Der Dessauer Tüftler Wolfgang Horn mit dem von ihm sanierten Tatra 27 aus dem Jahr 1943. Auf der Ladefläche des Oldtimers unübersehbar: der Kessel für die Holzverbrennung. (FOTO: SEBASTIAN)
DESSAU/MZ. Not macht erfinderisch. Ein Beispiel dafür steht seit einiger Zeit im Dessauer Technikmuseum “Hugo Junkers”. Ein Lkw Tatra 27, Baujahr 1943, produziert in Böhmen, hat hier als Leihgabe eines Unternehmers aus dem nordrhein-westfälischen Ibbenbüren ein neues Zuhause gefunden. Die technischen Daten sind für ein Gefährt aus dieser Zeit nicht so ungewöhnlich. Drei Tonnen werden von einem Motor um die 50 PS angetrieben. Das reicht, um auf 60 Kilometer pro Stunde beschleunigen zu können. Aber der Antrieb erstaunt: Nicht Benzin, sondern Holz bringt das Fahrzeug zum Laufen.Benzin war knapp
“Zu der Zeit, als dieser Lkw gebaut wurde, war Benzin knapp und hauptsächlich dem Militär vorbehalten”, erklärt der Dessauer Wolfgang Horn, der Restaurator des Gefährts. “Also musste man kurzerhand nach Alternativen suchen.” Holz war eine. Durch das Verbrennen entsteht ein Gas, das den Motor antreibt. Ein Kessel auf der Ladefläche hinter dem Lkw-Führerhaus und ein Nachreiniger im Bereich der Stoßstange zeugen von außen gut sichtbar von der ungewöhnlichen Technik. Mittlerweile ist aber auch ein zusätzlicher Benzinmotor eingebaut, sagt der 75-Jährige.
Aus gutem Grund: “Die Luft ist unmöglich. Nach dem Gebrauch riecht es wie nach dem Grillen”, beschreibt Horn die Begleitumstände eines benutzten Holzvergasers. Nicht nur in jeder Umweltzone würden die Alarmzeichen wegen der Schadstoffbelastung auf Rot stehen, auch die Inbetriebnahme ist recht umständlich. Eine halbe bis dreiviertel Stunde müsse in der Regel für die Verbrennung des Holzes eingeplant werden, bis das dadurch entstandene Gas den Wagen fahrtüchtig mache, beschreibt der Ruheständler und Hobbytüftler Horn den Aufwand.
Für den 75-Jährigen war der Wiederaufbau des Tatra-Lkw eine Herzensangelegenheit. Anfang der 90er Jahre, als sich der gelernte Schlosser und langjährige Berufskraftfahrer für den Vorruhestand noch zu jung fühlte, nahm Horn bei einem Transportunternehmen in Roßlaus Partnerstadt Ibbenbüren einen Job als Fahrer an.
Der damalige Chef hatte zur Verblüffung Horns in der Garage einen Tatra 27 stehen. Dieses Fahrzeug kannte der Dessauer noch von Junkalor aus den frühen 50er Jahren. Prompt schraubte, hämmerte und polierte Horn nach Dienstschluss an dem Autowrack rum, bis es wieder im ansehnlichen Zustand war. Acht Jahre und unzählige Stunden Arbeit später war dem Schlosser mit der Fertigstellung 1998 sein persönliches Meisterstück gelungen.
Schon die erste Ausfahrt zu einem Oldtimertreffen in Bad Laer war für den Besitzer, seinen ehemaligen Chef, und Horn als Restaurator ein Triumphzug. “Wenn das Auto irgendwo draußen steht, kommen immer die Massen geströmt”, ist er noch heute stolz auf die Anziehungskraft des von ihm aufgepeppten Gefährts. Schließlich ist der Tatra 27 nicht nur wegen des Antriebs eine Rarität. Nur noch sehr wenige fahrtüchtige Exemplare vermutet der Dessauer im gesamten Bundesgebiet.
Seit Horn vor zwölf Jahren in Rente ging, war das Fahrzeug noch auf einigen Messen und Oldtimertreffen überwiegend im Westen Deutschlands zu sehen. Seit dem vorigen Herbst ist das Dessauer Technikmuseum “Hugo Junkers” in der Kühnauer Straße die neue Heimat des Tatra 27. Chauffiert wurde der Oldie von einem modernen 40 Tonner von Ibbenbüren an die Mulde. Nur rumstehen ist auch hier nicht. Die 300-Jahrfeier von Kleinkühnau zu Pfingsten, das Leopoldsfest und eine Ausfahrt nach Elsnigk waren die ersten Ausflüge in anhaltischen Gefilden.
