1926 Stutz in 1983

Intr-o serie de fotografii aratand cartierul Uranus inainte de demolarile din anii 80 apare aceasta antebelica. O aparitie rara penru 1983: desi inca existau masini antebelice pe strazile capitalei, majoritatea erau din anii 30 si in stare cel putin precara. Surpriza a venit totusi afland ce era masina: e vorba de un Stutz AA Vertical Eight Phaeton din 1926, o masina ultra-luxoasa si rara, fara discutie una din cele mai importante masini existente in Romania comunista, din pacate exportata dupa 1990. Ma intreb unde se afla acum.

Cu aceasta ocazie, prezint masina in mai multe ipostaze...

In a series of photos showing the Uranus quarter of Bucharest before demolition, I found this pre-war car. It's rare to see one as late as the 80s: although there were still a handful of pre-war cars on the streets, most were from the 30s and in a fairly precarious condition. The big surprise, though, was finding out what it was. It's a 1926 Stutz AA Vertical Eight Phaeton, a rare and highly luxurious car, without a doubt one of the most important cars in Communist Romania, one which was sadly exported in 1990. I wonder where it is now.

Here's the car in other images from the period...

Pe strada Lazureanu, 1983

 

In filmul "Frumoasele vacante", filmat in 1967

Eveniment, inceputul anilor 70 (se spune 1972, Raliul Batranetii) - fotografia a fost prezentata in revista Motor Clasic, nr 2

 

In filmul "Patima", 1975

 

Povestea incredibila unui BMW 327 / Incredible story of a BMW 327

In muzeul BMW din Munchen se afla un BMW 327, in stare uzata, purtand inca placute de inmatriculare romanesti. Poveste masinii este extrordinara. In 1937, inginerul Eduard Ecker, un tanar bucurestean de origine germana, se plimba prin Bucuresti. Atras de liniile armonioase decapotabilei nou-noute expuse in vitrina firmei Butculescu (reprezentantul BMW in Bucuresti), si-o cumpara, la varsta de 25 de ani. Si ... o tine. Razboiul vine si trece; de la ofiteri nemti, se alimenteaza cu piese de schimb; cand vin sovieticii masina se ascunde, o alta masina - tot BMW 327 - se "rechizitioneaza". Vin vremuri grele. Averea si proprietatile se confisca. BMW-ul - cine stie cum - ramane. In anii 60 dl Ecker se gandeste la emograre. Nici gand sa plece fara masina. Cu chiu cu vai, in 1969 isi face rost de o aprobare de la ACR pentru o vizita la Beograd. Timp de doua luni isi prepara masina - acum la al cincilea motor; si pleaca. Ajunge la Beograd, unde solicita o viza pentru Trieste, in Italia. Apoi Austria; apoi Germania Federala, unde intra - tot cu masina - printr-o padure. In sfarsit, se stabileste in Germania isi gaseste servici si isi creaza o noua viata. Tot cu BMW-ul - care a parcurs cele 2,000 km fara probleme. Dupa 1972, masina sta intr-un garaj, mecanica total restaurata. Intr-un interview in 2005, dl Ecker - in varsta de 93 de ani - sustinea ca masina avea peste 2,000,000 kilometri la bord. Greu de dovedit. Totusi, o masina care si-a tinut acelasi proprietar timp de aproape sapte decenii e impresionant in oricare tara. In circumstantele descrise, e aproape incredibil.

Din fericire, masina - donata muzeului in 2006 - va fi conservata: 327-uri sunt destule, povestea, totusi, e unicata.

Foto: revista BMW Club din Germania

In the BMW museum in Munich there is a BMW 327, in fairly well-worn condition, still wearing Romaniain plates. Its story is extraordinary. In 1937, the engineer Eduard Ecker goes for a walk in Bucharest and is attracted by the elegant lines of the brand new cabriolet seen in the Butculescu BMW dealership. He buys it - a 25th birthday present for himself. And ... keeps it. The war comes; from German officers, Mr Ecker gets spare parts. When the Soviets come he hides it; a second car, also a 327, gets "requisitioned". The Communists take over, and Mr Ecker's wealth is confiscated. But the BMW, somehow, remains. In the 1960s Mr Ecker considers emigrating; but he wouldn't contemplate doing so without the car. In 1969 he secures approval from the Romanian Automobile Club to visit Belgrade. He preps the car - now on its fifth engine - for two months; then sets off. In Belgrade, he manages to get a visa for Trieste. From Italy, he drives through Austria, then enters West Germany through a forest. There, he settles down, finds a job, and builds a new life. Still with the trusty BMW which took him the 2,000 km to freedom without a glitch. After 1972, he puts the car in long-term storage, its running gear having been totally restored. In a 2005 interview, Mr Ecker claims it has travelled 2 million kilometres. Difficult to prove. But what is clear that for a car to have the same owner for over seven decades is a rarity anywhere. In the above circumstances, it is almost incredible.

