Good Evening, Peter!
I'd read about Trabi's for decades, but had never, ever expected to see one.
Yet I first found one in Budapest, simply parked on the street in a residential
neighbourhood. Then to see several marked as taxis just amazed me.
Note, in the photo, both the number of people and the rrmarkably cramped
quarters they find themselves in!
Apparently, for all their drawbacks, the plastic panels make them durable, if
not high performance. So, many survive, to this day. Even though the newest of
them are some 30 years old.
As for convoys, I doubt catching fire is a big risk, but having one "pull up
lame" is a distinct possibility!
Thanks for looking, and taking the time to comment.
David.
Third time's the charm, eh? :)------
What a fun image, David. Ya got to love folks who have the enterprise to
give the little cars a fresh paint job and put 'em into service. I had
thought that you were going to allude to the probably fact that they
also travel in a convoy for dubious safety reasons in case one of them
"pulls up lame" or catches fire... :)
Best regards,
Peter S.
On Jan 12, 2020, at 9:42 PM, David Young <dsy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Produced for over 30 years, the Trabant was a small, East German car,
known for it's dull colour scheme and cramped, uncomfortable ride.
Powered by a 25hp, 600cc (37 cu in) two-stroke engine, it took 21
seconds to accelerate from zero to its top speed of 100 km/h (62 mph).
It had no tachometer, no indicators for either headlights nor turn
signals, no fuel gauge (a dipstick was inserted into the tank to
determine the fuel level) and no rear seat belts. Drivers had to pour
a mix of gasoline and oil directly into the fuel tank, which was
located above the engine so the fuel would flow to the engine by
gravity, thus eliminating any need for a fuel pump. Of course, this
arrangement greatly increased the risk of a fire, in the event of a
front-end collision.
The Trabant had a steel frame, with the roof, trunk lid, hood (boot
lid & bonnet, if you prefer), fenders and doors made of duroplast, a
hard plastic made from recycled cotton waste from the Soviet Union and
phenol resins from the East German dye industry. The material was
durable, giving the car an average lifespan of 28 years.
The average worker had to wait ten to thirteen years for a Trabi. Or,
if available, pay more than double for a second hand model!
In short, the Trabant was loud, uncomfortable, slow, poorly designed,
and badly built - with atrocious reliability. It's only saving grace
was that it was designed to be repaired by it's owner with only simple
hand tools.
So you can imagine our surprise to see several Trabi's shuttling about
Budapest as taxis!
Further investigation showed that they were "fake" taxis, which can be
rented for touring the town. They travel in convoys, with a guide in
the lead car, who can be heard in the other cars via radio. And it
seems that the firm is doing a thriving trade!
https://www.flickr.com/photos/155735425@N05/49376963012/in/dateposted-
public/
David.
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