This grey 1967 601S

Link to ebay auction

FRANKFURT — The electric Trabant is having its 15 minutes of fame at the Frankfurt auto show. What happens next is anybody’s guess.

The Trabant was a symbol of East German industrial failings for more than three decades before production of the car ceased nearly 20 years ago. Now two German companies are taking the next step toward finding investors and builders for a battery-powered Trabant nT.

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My good chums over at Bonneville or Bust, who are racing a VW Bug in the 36hp class, the ultimate exercise in peasant tuning, have just reported that a major step towards racing on Utah’s fabled salt flats has been overcome, they passed tech inspection!

Paul Cullen writes:

” just had a phone call from Bonneville!!!!

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Following on from my earlier post (here) of the article in Retro Cars of Marcin Wojsa’s Trabant, here is a YouTube video of the car ‘in action’

The article in Retro Cars mentions his videos at Vimeo as well, but I foolishly assumed that they were the same videos… thanks to  eljot87 for pointing out that they aren’t… an they are better videos as well!

More of the car can be found on Marcin’s YouTube Channel and on the MaximViD vimeo channel. We salute you!!

Listed as an ‘87 601S Kombi, the owner has done alot of work to this car according to the listing:

• Trabant 601s Kombi 1987
• Mot untill june 2010
• Taxed till December 2009
• Engine overhauled, New crankshaft, con rods, pistons,cylinders. Many new parts to mention.
• Resprayed blue pearlescent.
• New vinyl cream interior.
• Underneath of fully welded and undersealed the rest Wax oiled.
• FORCED to sell because partner thinks its a monstrosity and wants it off the drive. Its the car or me.
• Spent over £1600 renovating the car and would like to recoup as much as possible.

Click for ebay auction

Its a shame about the ‘FORCED’ to sell part… luckily I have an understanding wife. She moans about the car, but I haven’t been forced to sell it just yet

MUNICH — The Trabant — an icon of communist eastern Germany — will make a comeback as an electric car concept at the Frankfurt auto show in September, writes Automotive News.

German manufacturer Herpa Miniaturmodelle GmbH plans to show a “New Trabi” prototype in Frankfurt in the hope of attracting investors willing to help relaunch a modern, environmentally friendly version of the classic city car in 2012.

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Just been sent this clipping from the back of Retro Cars…

I’ll be keeping an eye on the newsagents shelves next month for this.

Here’s another Trabi on ebay… this one looks like its come around again as it was for sale recently.

Link to ebay auction