I am usually in to classic American muscle, but lately I grew fond of old quirky little European cars, they got their own charm.

I’m a Hungarian and i hate these cars with passion because once they were poorly made and second we had to wait for these craps for 5-7 years with no color or any other options. American people are looking at these cars with smile and finding them fun because they did not have to live through those times what we had here. Dispite my bitter memories i’m happy to see you find your happiness in this junk. I wish you health and many happy miles with it. Go to Cleveland with it because there is a pretty big Hungarian community who will certainly showering you with their love. Especially because you have put a copy Hungarian license plate onto it. 👍😀✌️Greetings from Budapest-Hungary

Just subscribed. Your story of life at the end floored me, bring me to tears. No one should face the challenges you have. Wishing you all the very best in the future. Stay strong bro ! Greetings from Woomera in South Australia.👍👍🇭🇲

The Trabi is a unique thing, isn't it? You either love them or wonder what on earth they are - I like them so much, I bought one about 15 years ago after seeing one of my teachers turning up in one when I was at high school... Yours looks to be in far better condition than the one I had. Your personal bit at the end really hit me - that car really means so much to you.

A very good friend of mine owns one, every summer when he goes to work abroad for a month or 2, I take care of it and help him fix some issues on it while it's in my care. It's always such a joy and a privilege. I fully understand why it means so much to you. They have a soul, they really do.

Thank you for sharing the Trabant and your story. Being German they aren't too rare over here. There's still a huge Trabant community in the former DDR (East-Gewrmany). So, in case you need help finding parts or such, feel free to contact me. I will try to help you. Got just a remark on your German history lesson. Googomobil, Isetta and Messerschmidt were built in the 50s in West Germany. Before Trabant was the IFA F9 which based on a pre-war car. And an IFA F9 frame was also the base für the P70. The first car with Duroplast body parts. The P70 was never supposed to be a mass product. So little Trabant 500 was the first GDR-peoples car. Plus there was the bigger Wartburg, built in Eisenach. With real metal. 🙂

I fell in love with the trabant when I played the long drive. One day I’ll have one I find it so interesting

I'm glad you found happiness with a unique vehicle. I have owned some unusual vehicles myself (a local garage owner dubbed me "The Saint of Lost Cars) so I can relate to your appreciation of the Trabant. I wish you the best on your other struggles.

I salute you my friend! You have the guts to be you and acknowledge who you are and follow the dreams in your life which matter to you and to you only. Do not ever get off the route you've chosen, because this is the right path for you. Do not be surprised when you meet people along your path who have (partially?) chosen the same path and may become valuable friends for life. Do not ever get intimidated by people who do not agree with your choices, just wish them luck on their own journey. I have an enormous respect for you and your choices. Do not get cocky over this, just be you as you are and your life will get better and better while you're going on your path. It is after all an impossible mission to please everybody in this world. And you've chosen the right person to please at first: You, yourself. This is the person you will have to deal with your entire life, so you've made an excellent choices here. Now my personal advise to you is: If you really enjoy these eastern German car so much; why don't you specialize in these cars and gather fellow enthusiasts around you and get into contact with East German car enthusiasts in former East Germany, or even a Trabant club. You will be surprised how many enthusiast there are...👍😊

Dear young man, You need to be clear about a few things. 1. When the Trabant was intruduced, seat belts were not mandatory. Later on only on the front seats... Nobody would have used seat belts if they didn't have to. 2. You can install a normal radio in the Trabant, which has the usual slot dimensions. The Trabant was also available ex works with various car radios. Simply install a stadard car radio. All you have to do is unscrew the dummy plate. This can be done without any tools. You just have to reach behind the dummy plate from below and unscrew the two thick grooved "plastic screws" by hand. Loudspeakers can also be installed very easily. Here, there are installation kits especially for the Trabant too. 3. You can easily unscrew the radiator grille by hand. The two screws come off easily and it is also very quick. 4. The normal fuel gauge (plastic ruler) is really not that great for checking the fuel level. Later, a fuel gauge was also fitted ex works, from the Trabant 601 LX version onwards (internal designation of the factory). You can retrofit this fuel gauge yourself. There are also many instructions for this on KZfaq, maybe most in German. 5 The Trabant was designed so that a young family could easily fit a baby carriage and luggage in the trunk. Two children could fit comfortably in the back of the car. 6. The aim was, that the vehicle should be easy and inexpensive to maintain. 7. Two-stroke engines are low-maintenance because they have fewer parts and complications than four-stroke engines. However, oil must be added to the gasoline to prevent the engines from seizing up. (Without adding oil in a sufficient mixing ratio, the two-stroke engines would seize up immediately). 8. You can do everything on the vehicle yourself. You just have to know what and how. For example, you must not forget to apply grease to the grease nipples. This should be done twice a year in the fall and spring. This used to be quite normal. 9. If the vehicle has an ignition system with mechanical contacts etc., then you should urgently replace it with an electronic ignition. The maintenance and especially the adjustment of the electromechanical system is a real job. The thyristor ignition was later available ex works. 10. up to 100 .... and, and, and... Have a good ride at all times!