Luckily, the car - donated to the museum in 2006 - will be conserved: there's plenty of other 327s out there, but this one's story is unique.

Photos: BMW Club magazine, Germany

Actele masinii, din anii 60

In 1939

In 1942, la Marea Neagra

In 1943

In 1972, in Germania

In 2005

O descoperire... / A discovery...

... la introducerea lor in 1956, numerele ovale de ambasada aveau si anul pe ele. Nu stiu cat timp a durat acest sistem; era inca in existent in 1959 (poza 3); cert e ca in poze de la mijlocul anilor 60 (precum poza 4), anul nu mai apare.

...at their introduction in 1956, Romanian diplomatic plates had the year on them too. I'm not sure how long this system lasted for; it certainly existed in 1939 (photo 3); and in photos from the mid 60s (photo 4), the year is no longer shown.

Cluj, August 1994

Pe flickr, fotograful Ggia a surprins niste poze interesante cu Clujul anului 1994. Desi pare memorie recenta, adevarul e ca 22 de ani au trecut: scenele si masinile din poze sunt, desi imediat cunoscute, destul de rare in Romania anului 2016. Vedem Dacii, mai mult sau mai putin carpite; un Oltcit; Aro 243 si M461; Trabant, Lada si Skoda S100; si primul val de masini importate din Occident, un Ford Transit, un Passat Mk 1 si un Mercedes W123 "Cobra" - toate prezente in numere mari pe strazile postdecembriste. Mitsubishi Colt din poza 2 da singura nota de modernitate. Atmosfera saracacioasa, funesta. Prezinta, totusi, un contrast cu Romania de astazi.

On flickr, the photographer Ggia has uploaded some interesting photos of Cluj in 1994. Although it may seem like a recent memory, the truth is that 22 years have passed; and although the scenes and vehicles in the pictures may seem instantly familiar, they are seldom seen in 2016 Romania. Dacias, in greater or lesser states of dilapidation; an Oltcit; Aro 243 and M461; Trabant, Lada and Skoda 100; and the first wave of cars imported from the West, a Ford Transit, Passat Mk 1 and Mercedes W123 "Cobra" - all regular sights in the 1990s. The Mitsubishi Colt strikes the only note of modernity. The atmosphere is sombre; prosperity is difficult to see. So things have, without a doubt changed, at least to some extent...

Now and then: Ford Consul Capri, ex Florin Piersic / Florin Piersic's Ford Consul Capri

O raritate de masina chiar cand noua, acest Ford Consul Capri, produs intre 1961 si 1964, odata facea furori pe strazile capitalei. In 1970, era condus de celebrul actor Florin Piersic, care era adeptul marcii Ford.

Prin 2008, un pasionat din Romania a gasit aceasta masina aratand foarte trista. Pretul cerut era enorm, mult peste valoarea pietii, asa ca aproape sigur, masina s-a degradat in continuare.

Ford Consul Capri era variantul sportiv a modelului Ford Consul Classic, produs in Marea Britanie de catre uzinele Ford de la Dagenham. Ambele variante - inspirate dupa stilul american de design - au fost esecuri comerciale, fiind prea scumpe si prea complicate - si designul devenind foarte demodat dupa introducerea Fordului Cortina pe piata, in 1962. Putine au fost produse (mai ales cu volanul pe stanga) si putine au supravietuit. In Bucuresti s-a mai gasit un Consul Classic, model berlina, in stare ceva mai decenta. (Si se spune ca acum 15 ani era unul in Silistea Mare, judetul Dolj.)

Pozele provin de pe pagina Facebook "Vanatorii de epave", o rezursa de-a dreptul bogata cu ce-am avut si ce inca mai avem...

