Bucuresti 1949 x 15

Din arhivele Europhoto, 15 poze rarisime din Romania anului 1949. Ocazia e visita unei delegatii poloneze; luna e ianuarie. Din pacate calitatea e cum vedeti, dar  imaginile sunt deosebit de interesante. Masinile folosite de statul roman sunt Ford 1947/48 din America, ZIS-101 1948, Buick Roadmster 1946/7/8, si Tatra T87 model postbelic (un facelift facut in ultimii doi ani - aceste examplare sunt foarte rare). Pe strada sunt surprinzator de multe masini antebelice, mai ales americane, unele inca pe post de taximetrie, plus cateva Jeepuri. La capitolul autobuze remarcam un Praga tot postbelic. Teroarea comunista si marea nationalizare debea incepuse, anii grei erau sa vina...

From the Europhoto archives, 15 super-rare photos of 1949 Romania. The occasion was the visit of a senior Polish delegation; the month was January. Sadly the photo quality is week, but the images are rather interesting. The cars used by the Romanian state are 1947-48 American Fords, ZIS-101 1948, Buick Roadmaster from 1946/7/8, and the post-war, facelifted and very rare Tatra T87 phase 2. On the street are pre-war American cars in surprisingly large quantities, some being used as taxis, and a couple of Jeeps. There's also a Praga bus from the immediate post-war period. The Communist terror and the great nationalisation had just started, and the hard years were still to come...

Vestigii din Marea Britanie / British remains

Doua descoperiri recente din Marea Britanie, amandoua triste dar interesante.

In prima poza, un microbus TV "Tudor" recent descoperit in Marea Britanie. Exemplarul, in 1979, face partie dintr-o serie importata sub numele Tudor. Importul nu a mers bine si credeam ca ultimul "Tudor" e istorie de mult. Recent, totusi, a fost gasit acest remarcabil supravietuitor care a stat in aceeasi curte, nemiscat, din 1984! Din pacate, masina a disparut acum cateva luni, iar sursele spun ca nu catre maini bune. Ar fi trist daca dupa atatia ani, se topea. (In Marea Britanie mai exista un TV, in Scotia, dintr-o serie importata in 1975. Masina, in poza 2, e din pacate irrecuperabila.)

In pozele 3, 4, 5, si 6, ramasitele unui Portaro Pampas, din nou o masina crezita extincta in Marea Britanie. Portaro, un ARO 24 construit sub licenta in Portugalia, s-a vandut pe piata britanica la inceputul anilor 80. Acesta e probabil ultimul supravietuitor - din pacate, nu are vreun viitor. Macar in Portugalia inca mai circula cateva exemplare, unele chiar in stare excelenta.

Two discoveries from the UK - sad, but interesting.

In the first photo, a 1979 TV minibus from a short-lived series marketed in the UK under the name of "Tudor". Tudors were long thought to have vanished into the mists of history until this remarkable survivor turned up, having been parked on the same driveway since 1984! Sadly it vanished soon after this picture was taken - I'm told, not into good hands. It would be a shame if it were to disappear after making it so far. (Incidentally, this isn't the only TV in the UK. The red pick-up in photo 2, from a series of 1975 imports, is in Scotland. Sadly, it's beyond restoration.)

In photos 3 to 6, the remains of a Portaro Pampas, again previously thought extinct in the UK. The Portaro, an ARO 24 built under licence in Portugal, was sold on the British market in the early 1980s. This is in all probability the last one - sadly, with no future. On the bright side, there's still several in Portugal, some in excellent working order.  

 

Bucuresti, august 1990

Aceste imagini arata Bucuresti in vara anului 1990. Desi calitatea nu e buna, apar vehicule interesante si rar vazute. Deja, pe langa Dacia si Oltcit (vazut aici pe post de taximetru, chiar daca nu era permis sa ceva, Oltcitul avand numai doua portiere), apar primele masini occidentale - in mod special Mercedes W123. Remarcam un Chevrolet Chevette si cu numere de ambasada; Mercedes W124 , tot de ambasada; Dacia 1320 taximetru;  celebrul Ford Capri devastat in mineriade; Opel Rekord Coupe din anii 60; Dacia 500 "Lastun"; si, cel mai impresionant, trei exemplare de Dacia 2000. A doua, inregistrata 14-B-714, ar fi servit ca masina de protocol. Aceste masini erau de multe ori parcate in fara marilor hoteluri. Ulterior au fost vandute catre persoane particulare, cateva din ele existand si astazi.

These images show Bucharest in the summer of 1990. Although the quality is poor we can see some interesting and rare vehicles. Already, alongside Dacias and Oltcits (one of which is seen here as a taxi: although taxis had to have four doors, in that period anything went) we can see the first wave of western cars - particularly the Mercedes W123. Notable vehicles: an embassy-registered Chevrolet Chevette; a Mercedes W124, also from an embassy; Dacia 1320 taxi; the famous Ford Capri trashed in the miners' revolt; Opel Rekord coupe from the 1960s; Dacia 500 "Lastun"; and, most impressively, three Dacia 2000s. The second, registered 14-B-714, would have been an official vehicle for VIPs. These cars were often to be seen parked outside the major hotels. Later, they were sold off into private hands, and a handful still exist today.

