1989 Sachsenring Trabant 601

[TrabbieRonnie]

While I'm on, here's more pics of Rosie...

 

 

Trial fit of a bumper (think it's Renault 4?) that we found in the woods on the banks of the Spey!

 

 

 

 

Below is Rosie with the Qek, a caravan built in the DDR specifically for Trabbies and Wartburgs… actually pulls pretty well, up to 45 mph when physics takes over, and says... no more!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Tamworthbay]

Trabbies are fucking ace. I will get one at some point. Just need to find a cheap borderline dangerous one to fit in with my usual purchases.

[LightBulbFun]

Ohh a dedicated Trabant thread now this is what I signed up for 

 

looking forward to seeing what else gets posted here

[Fumbler]

Sachsenring... is that the same as Zwikau or are they the same manufacturer?

 

Lovely Trabant by the way. Will hope to have my own slice of commushite soon!

[TrabbieRonnie]

The two-stroke buzz and mini-like handling are pretty addictive!  They seem to be climbing a wee bit these days, I was £400 but that was 10 years ago now... 

 

At that point yeah, she was cheap and borderline dangerous right enough!

[Marm Toastsmith]

Just need to find a ... borderline dangerous one.

 

I think they're all borderline dangerous. Have you seen where they put the fuel tank? Good way to save money as the fuel is gravity fed - no need for a pump.

 

I've always wanted one too... but having owned plenty of MZs I should really know better. A Barkas is the dream for me...

[TrabbieRonnie]

Zwickau is the name of the plant where they were built, Fumbler...  It's still there, Sachsenring develop prototype components for a lot of makers these days I believe.

 

In the last throes of Trabbi production, VW Polos were made on the same line!  There was an attempt to update the old thing with a licence built VW four-stroke engine, but they are shit, and not real Trabants...

[LightBulbFun]

Love the fact the Reg plate matches up with the CC listed on the DVLA site

 

im still hoping for someone to do a shoot out between a classic air cooled one and one of the Polo engined ones, that would make for an interesting comparison

 

so whats the fastest you have done in the old girl? 

[Fabergé Greggs]

Love them! I came very close to getting a yellow combi, always think about that car...

 

http://autoshite.com/topic/28708-would-i-die-in-this/

[TrabbieRonnie]

I bottled it at 112kph, about 70 I think? Unassisted drums all round tend to focus the mind!

 

I don't think the four-bangers are much faster, if at all... They were detuned to 40bhp, and a bit heavier. I'm told they're better for towing. Give me the two-stroke soundtrack any day! As an aside, every Trabant ever built had a towbar from new, the government could commandeer them for battlefield duties if required... Imagine the field artlillery you could pull with 26bhp!

[will16]

Love these, especially 2 stroke! Bumper looks right at home 

[Meter rat]

What is the towing weight for a Trabant? And what’s the weight for the caravan? I think the van would two behind my Duane van.

[TrabbieRonnie]

Qek Juniors weigh between 350 and 400 kgs, you can push it around with one hand. You do see them for sale, mostly in Germany though... This one found me, a guy I met at a car show had it for towing with his Mini. He had the manual showing it with Trabants, couldn't believe he'd seen the car in the flesh (duroplast!), and insisted I buy it!

[Fumbler]

I bottled it at 112kph, about 70 I think? Unassisted drums all round tend to focus the mind!

 

I don't think the four-bangers are much faster, if at all... They were detuned to 40bhp, and a bit heavier. I'm told they're better for towing. Give me the two-stroke soundtrack any day! As an aside, every Trabant ever built had a towbar from new, the government could commandeer them for battlefield duties if required... Imagine the field artlillery you could pull with 26bhp!

If 100kph was 60 I think it would be safe to assume you were doing 70. The one thing I might find a bit difficult is the lack of coast because the freewheel bearing only works on 4th. Oh wait, clutch and idle.

