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I find it hugely interesting that this thread jumped from a Czech based NZ "thing" to Russian so quickly!
As one of those who used a Skoda, complete with the Flying Dork emblem, in NZ motorsport events (52 of them) way back when, it intrigues me.
My trusty mate GeeBee is highly upset that this thread has surpassed his B & H thread with both hits, and postings. Please keep them coming to get him even more pissed off! :)
Little known fact. The lovely Skoda was the inspiration behind the Porsche 934/5 etc.
Was this yours Rhys ?
http://i46.tinypic.com/20tfnz9.jpg
Now that's a real boy-racerQuote:
Originally Posted by Bruce302
Oldfart, I dont know why the thread 'degenerated' into things Russian from things Czech, cos Im sure that many more NZers have driven Czech derived vehicles than Russian. I'm not sure how much the heavy hand of Russia influenced Czech engineering in the old days, but as ignorant Kiwis we/I just lump all that stuff from that huge continent into one basket.
I drove a Massey-Fergusson tractor some years ago that had been built in Belarus using all the patterns from the original. Unfortunately the casting steel used was not up to scratch and these machines had a bad reputation for porous blocks, and gave a lot of trouble which did the MF name no good at all.
Markson started the thread as a picture of an, almost, unidentifyable chassis in the long grass, and here we are thrashing stuff around that most of us know absolutely nothing about. But isnt that great, and I hope that it will continue for a while yet. I gave it about 2 days at the start and was sure it would peter-out like a lot of threads, but no.
Now Dale is requiring all of us nut cases to be sent to Siberia, but I have a sneeky suspicion that he and other 'died-in-the-wool' posters on TRS are secretly enjoying it. Well as you say, it has surpassed other much more fancied threads and is accelerating about as fast as the 112S..... 0 to 100 in 9 secs...Now if that thing can do 160 MILES per hour, I'll eat my hat......think they may have confussed MPH with KPH......Look at the back-yard extractor system, skinny cross-ply tires etc.....no no no no......well not with me behind the wheel anyway.
By the way, good to see you back Oldfart to give us some more pithy comments, and to hell with the knockers.
As for racing in the old Eastern Bloc, as a youngster I used to regualrly read Motoring News from UK - a weekly English newspaper that covered everything from F1 to hillclimbs on Guernsey. Arrived in NZ by slow ship about 3 months after print date but was about the only way to stay in touch with motor racing in our one tv channel, no internet world (at least until we had some good local racing journals). Anyway, in the UK off season they would always do season summaries of all the classes, and delve into motor racing around the world. One of the quirks would be a review of racing in the Eastern bloc. I recall the Baltic states, Latvia Estonia etc had a mini industry of enthusiasts building and racing single-seaters without the infrastructure available in the west. Somewhat like early days in NZ I guess where the cars were created locally as best they could.
I also recall there was also a track in what was then Czechoslovakia (Brno) which some of the Euro series would visit, Euro Touring Cars and World Champ bikes. Apparently hairy like old Spa, about 18km on on public roads (see pic). Suspect there was some interesting cross-border trade going on with those events
Attachment 16299
When you have a look at the Skoda museum site ,it makes the Kiwi effort of the TREKKA, look pretty sick.Markson
They may not look like Trekkas but these are all Skodas including the twin cam sportscar.
Attachment 16302
Attachment 16303
Attachment 16304
Markson- you are totally correct. NZ had a chance to produce something great, and fell flat. Extreme utilitarian shape.No wonder they dont want something like the Trekka in their Muzeum of Beautiful cars going back 100 years. That Muzeum leaves most car exhibitions I have seen for dead. Absolutely non teutonic, and more appealing than French or Italian. Trekka is a kit car not a Factory car.They were lucky they could make they before testing to destruction became mandatory-pushing Volvos over a cliff.Quote:
Originally Posted by markson
Hi John
Did you have any other info, on that Bruce Goldwater. Markson
Markson- I have more personal info than car info. If that helps , I can tell you.This info is probably best off this thread, and with a phone call. I think it would help fill gaps.
Hi John can you send me a personal message with your phone number Markson
LOL , hey we have been to similar places ??? Also the Mount on that summers weekend in the 60's.Quote:
Originally Posted by Shoreboy57
I visited Guernsey for a wee sneeky long weekend & on the ferry heading to the Channel Islands were sum great hill climb cars , I did not realize at the time it was part [guernsey] of the UK hill climb championship, I could not believe my eyes F! cars etc , I think the front man was Roy Lane if my memory serve me right in a DFV purpose built hill climb car , winding up through beautiful country side in these cars , I look back & think shit these are brave guys ??
Attachment 16305
Do I see a SKODA ??? Markson
Dont think so......a Simca Aronde ??????
Gerald- you are correct
Do you know, I am absolutely gobsmacked by the images of the Skoda Museum. Although I dont know why I should be. This is an Auto maker that has been in business for over 100 years. The whole problem with me, and I suspect others, is that I was totally ignorant of the scale of the Skoda works and their history. Dont know how this amazing facility has escaped the heavy hand of the Russian politicians.
I see a D type Jaguar tucked away in there too.....amazing.
If it handn't have been for markson finding some old chassis buried in the long grass, I, and I guess many others would still be in the dark about this little known, in this country, machine. We all tended to make jokes about the Trekka, but now I am going to have a great deal more respect for things SKODA............Bravo!!!!!!!
