Trusty Rusty TREKKA

[markson]

While out collecting fire wood the other weekend ,I came across the remains of this TREKKA
It would appear that it has rolled down this bank16047

As found

[markson]

16048

[markson]

16049

After a few black berries have been removed

[markson]

16050

Motor is all there ,it looks like it has a dry sump (LOL)

[markson]

16051
Anyone looking for a life long resto project

[Yeah yeah na]

Even I cant see much worth saving there......maybe a set of welding gloves and pruning loppers!!!

[markson]

You have no vision Yeah yeah na. What has happened to your number 8 wire attitude??? Markson

[markson]

16052
All has been exposed and would clean up like new Markson

[markson]

16053

One good tire

[markson]

16054
A good pattern and fittings for bonnet

[markson]

?

[Steve Holmes]

Wow, I'm just impressed you recognised what it is! Looks like most of the body is gone?

[John McKechnie]

I wont ever worry about rust in my Monaro again, and my sanity in taking it on now I have seen this.

[markson]

Hi Steve.It was pretty easy with the SKODA badge on the motor

[markson]

16071
16072

The fuel tank needs a bit of work,it could do with a Momo Steering wheel ???

[markson]

Hi John I know the vintage boys start sometimes, with a lot less,its called stupidity coupled with dedication

[John McKechnie]

Hey Jamie A- the makings of a new SID or another kiwi special-after all, Trekkas were kiwi specials

[markson]

The MARKSON body would fit pretty good

[AMCO72]

I know the Treka was NZ made, but did they actually use a piece of distressed reinforcing rod in the construction, as is evident in post 15.....somehow attached to the petrol tank.
Do you remember the ad for the machine......will go anywhere a fourwheel drive will go.........yeah right. They did have a limited slip diff which helped. I worked for a farmer out at TeKowhai in 1963, and he had a Treka......Landrover lookalike. The rear axle assumed some rather alarming positive camber at times, especially when going along the side of a hill. Didnt inspire much confidence as I recall but he, the farmer, seemed to like it, and was ok to go and get the cows at 4.30, in the morning, in the dark, in the middle of winter.!!!!!

[SPman]

Colour Trekka tough!

Wasn't that the ad?

[Oldfart]

A mate of mine drove one over the Bridle Path from Lyttelton to the tunnel on the Heathcote valley way back when! It was supposed to be one of, if not the first cars to do that trip.
I too thought that Markson was gathering spares for his car! They were advertised as kitsets for sports cars in Motorman at the time too. Chassis, engine, box etc.

[markson]

Room for thought Oldfart !!

[thunder427]

I know the Treka was NZ made, but did they actually use a piece of distressed reinforcing rod in the construction, as is evident in post 15.....somehow attached to the petrol tank.
Do you remember the ad for the machine......will go anywhere a fourwheel drive will go.........yeah right. They did have a limited slip diff which helped. I worked for a farmer out at TeKowhai in 1963, and he had a Treka......Landrover lookalike. The rear axle assumed some rather alarming positive camber at times, especially when going along the side of a hill. Didnt inspire much confidence as I recall but he, the farmer, seemed to like it, and was ok to go and get the cows at 4.30, in the morning, in the dark, in the middle of winter.!!!!!

Amco72,I did a 'Double Take' on that bit of 'REO',and It looks to be attached to a 'Towball,perhaps its a 'Genuine' Aftermarket item :p???.......................................Thunder427/MJ:cool:

[markson]

Hi Amco72 I think the piece of reinforcing rod, was a Kiwi number 8 wire fix, to compensate the rear suspensions positive camber problem,and was in fact,a Kiwi made torsion bar,and acted, to help stop the rear wheels folding in when the load was released off the back axle and transverse rear spring.If you have a close look at this photo you see a bit of number 8 wire also around the diff ,I am not sure if that was put there for any purpose, or it wrapped around the diff as it rolled over the fence, down a very steep bank,and has been laying there for many years, in the blackberries.I just hope I don't find bones and a body under there ,(human that is),I might start asking ,if there are any missing farmer's from way back,in the area .Markson16103

[AMCO72]

I did actually see a Treka quite recently, still doing sterling service. Was passing through Motuoapa, a settlement on the shores of lake Taupo, and spotted this character launching his tin boat behind the Treka. What caught my eye was that the Treka was painted bright red, a colour that I dont think was on the original buyers wish list. They were usually painted some low-sheen vomit colour, perhaps so they would blend into the landscape and wouldn't be noticed. I had forgotten how short and boxy they were, but with a bit of weight on the drawbar this machine seemed to be coping with the task required. Maybe it had also had a 'repower'.

[bry3500]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5gCsIWeSj4

[markson]

A good clip Bry

[John McKechnie]

Dont forget the Trekka that was taken all the way to the Vienna Biennel show with the butter boxes .
Apparently we swapped butter for Trekkas during the Cold War.
Boy, didnt we do well out of that deal!!!!!!!!!

[Oldfart]

And while some of us laugh, just ask Neil (Perana) Tolich what his favourite town car is!

[markson]

Hi John Mc We may have swapped butter for Trekka's, and we still have some

I'll bet the butters all gone. Markson

[stubuchanan]

Due to the small number built, and 40 years ago at that, and that they were almost bio-degradable, it occurs to me that some of our younger members and non-Kiwi members might not know what a Trekka looked like. Here, from Motorman March 1967 is a Castrol advert :

http://s6.postimage.org/ycugpllv5/Trekka_Advert_03_67.jpg (http://postimage.org/)

As far as exports go, I think some found their way to the Islands, and a small number were given to the government of Vietnam (before the war there?) otherwise they were local consumption only. They seem to have had a "Ute" version, and could be converted to an open "Safari" configuration, but a serious poor-man's Land Rover ? Only a politician would believe that.

Stu

[John McKechnie]

Markson-When I was in Ukraine and Russia , you could buy NZ butter there- and it was far superior to our salty butter here

[AMCO72]

And I see that the limited-slip differential on the Trekka was developed by non other than Ray Stone. This was to give the vehicle go-anywhere performance, equal to the capable Land Rover, which Im afraid it fell woefully short of. If as I presume Oldfart hints that Neil Tolichs prefered vehicle for town running is a Trekka, then that is/was the best place for it.

[Oldfart]

And I see that the limited-slip differential on the Trekka was developed by non other than Ray Stone. This was to give the vehicle go-anywhere performance, equal to the capable Land Rover, which Im afraid it fell woefully short of. If as I presume Oldfart hints that Neil Tolichs prefered vehicle for town running is a Trekka, then that is/was the best place for it.

Not positive about the Ray Stone connection, but exceptionally close to Buckler NZ with the "balanced traction" (Merv Mayo), I think (but am far from sure) that he held some "idea protection"

[markson]

What make kit car used the chassis ??? Markson

[Oldfart]

What make kit car used the chassis ??? Markson

Thought that would perk your interest! They tried to sell the kits for the home builder around 66 ish, don't know if any happened but they were advertised in Motorman.

[John McKechnie]

Was this the one Bruce Goldwater was doing in Newmarket? He was making fibreglass bodies. There is another thread on kit car makers.

