Masinile Renault 18 de la Comitetul Central / Renault 18 cars for the Central Committee

Patru poze exceptionale, luate de dl Romulus Cristea in decembrie 1989 la garajele CC si puse pe picasaweb. Am scris acum ceva timp despre un Renault 18 care putrezeste in Holboca, judetul Iasi. Se spune ca ar fi fost masina de serviciu a lui Elena Ceausescu - greu de dovedit, dar numarul 1-B-180 oricum semnifica o origine importanta. In afara de exepmlarul alb, si un exemplar greu vizibil intr-o poza cu Cercul Militar in 1986, nu stiam despre alte poze cu Renaulturile 18 aflate in Romania inainte de 1989 ... pana acuma. Se pare ca masinile dn doatarea statului (in primele patru poze) sunt Renault 18 GTL (adica, cu dotari suplimentare dar motor de 1,4 similar cu cel de Dacie) ante 1982. Existau si in Bucuresti si in judete, de obicei pentru primii secretari. R18 de mana a doua a fost importat la greu in anii 90 si majoritatea inca in existenta sunt cazane. Le tin minte pe post de taxiu pana prin 2003: designul nu mi-a placut niciodata, dar scaunele erau extraordinar de comode... O masina, uitata astazi in mare parte, care a avut o istorie mica dar importanta.

Four exceptional images taken by Mr Romulus Cristea in december 1989 at the Central Committee Garages, and placed on picasaweb. I have written about one such car quietly rotting away in Holboca, Iasi county. It is alleged to have been Elena Ceausescu's official car - difficult, though, to prove, although the "small number" plate was certainly for VIP use. Except for this white car, and another example dimply visible in a 1986 photo of the Military Club, I knew of no other images of Romanian Renaults 18 before 1989 ... until know. It seems that the state-owned cars (first four photos) are Renault 18 GTL (ie higher trim level, but with a 1.4 engine similar to the Dacia's), pre 1982. They existed in Bucharest and also the counties, mainly at county party secretary level. The R18 was heavily imported second-hand in the 1990s; the ones still existing are invariably wrecks. I remember them as taxis until about 2003; the design seemed to me to be ugly, athough the seats were unbelievably comfortable... A largely forgotten car - and one with a small but important history.

Suceava 1908

Aceasta poza, datand din 1908, a fost suprinsa in zona Sucevei si arata o familie instarita cu un Laurin & Klement Type A Voiturette din 1906. Am mai scris despre primele masini din Romania. In acel caz - referitor la o poza din 1905 - se putea specula despre proprietar, din cauza unei interesante liste cu numele si adresele proprietarilor, si numerele lor de inmatriculare. Singura adresa din nordul tarii este un anume baron Kapri din Roman, care detinea masinul cu numarul 130. De fapt, conacul era la Granicesti, jud, Suceava, deci e posibil sa fie a lui. Totusi, nu se poate trage o concluzie definitiva - foarte posibil, nu ar fi fost singur proprietar de masina cu proprietati in judet. Oricum, o poza interesanta care ne arata ca Skoda are istorie in Romania de aproape 110 ani!

This 1908 photo, from the Suceava region, shows a well off family with a Laurin & Klement Type A Voiturette, of 1906 vintage. I have written before about Romania's earliest cars. In that case -about an unidnetified 1905 vehicle - I could speculate about the identity of the owner from an interesting list showing the names and addresses of car owners, as well as their vehicles' plates. The only address from northern Romania was a certain baron Kapri from Roman. Actually, his country house was in Suceava county, in Granicesi. Quite possibly this was his - although, given that he may well not have been the only vehicle owner with land in the county, it's difficult to be sure. Anyway an interesting photo which shows that Skoda's presence in Romania spans over 110 years!

