# Skoda Estelles



## Griff (Feb 23, 2003)

These were great fun to drive cars that won rallies and were easy to fix and maintain. They were as tough as old boots and I loved mine. Bought two from new, first a 105S then a 120L. Sorry I sold my last one!

How about this..................bloody superb and as cheap as chips!


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## pauluspaolo (Feb 24, 2003)

My friend had a bright yellow Rapide (no not really







) cabriolet which was a nice car when it was running. I seem to remember him having head gasket problems which weren't cured by fitting a new gasket because the engine had wet liners, an alloy block and cast iron head (usually it's the other way round), the car was never the same afterwards - either something had warped or the wet liners couldn't be sealed properly. I also remember helping him remove the engine from a scrapped car in about 6 inches of snow - what an enjoyable trip to the scrappie that wasn't!! Eventually the car fell into disuse and did, literally, become a skip - I think it was scrapped eventually









Not bad cars for all that though


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## odklizec (May 19, 2004)

There are still a lot of spare parts riding the Czech&Slovak roads







It's a real fun for me (as Czech) to see that these old Skodas are so "popular" in UK. For me, these cars are a symbol of communist inefficiency.

BTW, look at these design studies and prototypes..

Skoda 1100 GT - 1968










Skoda Supersport 724 -198(?)










Skoda Winnetou - 1968










Tatra - MTX Metalex Supersport (well this prototype was made in 1992 i.e. three years after falling of communism in Czechoslovakia, but the original design studies are older)



















And there were a lot of similar design studies and prototypes, which never came to mass (or even limited edition) production..just because of decision of stupid communist behind the wheel


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## mach 0.0013137 (Jan 10, 2005)

Jawa built a number of interesting prototypes including one for a 500cc( I think it was) water cooled ohc flat twin with shaft drive.

The gearbox was mounted below the engine, imagine a flat twin version of the Honda CX500 and you get the idea.

I knew a photographer working for Jawa so got to hear of it and see photos







.

Apperently they`d been working on it for years on a shoe string budget but eventually government funding went on the Skoda Favrite so the project was dropped.

Probably the right decision in the long run but a still a shame, it was a really nice looking bike


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## king2b (Apr 6, 2005)

Very nasty.

Eastern block engineering at it's worst.

Be better off with a Traubant.


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## anglebox (Mar 11, 2005)

I had an Estelle 105S as a second motor to get Mrs Anglebox to and from school each day. It never once let her down, always started 1st time, had an efficient heater in the winter and was perfect for the job in every way. She sold it when she retired and the 1st person to see it paid cash on the spot.

On one occasion I saw one of these cars in Prague city centre being driven by the Police, it passed me at a simply phenominal speed (it must have been tuned) and took a right angle turning with a level of panache and skill that by all that is right should have caused it to hit the wall, but it didn't!


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## Griff (Feb 23, 2003)

Concur with all of that.

A superb, reliable, tough and fun to drive vehicle that gave me a lot of pleasure.

I'm sorry I didn't keep my 120L. I bought it new and the new owner complimeted me on its condition. He was VERY pleased at what he got for a small amount of money.

They won their class in the RAC rallies with some ease and style


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## JoT (Aug 12, 2003)

Griff said:


> A superb, reliable, tough and fun to drive vehicle that gave me a lot of pleasure.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


As an owner of an MG ZT that is today worth 40% less than it was last week I haven't really got the cheek to run down your Estelle Griff


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## chrisb (Feb 26, 2003)

Griff said:


> They won their class in the RAC rallies with some ease and style
> 
> 
> 
> ...


That's because they were in a class of their own, Griff


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## anglebox (Mar 11, 2005)

They were built like a brick sh1thouse with the fuctionality of a railway steam locomotive. Had unburstable engines and transmission. They were constructed for roads the like of which we haven't seen in this country since W.W.2. That is why they were successfull both on and off the rally circuit. They didn't have crumple zones because they didn't bend. Body repairs could be carried out by a blacksmith not a poncy 'technician'.


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

As a poncy technician I tend to agree









Remember my Grandad had one and the exhaust gas used to get into the car so we had to go everywhere with the window down.

