M461
For over a year, I’ve entertained notions of being a Trabant driver in Romania. Pick up a plastic dart, then modify it to the extreme. A kind of eastern Europe “pimp my bucket” vision.
Raise the rear suspension, slap on a whale tail, hood scoop, ground effects, the neon light on the under carriage, chromed out, darkest window tinting possible, spray it down in a glossy jet black with a series of flames burning the sides.
With great vision, you could make the baddest Trabant on the planet.
Oh, sure, the locals would trip. Not like many people around here would throw away money tricking out a Trabant when most people hate the car with a passion.
But, there’s always someone who will plush out a Trabant, turn it into a 4×4 monster, make it into one kind of limo or another. I fantasized I’d be one of those nuts who make you shake your head in wonder.
I’ve had a change of heart lately. The Trabant itself turns out to be a real pain in the rear axle to drive, due to two-stroke, two-cylinder engine complete with manual choke.
Plus, I like a number of other older cars which are just as exotic to my eyes like the Citroen 2CV, Renault Dauphine Gordini, Fiat 850, and others I’ve seen in Braşov.
Bucureşti has dazzled me with a new obsession.
It’s the Aro M461 whose primary duty was off-road military service, akin to the American Jeep. Check out the photos of the 1971 trek across Africa in an M461. Granted, when beautifully restored, these trucks seem to fetch a pretty penny for this part of the world.
There may not be a lot of nostalgia for old cars in Romania right now, but as more time passes the wounds get healed, average incomes rise, and the number of wealthy people grow.
That should mean an improved market for restored classics. Any idea what something like this would sell for in another 10 years? Hard to say for sure, but I love this beastie.
I want one.
Now!
April 12th, 2007 at 8:42 pm
I don’t understand this obsession with the OLD. But then again I like trendy things. It’s hard out here for a snob. :))
Invest in some, be wary of rusty engines though, romerican!
April 12th, 2007 at 9:15 pm
They had a pimp my ride international series, but if recollection serves me correctly they never made it any further east than Poland (trust me I watched them all in the desperate hope that they featured Romania) in this Polish rip however they did pimp a Trabant
Insert bad taste pictures here:
http://autotuningswiat.pl/component/option,com_zoom/Itemid,61/catid,23/
As for the old car obsession, I share your pain but be wary that it doesn’t prematurely age you and you end up one of those guys at the car rallies with the other “enthusiasts” talking abou your over-head cams and where you went for a sunday picnic in the old girl last week.
April 13th, 2007 at 12:08 am
One thing I noticed about a lot of cars in Romania is that they always have Romania decals on them. In fact, I bought one and put it on my computer case :)
April 13th, 2007 at 12:27 am
Man, I have ALWAYS wanted one of those. They’re cool little boxes :) I think that would be the only thing that would make want to drive. If you get one, let me know where from.
April 13th, 2007 at 2:01 pm
http://www.autovit.ro/vs2cautaauto.php?subcategorie=100&caroserie=0&Marca=30&Model=0&An=&Carburant=0&PMin=&PMax=&moneda=E&Putere=&judet=0&automata=0&airbaguri=0&supl=&OOrdine=Pret&categorie=1&sens=DESC&Submit=++++Cauta+%21+++
see number 4. it’s cheap. looks nice
April 14th, 2007 at 12:31 am
[...] dream of a Trabant has been replaced with something else: “There may not be a lot of nostalgia for old cars in [...]
April 17th, 2007 at 11:03 pm
A little off topic, but interesting just the same..I found this in a news report about the Virginia Tech shooting…
“and Liviu Librescu, an Israeli engineering and math lecturer who was said to have protected his students’ lives by blocking the doorway of his classroom from the approaching gunman.”
Have you any thoughts as to how bad the news screws up someones ethnicity…or did they just make up a name?
Sad, just the same…but you don’t ever hear of any shootings like this happening in Europe now do we?
April 18th, 2007 at 3:17 am
…Makes me think of my old Land Cruiser….. someday, I’ll get anothe
April 18th, 2007 at 11:19 am
DROP TRAPANT !!! big news . There are about 1.5 millions Romenians in Italy and they have founded a political party to compete at local elections. In Italy, as you probably know, there more political parties then pizza-restaurants. We really love politicians, they are never enough for us. Welcome on board Romanians.
-
ROMANI, inscrieti-va pe listele electorale!
Catre Romanii din ITALIA pentru a participa la alegerile din Italia care au loc in aceasta primavara, ROMANII TREBUIE sa se INSCRIE pe listele speciale pe langa PRIMARIA ( COMUNE) unde au RESEDINTA. ASTFEL puteti avea reprezentantul VOSTRU in orasul unde locuiti.
martedì 17 aprile 2007
Numirea Vicepresedintelui PIR si al Reprezentantului PIR pe Nord Italia
Ieri a avut loc la Roma o sedinta extraordinara a Secretariatului National. Cu aceasta ocazie au fost fost numiti de catre Secretarul Nationale Geta Lupu:
Vicentiu Acostandei, Vicepresedinte al Partidului Identitatea Romaneasca
Marius Burghelea, Responsabil PIR pentr Nord Italia.