[markson]

Hi John The jury is still listening to all the evidence at present,re the origin of the Markson, and was told that there was in fact someone making bodies in Newmarket in the sixeties, and 4 or 5 bodies were being made at the time, but the factory was burnt out, and all the moulds, along with several bodies that were under construction at the time, were destroyed, and the Markson body was the only one built. I just wonder when looking at the dimensions of the SKODA chassis, and the wheel base and track of the Markson, and looking at things on the internal rear section of the body, with no reason for them to be there, one just wonders ??? Markson16104

[John McKechnie]

This same Bruce Goldwater was convicted of arson of a Newmarket building around that time.
He was declared insane.
Do you know the building where all these cars were housed that was burnt?
It seems improbable that 2 different buildings were burnt around the same time, involving a kit car maker-or coincidence?

[markson]

No John I dont know any more than what I was told sometime ago when trying to find out info on the origin of the MARKSON
But the story starts to unfold.I would love to get hold of a copy of the motor man .Markson

[John McKechnie]

What issue date of motorman?

[Shano]

I understood the Russians defaulted on payment for the butter ($40 million worth) so the Dairy Board was offered Skoda cars and parts (which became Trekkas) as payment.

[John McKechnie]

So if Italy defaults on debts, what chances of them paying in Ferrari and Masserati ?

[markson]

A copy of the Motorman mag from way back, that had the ads for the Skoda based kit car John. Markson

[markson]

Hi Shano Some of that butter, may just be starting to turn to cream. Markson

[Shano]

So if Italy defaults on debts, what chances of them paying in Ferrari and Masserati ?


We can only hope!

[John McKechnie]

Markson- have you tried Milan. He has a comprehensive library of magazines and has always found an answer to my questions.

[Oldfart]

Just spoken with someone who was making cars in Newmarket around that time, and they have never heard of such a fire. Ironic given how small and incestuous the industry was!

[GeebeeNZ]

And I see that the limited-slip differential on the Trekka was developed by non other than Ray Stone. This was to give the vehicle go-anywhere performance, equal to the capable Land Rover, which Im afraid it fell woefully short of. If as I presume Oldfart hints that Neil Tolichs prefered vehicle for town running is a Trekka, then that is/was the best place for it.

According to Todd Niall's book on the Trekka the Balance Traction diff was developed by Ray Stone at Performance Developments and 500 to 1000 of them were built by Mayo Engineering in Papatoetoe

[GeebeeNZ]

16108

This is the bodyless kit that was advertised. I have taken this from Todds Book. The origional picture I had was in NZ Hot Rod magazine.

[ERC]

You should see the look on Mal (By'Gone) Clark's face when he has to return it to Neil! Priceless. We are often supping coffee in a cafe on the roundabout when Mal/Neil drive slowly past. Neil turned up to my 65th in the Trekka...

[AMCO72]

Talking of swapping Trekkas for dairy produce, it has been done before, and since.

Apparently in the 1920's NZ swapped dairy produce for Ansaldo cars made in Italy. Not many thats for sure, as very few ever came to NZ and even fewer left now.

Also, didnt we swap produce for those dreadful Lada cars and SUV's. What a heap of junk they were. Would sooner have a Trekka anyday. Doubt you will find any being 'restored'.

Politicians certainly do funny things.

[John McKechnie]

Gerald -Ladas survive well on Russian roads in Russian conditions. Japanese cars dont last there .German cars never leave Moscow. Their roads are not designed for going fast. People thrash them here, over there a car is valued and looked after.The Nivas are a great value 4X4. Agree on rust,however the Russian metal is good , but never primed.That is why Fiats , Alfas rust-they used unprimed Russian steel. Look at how long Mir stayed in space for-good ingrediants in the metal.

[Dave Silcock]

And I owned two of them . My first car was a 1924 4 cylinder tourer that had been turned into a saloon and very badly at that. It only had rear wheel brakes , but had OHC and a cross flow head and had an extravagance of machining only just equalled by a Phantom 11 Rolls. The second was a 1923 six cylinder that had four wheel brakes and a twin throat carb. It was a great car and the first car I ever raced. At Teratonga no seat belt no overalls and no helmet. Managed to kept a TA MG honest!! There is a photo of it on here some where.

Seeing this is a Skoda based thread, I must own up to some thing: I have raced a Skoda Octavia TS. When I worked for the Ransley's, Don imported this beast.It was a touring sport and had Tatra V8 pistons twin Jikov carbs [Solex ripoffs] and sporty Barum tyres.I think Ernie fitted Koni shocks as they were agents for them and Weber carbs. Don was racing at Ruapuna and when I sold my first XK120 was without a drive, so I got the call up I could hardly refuse. I was required to engage in some training session on the summit road during my lunch hour, for reasons only known to Don I was required to pick his daughter up from her work and take her with me. I raced it at Ruapuna and Don was delighted I was able to better his lap times. I could not figure ouy why the flaggies pissed them selves laughing as I rounded Rothmans. Apparently the inside back wheel was off the ground and rotating backwards. All i knew was for at least half the corner there was no drive. It could keep up with the usual hotted up A35 or Morris Minor of the day. Now I have owned up.


"Apparently in the 1920's NZ swapped dairy produce for Ansaldo cars made in Italy. Not many thats for sure, as very few ever came to NZ and even fewer left now.

Also, didnt we swap produce for those dreadful Lada cars and SUV's. What a heap of junk they were. Would sooner have a Trekka anyday. Doubt you will find any being 'restored'.

Politicians certainly do funny things."

[Shano]

Talking of swapping Trekkas for dairy produce, it has been done before, and since.

Apparently in the 1920's NZ swapped dairy produce for Ansaldo cars made in Italy. Not many thats for sure, as very few ever came to NZ and even fewer left now.

Also, didnt we swap produce for those dreadful Lada cars and SUV's. What a heap of junk they were. Would sooner have a Trekka anyday. Doubt you will find any being 'restored'.

Politicians certainly do funny things.

I don't think the Dairy Board had a lot of choice about accepting the Russian cars for their milk powder debt - it was that or nothing.

Another swap deal I was told about, when I worked for the NZ Dairy Group in Hamilton, was that the old Meremere powerstation was swapped for milk powder after WW2.

[AMCO72]

John, I believe you when you say Ladas survive well in Russian conditions though I dont know why. I would have thought things would be pretty tough on cars there, and not just the weather. I always had a sneaking admiration for Skodas, imagining the unfriendly conditions they had to put up with in their country of origin, even though we/I thought they were a bit odd!!!!

One of the teachers at Cambridge High School bought a Lada car, new, the one based on the old Fiat 125, and he thought it was the bees knees until it started to go wrong with about 6000 miles on the clock. He was a very gentle fellow, who I imagine looked after the car and certainly wouldnt have flogged it in my opinion. It went from being the bees knees to the biggest heap of junk he had ever had, hence my comment in my first post.

I have to say that the car that the Lada replaced was a Triumph Herald, a machine that had a very leaky gearbox, which was topped up on a regular basis, like every afternoon when he left for home.......home being Raglan, a delightfull hilly 50 km drive from Cambridge, which must have tested the Triumph gears, 'lubricated' as they were with cooking oil, a supply of which was in a drum in the boot. When I suggested to him that 'real' oil would probably be cheaper, he said, well what he was using was the reject oil from the cooking vats at the local fish & chipper!!!!!!!! cant beat that I'm afraid.

I think the biggest problem with the Lada, apart from the dodgy motor was the electrics, and I dont think he got to the bottom of the problems. He left the High School not long after this, so dont know what the next vehicle in line was.

[John McKechnie]

Having spent time in Dniepropretrovsk, Odessa,Carparthian Mountains, Crimea, I can tell you that the only vehicle that I was in that broke down -brakes-was a bus from Latvia.When you are in the snow, ice -40c and the Lada starts you are grateful. Air conditioning in 40+ in Crimea was not efficient.
Best sight was a 35 kg blonde girl, extremely tight white transparent pants in 6 inch heels push starting 2 guys in a Zaparozhits-Ukrainian Hillman Imp.-in the snow.
Most roads there are 2 deep ruts in the road.You can set the manual throttle and climb in the back for a sleep or some romantic time and the car literally steers itself.
Maybe the extreme temperatures solved the electrical probs- always trouble when you copy an Italian car.

[fullnoise68]

Just as well this is a historic motorsport website, as this threads storyline is going from bad to worse!

[AMCO72]

What the hell is a.........God I cant even pronounce the name......Hillman Imp?????????

[AMCO72]

Yes fullnoise68...... just like the cars we are discussing!!!!!!

[John McKechnie]

Zaparozhits - a low grade inferior car made in the city of Zaporozhia in the Ukraine.You think Ladas are bad, try this. Air cooled.Its nickname over there is sobakarozhits-dog face (sobaka is Russian for dog} Yes you could say its a bit of a dog,
Early ones look exactly like a Fiat 600 -bought it off Noel Goodwin in 72
Steve E- this is what happens when you get off the American threads onto the European threads.Why an earth with your Camaro would you want to look at a Trekka thread?
Gerald, they race these cars over there- no not a demolition derby.

[AMCO72]

Exactly........we are having a bit of fun on this thread. Plenty of serious stuff elsewhere. Look at the title.....Trusty Rusty Trekka.
Now a dedicated Motorsport man would not waste his eyes on such drivel........but you never know, you might just learn something.

We have moved away a little bit on the Trekka theme, but not much. As John says, they race these cars over there, so we are still on a motorsport track.........sort-of!!!!!! Anyway, blame Markson for starting it.............No to hell with it, a bit of light humour never did anyone any harm.

By the way John, can you speek Russian?????????

[fullnoise68]

[QUOTE=John McKechnie;24499]Zaparozhits - a low grade inferior car made in the city of Zaporozhia in the Ukraine.You think Ladas are bad, try this. Air cooled.Its nickname over there is sobakarozhits-dog face (sobaka is Russian for dog} Yes you could say its a bit of a dog,
Early ones look exactly like a Fiat 600 -bought it off Noel Goodwin in 72
Steve E- this is what happens when you get off the American threads onto the European threads.Why an earth with your Camaro would you want to look at a Trekka thread?

John, let me enlighten you a little, YOU may learn something....... several years ago, an old guy just down the road from our house died, and unbeknown to us and quite a few of our neighbours, he had one of the most original and immaculate Trekkas in existance tucked away in his back shed. The guy who recently wrote the Trekka book, bought it off him shortly before he died. I incidentally bought his book and read it. My other connection to a Trekka was when I was playing schoolboy rep rugby league my coach had one as his runabout! Don`t get me wrong, I have enjoyed reading this thread, but I think young girls in see through pants is taking your Trekka story a bit off track!:

[John McKechnie]

можит ьит
Now I am out of here, the funs gone.

[fullnoise68]

Exactly.

[stubuchanan]

We seem to have been labouring under a geographical delusion in this thread. Skoda have always been made in Czechoslovakia (now Czech Rebublic). Not Russia! The Czech motor industry probably goes back as far as the 1920's and I don't recall much complaint about the mechanical quality of Skoda engines. If Trekka had used Russian mechanicals that could have been a big problem.

The idea of a barter deal of dairy products for Skoda bits or kits sounds quite likely for the 1960's when we finally realised we needed to get disentangled from UK apron strings!

There was a Czech Grand Prix from about 1930 to 1950 on an incredible road circuit at Brno which started out as 18 miles to the lap and was last used for Euro Saloons in 1986 at a mere 6.8 miles per lap! (then they built a boring Autodrome nearby).

Stu

[Allan]

I note with interest that no one has yet mentioned the Trekka brakes, which is probably because they were non existant. I have always told folks I know that you always give way to a Skoda/Trekka regardless of who has the right of way.
I worked on these things at Town and Country Cars in Auckland back in the early 70s. We had two of them as workshop hacks. I well remember sending a couple of mechanics out to collect a broken down Trekka only to have the W/S model break down. So they repaired the customers car on the side of the road and used it to tow the W/S one back.
We had one customer who over a period had owned three (yes THREE) and swore by them and had those who after less than a week of driving them swore at them.
And while you're on about these things don't be too nasty about the Lada Niva. Have a farmer friend who had two of these and always says they would go places some of the more fancied SUVs of the day would balk at. We also used a 1500cc Niva to tow a heavy FIAT rally car all over the upper parts fo the North Island in the 80s. Had a great heater as I recall.

[fullnoise68]

Allan, about the same time you were at Town and Country Cars, Homai Service Station, which was just down the road from my High School in Manurewa, were also Skoda and Trekka agents in their heyday????. No doubt about these Trekkas......

[John McKechnie]

Allan -you are right about the Niva. They were excellent, Dad had one on his farm out by Bethells and it never had problems on those steep hills. He was told to put slightly bigger wheels on and it was very favourable. Very good balance and power, towing farm equipment. Had a trendy one in the Ukraine, but that may not be for a Trekka thread...

[Rod Grimwood]

Best Lada I saw was one that a hard case (and very good) mechanic did up this way with 125 running gear in it and the people that tried to stay with him or would see him passing and think 'a Lada no way' and boot it to be put right on their backside as he whipped away. The same person cut a Escort 1300 (engine) in half,(750cc) stood it on end, made his own dry sump system and manifold and mounted it on a ride on mower. Humour as it had too much grunt for belts and sounded like a Harley so he replaced with a Johnson 35 outboard with a Subaru radiator with own water pump. This shredded belts also but sounded unreal and turned heads when running.
I would dreed to think what he would have done to Trekkas over the years.

[Shoreboy57]

At the risk of prolonging this thread....more things Russian - but with motorsport pedigree - some may recall Tony Lanfranchi (I think) winning the British Touring Car champs in a Moskvitch? I believe at the time the classes were based on list price and as any communist bloc car was heavily subsidised to sell in the UK you ended up with the 1500cc Moskvitch competing against mainly1 litre cars. One quote I saw suggested that it "wallowed like a rudderless fishing boat but had the grunt to blast past everything else in its class". As with so many rule books you end up eventually with unintended consequences

[John McKechnie]

Its Marksons thread, its up to him to redirect the imput.
I personally like the variation here. A Moskvitch 412 in 1972 winning the BTC, where else would you find that out but here.
See Gerald- they do race their cars. A Mini Cooper could have lost a championship to one of these.
Bet the Brits didnt boast too much about this one.
Aint no substitute for cubic inches

[AMCO72]

Yes John.......I like the variation here too. I doubt there is another forum anywhere in the world discussing these communist country cars, and there are a surprising number of people who remember their Trekka/Lada etc with affection.

We used to talk about a 'monday morning car' with half the bits missing, and some folk used to say that all Trekkas/Ladas were made on monday mornings.......how very unkind of them!!!

And no, we didnt get confused about the origins of the Trekka/ Skoda. We were talking about swapping cars for dairy produce and Ladas got into the mix.

Its funny now though how time has confered happy memories of these vehicles. I will admit that my comments of 'heaps of junk' were intended for the Lada cars rather than the Nivas. I had a neighbour who had a Niva, bought second hand, and he often said that he would sooner drive the Niva than one of the BMW's his father was so fond of. He was a keen fly fisherman, and used to take the Niva all sorts of interesting places, but not into serious FWD country.He kept the car for years, and the thing I remember most was how rusty the wheels got. I think his Father wanted to excommunicate him for parking the Niva next to the BMW.

OK, if they were so good, where are they all now.

And John, I will ignore that last paragraph of yours. I had to go and have a stiff whiskey to calm myself down!!!!

[John McKechnie]

Gerald- ok , youre the only one I can talk to about this.
You wanted to know where they have gone . In the Ukraine they are still plentiful.After all Niva means endless country of tall wheat-so much more romantic name than mini , maxi, sunny, emina.
Had one over there pale blue-yes the same as the XA - with mags.Such a trendy car, go anywhere and a sharp looker.Easy to park.
Have one here I found in Greenlane some years ago and have tucked away.
Obviously as its such as desirable and collectable car, I have my Coupes, and Kawasakis in public view to shelter it.
And no its not rusty like my Jag, Falcon, Monaro . And it does have a very practical heater as well.
They can sometimes be found out there.......
Rod- love your mates ingenuity and imagination in repowers.
Tell us more of his works

[AMCO72]

Getting back to the motorsport theme of this forum. Didnt Paul Radisitch compete in a Moskvitch at a recent Goodwood FOS.
The car looked a bit like an early 50's Studebaker. I think an Austin A95 managed to beat it, so that was one up for BMC.

John Bailey, my mate in the VCC has/had a Skoda Felicia, a convertable Octavia. Now that is a rare bird in NZ. He had it for sale quite recently at a very reasonable figure, but not sure if anyone was tempted to take on it's querky handing.

[Shoreboy57]

[QUOTE=AMCO72;24585]Getting back to the motorsport theme of this forum. Didnt Paul Radisitch compete in a Moskvitch at a recent Goodwood FOS.
The car looked a bit like an early 50's Studebaker. I think an Austin A95 managed to beat it, so that was one up for BMC.

I believe the Rat peddled a Gaz Volga (what a great name). part of Roger Wills' fleet I think.

[AMCO72]

A Vulgar.........ye gods, what next................not a Trabant I hope.

[John McKechnie]

Volga- a river in Russia.

[Bruce302]

Comrade McKechnievich seems to know way too much. I suspect he maybe a double agent.

But I did have a Trekka years ago, a bonus to a particular job.

Bruce

[AMCO72]

Bruce, you are lucky you didnt get a truck load of milk-powder as a bonus.

So, what did you think of the Trekka. Do you, like a number of people, have fond memories of it, or did you trade it in for the latest Cortina at the first opportunity?

[Shoreboy57]

Volga- a river in Russia.

Volga I understood but GAZ? Turns out to be Gorkovsky Avtomobilny Zavod, translated as Gorky Automobile Plant. Anyway it was supposedly as a joint venture in 1932 with those arch-capitalists, Ford. Sleeping with the enemy? Now they have deals with GM and VW so perhaps sleeping with anyone?

[John McKechnie]

Shoreboy57- excellent research. Stalin privataized-stole- the plant.
There is also ZIL- they did the Packards,- ZIS, ZAZ, ZIM . (no ZAT)
Also KIM, Russo-Balt, Nami, Yag,

[Bruce302]

Gerald, the Trekka was a work run about, my other car was a 350 Monaro. No contest really. The Trekka was a little bit reliable, uncomfortable and a constant humiliation. But it did get more than 5 mpg, and it didn't get constant attention from the traffic cops. Those was the bonus points.

Bruce.


Bruce, you are lucky you didnt get a truck load of milk-powder as a bonus.

So, what did you think of the Trekka. Do you, like a number of people, have fond memories of it, or did you trade it in for the latest Cortina at the first opportunity?

[AMCO72]

Bruce.....I like your description of the Trekka as .....'a little bit reliable'. Perhaps you meant UNreliable. And a humiliation to whom?
Usually when a male is humiliated by the car he drives, it is because his daughter is....... 'not going to ride in that THING'..... Or maybe your workmates were giving you stick about it. Anyway you had a Muscle car, so you could go and tell them to 'stick it'.

[John McKechnie]

Bruce -I like the..a little bit reliable.
C class car better than B class public transport or A class walking.
Did you have the bumper sticker that every Trekka had....My other car is a 350 Monaro ......?

[John McKechnie]

or Comrade Thompsonashvilli ...My other car is also a Trekka........

[Bruce302]

Я не возражаю, судят о том, что я езжу. Быть так судил говорит больше о человеке судить, чем это делает меня.

Да здравствует Советский Союз.

Брюс.

[Kiwiboss]

You guys ave got nothing better to do!!! all this Russian speak about Trekas, Skoda's an all, OFF to Siberia for you lot.. Dale M

[John McKechnie]

Дорогой Брюс, я также согласен с Вашей философией. Вы считаете что Джеральд Gerald поймет нас? Дэйл не поймет это разговор. А сейчас идем выгуливать собак.

Yes, Long live Советсий Союз and their muscle car -V8 GAZ!

[AMCO72]

Bruce......such language, and this being a family forum!!!!!!!......I used to just dismiss Trekkas/Skodas etc without giving them a second thought. Now I think I quite like them, and I am going to ring my mate John right now and see if he still has the Felicia for sale. Now that is a machine that will strike fear into the hearts of all you Muscle Car boys.... a few bags of left-over milk powder in the boot should keep the back down......might be able to do a 1.14 lap of HD!!!!

Yeh Dale......with these long hot evenings and nothing to do but write rubbish on TRS, but I do know that the 'real' enthusiasts on here will NOT be looking at this site, and we are not compromising other sites, so that is ok. Markson, go to the top of the class.

[Bruce302]

.... a few bags of left-over milk powder in the boot should keep the back down......might be able to do a 1.14 lap of HD!!!!

By 1.14, I guess you mean 1 day 14 hours.................

[Bruce302]

Собака была шел дорогой товарищ.

[QUOTE=John McKechnie;24604]Дорогой Брюс, я также согласен с Вашей философией. Вы считаете что Джеральд Gerald поймет нас? Дэйл не поймет это разговор. А сейчас идем выгуливать собак.

[John McKechnie]

Tovarich Bruce-you are right.Dog is a mans best friend. Just been doing some laps of Wakaraka- us on the bikes and the 2 dogs running.They beat us.
Gerald--Did a convertible top on one of these Skoda- pronounced Schkoda- Felicia recently.Even have a Russian-what else-video that has 20 of these BRAND NEW, in red, blue and white..Can you sleep tonight thinking of it.?

[markson]

It would appear that the TREKKA and SKODA were not very popular cars,baring in mind that the TREKKA was NZ built.Markson

[John McKechnie]

The parents of a friend had a new Skoda Sabre in 1969. I thought it was a smart looking car.All the other class mates looked down on it for the fact it wasnt Brit, Aus, Yank,French,German-(VWs were always hot) If someone could get their mums Mini, it was great.My mum had a Renault R10 and I loved that car.There was prejudice at that time to these non mainstream cars. Skoda Machinery has a long history .Or simply was it -Trekka was made in NZ and we were ashamed of it. It was not racey like a DeJoux

[markson]

I couldn't imagine a couple of fence post's, a bale of hay and a ewe in lamb, in the back of a DeJoux
One of the best cars I ever owned and drove was a Renualt 25 and my current driver is a VOLVO S60 T5, which as matter of interest
broke 18 British land speed records, back in the year 2000 . Markson

[Shoreboy57]

I couldn't imagine a couple of fence post's, a bale of hay and a ewe in lamb, in the back of a DeJoux
. Markson

With Trekka's no more, perhaps the Laser has taken its place. Waiting fro the sheep jokes as this weeks story goes global:
"Four men, 10 sheep and one very small car. It’s not the start of a joke. It’s what police in New Zealand found Wednesday when a routine patrol turned decidedly woolly. An officer was driving along about 1 a.m. local time Wednesday in Havelock North when he noticed something odd about a 1994 Ford Laser hatchback as it labored along under the power of its 1.3-liter engine, police spokesman Guy Callahan said. “He would have done a double take and said, ‘What the hell?’” Callahan said. “The officer basically pulled the vehicle over and discovered it was full up with men and sheep. … It’s quite a small vehicle.” The 10 hog-tied sheep had allegedly just been stolen from a farm. Three of the men were charged with theft of stock and cruel treatment of an animal".

[John McKechnie]

Would any want to hear a similar story, this time about a 1930 Packard-not Skoda

[markson]

Hi Shoreboy57,Did they find any gum boots in the car, maybe they were off to a party. Markson

[AMCO72]

John, I think we should keep this thread 'pure'........dedicated to our beloved Trekka, and other comunist cars when they fit into the story.

Actually, thinking about it, wasnt the Packard one of the American makes that was 'copied' by the Russians. Wasnt it turned into the Zil or Zis or Zit, or some other equally awful device?

Please proceed with your story, but beware, the thread pirates are watching.

[John McKechnie]

Hi Gerald,
Yeah , have had several bullets from the thread pirates.
In 1936 Soviets had a зис-101 (ZIS-101).
There is a chap in Cambridge-NZ-who has a 1936 Reo which is identical.
No prizes for guessing who copied who.
Later there was a ZIS-110 which was an exact copy of the 39-41 Packard.
In USA Packard lost the dies and presses for this model when they started production after the war, and is is known that the Russians got them all to make these cars.
I had a 1936 Packard 120 B and when I showed the older people in Russia and Ukraine pictures of it they wanted to know how the KGB/GPU cars came to NZ.These were the cars that took people away at 4am to Lyubanka never to be seen again. More Packard models there.
Anyway, my story- a customer of mine in the 60s was offered 15 sheep at a Tauranga A& P show.He had no way of getting them home. There was a 1928 Packard tourer there-with jump seats in the back - which was almost a give away price.He put the sheep in the back and drove to Auckland. Crossing the ranges , he stopped for gas. The hood was up and all side windows were in place.The gas man asked what he had in the back.15 sheep.Rubbish, you can have the gas for nothing if you have 15 sheep in the back seat area of your car.
He opened the door , showed the man the sheep and had a full tank of gas for nothing.
40 years later the car still stank.
So, how many bullets will I get now or have I included enough communist cars to survive?

[Shoreboy57]

Gerald - apologies. This post has meandered a trifle, but we can celebrate 100 eclectic posts now

Back to Russians. -You might be interested in the ZIL-112 as it was a real Russian sports car. ZIL (Zavod Imeni Likhacheva) produced this between 1960 and 1962. Apparently the 112S initiated a number of firsts for cars produced in the Soviet Union such as controlled slip differential, disc brakes, radial-ply tires etc. It is powered by a 5980 cc V8 from the ZIL-111 equipped with four K-85 carburetors giving 230 hp and a top speed of 260 km/h (162 mph). It could do 0–100 km/h in 9 seconds. The total weight was 1,330 kg (2,932 lb). Steering and front suspension came from the GAZ M21 Volga. In the rear, it used De Dion suspension with triangular levers.

Between 1963 and 1965 the car set five all-Soviet Union records in the racetracks. I'm suspecting it was probably a handful

There's a pic on "Soviet cars we've newer seen http://englishrussia.com/2007/08/05/soviet-cars-weve-never-seen/

Altho' John has probably seen some of these given his encyclopedic knowledge of that country

[AMCO72]

That thread is outrageous........the comments are hilarious. Some poor bugger just wanted information, NOT biased political rantings.
Oh dear........quote....'the Lada is the BEST car ever made'...mmmmmmmmm. Well black is a lovely colour until you have seen red, blue, green...........

What puzzles me is......why cant/couldnt the soviets make a GOOD car. With all their wealth in mineral deposits etc, surley there was someone who could design something interesting. I suppose it is all about Government control......no private enterprise.

Also, think of the TU144.......yes it was a copy of the Concorde........the Concordski, despite strong denials. I tell you what though, take a look at some youtube videos of the TU144 taking off, and just check-out how those 32 wheels fold up into the aircraft.....incredible. Of course they didnt know about disc-brakes, and the size of the drums on the Concordski are like 44 gallon drums!!!!!!

Now the thread pirates are going to jump on me.

[John McKechnie]

I have a stamp collection which features all Russian cars , trucks buses from 1909-1990.
They learnt from Concorde, after it crashed they didnt build another one.
Yes a very similar copy.

[Shoreboy57]

16274

The ZIL-112S (aka Russian Ferrari)

[markson]

16275

They built race cars as well Markson

[Shoreboy57]

16276

This could have been pretty exciting

[John McKechnie]

Russian meaning of зарулем -behind the wheel

[John McKechnie]

Russian meaning of зарулем -behind the wheel
Shoreboy- where did you get the pic post 105-ZIL-112S. Anymore details on it?
Markson- what are the details of these racing cars please?
Saw a Soviet movie -1973- with a Russian 1958 Corvette V8 roadster set in Moscow.

[Powder]

16276

This could have been pretty exciting

Does anyone know what car No.10 is?
It looks like the body slipped in the jig when they were welding the rear guards on.
I guess we can't be too critical. They have more spectators in the middle of winter than was at the NZ Grand Prix 2 weeks ago.

[AMCO72]

With the number 55 on it, number 10 could be the Doyle Dickie Anglia!!!!!

'Comrade, you will watch the Motorace or you will carted off to Lyabanka in the Packard'!!!!!!!!!

[markson]

John Google Skoda museum, very interesting .Markson

[John McKechnie]

Tovarich Gerald- if you scratch the paint on the car, you, your mother, father, wife, children, cousins, brothers, sisters and all their family get a one way ticket to Magadan to dig for gold.
All will be singing- Magadan, Magadan, what a wonderful place,
Winter 52 weeks of the year, summer the rest...
Guess what the punishment is for spinning on the first corner......

[John McKechnie]

Markson- checked the Muzeum , there are a lot of beautiful and graceful cars. Did not see any utilitarian Trekkas there. Would absolutely be out of place there. Definitely say there are a lot of Skodas on show here I would be proud to own and be seen driving.

[Kiwiboss]

You guys are all friggen NUTS, nuts, nuts, nuts, LOL, lol. Though i luv Powders swipe at the NZ Grand Prix, how true he is, LOL

PS: I wonder what Historic racing in Russia is like today, Hmmmmmmm Comrade John will know for sure!!!

I gotta go, LOL

Dale(LOL)M

[Kiwiboss]

You guys are all friggen NUTS, nuts, nuts, nuts, LOL, lol. Though i luv Powders swipe at the NZ Grand Prix, how true he is, LOL

PS: I wonder what Historic racing in Russia is like today, Hmmmmmmm Comrade John will know for sure!!!

I gotta go, LOL

Dale(LOL)M

[John McKechnie]

Dale , if you really want to see HMC in Russia-http://englishrussia.com/2009/03/26/soviet-racing

[Bruce302]

Comrade McKechnievich's new Historic Muscle car.

http://i47.tinypic.com/j9lv29.jpg

[Kiwiboss]

Comrade McKechnievich's new Historic Muscle car.

http://i47.tinypic.com/j9lv29.jpg

Looks like "non HMC legal" japanese mirrors on the front fenders, hmmm can't have that, they gotta GO, LOL

Dale M

[AMCO72]

Dale, if we are all so bloody nuts, as you keep pointing out, there are a heck of a lot of others looking at the roaring season who are nuts as well........look at the number of hits the Trusty Rusty Trekka site has had in such a short time.

This site has dipped into an area that otherwise might never have seen the light of day, well not amonst the true blue Historic racing brigade. And we are lucky that we have Comrade John who has had first hand knowledge of these things, to point us in the right direction.

However I have grave fears for Johns safety as he may get a visit from an HMC enthusiast at 4am in the morning and be transported to Stewart Island!!!!!!

And there is no LOL after that.

[Oldfart]

I find it hugely interesting that this thread jumped from a Czech based NZ "thing" to Russian so quickly!
As one of those who used a Skoda, complete with the Flying Dork emblem, in NZ motorsport events (52 of them) way back when, it intrigues me.
My trusty mate GeeBee is highly upset that this thread has surpassed his B & H thread with both hits, and postings. Please keep them coming to get him even more pissed off! :)

[Bruce302]

Little known fact. The lovely Skoda was the inspiration behind the Porsche 934/5 etc.

Was this yours Rhys ?

http://i46.tinypic.com/20tfnz9.jpg

[Shoreboy57]

Little known fact. The lovely Skoda was the inspiration behind the Porsche 934/5 etc.

Was this yours Rhys ?

http://i46.tinypic.com/20tfnz9.jpg

Now that's a real boy-racer

[AMCO72]

Oldfart, I dont know why the thread 'degenerated' into things Russian from things Czech, cos Im sure that many more NZers have driven Czech derived vehicles than Russian. I'm not sure how much the heavy hand of Russia influenced Czech engineering in the old days, but as ignorant Kiwis we/I just lump all that stuff from that huge continent into one basket.

I drove a Massey-Fergusson tractor some years ago that had been built in Belarus using all the patterns from the original. Unfortunately the casting steel used was not up to scratch and these machines had a bad reputation for porous blocks, and gave a lot of trouble which did the MF name no good at all.

Markson started the thread as a picture of an, almost, unidentifyable chassis in the long grass, and here we are thrashing stuff around that most of us know absolutely nothing about. But isnt that great, and I hope that it will continue for a while yet. I gave it about 2 days at the start and was sure it would peter-out like a lot of threads, but no.

Now Dale is requiring all of us nut cases to be sent to Siberia, but I have a sneeky suspicion that he and other 'died-in-the-wool' posters on TRS are secretly enjoying it. Well as you say, it has surpassed other much more fancied threads and is accelerating about as fast as the 112S..... 0 to 100 in 9 secs...Now if that thing can do 160 MILES per hour, I'll eat my hat......think they may have confussed MPH with KPH......Look at the back-yard extractor system, skinny cross-ply tires etc.....no no no no......well not with me behind the wheel anyway.

By the way, good to see you back Oldfart to give us some more pithy comments, and to hell with the knockers.

[Shoreboy57]

As for racing in the old Eastern Bloc, as a youngster I used to regualrly read Motoring News from UK - a weekly English newspaper that covered everything from F1 to hillclimbs on Guernsey. Arrived in NZ by slow ship about 3 months after print date but was about the only way to stay in touch with motor racing in our one tv channel, no internet world (at least until we had some good local racing journals). Anyway, in the UK off season they would always do season summaries of all the classes, and delve into motor racing around the world. One of the quirks would be a review of racing in the Eastern bloc. I recall the Baltic states, Latvia Estonia etc had a mini industry of enthusiasts building and racing single-seaters without the infrastructure available in the west. Somewhat like early days in NZ I guess where the cars were created locally as best they could.

I also recall there was also a track in what was then Czechoslovakia (Brno) which some of the Euro series would visit, Euro Touring Cars and World Champ bikes. Apparently hairy like old Spa, about 18km on on public roads (see pic). Suspect there was some interesting cross-border trade going on with those events

16299

[markson]

When you have a look at the Skoda museum site ,it makes the Kiwi effort of the TREKKA, look pretty sick.Markson

[GeebeeNZ]

They may not look like Trekkas but these are all Skodas including the twin cam sportscar.
16302
16303
16304

[John McKechnie]

When you have a look at the Skoda museum site ,it makes the Kiwi effort of the TREKKA, look pretty sick.Markson

Markson- you are totally correct. NZ had a chance to produce something great, and fell flat. Extreme utilitarian shape.No wonder they dont want something like the Trekka in their Muzeum of Beautiful cars going back 100 years. That Muzeum leaves most car exhibitions I have seen for dead. Absolutely non teutonic, and more appealing than French or Italian. Trekka is a kit car not a Factory car.They were lucky they could make they before testing to destruction became mandatory-pushing Volvos over a cliff.

[markson]

Hi John
Did you have any other info, on that Bruce Goldwater. Markson

[John McKechnie]

Markson- I have more personal info than car info. If that helps , I can tell you.This info is probably best off this thread, and with a phone call. I think it would help fill gaps.

[markson]

Hi John can you send me a personal message with your phone number Markson

[Grant Sprague]

As for racing in the old Eastern Bloc, as a youngster I used to regualrly read Motoring News from UK - a weekly English newspaper that covered everything from F1 to hillclimbs on Guernsey. Arrived in NZ by slow ship about 3 months after print date but was about the only way to stay in touch with motor racing in our one tv channel, no internet world (at least until we had some good local racing journals). Anyway, in the UK off season they would always do season summaries of all the classes, and delve into motor racing around the world. One of the quirks would be a review of racing in the Eastern bloc. I recall the Baltic states, Latvia Estonia etc had a mini industry of enthusiasts building and racing single-seaters without the infrastructure available in the west. Somewhat like early days in NZ I guess where the cars were created locally as best they could.

I also recall there was also a track in what was then Czechoslovakia (Brno) which some of the Euro series would visit, Euro Touring Cars and World Champ bikes. Apparently hairy like old Spa, about 18km on on public roads (see pic). Suspect there was some interesting cross-border trade going on with those events

16299

LOL , hey we have been to similar places ??? Also the Mount on that summers weekend in the 60's.

I visited Guernsey for a wee sneeky long weekend & on the ferry heading to the Channel Islands were sum great hill climb cars , I did not realize at the time it was part [guernsey] of the UK hill climb championship, I could not believe my eyes F! cars etc , I think the front man was Roy Lane if my memory serve me right in a DFV purpose built hill climb car , winding up through beautiful country side in these cars , I look back & think shit these are brave guys ??

[markson]

16305

Do I see a SKODA ??? Markson

[AMCO72]

Dont think so......a Simca Aronde ??????

[John McKechnie]

Gerald- you are correct

[AMCO72]

Do you know, I am absolutely gobsmacked by the images of the Skoda Museum. Although I dont know why I should be. This is an Auto maker that has been in business for over 100 years. The whole problem with me, and I suspect others, is that I was totally ignorant of the scale of the Skoda works and their history. Dont know how this amazing facility has escaped the heavy hand of the Russian politicians.

I see a D type Jaguar tucked away in there too.....amazing.

If it handn't have been for markson finding some old chassis buried in the long grass, I, and I guess many others would still be in the dark about this little known, in this country, machine. We all tended to make jokes about the Trekka, but now I am going to have a great deal more respect for things SKODA............Bravo!!!!!!!

[John McKechnie]

My sentiments exactly Gerald.I was stunned by the selection, style and originality .Russians grabbed it during the war and kept it because Skoda made cannons and weapons.Logically really.
Great thing about this site-its the people and the contribution that is made and shared.

[markson]

I am going out after fire wood again tomorrow,I wonder whats in store for next week .Markson

[markson]

With a bit of luck ,when we go scratching around ,we might be lucky to find a rego plate, or a warrant sticker.Markson

[markson]

16314

Trekka Skoda chassis

[markson]

Just as a matter of interest I measured the wheel base of the Markson today ,at 94.5 inches and as a pure coincident A Skoda Octivia Combi is the same??? Markson

[John McKechnie]

Time for some serious information-In Dec 1969 a Skoda Sabre 1100 MB with radio and radial ply tyres as standard was available for $2293.
Price was OK in comparison with BMC models.
The Isuzu Bellet 1500 was $2751 from Moller Motors.
Toyota Corona was $50 more, Nissan was a little less.

[Shoreboy57]

I am going out after fire wood again tomorrow,I wonder whats in store for next week .Markson

No signs of an Anziel Nova nearby?

[jamie]

Hi Gang was having A bad hair day have just read the thred FLLING much BETTER nowJAMIE A

[Oldfart]

No, Anziel Nova is still mobile with the original owner north of Kaukapakapa. Reg on hold

[Shoreboy57]

No, Anziel Nova is still mobile with the original owner north of Kaukapakapa. Reg on hold

Said owner has a very eclectic "art" collection, so this makes sense

[John McKechnie]

Hi Gang was having A bad hair day have just read the thred FLLING much BETTER nowJAMIE A

Jamie, Dale said we are nuts on this thread.
Read it, ideal to unstress with.
Add some trekka, skoda, soviet car, you will feel even better for it.

[GeebeeNZ]

The Czechs left the Trekka to the Kiwis and they went on to build cars like this.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2GxNcZc17E

[AMCO72]

What, have we run out of steam already. This thread has been about as enduring as the vehicles being discussed.

Have just booked my flight to Siberia..........

[John McKechnie]

Gerald- is the HMC thread too boring, and you have come here for some excitement?
Now which part of Siberia are you going to?
Magadan, as I discussed earlier, , while the weather is extreme, does have plenty of gold to be dug up.
Very handy to have as fillings in your teeth as security.
By the way, Russians do actually get false teeth made of gold, quite impressive.
Basically Lake Baikal is a great place in Siberia to visit, I have been there, a bit like Taupo but enormous.

[Oldfart]

And the Czech Republic where the NON RUSSIAN Skoda comes from is very beautiful with staggering historic legacies

[John McKechnie]

Gerald -Also in Siberia is Novosibirsk, home of aircraft factories making Polycarpovs and Yakovlevs.
Dont take the TranzSiberian railways, waste of time Mind you, you could do a lot of knitting there..........

[Racer Rog]

Ther used to be a Skoda Rally car in Dunedin, up in Highgate, I think it was a x Heatway Rally car, wonder what happened to that
Roger

[Trevor Sheffield]

Ther used to be a Skoda Rally car in Dunedin, up in Highgate, I think it was a x Heatway Rally car, wonder what happened to that
Roger

Probably one of two cars purchased by Colin Waite and which enabled the immaculate restored car he now has in his Auckland garage.

[Shoreboy57]

18715

Just refreshing this thread - it is winterafter all - proof that even Skoda's could fly

[Rod Grimwood]

Probably one of two cars purchased by Colin Waite and which enabled the immaculate restored car he now has in his Auckland garage.

This one with Colin and Alan Woolf having a play. Ron Kendall having a look for misfire. Ron prepared and serviced these cars way back in Heatway days. He also drove it in Waiuku Rally way back then and was leading until some silly thing broke. and this was with the likes of the top Escorts and Mazdas there.

[Rod Grimwood]

As it sits at the moment. But not for long as I dropped into see Ron and Arthur a couple of weeks back, and he showed me a box with some very nice rods and others with pistons, springs etc. With Arthurs engineering skills, and Rons mechanical skills, Colin is going to have a little ripper.
Check out the mileage and condition of interior, a tidy car.

People may make jokes about them, but never heard of a Escort. Toyota or Mazda climbing, driving back up about a 200 foot hillside by itself and continuing on the rally. Maybe Mr Coker (Skoda Man) can elaborate on this.

[Oldfart]

Gee Rod, I never expected you to back these! I bought one of the ex Heatway cars way back in the day. I used it as my road car and did 52 events in a bit over 2 years. It never let me down, we never did more than basic maintenance, took the head off once as suspected weaping gasket, gave it a new gasket and put it all back together. After all the running expenses of tyres (very few) fuel, oil etc I made an $8 profit from the events. Who else can beat that one? At the end of all that, Heatways, road, events, the worst thing was an annoying buzz rattle from the glovebox lid!

[Rod Grimwood]

Gee Rod, I never expected you to back these! I bought one of the ex Heatway cars way back in the day. I used it as my road car and did 52 events in a bit over 2 years. It never let me down, we never did more than basic maintenance, took the head off once as suspected weaping gasket, gave it a new gasket and put it all back together. After all the running expenses of tyres (very few) fuel, oil etc I made an $8 profit from the events. Who else can beat that one? At the end of all that, Heatways, road, events, the worst thing was an annoying buzz rattle from the glovebox lid!

