BMW antebelic, recarosat / A rebodied pre-war BMW

In Romania anilor 50 si 60, multe masini antebelice au primit caroserii noi. Pentru mai multe motive. Orice masina era un lux: masini vechi, ruginite sau accidentate trebuiau mentinute in stare de functiune, originalitatea contand mai putin. O recarosare era, deci, practica. Dar, fara discutie, romanii nu isi pierdusera dragostea fata de automobil. Chiar in cei mai grei ani a republicii populare, erau oameni care suspinau dupa masini "tari", sportive, moderne, si elegante. Si erau multi care incercau sa isi recreeze asa ceva, cu rezursele pe care le aveau la indemana.

Aceasta poza (sursa: colegiimei.ro) arata un exemplar destul de reusit. Proprietarul - de fapt, maestrul - se numea Ioan Butnaru si era profesor in atelierul auto de la colegiul national I L Caragiale sin Bucuresti. Masina e un BMW - pare a fi, dupa parbriz, un 327. Partea din fata e de Pobeda. Sunt sigur ca pe strazile capitalei era o prezenta atragatoare. Din pacate, nu se stie nimic de ea. Foarte putine "corcituri" au supravietuit astazi, fiind total nepretuite de colectionari, desi au fost un fenomen destul de raspandit in intreaga zona comunista. Mie mi se par o atestare interesanta a supravieturii in vremuri neplacute.

In 1950s and 60s Romania, many pre-war cars received new bodies. This was for various reasons. Any car was a luxury, one which had to be kept going, even if it were rusted or wrecked. A rebody was often the best solution. But without a doubt, Romanians never lost their love of the automobile, and even during the dark days of the Popular Republic, many hankered after "cool" cars - sporty, modern and elegant. And many tried to recreate them, with the limited resources they had to hand/

This photo (source: colegiimei.ro) shows a relatively successful attempt. The owner - and builder - was called Ioan Butnaru and was a teacher in the automotive workshop of the I L Caragiale high school in Bucharest. The car is a BMW - judging by the windscreen, a 327. The front section is that of a Pobeda. I am sure that on the streets of Bucharest it was an attractive presence. Unfortunately, I know nothing more of what became of it. Very few such "hybrids" have survived; collectors have practically zero interest in them, although they are part of a phenomenon which was relatively widespread beyond the Iron Curtain. I like them, as evidence of survival in distant and unpleasant days.