East Germany

In the segment of the cheapest used cars, the cost of which is rarely passes for a thousand, we lead the Russian auto industry. Message boards filled with offers for the sale of "cents", "Muscovites" rot "Volga". But there is another budget option, which rarely pay attention when choosing a car super-low-cost, - it Wartburg.




The most popular model of the manufacturer is a family of 353, produced from 1966 to 1991, virtually unchanged. Find today this "on the fly" is not easy. But the machine is really interesting. And how many know that the Wartburg 353 - frame car?



"The car 1986 release. I have a couple of years. When bought - I went. Then something went wrong, and year on it nobody went. Now here again, "he revived" - began the story of his Wartburg 353 Igor. - Previously, under the porch stood. I did every day at Mercedes ride, and the "old" gathering dust. Several times I pasted a sticker with the threat that evacuated as the clunkers. I even cleaned the snow around it! As a result, it was necessary to carry the machine to the mother in the private sector ».



Car Wartburg 353 made its debut on the market in 1966 and had at that time very futuristic design. In some markets the model sold under the brand Wartburg Knight. To position "three hundred and fifty Third" as a mid-size family car. It is produced in three body types: the standard sedan, wagon and pickup Tourist Trans. Production of Wartburg 353 was established at the enterprise VEB Automobilwerk Eisenach in Eisenach (GDR). After 1988 the car was renamed the Wartburg 1.3. This sedan even received official tuning package from Irmscher.



Overall length "three hundred and fifty third" - 4220 mm, width - 1640 mm, height - 1490 mm, wheelbase - 2450 mm. Almost the same size sedan Skoda Fabia previous generation. Cargo capacity from GDR sedan 400 liters (more than the VAZ "classics"). It opens with a key. The mark in the area of ​​the well can be seen that repeatedly tried to hack the trunk, but the lock is working properly.



A copy of Igor has native color and, according to the owner, glistens when the machine is clean. A quick inspection revealed that the body is in relatively acceptable condition. Of course, there is far from ideal, but the through holes from corrosion not. The only frankly a scary place - pipe from the exhaust system. Not only that the pipe is a large rusty object, so it is still hanging - broke away from the mounting.



On the sides of the body I noticed the strange moldings, which have not seen the official photos of the model. "This is not my doing. I think even in Germany, the first or the second owner has attached these strips - is justified by Igor. - Under the passenger seat pad I found GDR newspaper in 1987. I thought I'd throw out, but eventually left. Rarity! »





Under the hood, "three hundred and fifty third" - 2-stroke 3-cylinder engine capacity of 993 cubic meters. cm. In the "youth" unit has an output of 50 liters. from. Now half of the "herd" ran away, but the sedan is still able to move under its own power. I started the first time. Judging by the amount of dust for a long time he did not. The engine is put in a given instance with the buttons. Insert the key, turn (turn on the ignition) and the left - the engine start button. The torque transmitted to the front wheels through a 4-step "mechanics". The gear lever sticking out from the floor as the handbrake. The central tunnel is not here. Like Tesla.



















Under the hood is a lot of space. Igor for some reason removed the emergency cooling fan radiator (lying in the trunk). Later, the owner said: "Fan took unnecessary. The car never overheats, and does not think he will ever need. This car is not necessary to change the oil. It is poured into Wartburg together with fuel in the tank. Proportion - 40: 1. If you fill in 20 liters of petrol, you need to add half a liter of oil. I smell the exhaust? This is because such a mixture ».



On the odometer machine indicated 39 thousand. Km. Despite the fact that the owner truly believes that this is the first range, very good, if the current mileage of the car is 139 thousand. Km. Shop terribly primitive: unpretentious instrument panel, a few toggle switches, the similarity of the glove compartment, a stove. There hatch. It opens and closes properly. Handbrake holds up well.



"Mirrors and glass all the car home. The stove runs on 10 points. If you turn on all cylinders - the heat is indescribable. However, the stolen original fog lights. I put the others. They are smaller than the original, so look alien "- showed a remake of an old saloon owner.



"He runs fast. Home Appliances - 920 kg. Motor grabs. Once up to 120 km / h on it dispersed. The same engine was mounted on a minibus Barkas. And I have a copy of. However, does not go at all, "- said Igor minibus towards dust comes from the GDR.



At the time, Wartburg 353 was a serious competitor DKW F102 (ancestor Audi) and Saab 96. In the early years of production the machine is widely exported, as well as in demand in Western Europe. But when 2-stroke engines virtually obsolete in the Old World, the manufacturer did not find funds for the development of 4-stroke machine and the model is completely outdated.



According to official data, the number of issued Wartburg cars exceeded one million. In Europe, there are still small clubs of fans of the brand, as well as similarities in characteristics minibuses Barkas. We have also such machines destined to live out his last years in not the best hands. For such instances rarely someone faithfully followed. Goes - and well. No rides - drove to the dump.



But with proper care Wartburg 353 could well become loyal assistant. The main thing - to hand the owner was in the right place. Due to the large clearance and cross-frame construction at the "three hundred and fifty third" much better than the "Muscovites" and "Lada". Besides Wartburg has a certain degree of historical value - this is the last car, which was manufactured in East Germany.



Source: auto.onliner.by