21 February 2015

Dacia 1302 in Algeria ... x10

Se pare ca inca mai sunt Dacii 1302 pe strazile Algeriei! In general, sunt in stare dezastruoasa, modificate si carpite cu orice piesa posibila, in mod special cele de Renault 12, o masina foarte raspandita in tara. Dar inca circula, si oamenii inca isi fac treaba cu ele. Proabil sunt cateva sute existente in tara - desi marea majoritate sunt irecuperabile.

So it seems there are quite a few more Dacia 1302s in Algeria! In general they are in disastrous condition, modified and mended with anything possible. The many Renault 12s in Algeria have certainly yielded many parts. But they are still going, and still being put to good use. I imagine there are a few hundreds unphotographed - although probably they are in equally poor condition.

An necunoscut, stare groaznica

1978

Aceeasi, din spate

Inca un '78

Un '79

Un '79 de vanzare.


Motorul

Din lateral - observam modofocarea catre patru prezoane


Un 1980, cu roata fata de 1310

Din fata

Din nou
 
Necunoscute



 

20 February 2015

Dacia 1302 in ... Algeria

Dacia 1302 din 1980, inca in functionare, pe strazile Oran-ului, in Algeria.

Incredibil, masina pare in stare cat de cat decenta. Bordul a fost schimbat pentru unul mai modern; scaunele la fel; si masina a suferit in fata. Majoritatea Daciilor algeriene sunt dezastru, asta mai putin. E de vanzare. Pret aproximativ: 1400 Euro.

In 1979 au fost fabricate peste 6,500 exemplare de Dacia 1302. Banuiesc ca a fost un lot pentru export. In 1980, producita e numai 345.

Acesta e un foarte rar surpavietuitor...






Dacia 1302 from 1980, still going strong on the streets of Oran, in Algeria.

Incredibly, it looks OK. The dashboard and the seats are unoriginal, and the front end has been changed a bit. But most Algerian Dacias are disasters and this one is manifestly not. It's for sale. Around 1,400 Euros...

In 1979, 1302 production was over 6,500 - I imagine most of them destined for export. In 1980, production fell to 345. This is a very rare survivor.

14 February 2015

Ford V8 in Galati

O carte postala din anii 70, aratand Galati in anii 70. Nu am reusit sa localizez cladirea, dar (pentru mine) interesul este antebelica albastra. Arata ca un Ford 1938, posibil chiar un exemplar construit in Romania. E o amintire ca in anii 70, inca circulau destule antebelice - desi, in mod general, erau putin pretuite, si in stare precara.

A 1970s postcard, showing Galati. I've no idea what the building is but, for me, the interest is the blue pre-war car. It looks like a 1938 Ford, possibly even one built in Romania. It's a reminder that in the 1970s, there were still quite a few pre-war cars on the road - although, generally speaking, they were not valued and were in largely poor condition.

12 February 2015

Cum au disaprut Daciile... / How the Dacias disappeared...

Niste statistice interesante din 2012 - referitor la numerele Daciilor din tara.

Se refera numai la Dacii fara catalizator (adica, pana in 1999).

In plus, sectia Dacia 1302 se refera numai la camionetele produsele sub acest nume - adica, numai 134 exemplare in 1983. Restul ("autocamioneta 0,4 tone") probabil sunt incadrate sub Dacia 1300.

Azi, banuiesc ca numerele sunt mult mai scazute. Sa nu uitam ca desi programul Rabla exista din 2004, 2010 a fost anul in care a intrat in adevarata forta, casandu-se 184,000 masini, in comparatie cu 107,000 in perioada 2004-2009. Si in urmatorii ani, cate nu s-au mai dus...

Mare miracol daca numarul combinat de Dacia 1100, Dacia Sport, 1320 si 1325 depaseste 1,000. Deja astazi, sa vezi una pe strada e un adevarat eveniment.

Trist...!

 
Some interesting stats from 2012, showing the disappearance of Dacias from Romania.
 
The figures refer only to pre-1999 Dacias - ie those not fitted with a catalytic convertor.
 
The Dacia 1302 section refers only to the 134 cars sold under the name of Dacia 1302 in 1983. Previously, the model had been officially known as the 0.4t light truck (catchy!). So there are more, but they are presumably covered in the Dacia 1300 section.
 
I would imagine that today, the numbers are massively reduced. The "Rabla" scrappage scheme, although having started in 2004, only really got going in 2010. In that year alone, 184,000 vehicles were scrapped - more than in the previous 5 years combined. And since then, it has continued apace.
 
I doubt that today, the numbers of existing 1100, Sport, 1320 and 1325 models reaches 1000. One on the street is already a seriously unusual sight.
 
A shame!


9 February 2015

Jaguar XJ-S in Bucuresti, 2000

O imagine rara din Bucuresti, anul 2000. E vorba despre restaurantul "London Lucky Burgers", care a functionat pe strada Lipscani, langa defunctul magazin "Bucuresti". Nu cred ca a avut mult success... Parcate in fata lui se vad doua masini destul de impresionante pentru Romania anului 2000 - un Jaguar XJ-S (model HE, post 1981) si un Mercedes 500 SEC coupe. Mercedesul are rotile dezumflate, iar Jaguarul pare a fi purtand numere britanice si avand volanul pe dreapta. Deci ma intreb daca erau pur si simplu acolo pentru decor...

Ca fapt divers, mai exista un XJ-S auriu in Bucuresti, un import american din 1975. In general, totusi, modelele "grand tourer" nu prea au fost cautate in Romania, oamenii cu bani preferand decoapotabile sau limuzine.

 
A rare image from 2000, showing the "London Lucky Burgers" restaurant which operated for a time on Lipscani Street, next to the defunct Bucuresti department store. I doubt it had much success. In front if it are parked two impressive cars for the time - a Jaguar XJ-S (a HE, post 1981) and a Mercedes 500 SEC coupe. The Merc is on flat tyres, and the Jag looks to be a right hand drive model on British plates - so I wonder if both were there purely for show.
 
Incidentally, there still is a gold XJ-S in Bucharest - a 1975 American-spec model, imported a few years ago. However, thirsty GTs were never very popular in Romania, most rich people preferring a convertible or a large saloon.