism from the West, from this period onwards photos of Bucharest become much rarer.