I saw a Wartburg

[forddeliveryboy]

The other day, in a York carpark. According to knowledgeable people, this could well have a VW straight four powering it, how do you tell?

[dollywobbler]

Larger rear lights, more plasticky front end.

[forddeliveryboy]

 

Like this, then? And below:

 

 

Thought it didn't look quite like the ones I remember in Eastern Europe, or the few which were bought in Britain.

[Inspector Morose]

I spy a 1.3 s badge on the rear offside. Tailpipe is bigger too. That's a 1.3.

Sad fact no. 654. Although the 353 used a 1.3 VW engine built under licence, this was mated to the polo 1.1 gearbox and gearing is a little erm, short to say the least. Used one to help a mate move to Shetland years back. Trapesing up and down the motorway was a deafening experience. The late 2 stroke ones were far better.

Now the 1.1 Trabi on the other hand....

[Junkman]

how do you tell?

 

It smells comparatively undistinctly.

[DSdriver]

 how do you tell?

 

It doesn't smoke like a beagle and sound like a tractor with a hernia.

[alcyonecorporation]

It smells comparatively undistinctly.

 

 

Less Farty Hans, and more broken fans. 

[Junkman]

What I wanted to say is that the Westernised one lacks aroma.

Also see DKW F102 and Audi F103.

[Guest]

Have a look up the exhaust to see if there are any valves.

 

[pshome]

Google just teached me that there was a R19 engined 1.4 prototype.

 

 

[Inspector Morose]

Having seen that one in the flesh, the museum also has a for cylinder two stroke experimental engine for same. Far more interesting!

Seriously, the Eisenach automobile museum is a facinating place to visit. It's been far too long since I visited last.

[Six-cylinder]

Yesterday Bicester.

[Guest]

That would be a brilliant Disney/Pixar Movie.

 

Cars 4. Farty Hans and the Tramp.

[Guest Hooli]

Yesterday Bicester.

 

That is what I'd imagine a rear engine Skoda hammered over a Marina would look like. I kinda like it.

[The Moog]

This is making my wartburg lust grow ... Although must be tourist to carry the dogs to the park ... 

[Inspector Morose]

Nah, what you need is a 312 Camping like this one:

 

Same chassis as the 353. The Wartburg started as the 311 with that body on a transverse leaf sprung chassis derived from the IFA F9. They then used the same body and built an uprated chassis with better mechanicals and a coil sprung suspension set up to produce the 312 (you can tell the difference as the 311 used 15" wheels and the 312 has 13" wheels). Later in the '60s the 312 chassis was used, along with an all new body to produce the 353.

 

Wartburg was one of the earliest car manufacturers, building its first in 1898. The name was dropped fairly early on (briefly reappearing as part of the name of BMWs first sports car) before making a reappearance in 1956 for the launch of the 311.

 

 

[Junkman]

Yesterday Bicester.

 

Looks more like tomorrow's Bicester to me. Actually, it looks like the future UK.

[sierraman]

Didn't they briefly import the Wartburg to the UK again in the 80's?

[Junkman]

[carlo]

Certainly didn't improve the clean looks with the last versions.  Remember very fondly my first car, a '75 Wartburg Knight.

[Squire_Dawson]

There was an 'L' reg lilac Tourist around Warkworth, Northumberland a few years ago. That was an original UK market car. Think it sold on eBay not so long ago. Anything from the Soviet Bloc originally sold here has done extremely well to survive. The original version was a smart looking car.

[plasticvandan]

There was a batch of Wartburgs sold as the lancastrian in the late 70s brought into the uk,a cancelled order sort of deal as i recall.

[twosmoke300]

That red one looks like a Saab 900 that some made via a description on the phone

[Inspector Morose]

If only...

 

Wartburg 314. Saloon with mid mounted four cylinder boxer engine mounted underneath the rear seat.

 

Wartburg 313 Coupe/Convertible also with four cylinder boxer mounted under the rear seat

 

Wartburg 355. Fitted with 1300 Renault engine.

[fordperv]

That could pass as a children's drawing of a ford orion

[Guest Hooli]

 

Looks like a Lada raped a Cavalier SRi130

[wuvvum]

Did the Dub-engined ones lose the column shift?

[Inspector Morose]

As in the 353 1.3s? Yes, these were floor shifters. In fact the colum shift in the 353 went in the mid 70's IIRC. My 1984 353s (sporty version with a twin choke Webber copy and front spoiler with fog lights-wow) was a floor shifter but two stroke. I think the mid engined 313/314 prototypes used the 312/353 gearbox too, hence why the engine was mounted under the rear seats.

[SgtWilson]

Last weekend in Mecklenburg...