http://www.autoweek.com/article/20140204/CARNEWS01/140209952

One of the few Tatras known to reside in Australia, this T600 Tatraplan is understood to have been the Melbourne Motor Show car and previously belonged to a devotee of the Czech marque, a Mr Gerge Stehleg from Brighton, Victoria. Mr Stehleg also owned a 1963 T603 and restored this 1952 model (one of only 1,864 made) in approximately 1982. The car was sold to the current owner in June 1987 and spent many years on display in the famous York Motor Museum in West Australia. Although an older restoration, the Tatra has developed a lovely patina over the ensuing years

http://www.shannons.com.au/auctions/view/JM7AYD49YD9XDY65/4/

The vehicle was auctioned before, but apparently did not sell:

http://theodoreweb.hosting.esc.net.au/lot_details.php?lot=166449&auction=649

Human Cannonball Tatra T600



Oh, it does blow a bit of smoke (Castrol R)…and it doesn’t run air-cleaners…BUT(T) you can use the fan to slice your cheese!



This just in from the owner of the 1.5 1950 Tatra T600 project:
“Hey there,
I wanted to thank you for posting the “ambitious” Tatra project on the site. I bought the lot and with the help of a friend hauled it all back to my spread and started unpacking and sorting.
Quite the “Mother Lode” indeed. I have sold a few extra bits to hungry Tatra owners trying to complete their restorations, and managed to buy another lot of parts from someone else and quickly am finding myself in the used Tatra parts business! As for the main car itself, I recently spent some time assembling it and preparing it for display at the annual VW Classic in Irvine, California this past weekend.
In hopes of blowing some VW minds I decided to give it a slight drop job and bolt on some custom VW wheels on the front. And to fit in with the VW Freak Show theme of the main display this year, I hand painted some faded signwriting on it to make it appear as it was a promotional car for a fictional Human Cannonball performer, “The Amazing Karaznov” of the Moscow Circus Company.
The response was truly epic and the opportunity to show the VW crowd that not every air cooled, rear engine, swing axle trans cars came out of Germany and to tell the story of dear Ferdinand Porsche and his “looking over the shoulder” of Tatra designer Hans Ledwinka to build the Beetle, and the resulting lawsuit that has been well hidden from VW fans.
The drop job was all bolting-unbolting, no permanent modifications were made, and the paint is just paint. The car is far from being a driver, but now that I can stand back and look at it as a whole, not a box of parts, it is much more inspirational. I was tempted by offers to buy at the event, and I battle internally with the desire to restore or modify. With the spare bits I have I feel I could handle some mild mods to drivetrain and suspension and still have everything
needed to return to stock “someday” and I have morals that would keep me far away from wild top chops or really wild stuff.
The design of the car is truly amazing and each and every time I look at it, I smile. Now with it lowered and graphic’d I even giggle a little.
Great car and great fun…what it is all about.
Thanks again!
Cheers!
Randy C.”

Union Steel Minister Beni Prasad Verma has virtually opened a can of worms for Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Mulayam Singh Yadav just before the Lok Sabha election. He alleged here on Saturday that as defence minister, Mulayam played a crucial role in renewing the Tatra truck deal in which crores of rupees are alleged to have been given to top Indian Army officials and politicians.

Addressing reporters in Lucknow, he said the CBI, which was probing the scam, was also looking into Mulayam’s role in the deal. He also said the spat between Mulayam and Narendra Modi was a “fixed match”.

“Mulayam should not feel too happy about the CBI closing the investigations (into the DA case) against him. The CBI is probing his role in renewing the deal. The files related to the scam are locked in the CBI’s almirah, and Rahul ji will open it (as PM),” he asserted.

The CBI had started investigations into the Tatra scam after the previous Indian Army Chief General VK Singh had alleged that he had been offered a bribe of Rs 14 crore by a top Army officer for ordering a fresh batch of the allegedly “obsolete” trucks.

The first contract for the supply of these trucks from Tatra AS of the Czech Republic to India was signed in 1986. The contract was first renewed between 1996 and 1997 for 15 years when Mulayam was defence minister in the United Front government headed by HD Deve Gowda.

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-beni-prasad-verma-suspects-mulayam-singh-yadav-hand-in-tatra-truck-deal-1957243

The 1930 Tatra T26/30 was a very important vehicle in the companies history, as it was the forerunner of all Tatra trucks to come with rear-wheel independent suspension, a central tube chassis and an aluminum, air-cooled boxer-type engine driving through a transmission with six forward and two reverse speeds. The axle differentials can be locked and one of the rear shafts can be disengaged. In total, there were only 181 T26/30 trucks produced with various bodies and only five or ten are known to survive.

