Older Cars From The Erstwhile Second World and Iron Curtain Countries

anjan_c2007 · 29th September 2012, 23:24

The cars from the erstwhile Second World or the Communist States, within the old Soviet Union's sphere of influence are different from the normal cars that originated from the developed countries (or the First World) and were available mostly, all over the world.
The cars in the Eastern Bloc were based on either old western collaborations or were unique and had the "one of a kind" touch that made them stand apart.
While Cuba preferred the old American imports tinkering them to keep them running, the other countries in the Eastern Bloc either made their own cars or imported them from the USSR.
Trabant was the famous brand from East Germany or the German Socialist Republic, while Skoda had its Czech origin.
The brands are listed on this link more precisely:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...an_automobiles

To begin with, here are some pictures. All these bear "Made in USSR" tag and ruled the roads there during the Cold War :

Gaz 24 Volga

Gaz M 21 Volga

Moskvich 412

Moskvich 2140

Moskvich 2140 Van

Moskvich Curtea

Older Cars From The Erstwhile Second World and Iron Curtain Countries-moskvitch-curtea-i.jpg

Moskvich Curtea

Vaz 2101 Lada 1200

Older Cars From The Erstwhile Second World and Iron Curtain Countries-vaz-2105-lada-riva-glasgow.jpg

Vaz 2105 Lada Riva

(pictures from flickr)

anjan_c2007 · 30th September 2012, 19:32

Two more media pictures of cars from the erstwhile USSR :

Older Cars From The Erstwhile Second World and Iron Curtain Countries-picture-018.jpg

Older Cars From The Erstwhile Second World and Iron Curtain Countries-picture-276.jpg

anjan_c2007 · 30th September 2012, 22:54

Some more from an old Auto Express, UK, issue:

Older Cars From The Erstwhile Second World and Iron Curtain Countries-picture-204.jpg

Older Cars From The Erstwhile Second World and Iron Curtain Countries-picture-205.jpg

Older Cars From The Erstwhile Second World and Iron Curtain Countries-picture-207.jpg

DicKy · 1st October 2012, 14:18

Thanks for sharing 'em.
Though crap, they have a certain charm around them, mostly cause thinking of them as the sole automobiles available in their repective country(almost like our License Raj era,though we were a lil' more free in importing)
But for me it's the Project A car in tribute to the Gaz M 21 Volga. The Volga V12 coupe. Absolute beauty.

sgiitk · 1st October 2012, 15:04

Good collections. I only we had a few pics of the Trabant (lovingly called Trabby) as well.

anjan_c2007 · 1st October 2012, 23:09

Another one from the USSR that can fit in here :

Older Cars From The Erstwhile Second World and Iron Curtain Countries-picture-007.jpg

anjan_c2007 · 2nd October 2012, 23:16

The Lada test track in the then USSR.

Older Cars From The Erstwhile Second World and Iron Curtain Countries-picture-325.jpg

(from Soviet Land)

anjan_c2007 · 4th October 2012, 21:11

More pictures from the erstwhile USSR:

Older Cars From The Erstwhile Second World and Iron Curtain Countries-picture-348.jpg

A street scene

Older Cars From The Erstwhile Second World and Iron Curtain Countries-picture-381.jpg

Leningrad thoroughfare

Older Cars From The Erstwhile Second World and Iron Curtain Countries-picture-371.jpg