“Es macht einfach Spaß, so ein altes Eisen am Laufen zu halten”, beschreibt Horn das Gefühl, damit zu fahren. So könnte bald für den Tatra 27 ein eigenes Jubiläum ins Haus stehen – der 3 000. gefahrene Kilometer seit der Wiederinbetriebnahme vor 13 Jahren. Derzeit zeigt der Tacho noch 2 868 Kilometer an. Aber der Grillanzünder für die nächste Ausfahrt steht nur wenige Zentimeter daneben. Es kann jeden Moment losgehen.
October 8th, 2011
The German Tatra Register Deutschland published a real scoop in their latest magazin: the T158, featuring a DAF CF series cabin and proudly bearing the Tatra logo on its redesigned front.
May 17th, 2011
The former Manfed Haspel-Hampton Wayt T77 has found a new home in CZ. The new owner cleaned it, tidied it up, painted it matt black and improved its looks by fitting T77 headlamps instead of the early conversion to three headlamps. A full renovation is considered.
April 10th, 2011
In previous “Innovative Rigs on the Street” columns, we have visited departments located in California, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia. For our next several installments, I traveled a little farther to the west, some 4,650 miles to the island of Maui, HI. I had the opportunity to visit several fire stations on several Hawaiian Islands and will review in some details the apparatus that has been uniquely designed to protect these areas.
http://www.firehouse.com/
January 4th, 2011
There are lenghty discussions on the VW-Tatra relations but have a look on this photo. The low situated VW headlamps are surely more streamlined than the T 87 protruding headlamps but does the vehicle look better?
I am afraid not.
December 22nd, 2010
Back in 1999, Thai newspaper Pattaya Mail mentioned the existence of a 1933 V8 Tatra. They wrote: “Thailand has some amazing (it’s that word again!) rare motor vehicles lurking in sheds all over the country. Up in Chiang Mai I found some corkers. Try these on for size – a 1924 Hanomag, a 1933 Tatra (the alloy V8 engined one), a Fiat 500 Topolino (AKA Topple over), an MG VA roadster and a three wheeler Morgan circa 1920 something.” http://www.pattayamail.com/330/columns.htm#hd12
Since 2001 Tatra World has been trying to find out the fate and whereabouts of this Thai Tatra. Was it a T77, a T87 or a Tatraplan?
16 april 2001
Hello from David Hardy here in Chiangmai, Northern Thailand. I am a journalist with over 30 years experience in motoring and motorsport, so I know a Tatra when I see it. And I saw one here in Chiangmai last month and I have heard it may be for sale.
It actually looks like a Tatraplan (c 1960) in apparently good condition, but horrible-2-shade green colours.
It looks totally complete and original but I can only see it from 15 metres distance, undercover in a locked yard. I wonder if it was formerly a Bangkok embassy car?
I will try to find out more – can you advise me of possible value?
Thanks,
DH
12 november 2002
This Tantra was in the town of Chiang Mai, Northern part of Thailand. It was in the Classic cars collection of Mr. Aui-Peng or Aui-Peng garage. He has many kind of unrestored Classic cars. I have seen the car about 3 years ago. The body of the car was all original except the engine was not original. Its engine was replace by a Japanese type engine. I went to Chiang Mai again this year and the car has sold to an unknown owner. I am trying to find the car and its current owner. However I believe it is somewhere in Thailand. If I could find any new information about the car I would let you know.
Attacthed please find the Aui-Peng’s Classic cars collections. I have taken the photo this year but the
Tatra is not there anymore. Hope to contact with you again in the near future.
Regards
Pravut
ThaiAntiqueCar
In January 2003 the Pattaya Mail asked its readers after putting up a Tatra in a quiz question “” However, there was another car, long before the Corvette, that had a split back window and a ridge running down from the roof to the tail. What was it? Clues – it was European and rear engined. Now I can’t make it any easier than that!”" http://www.pattayamail.com/493/auto.shtml the whereabouts of the car. It said: “By the way, I spotted a Tatra in a small village just outside Chiang Mai a few years ago. Anybody seen it since?” http://www.pattayamail.com/494/auto.shtml The quiz and the succeeding question of its whereabouts were also published in the leading Chiang Mai Newspaper, the Chiang Mai Mail. See http://www.chiangmai-mail.com/013/auto.shtml
Contacts continued and in 2004 I got another clue.
9 april 2004
Good Morning from Chiangmai!
No – not forgotten you. Not yet! I am just a LITTLE closer to the Tatraplan. If you look on www.gmorning.info go to the previous issue (March) and click on Good Motoring.
