Martaré rebirth

Recently we reported about the Dutch Martaré kitcars. We will come back to this in detail in the next AMK. So there is still time for one Subscription to score! But we want to pay tribute to a 'cause' that was born out of pure passion.

A decision out of passion

Because we talked long and pleasantly with Norbert Jansens (and his accomplice Hans Tesselaar). Norbert has used his savings to have Martaré born again. He even sells his boat for it. Because he feels it his emotional duty to maintain this piece of history. The builder is now too old to do anything with it. And his son - and we've heard that before - doesn't share his father's passion.

Also read: Martaré is back!

Now, more VW-based kitcars have been built and are for sale, but in this case Norbert has acquired not only the molds, but also all the documentation from the first sketches. We saw, for example, that the first idea was based on a kind of steel lattice chassis with a four-in-line engine. And that you can also make exhaust systems in a unique way.

The builder and his life

The builder, Ed Martaré was - and is - a unique person. A man who has consciously chosen to 'live rich', not die rich. A multi talented artist and craftsman. He had a company making polyester products. There are sculptures from his studio all over the country. There are more of them than his cars.

Pubic hair as an eye opener

In the short existence of 'the brand', Ed's creation received a lot of publicity in the press. The concept was hailed as 'the new Dutch car brand'. One of his cars was featured in the men's magazine 'De Lach'. (That, of course, everyone only read because of the jokes that were in it.) The naked lady appearing there caused astonishment in an adolescent who was also disinterested in cars. For that generation, the fact that adult ladies used to be provided with pubic hair as standard is a surprising eye opener.

No license plate problems

Making kitcars based on VW platforms with unchanged wheelbase is still RDW compliant and with a Martaré you can therefore legally hit the road. But before Norbert makes an attack plan to conquer the car market, he will first make two Martaré's. He has already purchased two Beetles for this. The platforms and technology thereof will be brought into new condition. That's the easy part of the story. The bodies are then made in the traditional 'hand lay up' method. The molds are therefore not filled in with a sprayed glass fiber resin mixture, but purely by hand. That is a quality consideration. Because the new Martarés should not only be a lot of fun, but also a qualitative tribute to the designer and first maker.

But all in all, we are talking about two people who are the absolute counterparts of cold investors who put five hundred thousand euros into a restoration to be able to put their property 'on the market' at the right time.

It is worth it. Anyway

It is worth it. "And if it doesn't work, it has been a fantastic adventure." Because is just what Ed Martaré said: "It is better to live rich than to die rich."

And that dreaming is also allowed during that rich life, that is clear. Two happy men smile broadly at each other: "Maybe we'll crowdfund and arrange a hall."

Men at work

Part of the story

You see less in the photo where she gets out. Of the car