This truck was ordered by a Mr. V. Meister of New York, acting as a front for Studebaker, which was manufacturing trucks for the U.S. Army and wanted to investigate Tatra technology. The current owner discovered the car for sale in Ohio in a crate with the Studebaker name. It has less than 5,000 original miles and the engine still runs very well.

http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z17225/Tatra-T26/30.aspx

Sincere hearts gusts Czechoslovak workers, enthusiastic eyes of tens of thousands of residents of Prague, loud public speech, then the Polytechnic Museum in Moscow and the hospital for many years disgrace and oblivion, accidental discovery and serious historical investigation – all came together in the history of this small car, designed the great leader.

The last holiday that country widely celebrated under Stalin, began on the occasion of the anniversary of his 70th birthday, came on December 21, 1949. However, the birthday of the Secretary of the CPSU (b), the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the USSR, the Generalissimo of the Soviet Union IV Stalin was a holiday not only for our country, but also an event truly global scale. This is not surprising. In the postwar years, Joseph Stalin – unquestionably the most influential politician in the world: the winner of fascism, the owner of the atomic bomb, the leader of the world communist movement. Neither U.S. President Harry Truman nor British Prime Minister Clement Attlee in 1949 did not have the political weight, as Joseph Stalin. Happy Anniversary congratulated him literally all over the world, and primarily, of course, the People’s Democracies: Bulgaria, Hungary, East Germany, Poland, Romania, Czechoslovakia

Commemorative gifts to Stalin, hundreds and thousands of craps in Moscow. December 3, 1949 “Pravda” newspaper reports the formation of a “Committee in connection with the 70th anniversary of the birth of Comrade. Stalin “and publishes a long list of members of the Committee. Opened its director Grigory Alexandrov and tractor driver Pasha Angelina and completed composer Dmitri Shostakovich and weaver Natalia Yarygin. That Committee will take for the whole month all the gifts in the name of Stalin. At first, they are placed in the museum of the Revolution on Gorky Street – current Tver. The closer the coveted day December 21, the more newspaper articles devoted to the anniversary. Writer Boris Polevoy prints in “Pravda” article on display in the museum gifts from all over the “great love for the Bolshevik party, led by Comrade Stalin hands to manufacture them. People who worked on them, invested in these gifts of his heart, the flame of your soul, your dreams and aspirations. ” Poem, “December 21, 1949″ Joseph Vissarionovich devotes poet Anna Akhmatova:  On the day of new year teacher and friend

Song bright votes sing -

Let around raging blizzard

Or mountain violets bloom.  And the second city of the Soviet Union

republics All friendly city

workers and those that stifle ties,

but whose free speech and whose soul proud.  And their thoughts freely fly to the capital of glory,

to high Kremlin – fighter for the eternal light,

Departure at midnight hymn majestic sweeps

And the whole world sounds like help and greetings.  Not far behind, and Czechoslovakia. People do without the socialist republic of poetry, but like all the fraternal peoples, sends many gifts – hand-woven carpet, huge gilded vases, figurines, weapons, a set of pipes, wine collection, functioning railway layout, etc., etc., etc.. The best samples of their products sent to Moscow all Czech companies, including the three major automobile plant country: Letov, Skoda and Tatra. As with any gift, Put each anniversary offering original and unique. Regular serial “Tatraplan” factory Tatra cut lengthwise and crosswise, making a spacious and amazingly swift convertible beige color combined with beauty of genuine leather red. Best Letov factory workers from the suburbs of Prague collected for Stalin exclusive version of the subcompact Aero Minor. Inspired by the universal impulse, the artist draws for her new grille and chrome decor, makes it more elegant bumper recreates dashboard adds guards on the rear fenders and unlike serial invents the wheel, for which, in his opinion, will certainly keep Stalin himself . Incarnation of the car in the metal masters trust the best – tinsmiths, cabinetry, obivschikam, motorists, collectors. Second so luxurious “Minor” at the factory will never collect.

http://www.oldtimer.ru/retrospective/10146/

Every few months we have an interesting piece come in through our donation programs at cardonationwizard.  This month’s most interesting donated auto is a 1950 Tatra 600 donated through the American Cancer Society Cars for a Cure Vehicle Donation Program.  The Tatra 600 was named the Tatraplan and was a luxury automobile produced inCzechoslovakia, behind the Iron Curtain.  The 600 has a very interesting history to go with the outstanding craftsmanship and amazing art deco design.  This was one of the last luxury automobiles produced in the communistEastern Europe.

