The Trabant was beggining to make sense, well it did after joining the forums of the IFA club and a Professor Schnurr introduced himself and sold me his translated into English owners manual…

At least I knew what went where and what the controls did. It was all in German after all. I did learn that the fuel tap had been switched to reserve when I tried to drive it on the evening of the delivery, and luckily switched it back to off, where it was when it arrived. It would have probably leaked otherwise.

The first weekend post delivery of the manual provided some daytime opportunity to drive it and see what I had really bought. nothing had looked untoward with the car, even structurally sound. No rusty floors or inner wings from what I could make out at least. Setting off for the first time was an experience, the offset driving position is a little strange and then there is the noise. Now if you aren’t used to a 2-stroke then it is a little different and people generally don’t expect it to be coming from a car…

I soon realised that it doesn’t matter where you go, or what anyone else is driving, they are totally upstaged by the little East German car. People seem to love it, waving and smiling…. and some laughing.

There’s non of the smoke belching out that you used to see on films, with the correct 50:1 ratio of fuel to oil (with the later carb type) it runs cleanly and smoothly.

So, a few trips around North Derbyshire, the local towns, shopping and life was good. Even when the MOT was up the local tester was amazed at the car. Couldn’t believe the condition of the underneath and how good the brakes were, yes drums all round, but only 600kg to stop.