Pubblicato da info@identitatearomaneasca.it a 18.58 0 commenti
Numirea Vicepresedintelui PIR si al Reprezentantului PIR pe Nord Italia
Ieri a avut loc la Roma o sedinta extraordinara a Secretariatului National. Cu aceasta ocazie au fost fost numiti de catre Secretarul Nationale Geta Lupu:
Vicentiu Acostandei, Vicepresedinte al Partidului Identitatea Romaneasca
Marius Burghelea, Responsabil PIR pentr Nord Italia. -
(What do they say?, nothing unpolite I hope)
April 18th, 2007 at 2:58 pm
Sad to hear you won;t be joining the ranks of “plastic dart” chauffeurs.
Your truck does look cool, though.
April 18th, 2007 at 11:16 pm
“Have you any thoughts as to how bad the news screws up someones ethnicity…or did they just make up a name?”
The guy was a Romanian Jew who emigrated first to Israel and only then to the US. He was probably an Israely citizen. Many Romanian Jews romanianized their names during the course of history in order to better blend in, and sometimes avoid problems in troubled times. Liviu is one of their favourite choices of names when it comes to that. “Librescu” on the other hand could have been fashioned in relationship to a certain academic tradition running through the family.
Anyway, for his career as well as his actions during the Virginia Techi incidents, he was just awarded the highest order that can be given to civilians during peace time in Romania. Our president just awarded him a post mortem Order of the Star of Romania. I’m not sure about the rank. I think it’s Grand Cross but the details can probably be found somewhere in the news.
Oh, and the M461 Rocks!
April 18th, 2007 at 11:45 pm
Thanks for the Info Tudor, My wife and I read that and we’re surprised to see the Romanian Israely name….nice to see Romania recognize a worthy cause
April 20th, 2007 at 8:11 am
What is going on with the eggers lately?
April 23rd, 2007 at 6:24 pm
Lumi – I’ve avoided a good number of trendy-for-the-sake-of-being-trendy things as I’d like to imagine myself not a sheep. I’ve had some luxurious cars before and enjoyed them, but there’s something awesome about preserving the magic of yesteryear’s cars. In fact, it probably is trendy: millions of Americans do it. And so does every single billionaire. Even “King Mihai” does.
Alex – That’s a bitchin ride they’ve plushed out there. Checker top wagon is definitely slammin. If I were sitting around on a pile of money these days, that’s precisely what I’d do: trick out a trabant wagon, inside and out.
Jacob – The recent trend I’ve seen for about 6 months has been to plaster your car with the EU circle sticker. You may have to upgrade :)
Luiza – It is nice to have that European default of not driving. Before coming here, I thought I would hate it but I’ve grown to love it. And since I don’t need a car in Romania, I wouldn’t buy one that didn’t really ring my bells. So, yeah, M461 is definitely attractive and if I did pick one up in the future, we’ll take you for a spin somewhere.
mutz – You’re a devil and a god. Wow! $3K for that truck? I’ve been agitated for a week thinking it over and you’re the one to blame.
Ron – I was knocked out for a week; bed-ridden and sickly without the wherewithall to even turn on the computer for several days, so I kinda missed all that. I guess the great gun debate will rage on and someone will try to blame Islam for it. This Librescu guy was definitely a Romanian, but he wasn’t a Jesus believer so that makes him somehow an outsider.
American Friend – Reminds me of the Willy’s jeep!
strudel – political pizza?
Jon – I think half the problem is I can live vicariously through you!!
Tudor – Thanks for all the info on Liviu. I would like to mention that several the Romanian newspaper websites which allow comments from readers were full of ridiculous nonsense of people calling Librescu a “traitor” for leaving Romania when he was a persecuted academic with the chance to escape as well as other, more blatently racist, losers crying out loud that he was some kind of filthy jew who would never have been a Romanian really anyway. It makes me nauseous these people still have large enough numbers to be heard. Romania should be very proud that “local boy makes good” without any voices spewing hatred.
Ron – All quiet on the western front.
April 25th, 2007 at 5:46 am
ok so I’m about to put a 1981 Trabant with 11000 miles on it on ebay.
I really dont want to part with this treasure but I’m in a divorce and the
special toys have to go
It runs and runs great
I’ll miss her
any interested buyers contact me or view the ebay starting Friday
Eric Trondle
Ericxxxxx@xxx.com
[Sanitized. -R!]
April 25th, 2007 at 6:16 pm
what did you do to them…hmmmm???
Are we going to hear something of “enraged Romerican disposes of local trash” on the news, or did they just lose interest now that easter has come and gone? Anyway, you’re better off now…..you’ll just need to find a new source of fresh eggs!
July 2nd, 2007 at 5:20 pm
[...] Lately, I’ve gravitated toward the Aro M461. [...]
March 14th, 2008 at 6:21 pm
Hi. I also really wanted an ARO M461 when I was living in Romania in 2004. So I bought one. And I shipped it to the USA. Now I drive it around the Adirondacks and Vermont, turning heads everywhere. It’s an awesome vehicle, and definitely a conversation piece. If you’re ever around Lake George, stop by for a ride. I haven’t met any non-Romanian in America who even knows what it is…
Jason
Whitehall, NY
December 28th, 2009 at 9:51 pm
My brother has one but broken down .I tried hard to help him finding where he can buy .but i did not manage to .any advise ladies n gentlmen ?