RE: Plastic Fantasies

[Decsi Miklos <MDecsi@pgsm.hu>]

>When I visited my great aunt in east Germany im 1989 she was very proud
>of her Trabant. I don't know which version it was. Actually, I am sorry
>to say, I didn't even pay attention to it that much. I was driving a
>rental passat around, which was a very nice car in that part of the
>country at that time. 

Well you don't have to pay too much atention for the verison, because there
were only two, the 2 door and the 3 door version... :-)
That is not quite true, because there were a last version before they stoped
the production, but that was a "four-stroke engine" modell.

The base modell has a two-stroke engine (594 cc). Max 26 HP at (4200 rpm),
from 0 to 60 mph 32s. 1/4 miles in 23.8s at 54 mph. And the top speed is 66
mph.

>I don't think the Trabbie was even plastic, though.  Wasn't it largely
>made from pressed paper?

No, it is made of duroplast. It is a mix of cotton and plastics. It is very
light, there is no rust on it and it is repairable by glueing the broken
pieces together. 

>> Weren't those the econo-model Yugos.....:-)
>
>You just wouldn't believe how long the waiting list was for those things
>at one time.  Tens of years.

That is true. Before 1988 we had the same situation. There were about 8
brands and about 2 type of cars in every brand. And if you wanted to buy one
you had to wait about a decade. Interesting isn't it? 

There were some BMWs and Audis too but maybe a dozen (just to make the
letter non OT).

DM