You're a legend man, love this stuff and love your little Trabant

Hello! I enjoyed your video and I love your little car!

Pushing the Trabant also helps if it wont start.

I really enjoyed your video, thanks! I love these cars and dream of owning one myself. I'll stick around to see what you do in the future. All the best!

Wonderful video and interesting history of this car. Subscribed to the channel and looking forward to new updates! Good luck on your way

Hope to see more of your Trabi. I have a 1976 Trabant 601s in the color "Gletscherblau".

My uncle used to have his tricked out with an led rpm gauge, apparently these were sold as aftermarket parts. Loved the little blinkylights as a kid. They were not common at all. (grew up in the DDR)

Thank you for sharing the car and your story! I had honestly never heard of a Trabant before your video, but they seem like really interesting machines with a powerful history-of all the oddities about the car, the plastic gas gauge is my favorite. Best of luck!

You should get in touch with one of the Trabant clubs in the former GDR, e.g. Trabant-Club Zwickau e.V. (the Trabant was built in Zwickau). You can get all the information you need there. You should get your Trabant into proper shape (technically and visually). Your seat belts are more of a safety risk than a help to the occupants. You should get the automatic seat belts that were installed in the Trabant (also in 1984).

greetings from the Chemnitz(formerly Karl-Max-Stadt).. the city, where the engine of your car came to life

Dude you would fit in perfect in the DDR. Your facial hair and glasses are a young Walter Ulbricht 2.0 (leader of the DDR that famously stated ‘niemand wiil hier eine mauer bauen’) ❤🎉

I have seen a few KZfaq videos about the Trabant 601S. There are not many of these Trabants in the United States. They were a unique, unusual very basic car made in Communist East Germany. A KZfaqr who has the name Aging Wheels for his videos has a Trabant. This person also has videos of him rebuilding his Trabant engine and transmission. There is a company in Europe that still sells parts for Trabants. The Trabant is one unique very quirky low powered car.

Dang bro I'm friends with you on Facebook and now I just randomly found your KZfaq crazy

I just found your channel and I subbed. I've like old commie cars for a long time. I thought I knew a lot about the Trabant, but I learned a few things from you today. For interest, I have done a lot of fiberglass work in the past. Recently I started making a few things from old cotton cloth and epoxy. I'm amazed at how strong it is and the cost is low. I lived in northeast Ohio for many years but now in Tennessee. I hope you attend some car shows in your area. If I know you will attend a car show, maybe I'll go back to northeast Ohio to see your car. Take care!

Excellent..

Very cool, that you have now your very own East German / DDR Trabi! I'm in MI Btw... and too a Smaller dude. Around 115lbs. lol I hope to find a Wartburg 353 deluxe sometime here soon. probably a 1987-90 model year. I know they are rare... Do you think your friend from the FB group could help me out?

I used to want one. Then I test drove one. Then I had a headache the rest of the day.

Its s very minimalistic car due to the restrictions. I think the last models also had fuel gauge. It kinda reminds me of a cheap copy of Peugeot 404. I've seen them turning into pancake after colision. For some reason pigs like to eat them, so avoid pig farms or forests with wild boars.

Doug demero did a road test few yrs back only seen one in person

cool

I've always wanted one of these but owning 5 cars is already too much. haha

Enjoy your microcar 👍😊

Cool car would be cool to have one of my own not as a daily driver though.

Liking the Trabant is one thing, but the "DDR" drawn on your arm is like having a Nazi swastika there.

I know you're struggles. #autisticforacureorprevention

ur dreams must be nightmares! ha ha

classics will be banned from public streets in entire EU and Scandinavia :-( In Germany the Green Peoples Party gave order to shorten fuel supply from 2025 on by reducing all conventional fuel stations to only one state operated central gas station per city or county. Now they even want to slow down all the gas pumps from 20 litre per minute to 2 litre per minute...From 2027 on in the EU certain car spare parts will be banned too....as exhaust systems, turbo chargers and even some engine and gearbox oils...California and New York will do the same from 2027 on.... So no investments should be done in oil burning cars any longer....They even created a new kind of crime here, called emissions and smoke crime. Called Bundesabgasbespaßungsverordnung in German.

Single tank of kerosene