Balkan Bucket Bonanza

[hairnet]

many fap at the skoda truck and the renner 11;s

[Dave_Q]

What is the small white thing parked outside the High Life Bistro??

 

P.S. Nice mast shot.

[Split_Pin]

An amazing amount of chod still around, love the Estelle! Nice to see some Soviet cars still at work too, one of the Moskvichs looks like an early 408.

[Albert Ross]

I'm toying with the idea of spending a divorce settlement/house buyout on a flight to Romania, and returning by road with a Dacia 1307 4x4 Pick up, with van top. And skull/flame stickers. Yeah. And erm... beer etc. Maybe sleep in the back after removing the cab rear window.

[Tayne]

What is the small white thing parked outside the High Life Bistro??

 

 

 

 

 

That'll be the Daewoo Tico.

 

Manufactured in Ukraine I think.

 

EDIT: Romania and Poland, not Ukraine. 

[sal]

Just read through you're posts. Sounds like your having quite an adventure.

 

Keep the spots coming.

[Adrian_pt]

Amazing. My mum used to live in the building that's now the High Life Bistro back in the 80s. Tat is very thin on the ground in central Bucharest and dying out on the outskirts too. Provinces is where it's at. Here's a recent Bucharest spot from a friend though - still plenty of interesting stuff in the country.  

[Bucketeer]

^^^^ Small world.

I know what you mean about the rural areas of Romania. Still chod heavy. When I originally came through Romania four-ish years ago, walking North to South, there was a fair old selection of qualz motoring detritus out in the villages. Unfortunately I don't have photographic evidence of this as it was just before I discovered spotting with a camera rather than just your eyeballs was a thing, and started doing it.

 

Whilst I'm here, I took a train ride up into the mountains to a random town for some bar-related relaxation today in the sun, so have today's spots.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How Autoshite is this next scene? Just to add to it, I tried to talk to the guy doing the work (round the other side of the Alfa in this photo) but I don't follow slurred drunken Bulgarian very well, and all I got from him was that he was on his fourth two litre bottle of beer, and some brum brum noises. I left him to it.

 

 

 

 

Every mountain town has it's fair share of trucks for transporting wood out of the forests.

 

 

[Jon]

From a week long holiday to Tallinn in (I think) 2006, I can vouch that those trucks shown above do sound glorious in motion. I'm guessing people are happy to pay the petrol bills for such occasional use vehicles, rather than buy new. I bet the engine note has a lot to do with it though - enough to soften even the most hardened bean counter!

[garethj]

How Autoshite is this next scene? Just to add to it, I tried to talk to the guy doing the work (round the other side of the Alfa in this photo) but I don't follow slurred drunken Bulgarian very well, and all I got from him was that he was on his fourth two litre bottle of beer, and some brum brum noises. I left him to it.

 

He sounds like the bloke that did the "full engine rebuild" on a car I used to have.

[Bucketeer]

So I set off on friday for Cyprus to do a bit of work over there. I got a cheap flight from Bucharest airport and as I did the trip up there for last week's Scotland trip via bus and hitchhiking I decided to throw of a bit of train into the mix this time, for a bit of variety.

 

I set off from my nearest train station which isn't open yet (after 20 years shut/abandonded and subsequent renovation) but the train has handily started stopping here already, so I just hopped on.

 

 

Bulgarian trains are ace. Really, really slow but ace.

The engines/locomotives/carriage pulling things are old Russian stock and you stiil get proper compartments with windows you can stick your head out of.

 

 

 

Some train stuff spotted from the train (my train was a Skoda).

 

 

 

 

I stopped off at Ruse on the border with Romania again, but this week I made sure of not missing the next leg of my journey by not going on a spotting stroll. This was across from the nearest booze shop though.

 

 

Arrival in Bucharest was at night-time again, so once more I have a small handful of rubbish spots too dark to make out. I am a pro.

 

 

 

 

I had twelve hours to kill before flight time but I had Tuc crackers, chocolate and strong Bulgarian booze so I found a bench and watched Bucharest traffic.

 

 

There were no spotting opportunities unfortunately as Friday night Bucharest traffic generally consists of sporty modern cars and motorbikes racing endlessly round the city at warp factor 11.

Much blurriness.

 

 

When the time came, I used my favourite mode of transport for the 20kms to the airport.

