How many Trabants would still be alive of the almost 3 million copies produced? If it is up to Aram, many more should be preserved, because he is a truly original pure Trabant enthusiast. But unfortunately not that many of the icon of East German culture remain. What is special is that there is increasing interest in the classic Trabant and of course no longer being built. That makes the value go up.
By: Dirk de Jong
Aram regularly spent his holidays together with his parents in an apartment in Vlieland, whose owner was of German origin and … drove Trabant. As an 8-year-old boy, it was a joy for Aram to go and take rides in the 'Trabi'. He absolutely loved the famous car from the Eastern Bloc and was even sad when the car was scrapped later, perhaps(?) the desire has already arisen to own his own Trabant later on.
Aram as a collector
Aram: “I am now an avid collector of the authentic Trabant. If I had the space and time, there would be more copies of all types that were produced in Zwickau (former East Germany). For example, the series P50, P70, P60 and P601 models, which were often available as Limousine, Combi, Cabrio and Kubel. ”
“Unfortunately, my first purchase of a Trabant was not a success, it had seen better days. But the love for the typical car remained. It now became a green 601 sedan, which I bought at the Stichting Dordtse Trabant service.”
“I now also regularly go to the Trabi museum in Berlin to admire all types again and to satisfy my touch of obsession with Trabant. My dream is once again to visit the August Horch Museum in Zwickau with friends from the Trabant to immerse myself in history. Zwickau is the birthplace of (Auto Union) (Audi) where DKWs and Trabants were made in the former production halls. As is known, the car partly consists of Duroplast, and this plastic makes the car unique. He represents the East German culture before the fall of the wall.”
Your own creativity
When you own the classic Trabant, you often see that the car is adjusted to your own liking. The version of the 64-er sedan of the type 601 also shows this at Aram. The green 'monster' is available in two colours, bright green combined with black. It is logical that he attracts a lot of attention and thus gives smiles on the road. The 1,1 Trabant combi is of the last production series, then already with a water-cooled engine from Volkswagen.
Trabant club
Of course there is a friends club with which rides are organized. The aim of the club is to keep as many Trabants running as possible, and it is even the case that cars from the former GDR are imported in which Aram himself also plays a role.
Dordtse Trabant Service Foundation (DTS)
For DTS, Aram got a '69 Trabant 601 from Belgium that had been hidden there for no less than 30 years. The foundation made it drivable again and sold it through mediation to an enthusiast in Denmark, and because Aram is active as an international driver, he brought the Trabant with his own truck (Feenstra Transport). It now drives on a Danish license plate with an enthusiastic new owner. This story makes it clear again, when the word Trabant is mentioned, a sparkling energy spontaneously arises in Aram, after which he can talk about it for hours. We also consider owning a classic a privilege and like to hear the stories behind the cars from bygone times.
Also read:
- Trabant. the family friend
- Trabant 601 from Martin de Jong, an original Dutch car
- Inventor Trabant
- Trabant
- Trabant as a boat
I still have a Trabantje for sale for € 15,-
Here in Hungary we still see them every day, in all kinds of designs.
Whether or not with towbar and trailer.
Remains a nice face and the VW version is also quite "fast".
Ah yes, those Good Old Times; the Wall, the guilder.
Unfortunately, stupid politicians have changed all that. Only now there are more trabants!
had a lot of fun with it without any problems
We always had our white Trabant station on Saturdays in the Wilgenlaan in Arnhem, with a large pan of soup in the back. You could get a delicious cup of soup for a guilder. Image has stayed with me for a long time.
Also about 55 years ago drove a number of times with a neighbor to a stamp fair. Neighbor had bought Trabant new. I was friends with his son. I always had to sit in the back and always got a giggle when we went around a bend because of the feeling in my stomach and the simmering sound….great experience….
Jan Nieuwboer Arnhem
When I was about 10 years old, my neighbor took me and my neighbor for a Sunday ride around the Ijsselmeer. Halfway through the Afsluitdijk, the Trabantje started to sputter and eventually stopped completely. We panicked but our neighbor told us to get out and shake the Trabant back and forth. And sure enough, start and it ran again! That scene played out a few more times and we didn't understand it. He later told that when refueling and adding oil to the gas tank, the cap of the oil can fell into the tank. And while driving, it then slowly dropped to the fuel supply for the engine and so the Trabantje fell silent. Almost 60 years ago but never forgotten!
Have you ever thought about making a low-energy Trabant with a (two-stroke) diesel?
Ostalgia at its best sun Trabant!