A police car

anjan_c2007 · 5th October 2012, 23:18

The East German Trabant is quite famous and tops the list of cars from the Iron Curtain countries, if popularity or even notoriety is taken into consideration. This car was produced from 1957 - 1991 with a noisy, polluting and inefficient 600 cc/ 26 HP (the first model P 50 had a 500 cc engine) , two stroke, two cylinder, air cooled engine. So much so, that its 24 litre petrol tank (within the engine bay) needed to be topped up with the mix of 2 T oil (like we did in Bajaj Supers/ Chetaks, Lambrettas and so on) every time the car went for a top-up. Fuel injection was by gravity (bike and scooter like) and no fuel pump was fitted to the car.
And its also funny to note that the car commanded a huge waiting list and unofficial premiums. The second hand ones were sold for higher prices than the on-road price of the new one. Again, this is similar to our Vespa 150/ Bajaj 150/ Priya/ Super/ Chetak and to some extent Fiats / Premiers which all had huge waiting lists and commanded premiums.
VW fitted the car with a 1043 cc, 4 stroke Polo engine in 1990 and this continued for a year till 1991. 3.7 million Trabants have been made till 1991. Though a respectable figure, this is way below the iconic Beetle that sold about 23 million, till VW stopped its production in Mexico.
Trabant models were named P 50 (1957 - 62),600 (1962-64), 601 (1963 - 1991) and the 1.1 (1990-91) according to wikipedia.The car has also been nicknamed "Trabi" or "Trabbi."
After the two Germany's got unified,the car's production had to stop.The older two-stroke engine emitted four times the amount of pollutants that normal European cars emitted.

Name: Trabant_logo.png
Views: 2842
Size: 11.5 KB

Logos- will anybody steal these?

Older Cars From The Erstwhile Second World and Iron Curtain Countries-trabant_p50.jpg

The 500 cc Trabi P 50

Older Cars From The Erstwhile Second World and Iron Curtain Countries-trabant_601-1963.jpg

A 601 from 1963

Older Cars From The Erstwhile Second World and Iron Curtain Countries-trabant_601_mulhouse.jpg

A 601 Limousine (thats not a joke

but the real name)

Older Cars From The Erstwhile Second World and Iron Curtain Countries-trabant-dash.jpg

The dash - our Ace / AL Dost/ Minidor too have such a rudimentary dash

Older Cars From The Erstwhile Second World and Iron Curtain Countries-800pxtrabant_engine_block.jpg

The 601 engine bay with the 600 cc 2 stroke 2 cyl and the gravity-using fuel supply lines- but they have used insulation material under the bonnet!

Older Cars From The Erstwhile Second World and Iron Curtain Countries-800pxtrabant_1.1vwpoloeng.jpg

Trabant 1.1 (with VW Polo engine)
(pictures Wikipedia)

anjan_c2007 · 11th October 2012, 20:46

The UAZ 469 assembly line at the Lenin Works, Ulyanovsk. It was a common MUV in the erstwhile Soviet Union and the Eastern Bloc.

Older Cars From The Erstwhile Second World and Iron Curtain Countries-picture-370.jpg

anjan_c2007 · 15th October 2012, 20:33

The Volga GAZ 24 car assembly line from Gorky, Russia during the 1970's. It was USSR not Russia then!

Older Cars From The Erstwhile Second World and Iron Curtain Countries-picture-323.jpg

(from Soviet Land)

The Volga GAZ 24 First Series (1968-1977)

Older Cars From The Erstwhile Second World and Iron Curtain Countries-volga.jpg

This was followed by the GAZ 24 Second Series (1977-1985)
(lower picture from wikipedia)

anjan_c2007 · 28th October 2012, 23:09

More pictures from the Eastern Bloc:

Older Cars From The Erstwhile Second World and Iron Curtain Countries-picture-314.jpg

Soviet made truck in Afghanistan

Older Cars From The Erstwhile Second World and Iron Curtain Countries-picture-327.jpg

Zhiguli car assembly line at Volzhsky plant

Older Cars From The Erstwhile Second World and Iron Curtain Countries-picture-326.jpg

Lada cars being transported

SunnyBoi · 29th October 2012, 06:15

I am a big fan of Wartburgs. Below is a video of one of them in action in a rally. Just fantastic.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6se7UKjARmY

I have seen a couple of Ladas in africa. Will take pics and post if I see any soon.

anjan_c2007 · 17th May 2013, 20:55

Some more pictures of these erstwhile second world (mainly the old USSR or Soviet Union) automobiles -

Older Cars From The Erstwhile Second World and Iron Curtain Countries-picture-343.jpg

Older Cars From The Erstwhile Second World and Iron Curtain Countries-picture-344.jpg

Older Cars From The Erstwhile Second World and Iron Curtain Countries-picture-346.jpg

Older Cars From The Erstwhile Second World and Iron Curtain Countries-picture-347.jpg

Older Cars From The Erstwhile Second World and Iron Curtain Countries-picture-349.jpg

Older Cars From The Erstwhile Second World and Iron Curtain Countries-picture-350.jpg

Older Cars From The Erstwhile Second World and Iron Curtain Countries-picture-359.jpg

Older Cars From The Erstwhile Second World and Iron Curtain Countries-picture-363.jpg

anjan_c2007 · 10th June 2013, 22:57

An advertisement for a Lada Samara from an Indian magazine.