 

 

If this post is resembelling a very poor facsimile of a collection thread just stuffed with dull pictures for padding, that's because it is. Without the collection. Just padding. Soz.

 

Dwarfed Bucharest Airport car park Panda.

 

 

This brit-plater looked fairly abandonded with four flat tyres. If anyone is that bored that they want to look the reg up on one of those new-fangled compturised web-site things, that would be interesting. I currently have neither the time or the skills.

 

 

I finally got to my destination in N.Cyprus Saturday/yesterday evening. I'm in the same place I was a couple of years ago (or probably about 12 pages back) so a lot of spot-worthy stuff has already been papped. I try not to repeat but can't guarantee anything.

My first spotting stroll was first light this morning.

 

 

 

The rubbisher, distancier pics are 'cos the subjects are ungetclosertoable in peoples gardens.

 

 

 

 

I like these Toyota Corsas. They remind me of an AMC Pacer.

 

 

 

 

I have only just noticed the pink sash holding the Merc van doors shut behind this Renault Rodeo. All it needs is some z lister who used to be on Eastenders or summat with a giant pair of scissors every time you need to get something out of the back.

 

 

On my walk this morning I was followed by a stray dog, which left me towards the end.

A couple of hours later I go outside and it's only bloody waiting for me in the garden.

 

 

Genuine question - What's the best way of getting rid of a stray dog that won't leave you alone? It's a little cutie and everything but I can't adopt any more animals, plus I'm only here a week.

 

 

 

 

Anyway, better spotty stuff to come from the island soon. I promise.

[Dick Cheeseburger]

Abandoned Matiz looks abandoned.

[Skizzer]

Stray dog is very cute indeed, and looks well cared for.  If there's a vet in the neighbourhood you could maybe ask there if they recognise it?

[The Moog]

That dog looks cute but I will notice if it is slipped in the pack in July!

[skattrd]

That Scirocco has the Kamei X1 kit and graphics (minus front spoiler) on it ... much wantage

[Split_Pin]

Fiat 131 is a cracker. Good to see that cars this old are still in daily use in at least one part of the world.

[Lacquer Peel]

Fiat 131 is a cracker. Good to see that cars this old are still in daily use in at least one part of the world.

 

I think it's a TofaÅŸ, they're still quite a common sight in Northern Cyprus, mostly the Regata-style facelift ones.

 

The 'Manager' 21 is something I haven't seen before, apparently a mid-spec Renault 21 built in Turkey til 1996. You don't see so many 21s but 11s are really popular.

[Split_Pin]

Ah right enough, looks like quite an early one nevertheless, before the addition of the big plastic bumpers.

 

I vaguely recall there being a Renault 21 estate called a Manager at some point, could be wrong though. I would be more impressed with a spot of an actual Renault Manager truck, which is a hard thing to spot nowadays.

[Bucketeer]

I think it's a TofaÅŸ, they're still quite a common sight in Northern Cyprus, mostly the Regata-style facelift ones.

 

The 'Manager' 21 is something I haven't seen before, apparently a mid-spec Renault 21 built in Turkey til 1996. You don't see so many 21s but 11s are really popular.

Yeah, all the 131alikes are Tofases Tofi Tofu here in the North, plenty of them about too.

As you say, Renault 11s are really popular (strangely nearly all of them are the Broadway special edition) as are Renault 9s but the most common by far is still the Renault 12 (mainly TXs).

 

 

Stray dog is very cute indeed, and looks well cared for.  If there's a vet in the neighbourhood you could maybe ask there if they recognise it?

Excellent advice Skizzer, luckily I didn't have to use it. The dog was still outside the next morning and after I fed and watered it we had a heart to heart, I told it some home truths, and it was gone next time I went to look.

I do seem to have replaced it with 3 cats though.

 

 

I've been busy working the last couple of days but managed to grab a couple of spots, nothing much really.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was leaning against the wall of this house to try and get my shadow out of the shot of the Uno and inadvertently pressed the doorbell with my arm. Cue barking dogs and shouting from inside and me running away giggling like a schoolkid on the outside.

 

Soz for terrible picture quality on this one (and it's not the last).