My sentiments exactly Gerald.I was stunned by the selection, style and originality .Russians grabbed it during the war and kept it because Skoda made cannons and weapons.Logically really.
Great thing about this site-its the people and the contribution that is made and shared.
I am going out after fire wood again tomorrow,I wonder whats in store for next week .Markson
With a bit of luck ,when we go scratching around ,we might be lucky to find a rego plate, or a warrant sticker.Markson
Attachment 16314
Trekka Skoda chassis
Just as a matter of interest I measured the wheel base of the Markson today ,at 94.5 inches and as a pure coincident A Skoda Octivia Combi is the same??? Markson
Time for some serious information-In Dec 1969 a Skoda Sabre 1100 MB with radio and radial ply tyres as standard was available for $2293.
Price was OK in comparison with BMC models.
The Isuzu Bellet 1500 was $2751 from Moller Motors.
Toyota Corona was $50 more, Nissan was a little less.
No signs of an Anziel Nova nearby?Quote:
Originally Posted by markson
Hi Gang was having A bad hair day have just read the thred FLLING much BETTER nowJAMIE A
No, Anziel Nova is still mobile with the original owner north of Kaukapakapa. Reg on hold
Said owner has a very eclectic "art" collection, so this makes senseQuote:
Originally Posted by Oldfart
Jamie, Dale said we are nuts on this thread.Quote:
Originally Posted by jamie
Read it, ideal to unstress with.
Add some trekka, skoda, soviet car, you will feel even better for it.
The Czechs left the Trekka to the Kiwis and they went on to build cars like this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2GxNcZc17E
What, have we run out of steam already. This thread has been about as enduring as the vehicles being discussed.
Have just booked my flight to Siberia..........
Gerald- is the HMC thread too boring, and you have come here for some excitement?
Now which part of Siberia are you going to?
Magadan, as I discussed earlier, , while the weather is extreme, does have plenty of gold to be dug up.
Very handy to have as fillings in your teeth as security.
By the way, Russians do actually get false teeth made of gold, quite impressive.
Basically Lake Baikal is a great place in Siberia to visit, I have been there, a bit like Taupo but enormous.
And the Czech Republic where the NON RUSSIAN Skoda comes from is very beautiful with staggering historic legacies
Gerald -Also in Siberia is Novosibirsk, home of aircraft factories making Polycarpovs and Yakovlevs.
Dont take the TranzSiberian railways, waste of time Mind you, you could do a lot of knitting there..........
Ther used to be a Skoda Rally car in Dunedin, up in Highgate, I think it was a x Heatway Rally car, wonder what happened to that
Roger
Probably one of two cars purchased by Colin Waite and which enabled the immaculate restored car he now has in his Auckland garage.Quote:
Originally Posted by Racer Rog
Attachment 18715
Just refreshing this thread - it is winterafter all - proof that even Skoda's could fly
This one with Colin and Alan Woolf having a play. Ron Kendall having a look for misfire. Ron prepared and serviced these cars way back in Heatway days. He also drove it in Waiuku Rally way back then and was leading until some silly thing broke. and this was with the likes of the top Escorts and Mazdas there.Quote:
Originally Posted by Trevor Sheffield
As it sits at the moment. But not for long as I dropped into see Ron and Arthur a couple of weeks back, and he showed me a box with some very nice rods and others with pistons, springs etc. With Arthurs engineering skills, and Rons mechanical skills, Colin is going to have a little ripper.
Check out the mileage and condition of interior, a tidy car.
People may make jokes about them, but never heard of a Escort. Toyota or Mazda climbing, driving back up about a 200 foot hillside by itself and continuing on the rally. Maybe Mr Coker (Skoda Man) can elaborate on this.
Gee Rod, I never expected you to back these! I bought one of the ex Heatway cars way back in the day. I used it as my road car and did 52 events in a bit over 2 years. It never let me down, we never did more than basic maintenance, took the head off once as suspected weaping gasket, gave it a new gasket and put it all back together. After all the running expenses of tyres (very few) fuel, oil etc I made an $8 profit from the events. Who else can beat that one? At the end of all that, Heatways, road, events, the worst thing was an annoying buzz rattle from the glovebox lid!
Shh! I actually had one years back, drove around and used as workshop hack, ran on smell of petrol and made money on it because I saw it in back of a guys workshop and he said if you can start it it's yours. put in battery and petrol down carb, 3 winds and bang, cloud of spiders and crap out the back and away it went. Got back to my workshop and discovered that the tickly feeling on my legs was ants, it was a big mobile ants nest. Parked it outside on grass and got pest bomb and let it sit for a day and there was spiders, a million ants and just about every thing that crawled dead all over the floor. Used it for about 6 months and sold it to some backpackers who van had dusted it's self down the road.Quote:
Originally Posted by Oldfart
Also remember when Ron was playing with them way back then.
I wouldn't mind one of the new rally ones right now.
About 20 years ago there was a Skoda coupe for sale for a few hundred dollars in Hastings. It was a similar green to the "works" 4 door cars, had the same alloy wheels and a full roll cage. Don't know where it came from or here it went to.
Jim Gregory also turned up to a HBCC standing 1/4 mile sprint in a rally Lada Samara and recorded a time in the 14 second bracket! There was much scoffing and disbelief but he repeated the feat several times during the day. Eastern European cars were the butt of many jokes but some of them went very well.