Si Partidul greseste / Even the Party makes mistakes

Din arhiva "Autoturism", septembrie 1975 - un articol despre traficul bucurestean, semnaland greseli facute de soferi. Printre care si ... o Dacie cu celebra combinatie 1-B-trei cifre. Acele numere erau speciale: te semnalau printre prima mie de conducatori auto din tara, Ceausescu fiind primul, cu 1-B-101, cu o ordine de precedenta stricta. Nu stiu cine era proprietarul la 1-B-432: e posibil sa fie sau statul, sau un personaj foarte important. Nici macar familia Ceausescu nu avea 1-B-trei cifre la toate masinile lor! E foarte interesant ca revista Autoturism a indraznit sa critice un personaj asa sus pus ... Ma intreb daca a fost vreo repercusie....

From the Autoturism archives. September 1975 - an article about traffic in Bucharest and the errors made by individual drivers. Among whom, the driver of a Dacia with the famous "1-B-three numbers" number plates. These plates were very special: they placed you among the first thousand car owners in the country, Ceasuescu being the first, with 1-B-101, and a stric order of precedence following. We don't know who the owner of 1-B-432 was: possibly either the state or a VIP. Not even all the Ceausescu family managed to have "1-B-three numbers" plates! It's fascinating that "Autoturism" magazine dared criticise someone so high up; I wonder if there were any repercussions...

Dacia 1310 ... caravaneta (1985) / Dacia 1310 ... camper van (1985)

O noua premiera, dintr-o arhiva britanica: se pare ca cu ani inainte de tentativa Dacia Jumbo, a existat Dacia caravaneta!

In  1985, firma "Madisons", in nord-vestul Britaniei, ofera doua modele pe baza Daciei papuc: "Dacia Drifter" si, model mai scump, "Dacia Duchess" (care costa cat un Peugeot 505 nou). Poze nu exista, dar se pare ca aveau patru paturi si intrarea prin spate. Nu se stie daca s-a vandut vreun exemplar. Firma a disparut de cativa ani, desi alta firma de caravanete e pe locul ei.

A new first, from a British archive ... it seems there was a Dacia camper van years before the Dacia Jumbo prototype!

In 1985, Madisons, based in Blackpool in the North-West, offered two camper conversions based on the Dacia pickup: "Dacia Drifter" and the more expensive "Dacia Duchess" (which cost the same as a new Peugoet 505). There are no photos extant, but it seems that both were four-berth affaris with entrance through the rear. I have no idea whether any were actually sold. Madisons disappeared some years ago, although a camper van company is still on the site.