29th September 2012, 23:24	#1
anjan_c2007 Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: India Posts: 8,317 Thanked: 20,604 Times View My Garage	Older Cars From The Erstwhile Second World and Iron Curtain Countries The cars from the erstwhile Second World or the Communist States, within the old Soviet Union's sphere of influence are different from the normal cars that originated from the developed countries (or the First World) and were available mostly, all over the world. The cars in the Eastern Bloc were based on either old western collaborations or were unique and had the "one of a kind" touch that made them stand apart. While Cuba preferred the old American imports tinkering them to keep them running, the other countries in the Eastern Bloc either made their own cars or imported them from the USSR. Trabant was the famous brand from East Germany or the German Socialist Republic, while Skoda had its Czech origin. The brands are listed on this link more precisely: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...an_automobiles To begin with, here are some pictures. All these bear "Made in USSR" tag and ruled the roads there during the Cold War : Gaz 24 Volga Gaz M 21 Volga Gaz M 21 Volga Moskvich 412 Moskvich 2140 Moskvich 2140 Moskvich 2140 Van Moskvich Curtea Moskvich Curtea Vaz 2101 Lada 1200 Vaz 2101 Lada 1200 Vaz 2105 Lada Riva (pictures from flickr)
	(5) Thanks

30th September 2012, 19:32	#2
anjan_c2007 Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: India Posts: 8,317 Thanked: 20,604 Times View My Garage	Re: Older Cars From The Erstwhile Second World and Iron Curtain Countries Two more media pictures of cars from the erstwhile USSR :
	(3) Thanks

30th September 2012, 22:54	#3
anjan_c2007 Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: India Posts: 8,317 Thanked: 20,604 Times View My Garage	Re: Older Cars From The Erstwhile Second World and Iron Curtain Countries Some more from an old Auto Express, UK, issue: Last edited by anjan_c2007 : 30th September 2012 at 22:59.
	(4) Thanks

1st October 2012, 14:18	#4
DicKy Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: TVPM Posts: 3,823 Thanked: 11,770 Times	Re: Older Cars From The Erstwhile Second World and Iron Curtain Countries Thanks for sharing 'em. Though crap, they have a certain charm around them, mostly cause thinking of them as the sole automobiles available in their repective country(almost like our License Raj era,though we were a lil' more free in importing) But for me it's the Project A car in tribute to the Gaz M 21 Volga. The Volga V12 coupe. Absolute beauty.
	(1) Thanks

1st October 2012, 15:04	#5
sgiitk BANNED Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Gurugram Posts: 7,969 Thanked: 4,788 Times	Re: Older Cars From The Erstwhile Second World and Iron Curtain Countries Good collections. I only we had a few pics of the Trabant (lovingly called Trabby) as well.
	(1) Thanks

1st October 2012, 23:09	#6
anjan_c2007 Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: India Posts: 8,317 Thanked: 20,604 Times View My Garage	Re: Older Cars From The Erstwhile Second World and Iron Curtain Countries Another one from the USSR that can fit in here :
	() Thanks

2nd October 2012, 23:16	#7
anjan_c2007 Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: India Posts: 8,317 Thanked: 20,604 Times View My Garage	Re: Older Cars From The Erstwhile Second World and Iron Curtain Countries The Lada test track in the then USSR. (from Soviet Land)
	(1) Thanks

4th October 2012, 21:11	#8
anjan_c2007 Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: India Posts: 8,317 Thanked: 20,604 Times View My Garage	Re: Older Cars From The Erstwhile Second World and Iron Curtain Countries More pictures from the erstwhile USSR: A street scene Leningrad thoroughfare A police car
	() Thanks