Some factory worker built potato cannons would be the only artillery required for any battle a fleet of Trabbis would commandeer. The eastern parts of Germany are a goldmine for old eastern bloc cars and parts. Good job I like German so much because I could be spending a lot of time there in future.

[GrumpiusMaximus]

That’s it. I give up. You’ve won autoshite.

[TrabbieRonnie]

The car weighs 600kgs, the van tows really well, very softly sprung and hydraulically brakes. Would have to check in the manual what the maximum towing weight is though...

[LightBulbFun]

I bottled it at 112kph, about 70 I think? Unassisted drums all round tend to focus the mind!

 

I don't think the four-bangers are much faster, if at all... They were detuned to 40bhp, and a bit heavier. I'm told they're better for towing. Give me the two-stroke soundtrack any day! As an aside, every Trabant ever built had a towbar from new, the government could commandeer them for battlefield duties if required... Imagine the field artlillery you could pull with 26bhp!

 

 

70Mph! #madman  for some reason I thought 601s ran out of puff around 50Mph, I bet you got some confused/fun looks on the motorway as you cruised* down the road 26 horse power was more then i was expecting!

 

interesting little tidbit on the towbar there did not know that

 

being 2 stroke can you start the engine in reverse like a Bond minicar or Pre Model 70 invalid carriage?

[Tamworthbay]

I bottled it at 112kph, about 70 I think? Unassisted drums all round tend to focus the mind!

I don't think the four-bangers are much faster, if at all... They were detuned to 40bhp, and a bit heavier. I'm told they're better for towing. Give me the two-stroke soundtrack any day! As an aside, every Trabant ever built had a towbar from new, the government could commandeer them for battlefield duties if required... Imagine the field artlillery you could pull with 26bhp!

The Wehrmacht used Kubelwagons to pull their lightweight field guns, I bet they are only about that power.

[TrabbieRonnie]

In good order they're nowhere near as slow as everyone thinks! First production car ever to be fitted with electronic ignition... Engine has five moving parts... Coil for each cylinder...

 

Rosie's in fine fettle with a new stainless exhaust and good Bosch coils and ngk plugs. Also, they shouldn't belch out blue smoke once warm, 50:1 premix is fine if your engine is good and used regularly. 70 was my top, not the cars, I am many miles north of a motorway! I was on a local single track!

[TrabbieRonnie]

Yes, the kubel's the same engine... I don't really know how they developed so much pull from 26bhp...

[Meter rat]

400kg, if they have brakes. I might have to start looking for one.

[LightBulbFun]

very cool stuff

 

my only "proper" exposure to trabants is the one ageing wheels owns, which I do know is not exactly in the first flush of youth

 

would love to see in one in person even at some point

[yes oui si]

Still want a Polo-engined one

[Fumbler]

Yes, the kubel's the same engine... I don't really know how they developed so much pull from 26bhp...

Probably thanks to the low end torque they produce. Aging Wheels is restoring his and the cylinders are nice and large so I presume that's the reason.

[plasticvandan]

I had a couple of projects,and driven a few,being an MZ nut does make you interested in the products of the GDR.The 4 stroke ones do nothing for me,if your going to be silly,do it properly with a two stroke

[mercrocker]

That caravan is fucking ace.

[TrabbieRonnie]

The wee 'van gets a great reaction at the car shows... Actually a really nice wee thing. It uses Trabant wheels, so you only need to carry one spare! One big bed, wee kitchen with gas hob, and loads of storage. Stable door with a better lock on it than my house too...

 

 

Used it as a bedroom for the kids while away camping last year... You forget it's on the back being so light!

 

 

[Lacquer Peel]

Trabant improves view of Grantown on Spey square.

[TrabbieRonnie]

Aye, Grantown Motormania is the best show around here by miles, 500 entrants last year!  

[Schaefft]

As a true Sachse, of course my parents had one of these, too (as 2nd car next to a Vectra A), all the way into the 90s. Ours was green and was later replaced by a red Corsa A we got from our grandma. Still plenty of them around, I've recently seen this Universal in my home town: