Poll: Yay or Nay?

"Klaus Schmoll" (klausschmoll) 05/12/2016 at 14:16 • Filed to: None

3

25

Life in the slow lane, a.k.a. not commuting by car this months has a few upsides. One of them being that you see some shit you would have missed otherwise. Like this slammed Wartburg 353 de luxe chrome bumper on some weird Mercedes style (the center caps had the three-pointed star on them) chrome wheels.

Apart from the wheels and suspension mods it was in pristine original condition.

This is also an original Wartburg colour. I doubt that it’s the original paint though. Much like every other car from that era, they tended to rust, but being behind the iron curtain meant that you couldn’t just throw it away and buy another one. So they usually got a resto after 10 years or so with new panels, if you could get your hands on them, some cutting and welding and in very desperate cases even a new body shell, accompanied by a new lick of paint.

How it passed inspection to get historic plates (ending in H) is beyond me, as this isn’t exactly a period correct modification. The plates also tell us that it was driven over 600 kms to the sunny island in the North. So ride quality can’t be that bad.

This is the original ride height. Come to think of it, the black badges and black air vent on the c-pillar might indicate that it is a later model retrofitted with chrome trim.

Anyways, what’s you opinion on it? Brutally slaughtered classic or whatever floats your goat?

BmanUltima's car still hasn't been fixed yet, he'll get on it tomorrow, honest. > Klaus Schmoll 05/12/2016 at 14:21

0

I like it. Also the trunk lid and hood look cool with the clamshell? design.

Berang > Klaus Schmoll 05/12/2016 at 14:23

1

I would drive it.

RallyWrench > Klaus Schmoll 05/12/2016 at 14:24

0

I really like it. As a BMW 2002 dork, I like these anyway because they hint strongly of the Neue Klasse sedans.

RallyWrench > BmanUltima's car still hasn't been fixed yet, he'll get on it tomorrow, honest. 05/12/2016 at 14:25

0

Look familiar?

BmanUltima's car still hasn't been fixed yet, he'll get on it tomorrow, honest. > RallyWrench 05/12/2016 at 14:27

0

Is that a 2002?

RallyWrench > BmanUltima's car still hasn't been fixed yet, he'll get on it tomorrow, honest. 05/12/2016 at 14:28

0

Close, it’s the car that preceded it, the “Neue Klasse” sedan. This one’s an 1800TiSA, the racing version.

Ash78, voting early and often > Klaus Schmoll 05/12/2016 at 14:30

0

I would probably drive ANY Wartburg in the US because I’ve literally never seen one on the street before. That said, I’d probably want it to at least look closer to stock. However, in the Fatherland I would probably drive it modded like this (or similar) just to stand out a little more. I don’t love those wheels on it, but that's just preference.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Klaus Schmoll 05/12/2016 at 14:33

0

You should be driving this instead of not driving.

BvdV - The Dutch Engineer > Klaus Schmoll 05/12/2016 at 14:36

0

Yay, because column-shifted manual:

Though it does need some other wheels, maybe deep dish steel wheels would work with it being as low as it is.

Klaus Schmoll > RallyWrench 05/12/2016 at 14:37

0

Well, it’s your typical no-nonsense, three-box, all-straight lines sedan. When the 353 was released it was a pretty modern design that didn’t look out of place next to it’s Western counterparts. Too bad none of the planned successors ever got greenlighted, and they had to make do with slight modifications until it looked like this:

Seat Safety Switch > Klaus Schmoll 05/12/2016 at 14:38

0

I would daily drive the hell out of a Wartburg.

Klaus Schmoll > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie 05/12/2016 at 14:39

0

One month suspension.

http://oppositelock.kinja.com/goodbye-old-fr…

Klaus Schmoll > RallyWrench 05/12/2016 at 14:41

0

Also, the Wartburgs were made at the old BMW plant.

RallyWrench > Klaus Schmoll 05/12/2016 at 14:44

0

That reminds me like one of the South American market Mk2 VW Jettas I see occasionally or the Chinese market version of same I’ve seen in pictures that have updated fascias but still look 3o years old in the middle. Poor things.

RallyWrench > Klaus Schmoll 05/12/2016 at 14:46

0

Aha! That explains much. The clamshell hood and trunk do it.

Jonee > Klaus Schmoll 05/12/2016 at 14:47

0

Definitely not brutally slaughtered, but I can’t decide if I like it. Knowing that those are Mercedes wheels might be what’s stopping me from committing. I would have no qualms about driving a Wartburg, though.

FSI - alcohol enthusiast with a car problem > Klaus Schmoll 05/12/2016 at 14:50

0

Die Felgen sind tatsächlich von Mercedes Benz. Ich bin zwar Fan von tiefergelegten Autos aber den Wartburg würde ich so nicht fahren. Aber einen schönen originalen mit Chromstoßstangen hingegen schon. Obwohl Lenkradschaltung echt ungewöhnlich ist.

PartyPooper2012 > Klaus Schmoll 05/12/2016 at 14:54

0

only yay if it had spinners... otherwise... meh. not really a nay material

Klaus Schmoll > FSI - alcohol enthusiast with a car problem 05/12/2016 at 14:59

0

I drove one in the 90s. Even jumped it on some mud roads a bit. You get used to the shifter pretty quick. After all it’s just a H-pattern.

FSI - alcohol enthusiast with a car problem > Klaus Schmoll 05/12/2016 at 15:22

0

I imagine that you could have probably got a Wartburg or Trabant for a crate of beer and a box of bananas in the 90s. I actually looked them up on mobile.de because of your post and kinda want one now.

Klaus Schmoll > FSI - alcohol enthusiast with a car problem 05/12/2016 at 15:42

0

I should have clarified that it wasn’t mine. I was just visiting some friends and they insisted that the Wessi should test the Ossi car for shits and giggles.

Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) is dead, long live Bman76 M. Arch > Klaus Schmoll 05/12/2016 at 15:44

0

I think it’s completely awesome. I’d DD it.

FSI - alcohol enthusiast with a car problem > Klaus Schmoll 05/12/2016 at 15:50

0

Oops. I was making the assumption that cars from the GDR were worth nothing back then. Driving a Trabi or Wartburg is on my bucket list of cars I want to drive.

Klaus Schmoll > FSI - alcohol enthusiast with a car problem 05/12/2016 at 15:53

1

And you were right. At that time they were worth a crate of beer. That’s why I was allowed to jump it. It wasn’t like I could destroy anything of actual value.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Klaus Schmoll 05/13/2016 at 07:16

0

Oh man, that SUUUUCKS!