After World War II, Tatra returned to its pre-war business of building passenger cars in addition to commercial (and military) vehicles. Tatra manufacturing was nationalized in 1946 two years before the Communist takeover in 1948. The Tatra 600 Tatraplan was designed in 1946-47 to celebrate nationalism and developing communist pride but also celebrated technology and had a distinct éroplan inspiration (‘éroplan’ means airplane in colloquial Czech).

The 600 went into mass production in 1948 and was discontinued in1952.[2]

The Tatraplan has a six-seater sleek saloon body and was powered by an air-cooled flat-4-cylinder 1,952 cc rear-mounted engine (check out the fan design prominently featured on the rear motor).  Only 6,342 were made and very few found there way to the United States.

Tatra and VW have a very interesting history. Tatra sued the Nazi pride designed VW for stealing design elements of their cars.  Tatra Won!

Again, this is a donated car.  The donor had the vehicle in storage for many years before donating it to the American Cancer Society.  It’s a very, very cool donated vehicle.  The car is not in running condition and is in need of a complete rebuild but it is incredibly rare and in high demand.

The proceeds from the sale of this rare beauty will go to support the important work and mission of the American Cancer Society.  Over 95% of the gross sale of the vehicle will go to support cancer prevention and research.  No other vehicle donation program would return nearly that amount to the charity.  That’s why the programs at Car Donation Wizard are the very best.

Please take a look and comment if you can provide any information or useful context about Tatra and the Tatraplan.

If you are interested in purchasing the Tatra 600 you can do so through this link :

- See more at: http://www.cardonationwizard.com/blog/2014/01/28/unique-car-donation-tatra-600-tatraplan-donated-to-the-american-cancer-society-2/#sthash.VCWzhtWS.dpuf

http://www.cardonationwizard.com/blog/2014/01/28/unique-car-donation-tatra-600-tatraplan-donated-to-the-american-cancer-society-2/

Auction: http://www.copart.com/c2/individualLot.html?lotId=12693864&searchType=onSaleNow

ORANJE KUST & GROENE HART RALLY

XXXVII. T.F.I. RALLY

Netherlands, May 29 – June 1, 2014

The 2014 annual TFI meeting will be held in Holland, following a decennium tradition of earlier Duch TFI meetings held in Katwoude (1994) and Lekkerkerk (2004).  The meeting, organised by the Tatra Freunde International, will be held at the Ascension weekend in 2014 in the triangle shaped by The Hague, Haarlem and Utrecht in one of the most beautiful and quiet areas of Holland. Chosen theme is “ORANGE COAST AND GREEN HEART.” The meeting will have its base in Noordwijkerhout, halfway The Hague and Haarlem, close to the coast.

Tatras from Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, France, Belgium, Luxemburg, the Netherlands and the U.K. are expected.  Start and Finish will be the four star NH Hotel in Noordwijkerhout.  http://www.nh-hotels.com/nh/en/hotels/the-netherlands/noordwijkerhout.html Adress: Langelaan 3, 2211 XT, Noordwijkerhout, NL. 

On Thursday, May 29^th, Ascension day, we will arrive in Noordwijkerhout with the rooms of the hotel available from 15.00 hrs onwards. Parking, partly covered, is available. Dinner is possible at the hotel from 18.00 till 22.00 hrs, but is not included in the participation fee.  For organizational reasons, however, you are requested to inform the organizers on the application form, whether you will have dinner at the hotel on Thursday.  The annual members meeting of the Tatra Freunde International is held that very evening between 20.00 and 21.15 in the “Oxford” room of the Hotel.

Friday morning, we have planned a route along the coast.  Arriving in the Hague, we will visit the Louwman Vehicle Museum. http://www.louwmanmuseum.nl/?sc_lang=en The high quality collection is internationally oriented and consists of over 230 automobiles.  The museum has allowed us to park our Tatras on their main square, in front of the museum. We will try to have a photo shoot here.  But, as the parking space on their main square is limited, it will depend on the number of participants, whether all cars can be parked.  After a tour through the museum, we will have a hot lunch, offered by the Tatra meeting sponsor “CHOPARD,” the well-known Swiss luxury watch- and jewellery manufacturer.