5th October 2012, 23:18	#9
anjan_c2007 Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: India Posts: 8,317 Thanked: 20,604 Times View My Garage	Re: Older Cars From The Erstwhile Second World and Iron Curtain Countries The East German Trabant is quite famous and tops the list of cars from the Iron Curtain countries, if popularity or even notoriety is taken into consideration. This car was produced from 1957 - 1991 with a noisy, polluting and inefficient 600 cc/ 26 HP (the first model P 50 had a 500 cc engine) , two stroke, two cylinder, air cooled engine. So much so, that its 24 litre petrol tank (within the engine bay) needed to be topped up with the mix of 2 T oil (like we did in Bajaj Supers/ Chetaks, Lambrettas and so on) every time the car went for a top-up. Fuel injection was by gravity (bike and scooter like) and no fuel pump was fitted to the car. And its also funny to note that the car commanded a huge waiting list and unofficial premiums. The second hand ones were sold for higher prices than the on-road price of the new one. Again, this is similar to our Vespa 150/ Bajaj 150/ Priya/ Super/ Chetak and to some extent Fiats / Premiers which all had huge waiting lists and commanded premiums. VW fitted the car with a 1043 cc, 4 stroke Polo engine in 1990 and this continued for a year till 1991. 3.7 million Trabants have been made till 1991. Though a respectable figure, this is way below the iconic Beetle that sold about 23 million, till VW stopped its production in Mexico. Trabant models were named P 50 (1957 - 62),600 (1962-64), 601 (1963 - 1991) and the 1.1 (1990-91) according to wikipedia.The car has also been nicknamed "Trabi" or "Trabbi." After the two Germany's got unified,the car's production had to stop.The older two-stroke engine emitted four times the amount of pollutants that normal European cars emitted. Logos- will anybody steal these? The 500 cc Trabi P 50 A 601 from 1963 A 601 Limousine (thats not a joke but the real name) The dash - our Ace / AL Dost/ Minidor too have such a rudimentary dash The 601 engine bay with the 600 cc 2 stroke 2 cyl and the gravity-using fuel supply lines- but they have used insulation material under the bonnet! Trabant 1.1 (with VW Polo engine) (pictures Wikipedia) Last edited by anjan_c2007 : 5th October 2012 at 23:22.
	() Thanks

11th October 2012, 20:46	#10
anjan_c2007 Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: India Posts: 8,317 Thanked: 20,604 Times View My Garage	Re: Older Cars From The Erstwhile Second World and Iron Curtain Countries The UAZ 469 assembly line at the Lenin Works, Ulyanovsk. It was a common MUV in the erstwhile Soviet Union and the Eastern Bloc.
	() Thanks

15th October 2012, 20:33	#11
anjan_c2007 Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: India Posts: 8,317 Thanked: 20,604 Times View My Garage	Re: Older Cars From The Erstwhile Second World and Iron Curtain Countries The Volga GAZ 24 car assembly line from Gorky, Russia during the 1970's. It was USSR not Russia then! (from Soviet Land) The Volga GAZ 24 First Series (1968-1977) This was followed by the GAZ 24 Second Series (1977-1985) (lower picture from wikipedia)
	() Thanks

28th October 2012, 23:09	#12
anjan_c2007 Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: India Posts: 8,317 Thanked: 20,604 Times View My Garage	Re: Older Cars From The Erstwhile Second World and Iron Curtain Countries More pictures from the Eastern Bloc: Soviet made truck in Afghanistan Zhiguli car assembly line at Volzhsky plant Lada cars being transported Last edited by anjan_c2007 : 28th October 2012 at 23:14.
	() Thanks

17th May 2013, 20:55	#14
anjan_c2007 Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: India Posts: 8,317 Thanked: 20,604 Times View My Garage	Re: Older Cars From The Erstwhile Second World and Iron Curtain Countries Some more pictures of these erstwhile second world (mainly the old USSR or Soviet Union) automobiles - Last edited by anjan_c2007 : 17th May 2013 at 21:01.
	() Thanks

10th June 2013, 22:57	#15
anjan_c2007 Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: India Posts: 8,317 Thanked: 20,604 Times View My Garage	Re: Older Cars From The Erstwhile Second World and Iron Curtain Countries An advertisement for a Lada Samara from an Indian magazine.
	(2) Thanks