 

 

 

 

I had to take a quick trip to Lefkosa/Nicosia yesterday. For those that don't know, the North/South border runs through the centre of the city. Last time I was on the island I didn't get much chance to visit South Cyprus and this time might be the same, so just because Eddy R wouldn't forgive me if I didn't give the South a chance I popped over the border to try and find some chod. I'm sure there is beauty, wonderment and shite aplenty all over South Cyprus but unfortunately not much in South Nicosia, everything was very modern. These few are all I managed in the hour or two I was there. I'll try harder next time Eddy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back in the North and this morning I had to go to the paint shop. I saw this old truck just off the road.

 

 

Hidden away behind it I stumbled across the (closed) Freedom and Peace Museum which had a few interesting garden ornaments from less happy/more fighty times on the island.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I got a lift out to get some lunch this lunchtime, so the next few (terrible) shots fall under the excuse umbrella of 'from a moving vehicle'.

 

 

 

 

 

I went for a walk this evening to see if the Daihatsu Compagno that I papped last time I was here, was still here.

Unfortunately not was the answer. This was the scene that greeted me after two hours of walking.

 

 

I was going to quote my older posts of the Compagno here to contrast the scene but I'm tired and I have 50ish spots for this post to fight with photobucket to try and get posted before I fall asleep or punch the computer in frustration, so if you missed the Compagno first time there are various pictures of it throughout page 7 of this thread.

 

I did pap some other mildly diverting stuff on the way back from the CompagNO location this evening though. . . . .

[eddyramrod]

Some top spots there!  Where are you, Kyrenia?  I'm sure I passed that military museum when we went over to see friends who live that side.  You're ahead of me with Nicosia; all that time we lived there and we never once visited the capital.  Must rectify that next time.  It is supposedly a hotbed of interestingly shabby old cars, but perhaps they're all on industrial estates by the motorway, or some such.

[Bucketeer]

Part 2 . . . . . . . .

 

 

 

 

 

Abandoned Brit-plated high top smiley.

 

 

 

 

And finally, I spied this Cambridge that I papped (and chatted with the owner) on my last visit.

Seeing it still alive and in seemingly good health soothed the Compagno pain somewhat.

 

 

 

Apologies if I haven't answered anybody's questions or replied to comments or whatever but I get a bit short of time and a bit forgetfull and a bit lazy and a bit in need of a cig break and a bit forgetfull. I'm not being rude on purpose, I just get a bit forgetfull.

 

Also apologies to anyone within earshot of my recent very loud very sweary outburst when after spending over an hour getting this post done I got an on screen message saying 'too many pictures to post' or something like that. That's why this update is in two parts and also why half of North Cyprus have now learned some choice Yorkshire swearwords.

[Bucketeer]

Yeah Eddy, about 16km West of Girne.

[eddyramrod]

Anywhere near Karsiyaka?

[Bucketeer]

Not far off. I'm in Lapta.

Funnily enough the CompagNO was in Karsiyaka.

[danthecapriman]

Great spots, I've been to both halves of Cyprus a few times. Nicosia is literally split in half by the UN border, it's got a sort of dead zone, a narrow strip of land where neither side is allowed except UN peacekeepers. Anything inside it is abandoned including entire buildings. The city of Famagusta is the same except the whole city is in the dead zone. It's a weird but interesting little island.

 

My mum and grandparents were living in South Cyprus when the conflict started. My grandad was in the RAF at Akrotiri on a posting and when the fighting started everyone was evacuated. They literally took what belongings they could and formed a convoy of their own cars back from their houses to Akrotiri airbase for evacuation back to the UK. Pretty scary considering there were fire fights breaking out around them as they drove through!

[garethj]

Is there not some huge opportunity to bring RHD Fords back to the UK and flog them to people with rigger boots and no hair for 20 grand each?

 

Top spots, as ever btw

[Bucketeer]

 It's a weird but interesting little island.

And beautiful.

I've met a couple of other people with similar stories to your parents/grandparents. I've been reading up on the history of the island but it's all a bit complicated and convoluted, even to this day.

Whilst on the South side of Nicosia the other day I made the mistake of asking for an Efes (Turkish beer) at a bar. That didn't go down too well.

 

 

Is there not some huge opportunity to bring RHD Fords back to the UK and flog them to people with rigger boots and no hair for 20 grand each?

