Product description
About the beginnings of collecting vintage cars in Bohemia
„"The ride is comfortable despite its lightness, thanks to the use of long springs running from the front to the rear axle, and its cornering position is surprising given its low build."“
Did you build a house? But they are galleys, aren't they? Bricks, mortar, sand, cement, neighbors and relatives at the ongoing house-to-house inspections, in short, it was a nightmare. When Jiří Beran decorated the rough construction of his family house with a fresh maypole, his cousin and her husband arrived from Jičín. They walked through the house from the cellar to the roof and then they all sat down to have coffee together. The conversation revolved around the living room, the kitchen, and even the garage. Why is it so big? Will he buy a new car? If a car, only an old one, the delivery man, bricklayer and landlord in one person resolutely declared. And that was his luck. – Don't you want a saw?, asked the cousin. – A saw? What would I do with a saw?, Jiří Beran didn't understand. – But no, a saw, I say GATE, the relative spelled. – What is that?, he couldn't believe his ears. – Well, it's an old car. It's in the shed by our house, his cousin instructed him. He had sunk somewhat in their eyes. He doesn't know...
“The strength of the design is remarkable despite its light weight, due to the use of few but solid parts made of the best material.”
Even though he didn't ask any more questions, the unknown make of the car wouldn't let him sleep. What could it be? He'd never heard of anything like it in his life. Gatter. Something German, I guess. Or not? He'd go and take a look.
The next Saturday, the scaffolding on the house was abandoned, and the family set off to Jičín for an adventure. It was hidden under a pile of logs that needed to be thrown away. They pushed the machine out, dusted off the spiders, and looked at it with embarrassment. It looked miserable. Not only in its current condition, but in its overall design and design. It was like an aero plane, but shrunken, as if it had been sprinkled with lemon.
“"Reverse could be omitted because, due to its short wheelbase, it turns
on a normal road and, moreover, it can be pushed back with one hand.”
Transporting the car wasn't so much a chore as a disgrace. The tires weren't worn out, but rotten, the whole thing
It looked like a botched DIY project. My cousin was relieved. Even though the wagon couldn't be driven, and there was no danger that she would ever set off in it again, this gift also freed her from the memories of the Canadian pranks she and her husband had to play in their youth. It was actually a local custom to park the wagon on the roof of a pub where village entertainment was taking place. How many times did they both have to get out and push the wagon up a hill that could be climbed by bicycle...
“The water-cooled two-stroke engine gives the car considerable acceleration and is in free gear, all
offering rising powers.”
How many times was Jiří Beran the owner? It's hard to say. Relatives bought the car from someone who . . . Hot
potato, or perhaps a potato called Gatter, passed from hand to hand. Only now did he reach his last
The owner started looking into the donated wreck. What is it?
- Jan Rabbit
- Published in 1989 by NADAS Publishing House
- 190 pages
- ISBN: 80-7030-022-1
The author, in his own unique way, expressed his admiration for the Sisyphean effort of all collectors and renovators of cars, buses, motorcycles or stationary engines, for their lifelong toil, which at the very end of this journey we can admire and say that our grandfathers knew how to make it, after all, that machine actually has a soul... The fates of these passionate fans and their collections are all the more interesting because after 30 years a lot has changed. Jiří Wagner accompanied the book with his photographs.
Transport and Communications Publishing House (NADAS), hardcover, 21 x 30 cm, 192 pages.
ISBN 80-7030-022-1.
