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Trabi Kombi Restoration of Sorts

  • 28-03-2017 11:21pm
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,792 ✭✭✭


    I felt I was't out of my depth enough with the jeep project so I decided to start another project in parallel to help keep me on my toes :D

    I viewed this Trabant on Sunday after leaving the Motors meet in Midway, liked what I saw so had it delivered Monday after work :D

    As of yet I don't actually know a whole lot about these little cars... but I'll tell you what I know.

    This particular model is a Trabant 601 kombi (meaning estate or station wagon, much like a modern day Skoda). They were affectionately known simply as a "Trabi" in their native East Germany.

    The 601 was designed I believe in 1962 or 1963 and for that time it boasted some interesting features for it's communist owners. The only problem was that they saw almost no development at all between 1963 and 1989 when the wall came down bringing an end to the Eastern Bloc.

    Though the structure of the car is steel the steel only forms a "bird cage" not unlike a Corvette (well a little unlike). The actual body panels are made out of a material called Duroplast. This is largely due to there being a shortage of steel for non-milarty purposes, however, Duroplast does offer some advantages over steel too. In the same thickness as steel it is 2.5 times stronger and lighter too! This means that Trabis don't really dent, are remarkably strong and weigh in at somewhere between 615kg and 650kg.

    The other interesting feature is the engine. A 2 cylinder 600cc air cooled 2-stroke developing 26BHP transversely mounted and driving the front wheels through a 4 speed manual gearbox with the selector mounted on the steering column. Though this sounds like a bad idea by todays standards IMO it makes an awful lot of sense for the market in which it was intended. They are fantastically easy and cheap to produce which is great from the manufacturer's side. They are also incredibly simple! No valve train or camshafts, no timing belt or chain, no distributor, no water pump, no oil pump just 2 pistons thumping up and down, a fan for cooling and a generator for making the electricity. This is also advantageous for the owners as there is essentially no maintenance to be done! Not even oil changes. 2-stroke was available premixed at petrol stations in both 40:1 and 50:1 so I really believe it is a fantastic car "for the people".

    The suspension I also find interesting. I'm not sure exactly what name is given to the type of setup. Basically it has independent control arms for each wheel but the axle shares a single leaf spring mounted across the body. Again similar technology to some Corvettes! Steering is managed by a non assisted rack and pinion. I can't comment on the ride or handling really at this stage but the steering is surprisingly quick!

    The brakes are dual circuit with drums on both the front and rear. From reading other reviews of these cars the brakes leave a lot to be desired. Indeed there is a HUGE amount of pedal travel before the brakes bite. Moving it on the driveway last night I though I might have inadvertently pressed the clutch with my right foot and almost ended up piling it into the back of my 156 :p

    If anyone is still reading that just about exhausts my knowledge of these cars for now. Here's a few pictures of Trabi! Hopefully I'll have more to add over the next few days :)

    IMG_5726_zps8efx9qfx.jpg

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    IMG_5728_zpschgevvif.jpg


    IMG_5729_zpsmiqmiitq.jpg

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    IMG_5731_zpsdxqwxjtl.jpg


    IMG_5732_zpsgbainyyh.jpg


Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,140 ✭✭✭James Bond Junior


    Just clicked follow on this. Best of luck with this, something unusual is often as interesting as something high powered. Best of luck with this, I strangely want one myself!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,239 ✭✭✭Lurching


    Good luck with the build. I'll also follow your progress.
    Does the 2 stroke make it noisy?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,792 ✭✭✭Ded_Zebra


    Cheers lads! Hopefully it'll be an interesting one!

    The 2-stroke is very very noisy! It's honestly not far if the noise level of operating a chain saw!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,792 ✭✭✭Ded_Zebra


    Cheers lads! Hopefully it'll be an interesting one!

    The 2-stroke is very very noisy! It's honestly not far if the noise level of operating a chain saw!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,792 ✭✭✭Ded_Zebra


    Cheers lads! Hopefully it'll be an interesting one!

    The 2-stroke is very very noisy! It's honestly not far if the noise level of operating a chain saw!


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,802 ✭✭✭✭joujoujou
    Unregistered Users


    My uncle had 3 of them ages ago. Sedan, then sedan again, then kombi as yours. All bought brand new. :cool:

    As you said, extremely simple and reliable car. Uncle also claimed boot on them being surprisingly big.

    By the way, in Poland they were often nicknamed: "Soapbox" or "Ford Carton" or even "Honecker's Revenge". :D

    Best of luck with yours!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,343 ✭✭✭beazee


    We had two in our family, in the late 80's. A sedan and a station wagon as yours.

    Yours look like 12 volt electronics and a new three-phase alternator.
    Pre-1983 models were all 6V battery powered.

    There wasn't much steel forming the body but whatever there was - was rusting at quite a pace. We've got rid of the sedan the very moment the passenger well floor corroded through-out, riding her through puddles was some experience for us kids :)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,580 ✭✭✭✭vectra


    You should also post this on Backroads.
    Cian and a few others may be a help to you in sourcing bits and pieces.
    They have two sections there.
    Project Cars and Classic Cars,


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,043 ✭✭✭2 Espressi


    Cheers Vectra, I finally remembered my Boards login!

    Welcome to Trabi ownership. I think I've seen that one for sale on DD occasionally. Try to think of your Kombi less of a car, more of an organism. She requires regular care and attention. Many suspension component require greasing. She may have an appetite for spark plugs ( Mine prefers Beru Isolator 225, though most plugs suitable for VW engines seem to do OK ) Keep a fanbelt handy too.

    I've found trabantwelt.de and Danzer Auto Teile to be good for parts, and LDM tuning have a shop in English and German too.

    Trabant Forums dot com is a great English language resource (they have manuals in English, for example).

    It can often be frustrating, noisy, smelly, but it's never dull. Sometimes you can even overtake a bus!

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5NN6Rjcb5w

    28822086055_0e91d3831f_k_d.jpg


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,792 ✭✭✭Ded_Zebra


    Great to hear from people that have first hand experience of these cars, especially when they were new :)

    Espressi thanks for the links to good sites for getting parts. I was browsing around the forum earlier today. Looks to be a huge amount of great info on it too.

    I slid away from work a little early to try and get a few bits done and take advantage of the long evenings. Pity it started lashing as soon as I got in :mad:

    I did however get the carpets and sound deadening stripped out of it. It was all absolutely soaked through. The door seals are letting in a lot of water. Thankfully the floors appear to be solid in spite of this. Further investigation will be required to be sure.

    IMG_5733_zpsmozbri2m.jpg

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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,580 ✭✭✭✭vectra


    ah
    2 Espressi
    IFor the life of me I couldnt remember your username, so Cian had to do.
    Hope this will be of help to you DZ.


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