I'm not entirely sure but I think probably not. From what I've seen of second hand car prices, there are no bargains here, even compared to UK prices and I would have thought that with the proliferation of Brits on the island there will be plenty of knowledge of OSF tax.

[eddyramrod]

Is there not some huge opportunity to bring RHD Fords back to the UK and flog them to people with rigger boots and no hair for 20 grand each?

 

Top spots, as ever btw

Some of us have already tried that...

Early example, gorgeous condition, the spec everyone* wants*... couldn't give the fecker away.  Never again.

[Bucketeer]

I managed to take a little break from house painting to get up in to the mountains, hitchhiking up and back.

 

On the way.

 

 

The only spot (and only vehicle) whilst mountain strolling.

 

 

I wasn't too concerned about the lack of spotting opportunities though, with views like this.

 

 

On the way back.

 

 

I saw this old Cortaunus at the side of the road but wasn't quick enough with the camera and my hitchhike lift wouldn't turn round and go back so I could get a proper picture. Spoilsport.

 

 

This afternoon I went to check if a Marina I spotted last time I was here was still surviving.

It was, and had made some new old friends.

 

 

A couple of other tossy pics grabbed whilst I was out.

 

 

 

 

This was a bit rude. I'm sure she's a lovely girl really.

 

 

I did a double take passing by this municipality truck.

BMC? WTF?

 

 

I'm sure pretty much everyone else on AS knew this already but it was all new to me and after a bit of research (30 seconds on Wikipedia) I discovered that BMC Turkey was formed in 1964 in partnership with the British BMC and in 1989 became an independent concern.

A tiny bit more research found a couple more BMC Turkey products that are now top of my spotting hit list. They will be mine, oh yes.

 

Not my pictures.

An early BMC Levend.

 

 

A more current BMC Levend.

 

 

Turkish Sherpas/LDVs.

I like.

[Bucketeer]

As is the way with my tiny brain, I completely forgot to update this earlier.

 

I got back to Bulgaria an amount of weeks ago but not before snatching the last few spotting chances in Cyprus on the way to the airport.

 

I had a full day to get me and my enormous hangover from the North coast to Larnaca airport on the South coast so I thought I would be able to squeeze in a visit to the Near East University Classic Car Museum and the Cyprus Classic Motorcycle Museum in Lefkosa/Nicosia. These museum visits would have been more enjoyable had either of them not been closed. Balls.

Anyway, I stumbled across the city centre border in to the South and dragged my unwilling corpse around the streets looking for spots. Within minutes my spirits were raised immeasurably by the sight of a Suzuki Mighty Boy.

 

 

A perfect pickup if the items you want to pick up are best measured with a micrometer.

 

 

Luxury bus tours.

 

 

Check out the bad-ass exhaust on this street racer.

 

 

I saw my first ever Will. A Will Vi.

For anyone else who had never heard of a Will before, it's worth a quick look at the Wikipedia page, if only for the list of associated Will products including Will fax machines, Will sweet brown beer and the Will city tours provided by the Kinki Nippon Tourist company.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WiLL

 

 

Possibly due to my hungover state at the time (the previous night was a sort of 'leaving' do, or maybe a 'thank god he's leaving' do, arranged by some nice but very drinky people I met there) I didn't pay much attention when taking these photos and I only noticed the photobomber in the next shot when I was uploading to Photobucket earlier.

Yes, Barbara Cartland dog takes his hols in South Cyprus.

 

 

I also saw several '80s/'90s Mitsubishis in various flavours.

 

 

 

 

And some more grey street furniture.

 

 

 

I was surprised to go a bit weak-kneed at the sight of an old Datsun pickup but what a honey she was.

 

 

A Synchro in platform shoes.

 

 

 

That was it for Cyprus. I imbibed some medicinal booze and got the flight back to Sofia.

 

I may have papped this Chevy Lumina on the walk from Sofia Airport to the city centre previously but if so I'll refer you back to 'tiny brain' and 'shit memory'.

 

 

Firmly back in VT, here's some spots from the last couple of weeks.

 

I am really crap at identifying American cars but I'm sure this'll be called a Strontium Firewood or summat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That's enough for now.

There's plenty much more to come from the last few days when I get round round to not being a lazy forgetful bag of shit, including many Lada rally cars and a Trabant with a gun rack.