20 March 2023

Micro-automobilul M.R. 1957 / The M.R. 1957 minicar

Imagini preluate din filmele din arhiva Sahia, prezentand mini-automobilul M.R. 1957, construit in orasul Stalin in 1957, de catre inginerul Radu Manicatide cu ajutorul unui colectiv de la uzina de reparat material volant. 

Consumul e de 3-4l /100km, cu o viteza maxima de 60-70 km/h. Motor moocilindric, in doi timpi, racit cu aer si cu o putere de 5.5CP. Cantarind 170kg, e o masina extrem de utilitara, nu mult peste o motocicleta cu atas si sub nivelul masinilor interbelice care inca circulau. Totusi, ca una din primele tentative de a construi asa ceva in tara, isi are un loc important in istoria auto din Romania.











A set of screenshots from the Sahia archives showing the M.R. minicar built in Stalin (now Brasov) in 1957 by the engineer Radu Manicatide working with a team from the local plane repair factory.

The engine was a two-stroke single cylinder model developing 5.5hp, taking the car to a top speed of 60-70 kph and giving a fuel consumption of up to 80mph. Clearly, with its 170kg kerb weight, this was a very simple car, barely above the level of a motorcycle and sidecar and below the pre-war models still existing. However, as one of the first attempts to build a vehicle in Communist Romania, it has an important part in Romania's automotive history. 

23 August 2022

Duesenberg in comunism / The Communist Duesenberg

Recent, dl Stefan Eugen Chriac a publicat pe Facebook un set extraordinar de imagini aratand doua masini la studiourile Buftea in anii 60. Masinile erau de recuzita, si dupa spusele lui, ulterior s-au casat. Studiind pozele mai atent, mi-am dat seama ca era vorba de doua masini exceptionale, un Mercedes 540K Cabriolet Sindelfingen, si un Duesenberg J. 

Dar nu un simplu Duesenberg J! Dupa prelungite conversatii cu expertii Duesenberg, se pare ca Duesenberg-ul din poza e unul din cele putine carosate la Paris, de carosierul Fernandez et Darrin. Doar sase sunt cunoscute, fiind printre cele mai spectaculoase creatii pe baza de Duesenberg. Printre ele a fost, in 1933, un Boattail Speedster, care a fost expus la salonul de la Paris in 1933 (poze mai jos). Nu se stie exact pe care sasiu a fost montat, dar expertii cred ca e vorba de masina cu sasiul J-373, care a fost atestat ultima oara in 1940, in serviciul armatei romane, desi exista zvonuri ca ar fi fost ulterior la Kiev.

Detaliile masinii de la Buftea sunt uluitor de similare, cu exceptia spatelei caroseriei, care posibil a fost modificat. Barile Cronos au fost montate pe multe Duesenberguri carosate in Franta, inclusiv chiar masina printului Nicolae, o creatie Letourneur et Marchand. Deci, desi nu potem fi siguri, 95% sansa e ca e vorba de celebrul Boattail Speedster.

Nu stim ce s-a intamplat cu masina. Cert, a jucat in cel putin un film, Setea (1960), unde apare in stare mai buna. Dl Chiriac spune ca ambele masini ar fi fost casate. Dar totusi ... chiar in anii 60 erau destui oameni cu o cultura auto cre ar fi stiut ca un Duesenberg sau un 540K nu se arunca la gunoi. Sa fi scapat catre occident, ca masina de colectie? Se practica, dar in acest caz aproape sigur ar fi iesit la suprafata o masina unicata ca Duesenbergul. Sau catre URSS? Si asta e posibil, desi in anii 60 nu prea se mai cautau masini interbelice in URSS, fiind destule de fabricatie autohtona, mai moderne si mai practice. Speranta moare ultima, si ce minunat ar fi ca intr-o zi, sa se deschida o usa de garaj din Bucuresti, si, sub decenii de praf...







In filmul "Setea", filmat in 1960



Imagini originale


Comparatie intre cele doua masini

In revista Vu, in 1933

Recently, Mr Stefan Eugen Chriac placed a series of photos on Facebook showing two cars at the Buftea film studios at some stage in the 1960s. They were used as props and, according to him, were subsequently scrapped. But the photos show two very special cars indeed: as well as a Mercedes 540K Sindelfingen Cabriolet, and a Duesenberg J. 

Not just a Duesenberg J, either! After a fair amount of research and some lengthy conversation with Duesnberg experts, the conclusion seems to be that this is a rare European-bodied Duesenberg from the Fernandez and Darrin coachworks in Paris. Only six F&D Duesenbergs are known to have been made, including, in 1933, a Boattail Speedster, exhibited at the Paris Salon that year. It is unclear exactly which chassis it was on, although the consensus seems to be that it was on car no J-373. This car was last heard of in 1940, in the service of the Romanian army, although there have also been rumours that it was later seen in Kiev. 

The Buftea car has remarkably similar details, with the exception of the rear of the bodywork, possibly a later modification. The Cronos bumpers are a feature of many French Duesenbergs, including another Romanian car, Prince Nicholas's Letourneur et Marchand Faux Cabriolet. So although we cannot be quite sure, the chances are this is the Boattail Speedster.

The fate of the car remains a mystery. It appears in at least one film, Setea (Thirst), filmed in 1960, where it can be seen in rather better condition. The archivist, Mr Chiriac, claims the cars were scrapped. And yet ... Even in the 1960s people must have known better than to scrap two such impressive cars. So did they follow other exotica to the West? If so, then surely a unique car such as the Duesenberg would have surfaced by now. Or East? But by then, pre-war cars were no longer really sought after as transport, as there were more than enough newer, more practical ones being made locally. Might it therefore still be in Romania? One can only dream, that one day, a Bucharest garage door creaks open, and underneath, covered by decades' worth of dust...

17 February 2022

Skoda 1100 VO in Romania

O aparitie relativ frecventa pe strazile Romaniei in anii 50 era Skoda 1100 VO. Aproximativ 4000 exemplare au fost construite in Cehia in perioada 1948-51, pe baza modelului 1101/1102 (adica cu tractiune pe spate, nu un 4x4 adevarat). Un numar relativ significativ a ajuns si in Romania, unde au fost folosite de armata si de organele statului, pe langa GAZ-67 si Willys Jeep ramase dupa razboi. Uluitor, un exemplar a circulat pana in 2006, fiind expus la vanzare in 2011; ulterior se pierde urma ei. 

Aici, cateva imagini cu exemplare din Romania, marea majoritate fiind din anii 50, o perioada f rara pentru imagini cu masini. 

A relatively frequent sight on Romanian roads in the 1950s was the Skoda 1100 VO. Around 4000 were made in Czechoslovakia between 1948 and 1951, based on the 1101/1102. Despite their looks, they were a straightforward rwd model. In Romania a largeish number were imported, where they were used by the army and by other State bodies alongside the GAZ-67 and Willys Jeeps left over from the war. Amazingly, one was still driving as late as 2006; in 2011 it was for sale and after that the trail goes cold.

Below, several images with these cars in Romania, mainly from the 1950s - a very difficult period to find images from. 

Cluj 1957


Bucuresti 1951

1955

Bucuresti 1956


Tg Mures 1962









Odorhei 1949

Bucuresti 1960





Vaslui 1950

Constanta 1955

Bucuresti 1956


Cluj 1958




Roman, anii 50





Bucuresti, 1950


Bucuresti 1955



Bucuresti 1955
Bucuresti 1955

Bucuresti 1955





Orasul Stalin, 1958



Ultima supravietuitoare , 2011