The DAF Museum continues to work hard and is well on its way to gaining international recognition as a leading car museum. Apparently our frog country is good at creating car museums. The special themes that are discussed are typical. The opening of the last 'special' was already widely communicated on social media. The Czech brand Tatra has been the subject since mid-September. Although it is already mid-November, the festive December month is soon approaching. It is worth planning a visit to the monumental building of the DAF Museum with the whole family, relatives or friends. Only if you like cars, that is.
Years of cooperation
DAF has had a collaboration with Tatra for years and supplies engines and cabins to Tatra, among other things, and the two car manufacturers also work together in the field of drive technology. The show is quite unique, never before have so many Tatra models with historical value been exhibited in the Netherlands. We know the special Czech brand well. The seniors among us will undoubtedly remember the multi-axle truck from the late sixties and early seventies, which was the only truck that could make its way through the loose sand. Because of their special drive technology, they already had unique off-road qualities.
Special passenger cars
In addition, Tatra also produced very special passenger cars until the 8s. Especially the more luxurious versions are reminiscent of the comfortable limousines from the United States from the fifties. They were famous for their quirky VXNUMX air-cooled rear engines. Whether they were beautiful, you could discuss that, separately in any case, and that made this misfit world famous. Some of these models can be seen in Eindhoven and come from the Technicke Muzeum Tatra in Kopřivnice, where Tatra's factories have traditionally been located.
One factory in eight countries
This brings us to a remarkable fact from the history of the Tatra company. In more than 125 years, Tatra has never moved, yet the factory has been located in eight different countries. It was, like the population, the plaything of the power politics of heads of state for more than a hundred years. Tatras emerged during the Austro-Hungarian dynasty, withstood the Nazi occupation and the nationalization by the Communists. Yet the technically innovative car manufacturer encountered the man with the hammer in the XNUMXs. Tatra had no money to develop a new generation of passenger cars that met the expectations of the driver and the stricter environmental standards. Shame, but it is what it is. Tatra continued to build trucks. And even entered into a partnership with DAF.
Rich history
In short, a rich history! The 125th anniversary of the Czech brand, the many years of cooperation with DAF, the rich history and the special technology are reason enough for the DAF Museum to dedicate an exhibition to Tatra. The doors at Tongelresestraat 27 in Eindhoven will remain open until the end of March 2023. And during a visit you can enjoy twice as much. Naturally, the DAF passenger cars, trucks, scale models, prototypes and the racing and rally cars are also on display in the DAF Museum. So two birds with one stone, on to Eindhoven!
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A number of dump truck companies in Twente drive with the latest Tatra's, those with DAF cabin and engine!
I must confess that I was not familiar with the passenger cars, but I think they are very beautiful now, especially the old-timers.
The trucks are best known for their performances in “Dakar” and I can remember that they used to run in the GDR when I came there for the “grosse Preis der DDR”.
They had a very strange engine sound, because it had a 2-stroke diesel engine.
I went there recently and it is a very nice museum. You can also see an old blacksmith shop and rows of DAFs. Striking trucks, from DAF and now also some from TATRA. The museum is kept in the air by volunteers, sometimes DAF retirees.
Do you want extra experience? Then drive from the Museum to Geldrop on the Geldropseweg (almost around the corner, namely in the eastern direction of the canal). On the left you can see the DAF factories and how big the site is.
For the Brabant emotion: Where Philips has left the city, you can still see DAF proudly present.
Just additional.
– There is a video with a race car that, thanks to the variomatic, was so fast that it was not allowed to race. Innovation came into the picture of others.
– Jan de Rooij drove for the Dakar Truck victories rallye cross in passenger cars, including in Valkenswaard. There he had to wait a while at the start because his DAF was too fast for the other participants. Jan has put the truckers world on the map.
– A lot of DAFs died in those fun reversing races with commentary from Andre van Duijn. Many people enjoyed those programs and were able to return to work well rested on Monday.
– Many young people drove a DAF during their service and became good drivers, partly because of that.
In short, DAF has also meant a great deal to many people in society.
That oblique wheel position (positive camber) of the Tatra's disappears under load. The drive is provided by the so-called pendle axles, independently sprung axles.
I used to see them driving in our village, The wheels were always crooked under them when empty. Very special.
I came across one a few years ago. Very special.
That is good news! An excellent reason to visit the DAF museum. Hope there are also early streamline Tatras (77A, 87).
I myself had the honor to drive a Tatra 613 chromka. Special experience and would like to visit the exhibition soon
Tatra assists me with the dump trucks with the rear wheels turned inward.
Only when it was empty, I think they were upright when fully loaded