In the afternoon, we will continue to the city of Leiden and the old polders north of it, before we will use some unusual roads around Schiphol Airport. At the end of the afternoon, we continue west- and southwards through romantic scenery formed by sand dunes and polders, direction our NH hotel. At the evening, we will have dinner at the Chinese-Indonesian self-service restaurant “Flamengo,” just 200 m on foot from the hotel. Here the drinks are included!

After having enjoyed our breakfast, the rested Tatra fans will head eastwards to the Groene Hart area, the Green Heart. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groene_Hart Travelling through a very relaxed polder scenery with romantic villages, we will stop at the village of Boskoop in the world’s biggest, joined floriculture area. We will have a boat tour through the many canals of Boskoop, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsLYaRfOoQ8 along the nurseries and nature areas, before having a hot lunch in Restaurant “Flora.”  That afternoon, we will drive our Tatras through a lake area and use quite narrow, winding roads before we reach the former northern border of the Roman empire. Using less narrow roads, we then will return to the hotel.  In the evening, you are invited to have a dinner buffet with the rally’s prize giving parallel and next to it.

Invitation http://www.tatraclub.at/images/stories/Dokumente/Uitnodiging_Engels_final.pdf

Entry form: http://www.tatraclub.at/images/stories/Dokumente/Aanmeldingsformulier_Engels_final.pdf

Text invitation as well as the applicationform are also available in German language: http://www.tatraclub.at/index.php?lang=de

Tatra’s former US head insists Czech businessman asked for bribe

Prague, Jan 21 (ČTK) – Ronald Adams, former U.S. director general of Tatra, a lorry maker seated in Moravia, insisted before a Prague court today that Czech businessman Michal Smrž offered him promotion of a public order for Tatra in exchange of 100 million Kč in 2008.

Smrž, owner of the MPI armament company, faces criminal charges over the Tatra case along with former Czech defense minister Martin Barták. Charged with attempted fraud, Smrž could be sentenced to up to 10 years in jail. He pleads innocent.

The prosecution says Smrž tried to gain money from Tatra representatives for removing problems the company had in connection with the Defense Ministry’s order for the supply of off-road vehicles for the Czech military.

Smrž pretended he could influence the Defense Ministry and government officials. For example, he promised to stage a personal meeting of Tatra managers with the then-prime minister Mirek Topolánek (Civic Democrats, ODS).

Since he did not enjoy such influence and could not fulfill his promises, his behavior can be assessed as attempted fraud, the state attorney says.

Adams today described four meetings he had with Smrž.

The first one, initiated by Smrž, took place in Adams’ office on January 11, 2008. Smrž told Adams that he knew about problems surrounding Tatra’s public order and that he could help settle them, Adams said today.

He said Smrž spoke about a help that would require some expenses.

Another meeting, at which Smrž set the demanded sum at 100 million Kč, took place in a restaurant in Prague on Jan. 16, 2008, Adams continued.

He said he neither nodded to nor declined Smrž’s offer, because the tests of Tatra lorries were underway then and Adams could win more time by delaying his answer.

At the time, the media wrote negatively about Tatra. Politicians, reacting to Tatra’s new sub-contractor, were trying to strip Tatra of the public order, Adams told the court today.

A meeting in Brno’s Holiday Inn hotel followed on January 30, with Adams making an audio recording of it. Before, he says he told Smrž by phone that Tatra would not pay 100 million Kč to him.

The audio recording, which is of a poor technical quality and not well comprehensible, is one of the main pieces of evidence in the proceedings against Smrž and Bartak.

The aim of the audio was to try to make Smrž say who was behind the campaign against Tatra and who influenced the lorries’ testing, as the tests were going on well, except for minor shortcomings, Adams said.

That is why, he said, he sought a personal meeting with Topolánek in order to find out whether Topolánek was behind the negative campaign.

At their last meeting in Prague on March 19, Adams told Smrž that Tatra would pay nothing to him. The tests had been completed on March 3 and Adams was convinced that the supply would be approved without Tatra having to pay anything, he said today.

Barták, Smrž’s friend who was deputy defense minister at the time, is suspected of having asked a Tatra representative for a bribe of 80 million Kč in February 2008 in exchange for his promotion of the above order.

Some time ago, Bartak accused Adams of corruption. He said Adams had offered him a bribe for securing further Czech public orders for Tatra. Nevertheless, a court eventually acquitted Adams of the charges.

http://www.praguepost.com/czech-news/35423-adams-armament-company-head-asked-for-100-million-kc