You will see there an open letter to the Governor (senior govt official of Chiangmai province and thus the most senior man in the north here). We invited him to hold a classic car festival and, since then, he has agreed! We then ran round to the 4 most important owners of cars (maybe 55 between them) and invited them to join. All agreed. Sadly the Tatra owner is the only one who speaks no English. However he did say that the best of his cars will be displayed in a museum by the end of the year and he will give us a preview in September. All of them are unbelievably secretive.
Still, after all this time, I hope to get you some decent pictures and info by then.
Can you trace any records? Would this have been a Russian Embassy car when new?
Cheers,
David
10 april 2004
Hello, Good morning from Amsterdam.
I’m happy that you have managed to organise a classic car festival. Looking forward to a report about your visit to the Tatra owner and even maybe a photo.
Before I can trace records, I need a photo. Previously you spoke about Tatra, now about Tatraplan. The Tatraplan fits in your description of the car “tiny rear windows”. But I would like to be sure. As the car is Czechoslovak, I believe it is highly unlikely that the car was ever a Russian embassy car.
Thanks
Kees Smit
E-mails weren’t answered anymore since 2005 and contacts dried up.
Just this week the Thai Tatra mystery seemed solved. According to www.mychiangmai.com the car was first bought some years ago from Khun Kietisak and recently restored. It is now sold as part of a collection of around 50 Chiang Mai based classic cars – including the whole Antique Cars Museum collection – to the Jessada Technik Museum at Nakon Pathom near Bangkok. http://www.mychiangmai.com/page/2/
Jesadatechnikmuseum: http://www.jesadatechnikmuseum.com
Tatraplan: http://www.jesadatechnikmuseum.com/product_detail.php?qid=10&v=1
May 23rd, 2010
Located near the Petofi Csarnok in the little-visited south-eastern corner of City Park, this wonderful museum, which celebrated its 100th anniversary in 1999, exhibits vintage motorcycles and bicycles, early model cars, and antique horse buggies. It also features large-scale 1:5 models of various kinds of historic vehicles, especially trains. A model train set runs every 15 minutes on the mezzanine level; follow the crowds. On weekends a film on aviation history is shown at 11am. The gift shop features all sorts of transportation-related trinkets. An aviation exhibit is housed in the Petofi Csarnok, an all-purpose community center nearby.
Unknown by a a broad Tatra public is that the Budapest museum houses two rare Tatras. The first one is an Unitas Tatra Typ 12, a Tatra assembled in Budapest from parts imported from Czechoslovakia. About 500 units were built and three units seems to have survived. Even rarer is a complete unrestored Nesselsdorfer Typ B of around 1902, the oldest Typ B still around. The museum will restore the Typ B and is looking for funds
Read more: http://www.frommers.com/destinations/budapest/A25908.html#ixzz0lRwa2v5D
April 18th, 2010
Coincidence or not, there are two one-piece windscreen T 87s for sale. Believed to be private conversions, the first one is offered on http://inzerat.i-bazar.cz/1475682-tatra-87-r-38/ . Advertized as a 1938 model, it looks more a heavily converted 1939-1948 model with one piece windscreen, different grille and non standard bumpers.
The second one, http://inzerat.i-bazar.cz/1397952-tatra-87-diplomat/, is a 1948-1950 “Diplomat” model and also in need of a full renovation.
Comparing the one-piece windscreen jobs, the windscreen on the older model seems to fit better and with its rounded sides to be more in style with the original three-piece windscreen. The conversion of the newer model makes the T 87 Diplomat looking like never realized postwar T97 series car.
To see another one piece windscreen T87 for comparison, click on http://www.eag.unicweb.ee/m14.html and scroll down the page.
March 18th, 2010
Every now and then old photos of Tatra bitzas show up. Frenchman Michael Ravel posted some photos at the “Tatra en France” blog of his unique restored Tatra T57K open wheeled sports car. It was built by his grandpa on the basis of a former Wehrmacht T57K Kübel in 1945-1948. The central tube chassis was retained and disc wheels were used initially. Later wire wheels were fitted. The open two-seater featured an alloybody with large cooling openings for the T57K boxer engine and a fin on its back, not unlike Tatra’s streamliners and modern F1 cars. Headlamps were placed close together, like the Peugeot 202/302/402 series.
The vehicle was restored and since 2008 presented at several car shows.
See contempory and restoration photos: http://tatra.en-france.over-blog.com/5-index.html as well as http://tatra.en-france.over-blog.com/10-index.html
March 13th, 2010
Czech photographer Vladimir Cettl is fascinated by classic car scrapyards. Recently he discovered this Tatra graveyard with Tatraplans, T 603s, T57a’s and T 57b’s as well as T 75 long chassis models.
Have a look at these sleeping beauties!
http://11-55.nolimit.cz/ homepage
vladimircettl on flickr
March 2nd, 2010