 

 

O "antebelica", inca in circulatie / A "pre-war" vehicle, still going strong

In anii 70, inca erau destule familii care, dorind motorizare ieftina, foloseau masini de dinainte de razboi. Aceste masini, de multe ori modificate in orice fel posibil pentru a le mentine in circulatie, erau o aparitie destul de comuna in piesajul stradal. Treptat, totusi, din ce in ce mai multi isi pot permite o masina moderna. "Vechiturile" sunt ori abandonate, ori casate, ori - in cazurile cel mai fericite - vandutre catre pasionati care le tin in garaj si le expun la paradele organizate de ACR. A folosi o masina antebelica ca unicul mijloc de transport devine ceva din ce in ce mai rar - desi sunt cazuri chiar dupa 1989.

Iata totusi o masina din 1941 care chiar astazi se inscire in categoria "daily driver". In plus, are ITP si asigurare. Greu de crezut, dar aceasta creatie a fost la baza un Willys MB. Cam totul e schimbat. Numai bordul si rotile dovedesc originea. E de vanzare in judetul Buzau pe site-ul olx.ro. Ca vehicul istoric e, clar, irecuperabil. Ca  o curiozitate istorica, un supravietuitor, un vehicul vechi de peste 70 de ani cu care omul inca isi face treaba - e minunat.

 

In 1970s Romania there were still many families who, wanting cheap motoring, used cars from before the war. These cars - often modified in any way possible to keep them going - were a fairly common sight, but, as people began to be able to afford modern cars, the "oldtimers" were either scrapped, abandoned or, in lucky cases, sold to enthusiasts who kept them in garages and took them to parades. "Daily drivers" from the 1930s became rarer and rarer - though there are examples of some being used right into the 1990s.

 

And one is still being used - with a valid technical test and insurance, no less! Believe it or not, this is at base a 1941 Willys MB. Pretty much everything has been modified - only the wheels and the interior hint at what it once was. This particular example is currently for sale on olx.ro, in Buzau. As a historic vehicle it is clearly beyond salvation. As a historical curiosity - a pre-war vehicle which, over seventy years on, is still being used for transportation - it is wonderful.



BMW si Maserati la Feleac / BMW and Maserati at the Feleac hill-climb

Trei poze extrem de valoroase din colectia Julia Tarbay, via fortepan.hu. Autorul spune ca au fost surprinse la o cursa auto in 1935. Intr-adevar, poza 2 arata celebrul pilot Ladislau Hartmann, si al sau Maserati in 8 cilindri, vopsit in culorile Ungariei. Aceeasi masina se vede in pozele 4, 5, 6, si 7. Data e 6 octombrie 1935, si locul este Feleac. Poza nr 7 a fost surprinsa cu exacta aceasta ocazie.

Aici se complica treaba. Poza 3 arata un BMW 319/1, model fabricat in 1935 si 1936. Dar documentele de epoca (poza 8) spun ca la categoria sport, au concurat numai masini Ford - desi in 1936 concureaza doua BMW-uri. Tot in 1936 concureaza Hartmann pe Maserati, desi fara succes. Deci sa fie pozele din 1936? Sau de la evenimente diferite?

Probabil ca nu vom sti vreodata adevarul...

Three highly valuable photos from the Julia Tarbay collection, via fortepan.hu. The author says they were taken at a race in 1936. Indeed, the second photo shows the famous racing driver Ladislau Hartmann and his 8-cylinder Maserati. The same car is shown in photos 4, 5, 6 and 7. The date is 6 October 1935, and the race is the Feleac hillclimb. Photo 7 is from the same occasion.

But here matters get complicated. Photo3 shows a BMW 319/1, produced in 1935 and 1936. But a period document (photo 8) states that the only sports cars competing in 1935 were Fords. However, in 1936, we have two BMWs competing, as well as (unsuccessfully) Hartmann on his Maserati. So are the pictures from 1936? Or are they from different events?

I guess we will never know....

 

 

 

Diplomatie la iarba verde (1936) / Al fresco diplomacy (1936)

Recent, casa de licitatii Artmark a expus aceasta fotografie, din 1936, aratand un picnic diplomatic la Snagov. Fotograful e Iosif Berman iar pretul e situat intre 70 si 120 Euro - exagerat, in parerea mea, chiar daca masina e ceva iesit din comun: un Auburn 852 Phaeton din 1936, o masina luxoasa si eleganta, dar din pacate ultimul Auburn produs, fabrica dand faliment in 1937. Ma intreb daca era una din masinile ambasadei americane, sau masina particulara a unui diplomat: inclin catre a doua optiune pentru ca masinile oficiale nu erau de obicei decapotabile.

 

Recently, the Artmark auction house exhibited this photograph, from 1936, showing a diplomatic picnic at Snagov. The photographer is Iosif Berman; the value is judged at being between 70 and 120 Euros - high, in my opinion, even if the car is something special: a Auburn 852 Phaeton from 1936, an elegant and luxurious car, but sadly the last model of Auburn produced before the factory's bankrupcy in 1937. I wonder if the car belonged to the American embassy or was a diplomat's private car; probably the latter, as I doubt a soft-top would have been used as an official vehicle.