Moskvitch Aleko - Защо има таралеж в багажника ми?

[SambaS]

I should probably introduce my 24012...

Known as the Moskvitch Aleko.

The 20142 was built here in Bulgaria and the additional 2 on the end donates an actual Moskvitch engine opposed to the usual Lada lump.

Bought it from an old dear in Pleven, and the car buying process here is such a pain I dont actually own ten cars here yet. In fact it put me right off! You and the seller have to go to a Notary with all the correct documents, in the case of this sale the seller didn't and had to visit the town hall three times!

After the Notary draws up the sale and you pay the taxes and (lie about the sale price) Notary fee you are . Tired. And free to spend another day registering your car at KAT... your local traffic police station. Here you get a Talon (V5) and if you want local number plates. Up until recently this was a must, but I kept the EH Pleven number plate cause ... well...  tight. Or I like the EH. Then insurance, then vignette, then village tax

It behaved well until it stopped behaving well after 4 weeks. I took it to Romania with my parents which it didn't like. And the border officials were not impressed as they had to push start us into Romania. It made it back just but then died in Vidin.

In some order new plugs, brand new carburettor and a coil side rewire and new alternator the thing has been okay since apart from a gypsy stole it one night when we were drinkng and burned the clutch out then pushed it back onto my drive and pretended nothing happened.

After rebuild photographed in Rila Mountains

My local petrol station some English suprised to see me in the Wild West

It didn't like Romania

Old carb here stripped and new bits put in but eventually found new complete unit

One of the many times it was on the ramps last summer. Lucky for me the son of garage owner speaks perfect English. And despite everyone's warning I find them to be honest and reasonable. People are nervous when I try do things for myself here cause its usual to think English are rich and thus hike up prices.

Riding round the village with choke on (or cruise control if you like)

Snow

Buzludzha Monument

[bigstraight6]

That’s fantastic, looks a bit like an early VW Passat.

[SambaS]

I would agree it looks a bit like...

[SambaS]

Moar photos of photogenic car being photogenic:

At defunct Vidin Airport

At defunct petrol station

Shotz

daughter/ me / wife of deceased 

Did you know I nearly bought a Lada instead

Found these left to die by the river. Long story short they know live in England after we got them passports. BenjiP of this woods actually donates to a local charity here who took them in after I looked after them a few weeks

Die like real men.

[Datsuncog]

Crumbs, very nice!

Probably the closest I'll ever get to the Aleko experience:

Glad to see someone's doing it right!

[Tadhg Tiogar]

1 hour ago, Datsuncog said:

Crumbs, very nice!

Probably the closest I'll ever get to the Aleko experience:

Glad to see someone's doing it right!

Look at the panel gaps on that!

[dollywobbler]

Just marvellous. Catsinthewelder and I saw an occasional Aleko on our Bulgarian/Romanian adventure, but only ever at distance. 

[wuvvum]

The interior has a hint of Talbot about it too.

These were another Eastern Bloc car that was sold (briefly) in France.  I always thought they were a rather handsome thing.

[Zantimisfit]

I wasn't sure what I thought about these but having seen the interior shots I am sold!

As an aside, always a pleasure to see East European public works of art. Spent some time in Bulgaria a few years back and always made a point of seeking it out in local villages etc

[catsinthewelder]

You're properly living the dream there Ed 😎

I really wanted to see Buzludzha when we went but it was too far out of the way.  Nice to see the Alpine, whatever happened to that?  It was lovely to drive.

[somewhatfoolish]

You have won today's Internetz. That looks terrible, well bought!