Shh! I actually had one years back, drove around and used as workshop hack, ran on smell of petrol and made money on it because I saw it in back of a guys workshop and he said if you can start it it's yours. put in battery and petrol down carb, 3 winds and bang, cloud of spiders and crap out the back and away it went. Got back to my workshop and discovered that the tickly feeling on my legs was ants, it was a big mobile ants nest. Parked it outside on grass and got pest bomb and let it sit for a day and there was spiders, a million ants and just about every thing that crawled dead all over the floor. Used it for about 6 months and sold it to some backpackers who van had dusted it's self down the road.

Also remember when Ron was playing with them way back then.

I wouldn't mind one of the new rally ones right now.

[rf84]

About 20 years ago there was a Skoda coupe for sale for a few hundred dollars in Hastings. It was a similar green to the "works" 4 door cars, had the same alloy wheels and a full roll cage. Don't know where it came from or here it went to.
Jim Gregory also turned up to a HBCC standing 1/4 mile sprint in a rally Lada Samara and recorded a time in the 14 second bracket! There was much scoffing and disbelief but he repeated the feat several times during the day. Eastern European cars were the butt of many jokes but some of them went very well.

[Spgeti]

Mike Price owns a Works Lada Samara and a NZ built copy. They are absolutely awsome and apart from the body everything else was Cosworth prepared. The Skodas I remember years ago looking at one of them on display at St Lukes shopping centre before the start of the Heatway. The note on the dash said " Drive until the End ".
Cool pic of the Skoda getting air.

[Spgeti]

Mike Price owns a Works Lada Samara and a NZ built copy. They are absolutely awesome and apart from the body everything else was Cosworth prepared. The Skodas I remember years ago looking at one of them on display at St Lukes shopping centre before the start of the Heatway. The note on the dash said " Drive until the End ".
Cool pic of the Skoda getting air.

[Milan Fistonic]

This is a page from the "Service Manual prepared by MOTOR LINES LTD for the instruction of personnel within the dealer organisation."


18747

[Shoreboy57]

This is a page from the "Service Manual prepared by MOTOR LINES LTD for the instruction of personnel within the dealer organisation."


18747
Almost as big a range as MINI

[markson]

After all this time
I just thought I would breath a little life back into this thread.and was wondering if anyone on here has, or had, any knowledge of anyone ever building a special useing this offered Skoda chassis kit ??? .Markson

[Allan]

When I was a Service Adviser at Town and Country Cars in Auckland we sent workshop boy of to Hamilton in something Australian with an A frame to collect a voluntary prepossession of a Trekka. The man at the service station insisted that he tie the steering wheel so it couldn't move so being a good lad he did just that, lashed it to whatever he could and set off. Somewhere around Rangariri the Trekka took over ripped itself away from the tow car and rolled into a farmers paddock. The poor kid was standing there looking at the mess when the farmer came up to him and said "Don't worry about is son, I saw the whole thing, he was following you far too close".

[markson]

Ha Ha Ha I like that, this might be the one Alan ;) Markson

[Ross Hollings]

Owned a Trekka in the late 70,s. My Trekka story......................lived at the time in the Waitakeries /Waiatarua,had a Take Away/Cafe at the Turners Fruit Market in the city [Auckland],use to leave home and drive the Trekka to work,leaving around 5.30am each morning.Went via Henderson........one day a dog ran out in front of me,swerved to miss it,managed to put the Trekka on its side in a small ditch.Few curtains were drawn at the nearby houses,no one came out !!!! Along came a guy and he had a towrope,quick pull over by him and Trickie Trekka [as it was known] Was back on its wheels small dent in front guard,straightened mirror, Started motor,Drove to work !!!
Other story...........helped a friend do some landscaping,went to garden centre and loaded up Trekka with wooded formers to build a retaining wall,quite a lot actually,Trickie sat there no problem..................till i moved off,suspension settled and front wheels lifted off ground !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Great little wagon,even had a slippery diff i am told,used to use it to carry my Go Kart in when i started racing Karts.Never cost me a penny except oil and fuel............sold it with the dent in it.

[markson]

LOL Ross .Markson

[markson]

I just wonder ?

If the NZ Govt exchanged milk biscuit's for the copyright's to this machine
and commisioned the building of the trekka ???It looks pretty close .Markson


26922

[Kwaussie]

^^^^
Blue hat to cream trousers " Glad we got a Jeep "

[Jac Mac]

Passenger side appears to have its own set of pedals as well.

[markson]

I think this might have been the Kiwi version,

2692326924

Until the Govt done a deal with Shoda for Butter :D .Markson

[John McKechnie]

Duzgo duz made it onto this-http://www.uglycars.co.uk/feedback1.asp?offset=174.
The Trekka SUV is on the next page.

[markson]

Hi Jac Mac The reason for that is, it would enable them to do a very quick 180 deg turn
when being chased by the police, via the passenger or the driver not pedalling
The short wheel base would also help???.Markson

[Kevin Hirst]

I think this might have been the Kiwi version,

2692326924

Until the Govt done a deal with Shoda for Butter :D .Markson

Are the fan blades on the wheels for keeping the legs cool, or for cabin air conditioning.

[Oldfart]

Good friend of mine (since went missing at sea) drove his Trekka over the Bridle Path from Lyttelton to the Tunnel entrance at Heathcote. If you don't know the path, it is a very big achievement!

[markson]

Hi Kevin Hirst

I think the idea of the fan blades on the wheels, are for when they cross rivers or lakes
I think they just alter the angle of attack on the blades to give them foward propulsion,
The only trouble is the silly buggers have the blades facing the wrong way
Was your friend trying to do the same in his Trekka Oldfart and cross Cook Stait (missing at sea).Markson

[John McKechnie]

When I was in Ukraine, I came across a Lada Niva that had a similar set up on the wheels, the guy said that the angle of the blades definitely helped when in the Sea of Azov

[markson]

26951


This guy had the right idea, he put a Mercury outboard on the back as well
I saw this in the viaduct basin when the Americas cup was held a few years ago
I am not sure if the outboard provided the main power, or was just an auxiliary motor just in case the main Ford Mercury motor broke down. Markson

[markson]

After a second look at the props on this wagon those guys are not as silly as I first thought, and they really are pretty clever,if you take a close look at the props you will see that they will work fine just as they are, and provide forward motion and reverse, just as they are.They might have had some input into the design of the Boomerang.Markson


26952

[Kevin Hirst]

After a second look at the props on this wagon those guys are not as silly as I first thought, and they really are pretty clever,if you take a close look at the props you will see that they will work fine just as they are, and provide forward motion and reverse, just as they are.They might have had some input into the design of the Boomerang.Markson


26952

Any idea why they are looking the bonnet [hood], maybe, yea 454 should fit.

[markson]

Hi Kevin Maybe they are trying to figure out how many of them can fit in there
when they do a runner over the boarder, or should I say a pedaller ??? Markson

[John McKechnie]

"Any idea why they are looking the bonnet [hood], maybe, yea 454 should fit."-

Maybe they are looking at the one remaining missing horse shoe from Far Lap

[markson]

26957

I had better email them and let then know that I have it John .Markson

[John McKechnie]

oooooooops, that might lower this Jeeps value.................

[Trevor Sheffield]

oooooooops, that might lower this Jeeps value.................

Jeepers creepers ! LOL

[markson]

Hi John .
Its been in my families possession for the last 85 years
It was mounted on the back of the cab, on my uncles 1936 Diamond T truck for over 40 year's .Markson