 A rare car even when new, this Ford Consul Capri, made between 1961 and 1964, once drew crowds on the streets of Bucharest. In 1970, it was being driven by the famous actor Florin Piersic, an avowed fan of the Ford brand.

In around 2008, it was spotted in a sorry way by a Romanian car enthusiast. The asking price was enormous - far above market value - so almost certainly, this car has continued to crumble away.

The Ford Consul Capri was the sporting variant of the Ford Consul Classic, made at Ford of Britain's Dagenham plant. Both models - inspired by late Fifties American styling - were commercial failures, being too expensive and complicated, and the styling feeling very dated after the introduction of the Ford Cortina in 1962. Few were made (particularly in LHD), few have survived. In Bucharest, there survives also a Consul Classic sedan, in somewhat better condition. (And there are rumours that in a village in Dolj, there was another example about fifteen years ago.)

The photos come from the Facebook page "Vanatorii de epave" (=Wreck hunters), a superb resource.

Un Jaguar "din flota oficiala", redescoperit / An "official" Jaguar, rediscovered

In Germania, se vinde un Jaguar Mk X din 1964 care, ei spun, ar fi venit din flota lui Ceasuescu, si importat in Germania in 1984.

Se poate. Jaguar Mk X intr-adevar a facut parte din flota oficiala (poze 7 - 10), precum si in dotarea Militiei (poze 5,6). In plus, au circulat alte exemplare in tara (poze 11, 12). Conform presei britanice 15 au fost exportate catre Romania.

Din cate se stie, o parte din aceste masini au fost casate dupa 1978, o alta parte fiind vandute catre export dupa o licitatie. Doua au fost folosite la Politehnica Bucuresti pe post de material didactic. Se spune ca prin anul 2000 inca mai exista un exemplar in tara, in Arad, in stare de epava (later edit: e vorba de un MK 1 din 1961, deci nicio legatura).

Partea cu generalul Pacepa e usor de spus, greu de dovedit. Cert este ca in 1978 avea, proprietate personala, un Mercedes 220 D - atat. Din nou, se spune cam despre toate masinile interesante care au existat in Romania comunista ca ar fi apartinut unui Pacepa, unui Dej, unui Ceausescu, unei Pauker ... pana vine vorba de acte.

Totusi, e vorba de o parte interesanta a istoriei auto din Romania, indiferent de provenienta.


For sale in Germany, a 1964 Jaguar Mk X which, they say, came from Ceausescu's fleet before being imported into Germany in 1984.

It's possible. The Jaguar Mk X was indeed part of the official fleet (photos 7 to 10). Also that of the traffic police (photos 5, 6). And there were others around in the country (photos 11, 12). The UK press reported at the time that 15 had been exported to Romania.

From what is known, many of the Jags were scrapped after 1978. Others were bought at auction and exported. Two were used in the Bucharest Polytechnic for demonstrations. One is reputed to have survived up to around 2000, where it was seen in a dire condition in Arad (later edit: this one was a Mk 1 from about 1961, so not linked).

The bit about this being General Pacepa's car, however, is easy to say, and difficult to prove. What is known is that in 1978 he had only one car, a Mercedes 220 D. It's also the sad fact that every interesting vehicle known to have existed in Communist Romania is said to have had a punchy owner. A punchy owner who never seems to exist in the vehicle's documents...

Whatever this particular car's provenance, though, it remains an interesting part of Romania's automotive history.

Cu masina regala in Franta / To France, in the royal car!

O carte postala exceptionala, aratandu-l pe regele Ferdinand in statinuea franceza Bagnoles-de-l'Orne in anii 20. Langa el, se vede o masina regala, purtand numarul 6-B RM (Romania Mare). Greu de spus ce este masina dupa unghi. Cativa ani mai tarziu, in 1929 numarul se gasea pe un Ford, ceea ce sigur nu este. Posibil Lincoln, un model des folosit de casa regala in anii 20?

An exceptional postcard showing Kings Ferdinand in the French spa town of Bagnoles-de-l'Orne in the 1920s. Next to him is a royal car carrying the plate 6-B RM (Greater Romania). It's difficult to say what it is. By 1929 the plate would find itself on a Ford, which this certainly isn't; possibly it's a Lincoln, a model frequently used by the Romanian royals in the 1920s.