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Post by D.C. Burtonshaw on Jun 16, 2021 16:22:56 GMT
Yeah the Moksvitch was withdrawn from the British market in the end, in 1976 apart from the fact that the importers - Satra Motors - were handling Imports of the Lada, but it's fate was sealed by a UK 1973 report by Consumer Association's Motoring Which magazine, which claimed the car was less than safe. This could have been due to its its sharp-edged metal dashboard and its cast aluminum handbrake lever, perfect for knee-capping the driver, wasn't exactly designed with passenger safety in mind!
Although it was a car designed for harsh Russian conditions, and along with its 21 piece toolkit and starting handle, 2 speed wipers, reclining seats and radiator blind, all for the price of a secondhand Hillman Avenger, did appeal to a few buyers that were not too fussed on Buying British.
But there weren't many around I seem to remember, and Skoda S100/110's were more common.
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Cartman
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Post by Cartman on Jun 16, 2021 18:45:34 GMT
I remember seeing quite a few Moskviches at that time, late 70s. There was one that used to park at an engineering works near where I lived, presumably it belonged to one of the workers there. It was P regd, so it must have been one of the very last ones. He seemed to keep it in pretty good nick.
I didn't dislike the rear engined Skodas, the coupe version the S110R, was quite good, and was likened to a miniature Porsche 911. They do have a following in the classic world.
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Del Boy
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Post by Del Boy on Jun 17, 2021 15:14:44 GMT
I don't recall seeing any growing up in London. Quite a few Skoda 110 ,120s and Lada's though.
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Three Litre
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Post by Three Litre on Jun 19, 2021 10:24:43 GMT
Here's another blast from the past, the Moskvich: A dealership was opened up near to where I lived as a kid but it was very short-lived as the only ones we'd see driving around were the demonstrators driven by the owner of the dealership himself. He used to advertise in the local paper and thought that cartoons of him being rude to customers was a great sales technique. He must have been at the garage only around a year or so before he sold up and a Yamaha dealership took over - much more my cup of rosie. Sam. Now, they were rubbish! And didn't look good whichever f******g way you looked at them.
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Post by Dirty Epic on Jun 20, 2021 8:51:20 GMT
Here's another blast from the past, the Moskvich: A dealership was opened up near to where I lived as a kid but it was very short-lived as the only ones we'd see driving around were the demonstrators driven by the owner of the dealership himself. He used to advertise in the local paper and thought that cartoons of him being rude to customers was a great sales technique. He must have been at the garage only around a year or so before he sold up and a Yamaha dealership took over - much more my cup of rosie. Sam. Now, they were rubbish! And didn't look good whichever f******g way you looked at them. The front end on the Moskvich Estate looks like they took the Zodiac/Zephyr mk4 as inspiration literally.
Can't disagree with you 3L although never actually seen one, I wonder if any still exist? That ad campaign seems to be a play on the 'Guinness is Good for You' except a I reckon a Moskvich... kind of like when someone got an Allegro when they really wanted a Cortina!
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Three Litre
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Post by Three Litre on Jun 20, 2021 8:53:56 GMT
I look them on Wikipedia, quite a few of the models in the 50s and 60s looked like western models eg Hillmans etc.
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Post by Dirty Epic on Jun 20, 2021 8:55:34 GMT
I remember seeing quite a few Moskviches at that time, late 70s. There was one that used to park at an engineering works near where I lived, presumably it belonged to one of the workers there. It was P regd, so it must have been one of the very last ones. He seemed to keep it in pretty good nick. I didn't dislike the rear engined Skodas, the coupe version the S110R, was quite good, and was likened to a miniature Porsche 911. They do have a following in the classic world. Yes didn't mind the Skoda S110R's myself too Cartman.
I suppose it's interesting they're the only real ex-Iron Curtain Bloc manufacturer to have survived and seem to have been reasonably successful albeit with a lot of VW things pulling the strings for them now.
I know Lada are still around but I don't know of them really selling anything significant in the UK or Europe these days?
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Post by Deleted on Jun 20, 2021 13:10:26 GMT
I remember seeing quite a few Moskviches at that time, late 70s. There was one that used to park at an engineering works near where I lived, presumably it belonged to one of the workers there. It was P regd, so it must have been one of the very last ones. He seemed to keep it in pretty good nick. I didn't dislike the rear engined Skodas, the coupe version the S110R, was quite good, and was likened to a miniature Porsche 911. They do have a following in the classic world. Yes didn't mind the Skoda S110R's myself too Cartman.
I suppose it's interesting they're the only real ex-Iron Curtain Bloc manufacturer to have survived and seem to have been reasonably successful albeit with a lot of VW things pulling the strings for them now.
I know Lada are still around but I don't know of them really selling anything significant in the UK or Europe these days? Once had a Lada Riva' worst car I'd ever owned in every way and can't think of anything nice about it! Except I guess it was better than walking! Lol the panels were that thick I could of sworn they were bullet proof
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Cartman
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Post by Cartman on Jun 20, 2021 13:24:54 GMT
The Riva was an attempt to make the Lada 1200 look a bit more up to date, but it didn't, and I think the original 70s version looked better
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Cartman
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Post by Cartman on Jun 20, 2021 13:31:38 GMT
Another obscure Eastern bloc motor - The Wartburg. It was East German, front wheel drive and had a 3 cylinder two stroke engine, it was very similar mechanically to a Trabant, which was never imported into Britain. The Wartburg stopped being imported in 74 due to pollution regulations, as it was very smoky. They weren't that common, even less so than a Moskvich, but I do remember seeing the odd one.
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