Masinile din "Cantecele Marii" (1970) / The cars from "The Songs of the Sea" (1970)

O gramada de imagini interesante, desi de slaba calitate, preluate din comedia muzicala romano-sovietica "Cantecele Marii", filmat in 1970. Au fost doua versiuni - in limba rusa si in limba romana - cu scene diferite. Inaginile sunt din ambele variante. "Antebelica", care urma a fi accidentata in "Asta seara dansam in familie" (1972), pare a fi home-made utilizand fel de fel de parti. Se vede o foarte rara Dacie 1100 de Militie - ni stiu titusi daca e voba de un 1100S cu patru faruri. Cadillacul 1969 argintiu e o masina destul de celebra in cinematografie romaneasca din anii 70 si 80. Iar cea mai uimitoare masina e Mercedesul SL190. Cu siguranta una din cele mai spectaculoase masini din acei ani, si o raritate absoluta in spatea cortinei de fier.

A heap of interesting though rather poor-quality images taken from the Romanian / USSR musical "The songs of the sea", filmed in 1970. There were two versions, one in Russian and one in Romanian, using different scenes; here, both are combined. The pre-war looking car, which would later be crashed in the film "Tonight our family dances" (1972), is probably home-made and a mix of different parts. Also visibile is a very rare militia Dacia 1100; you can't tell, however, whether it's a twin-headlamped 1100S. The 1969 silver Cadillac is a staple of Romanian films of the period. The most spectacular car is of course the Merecedes SL190, an absolute rarity behind the Iron Curtain.

SL 190




Heckflosse


SL la aeroport


Ce e masina argintie? Poate ceva exotic si italian?


DS in distanta


Luxul in 1970: Mercedes, R16, Chevrolet 67...


Peugeot 404 si o broscuta


DS Safari


VW x3


Wartburg, Dacia 1100 de militie


Volga M22 - masina astazi foarte rara in Romania


La Universitate


BMW, VW si una din primele "sutici"


Inca o imagine cu antebelica


TV-uri




Cadillac




Dacia 1100, 1-B-trei cifre


Trafic cotidian. Cam tot ce se vede aici a devenit rara avis...

Mai mult despre Hanomag / More about the Hanomag

Am primit vesti ca Hanomagul nu este de fapt din Romania, ci - probabil - o masina originala austriaca. Stopurile se pare ca nu au fost facutre numai in Romania. Multumesc celor care mi-au transmis aceste informatii! Ma bucur ca unii dintre cititori au venit si ei cu informatii interesante, atat pe blog cat prin e-mail. Toate sunt binevenite! I've received news that the Hanomag isn't in fat a Romania car but, in all probability, an original Austrian vehicle. The tail lights, in particular, were not just made in Romania. I'm grateful for those who sent on this info; it's great news that readers volunteer their own information, both via emiail and in the comments section. All are very welcome!

Un oras mic cu doua Chevroleturi / One small town, two Chevrolets

Recent a aparut de vanzare pe www.mercador.ro un Chevrolet din 1937 in Tecuci. Saraca masina e una din cele mai maltratate antebelice din Romania. Nu stiu daca fata, cu expresia ei amarata, e inspriata dupa un Cord, sau pur si simplu daca fusese reparata dupa un accident in cel mai simplu fel posibil. Oricum, dupa poze sa pare ca e prea coapta pentru o restaurare economica (mai ales la pretul de 10000 Euro!).

Ce e totusi de observat este ca Tecuciul, cu vreo 30000 de suflete, nu e deloc un oras mare; totusi mai detine inca un Chevrolet antebelic, modelul rosu din 1939, in stare de functionare si restaurat (desi destul de rudimentar). Asta pe langa splendidul EGO din 1924 la muzeul mixt din oras. Clar, inca mai avem destule masini interesante ascunse. Trebuie doar sa continuam vanatoarea!

Recently, on www.mercador.ro, a 1937 Chevrolet appeared for sale in Tecuci. The poor car is one of the most mistreated pre-war cars I've seen in Romania. I don't know whether the front end, with its downcast epsression, was inspried by a Cord or simply was repaired in the simplest way possible after a crash. Anyway, it looks to be beyond economical repair - espeically at the 10000 Euro asking price.

