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CatatonicChimp's 1977 Trabant 601


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At least they didn't charge me... 

 

Just so people don't get the wrong idea, I sent it to them to give the crank a clean and make sure it was still true... they pulled it, but the races for the bearings are free floating... they came off along with all the rollers across their shop floor...

 

Now it was the first time they have touched a trabant engine... but i would have thought they would be able to lift it straight and then check for things like loose bearings before they started flailing it around..

Anyway they lost a bunch of the rollers, and the only place we could find who had them (in the US), said they were all allocated to manufacturing plants, and I would have to order 1000s of them... which wasn't kind of an option... so I ended up buying a crank off Ebay Germany... which due to the slightly new style required a small indent to be drilled in the top of the case... but despite my clear instructions and diagram, they put the indent on the bottom... while its not ruined by putting it in the bottom, it does make it harder to assemble...  

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Great to see an update. Do you read practical classics magazine? One of the staff has a trabby and its been quite interesting following the progress.  Also have you seen the jeremy clarkson show ' meet the neighbours'  - the episode on germany he goes to a trabby meet. worth searching on you tube = funny.

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Great to see an update. Do you read practical classics magazine? One of the staff has a trabby and its been quite interesting following the progress.  Also have you seen the jeremy clarkson show ' meet the neighbours'  - the episode on germany he goes to a trabby meet. worth searching on you tube = funny.

 

No I've not read practical classics mag? is that the UK one? or is there a local one? is the person on staff with the trabi in nz?

 

Yeah I've have seen meet the neighbours, really want to go to one of the Teffen's (Trabant Festivals) one year. Will probably try and organise a group from the of UK/USA forums... 

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Does anyone have any recommendations on Glaziers? Preferably someone who can do the job on site. 

I need the windows relabeled (with the glass specifications) as the originals labels have rubbed off over the years and I can't get certed without them apparently. On top of that I need the windows to be installed, as I can't be arsed doing it myself. 

 

Cheers

 

A. 

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  • 2 months later...

I am on the home stretch now... the engine runs... still needs some tuning but it runs... 

The glass + rubbers are going to be installed next wednesday, and hopefully this weekend if the weather is good, I can spend a few hours putting the new seat covers on, rubber pieces that go on the interior wheel arches and bleed the brakes and other misc interior finishes. Electrics are done and working except for the trailer connector... but I haven't decided on how it should wired yet... original east german 5pin setup (uses the round 7pin euro connector just different wiring) or convert it to a standard euro pinout. if I keep the original I would create an adaptor cable to make it work, not that I am planning on towing anything anytime soon... 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Well if you were floating around taranaki street around midday you might have seen a little blue car with lots of smoke, no windows, no seatbelts and no rego come flying out of martin square... 

 

It has just been in at ABC to get the brakes fixed and then I just drove it around the corner to get the two front bumper bolts extracted, they are impossible to get to without a proper lift.  (just learn't they may also be high tensile steel)

 

Its the first time I driven it more than a couple of meters, and my gear shifting needs some work, (confusion over if i was going into first or reverse, as the reverse gate doesn't have a lock out) but it pulls nicely, brakes need a bit of time to settle but otherwise its in fine shape. 

 

Hopefully will have it back in the garage tomorrow, and I'll try book the glass in for Friday (they failed the first time they tried to install the glass) then I am just waiting on seatbelts to arrive back from Australia, as they should be finished this afternoon, and the centre rear brake light from the USA needs to arrive, then its entry cert time. 

 

Video to come tonight at some stage when my friend finds time to upload the footage from his camera.. 

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apparently my friend is a bit useless at filming with his mobile (sound is muffled and the video is vertical)

 

It had a little trouble starting for some reason... it was smoking quite a bit, and  it stalled on its own as I reversed out, so might need a little bit of adjustment to the idle values. However it was fine after I gave it some juice to get out onto the street.

 

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So it appears my Generator needs some tender love and care.... 

I know some of it works, as it runs like a motor when I apply 6v to it, but I can't work out why its not generating power, even when shorting DF and D+ max voltage generated is 0.8v. 

 

I replaced the brushes and yes it probably still not bedded properly, but the collimator looks pretty dirty... so I need to find a sparky with a lathe who can clean it up, and tell me how stupid I am... 

 

Any recommendations for auto electricians who would be able to service a generator in Wellington city area?

 

 

fPtlutH.jpeg

 

Cheers

 

C. 

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Dropped the Generator off with Nino this morning, hope to hear back today/tomorrow as to its condition. 

Worst case I just order a replacement from Germany, but its a little expensive 80euro plus shipping.

 

Regulator is also an unknown, but by the looks its probably the generator not the regulator, however the is pretty much nothing to fix a bad regulator, so I've ordered a replacement anyway, since it was only 30Euro.

 

Cheers

 

A.

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