Towed many to the scrap yard, normally by putting a rope round the lower wish bone because the towing eyes would pull off!

Cylinder head gaskets were the biggest failing normally due to lack of maintanence when old.


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## Griff (Feb 23, 2003)

chrisb said:


> Griff said:
> 
> 
> > They won their class in the RAC rallies with some ease and style
> ...


Plenty of class with this one!


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## Mrcrowley (Apr 23, 2003)

I used to know a physiotherapist in the 80s who loved them. He had a tuned one - black with orange piping down doors & round spoilers. Looked quite cool actually. However what all you guys have said dismisses the reasons why they became a joke - unreliability. So if they weren't that bad, who started all the nasty rumours?


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## Griff (Feb 23, 2003)

Maybe Lada!


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## Griff (Feb 23, 2003)

Or FSO!!


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## anglebox (Mar 11, 2005)

Or Invacar one of the blue trike manufacturers


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## mach 0.0013137 (Jan 10, 2005)

I had a Lada, couldn`t afford a fridge (groan)























No I did, a mate of mine kept slagging it off until we got rear ended by a bus, we get out to see the damage, front of bus nicely caved in, small scratch on Lada`s bumper, my mate never cracked another `funny`.

Ladas have `Crumple Zones` in the other guys car


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

Skoda's Lada's Fso's etc were no worse than Morris Ital, Austin Allegro etc for reliablity. even the old vauxhalls, peugeots, renaults weren't up to much and the skoda held it's own. It was just the lack of refinements that caused all the jokes.

Look at Skoda now, I bet the Longbridge guys had wished they'd been bought bt VW instead of having to go cap in hand to China when it's past saving


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## mach 0.0013137 (Jan 10, 2005)

pg tips said:


> Skoda's Lada's Fso's etc were no worse than Morris Ital, Austin Allegro etc for reliablity. even the old vauxhalls, peugeots, renaults weren't up to much and the skoda held it's own. It was just the lack of refinements that caused all the jokes.
> 
> Look at Skoda now, I bet the Longbridge guys had wished they'd been bought bt VW instead of having to go cap in hand to China when it's past saving
> 
> ...


I could be wrong







but did this company used to be The Shanghai Motor Works which used to make the `Shanghai` car in the `80s a great lump of a thing that looked like the ancient style New York Yellow Cabs?

I think they got the design from the Russians (as with many things) in the `50`s.

Now they are they are the ones who maybe can/could have rescued Rover.

if it is them they`ve come a long way in 20 years


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## gravedodger (Feb 15, 2004)

I know what you mean Mach .... I was a taxi driver a lot of years ago and I used to keep my money tin on the floor of my car ... it was a Merc 240.

Driving down a tight 2 way straight, thankfully at only 15 - 20 mph and a Lada broke suddenly in front of me ... unbeknown to me my money tin had slide forward at some stage under the brake peddle ....







.... no brakes .... put my left hand down instinctively to pull on the hand-brake ... doh ! ... Merc 240's have the hand-brake hand up high on the dash on the right near the door ...







.... bang









Lada = small dent in that cast iron bumper, hardly noticable









Merc = mangled wing, new one needed









my favourite car of all time was me Vauxhall Chevette Hatch .... the poor mans E-Type Jag with is rear wheel drive and short gear stick .... wish I still had it









They had a steel bumper bolted directly to the chassis .... tough as anything


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## monstermash (Apr 13, 2005)

gravedodger said:


> I know what you mean Mach .... I was a taxi driver a lot of years ago and I used to keep my money tin on the floor of my car ... it was a Merc 240.
> 
> Driving down a tight 2 way straight, thankfully at only 15 - 20 mph and a Lada broke suddenly in front of me ... unbeknown to me my money tin had slide forward at some stage under the brake peddle ....
> 
> ...


your all forgetting that wonderful driving experience the dacia i had a dacia duster that was about a year old scary scary car no brakes dead heavy = me buying another car almost immediatly and watching the dacia rot !


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## mach 0.0013137 (Jan 10, 2005)

I liked the look of the Wartburg, Moskovitch, GAZ, Volga and the UAZ `jeep` but then I am slightly weird like that


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