What is notable is that Tecuci, at around 30000 inhabitants, is by no means a large place, and it has another pre-war Chevrolet, a 1939 model, restored (albeit rudimentarily) and driving. This as well as the superb 1924 EGO at the local museum. So it's clear that there are a fair few interesting cars hidden and awaiting discovery. All we need to do is keep up the hunt!

Poze vechi din toata Romania, 1973 / Old photos from around Romania, 1973

Inca un set interesant de poze facute de doi turisti straini in 1973. Din pacate, nu e extrem de bogat la capitolul automobilist, dar sunt niste chestii de remarcat, inclusiv prima poza (cred) cu noul camion ROMAN pe sosea, si un M461 extrem de obosit.

Another interesting set of phtoos from two foreign tourists in 1973. Sadly not rich on the automotive side, but there are some remarkable aspects, including the first photo (I think) of the new ROMAN lorry "in the wild", and a very battered ARO M461.

Biserica greceasca, cu un Renault 16 elvetian. Ma intreb daca e in trecere sau daca fusese importat de un roman, stiind ca e o masina comuna.


Trecere la bac. De remarcat cat de deteriorat e deja ARO-ul: nu putea sa fie mai vechi de 9 ani.


Biserica greceasca din nou.


Taxi Dacia 1300


Piata Sfatului in doua ipostaze. Ma intreb de ce ARO-ul de Constanta e pe 21-CT, dar taxiul de Brasov e pe 1-BV? Pozibil unul era pe interprindere si celalalt era particular? Dar totusi  nu existau taxiuri particulare?


Galati cu un autocar Ikarus sovietic - o aparitie surprinzator de moderna pentru 1973.


Inter. Ce e masina argintie? Audi 100?


Neamt, cu un coupe Taunus interesant.


Pe Magheru


Piatra Neamt, centru. Incredibil cat de civilizat arata.


Transfagarasan in constructie


In final, masini italiane in Suceava. Citroenul ar fi fost o alegere destul de ciudata pentru o tara in care Fiatul era regele masinilor mici. Probabil proprietarul nu vroia sa fie ca toata lumea. Posibil de asta a si ales Romania ca destinatie de vacanta!

Hanomag regasit in Austria? / Hanomag found again in Austria?

Pe site-ul prewarcar.com s-a povestit recent despre un Hanomag Sturm din 1936 care circula, in Austria, pe un motor de Nissan Patrol. Uitandu-ma mai atent la poze mi-am dat seama ca aproape sigur este un model importat din Romania dupa 1989. Dovezile: rotile de Aro, si stopurile de tractor / TV / ARO. Probabil toata masina e extrem de modificata dupa o viata grea in comunism, si o restaurare spre original costa mai mult decate valoarea unui exemplar restaurat. Oricum, e fantastic ca un pasionat inca mai circula cu ea.

Exportul catre occident s-a intamplat mult in anii 60 - 90, inclusiv cu modele rare si valoroase: Stutz, Bugatti, Mercedes "Silver Arrow", BMW 328, Cadillac, Jaguar SS100, desi si modele comune si-au gasit drumul pe platforma spre Austria sau Germania. Desi in un sens e pacat ca atate masini au parasit tara, poate mai bine asa decat sa putrezeasca in fundul unei curti sau sa fie expuse la vanzare cu preturi asttonomice, ca "fabrica imi da una noua pe ea"...

 

On the prewarcar.com website there recently appeared an article about a 1936 Hanomag Sturm in Austria with a Nissan Patrol engine. Looking carefully at the images I relaised that this is almost definitely a former Romanian car, probably exported after 1989. The evidence lies in the ARO wheels and the tractor / TV / Aro tail lights. I imagine the whole car is extremely modified after a hard life behind the Iron Curtain, and a restauration would cost more than an original car. However, it's great that an enthusiast still keeps it going.

Exports to the West happened a lot between the 60s and the 90s: bread and butter models as well as rare and valuable cars such as Stutz, Bugatti, Silver Arrow Mercedes, BMW 328, Cadillac, and Jaguar SS100. In a way it is a shame that so many cars left the country; but perhaps better that way than rotting away in a back yard, or permanently for sale at ludicrous prices...