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...

Un rar prototip Dacia, 2008 / A rare Dacia prototype, 2008

In vara anului 2008 am avut placerea sa surprind acest prototip Dacia in Mangalia, langa hotelul President. Se pare ca a fost produs, in serie foarte limitata, in 1994/5. Unele surse spun ca ar fi fost un prototip pentru modelul 1309; totusi, 1309 se fabrica inca din 1992/3. Mai este un exemplar similar in Bucuresti, care a fost modificat ulterior cu un portbagaj facut artizanal. Cert este ca aceste exemplare vin dintr-o perioada fascinanta in care Dacia facea fel de fel de prototpiuri si serii limitate, unele din care inca mai circula. Din pacate, lipsa de interes inseamna vasta majoritatea sunt lasate de izbeliste. Chiar anul trecut un Dacia Extase, model unicat dar in stare proasta, a fost dus la REMAT desi era de vanzare pentru o suma infima.

In the summer of 2008 I managed to snap this Dacia prototype in Mangalia, by the Hotel President. It seems that this was a very limited series made in 1994/5. Some sources say that it was a prototype for the 1309; however, that came on the market some years earlier. There is a similar example in Bucharest, with a locally made bootlid. The sure thing is that these examples come from a time when Dacia was making various fascinating prototypes and limited series: some are still on the road. Sadly, lack of interest means that the future for them is hardly bright. Indeed, only last year a Dacia Extase, unique though in poor condition, ended up being scrapped despite being advertised for a very small sum.

Exemplarul din Bucuresti in 2007

Un scan din literatura de epoca, cu unele diferente fata de celelalte exemplare

Model in testare in 1993/4 - posibil chiar exemplarul din Mangalia

"...Why don't you come over?" (1971)

Nu stiu daca acesti englezi cautau fete care aratau ca Kate sau ca Pippa... Nici nu puteau sa vada Transfagarasanul, care l-a incantat atat de mult pe Jeremy Clarkson. Oricum, in vechiul lor Rover P4, in 1971, se vede ca au vazut cateva din frunusetele patriei!

I'm not sure whether this group of Brits were looking for girls who looked like Kate or Pippa... Nor could they visit the Transfagarasan road which so delighted Jeremy Clarkson. But they did, in their elderly Rover P4, see some of Romania's sights!

Ford Eifel in 1977

In 1977 revista Aututurism publica un articol despre pericolul circulatiei in masini cu defecte tehnice. Concluzia este ca nu e nicio scuza, chiar lipsa de piese: dovada este un Ford Eifel antebelic care inca este in conditie buna dupa aproape 40 de ani. Ma intreb cat timp 1-VN-558 a mai circulat.

Ford Eifel, model mic, simplu si economic construit la Koln, inca exista in Romania, inclusiv un model alb, in Ardeal, in stare decenta. Multe au ajuns in tara in timpul razboiului. Mai jos prezint masinile care au surpavietuit.

In 1977 Autoturism magazine published an article about the dangers of driving defective vehicles. It concluded that there are no excuses, not even a lack of spare parts: viz this pre-war Ford Eifel still going strong after almost 40 years. I wonder how long 1-VN-558 survived.

In Romania there still exist a few examples of the Ford Eifel, including one in Transylvania in rather good condition. Survivors pictured below. The Eifel, small, simple and frugal, was built at Ford's plants in Cologne. Many arrived in Romania during WW2.

Intr-un hambar in zona Sibiu. Pe langa mai sunt cateva antebelice: un Renault Juvaquatre, un Fiat, un Opel Olympic si un kubelwagon Tatra.

Aceasta masina, un cabriolimousine cu fata modificata, nu a circulat din anii 60.

De vanzare prin 2009 la 5000 Euro

Aceasta masina a stat mult timp in Roman, unde am vazut-o in carne si oase in 2003. Necirculase din 1985 dar se prezinta intr-o stare solida si  remarcabil de decenta, minus farurile. Ulterior a fost revopsita si expusa la vanzare la un pret enorm.

Si n final, aceeasi masina in doua ipostaze. Sper sa aiba un viitor mai stralucitor!