Cold War Cars meet April 19th

[Felly Magic]

Yesterday saw the first meet of the season for the Cold War cars London facebook group at Epping. Great hospitality from the group creator Jas once again, free Dominoes pizza and drinks, top bloke. Was nice catching up with the guys, Daverapid and Cyanide Steve of this parish were in attendance, Dave's insane Alfa Twink powered shed caused a real stir. There were even some non Commie cars in attendance, a concours Scirocco, and equally mint Merc 230.

 

Anyhoo, less gasbagging, more photos...

 

Barkas B1000

 

Meeting up at Marks Tey with the Colchester mob

 

 

Some of the cars

 

 

Ultra tidy Riva 1300L

 

 

Keith The Vampire Lada Samara!

 

 

Minty Merc, which we nicknamed the Stuttgart taxi

 

 

Concours Veedub Scirocco Scala

 

Daverapid's shed

 

 

The Alfa Twink in the shed. Dave's been drinking too much brake fluid again I think

 

[Felly Magic]

Moar fotoez...

 

A member's Terios, nicknamed 'The Terrorist', in attendance because his UAZ jeep has a dead clutch

 

 

A pair of Polonezes

 

 

 

A Polski 126

 

 

Ex Julian of this parish Estelle

 

 

Ratty Estelle

 

 

5000 mile Estelle!! Julian would be well jealous LOL

 

 

Ultra mint, mega low mile Favorit

 

 

Wartburg 353 Tourist!!

 

 

 

[alf892]

That Scud with the Alfa engine is brilliant!

[Felly Magic]

And finally, a brace of Yugos, a Polski 125P that's minty, and my old heap. Members traveled from as far as the Greater Manchester area, Bristol and Nottingham. Best turn out of the club ever. Jas was mindblown. Shame it was so chilly. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I've now passed 2000 trouble free miles in the Fav since January, not bad to say it's just a toy, and it has proper lowering springs fitted, not the usual chopped coils!

 

 

 

 

[oldcars]

I might have that Riva as my homescreen on my phone! Was it at the NEC in November?

[Junkman]

Nice, nice, but shouldn't a Cold War Cars meet include chod like this as well?

 

[danthecapriman]

Amazing the difference in transport and lifestyle that each 'side' had at the time all those cars were being made.

A car show featuring cars/vehicles from all sides of the Cold War period would be interesting.

 

I could probably fit any of those eastern bloc cars into my Mercury's trunk!

[Junkman]

We are all bankrupt, so neither "System" works.

The difference between communism and capitalism is, that in communism, you first nationalise everything, then destroy the economy

and in capitalism, you first destroy the economy and then nationalise everything.

[vulgalour]

Trouser rubbingly good content.

[Felly Magic]

I might have that Riva as my homescreen on my phone! Was it at the NEC in November?

 

Yes, belongs to Carolina Bailey from Colchester

[Felly Magic]

The club is mainly about cars from behind the Iron Curtain, Jas who runs the events has Polish family, plus a gaff in Poland, and adores cars, his collection is varied, and it was through him that I got my Favorit, the green Caro, beige 125P, green Favorit, blue Estelle and burgundy Yugo 45 are all part of his collection. We are on facebook, feel free to join, we are often sarcastic on there, but in the main, it's a damn good club, and meets are always great, Jas always puts on a good spread, and does look after members, he's one of those guys that will help any of his friends out, he's a really top bloke. I do suppose as Dan says, a yank barge or two would make meets more interesting. I will put that to Jas, see what he says. 

[danthecapriman]

Someone needs to get one of those GAZ Chaika monsters. Best of both worlds! I'd love one personally!

 

I've just been looking at the pics again and being the blind twat I am only just noticed the two red Yugo's aren't the same car, and one is actually a van! Lovely little cars though.

[Felly Magic]

Chaikas go for insane money, and the 2 cars are both 45A's but the van is the rarer 55A with the 1100 engine and 5 speed box. I drove the burgundy 45 last year, and it was a hoot to drive. and is like brand new, it's done just over 15k, It is currently for sale as well

[garethj]

When I had Tatras I saw quite a few commie cars at car shows and bought Julian Nowill's book to immerse myself in the subject.  My objective conclusion is that you've got to be even more bonkers than "normal" to have an eastern bloc car.  Really, really crackers.

 

But I'm very glad there are crackers people about because the cars are great to see.

[Semi-C]

What a feast from the East, very yes!

 

Wounded I missed this, was touring Southend in the Samara on Sunday too.

I'd love to join your ranks next time out.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Hey that Merc belongs to a lad who used to be on here I think. Cant remember his name though.

[HMC]

^ Yes I remember that Merc as it was at the time I had one too. PeterC I think.

 

SWMBO is from the former West Germany and finds my interest in eastern block cars unfathomable. As well as Hasselhoff being all over the tv when the wall came down she remembers the influx of eastern german transportation which almost couldnt be given away as everyone wanted a used golf! Echoing the comments re chaika prices, Volgas seem to have gone up a lot too lately.

[oldcars]

Yes, belongs to Carolina Bailey from Colchester

Loved it at the NEC, that and a Aleko were my two favourates.

[Junkman]

As well as Hasselhoff being all over the tv when the wall came down she remembers the influx of eastern german transportation which almost couldnt be given away as everyone wanted a used golf!

 

This is true, quite a large number of Trabbis ended in Western hands for a laugh back then. Loads of them also were simply abandoned where they broke down,

or as little as ran out of petrol. They were literally littering the country.

 

Most of them were severe bodge jobs though, due to Eastern economy of scarcity, so they were wiped out when they had to be taken to a TÃœV test station.

Also, the East German stuff was relatively expensive to run, due to requiring two-stroke mix, paired with Western insurance and tax rates, especially the latter being excessive,

due to the cars not meeting any emissions standards and the West-German car taxation being based on emissions. It cost you more to tax a Wartburg, than a Seville STS.

 

As I said elsewhere on this forum, everywhere was awash with Eastern chod, there was a scrappage backlog that dwarfed the one we saw during the Scrappage Scheme.

It would have taken a very wise man with a lot of foresight, to predict that chod ever to become valuable. Which it isn't, really. Imagine the cost of storing one for 25 years.

[Peter C]

Hey that Merc belongs to a lad who used to be on here I think. Cant remember his name though.

Yep, that's my old Merc, still going alive and well.

[Felly Magic]

Julian Nowill is a member of the club, and that is his Yugo van, really nice bloke