Skoda 1000MB should I or shouldn't I?

[Nobleox]

Hi guys,

I've always been an owner/driver/fettler of small Triumph Saloons, Toledo's and Dolomites mainly but have today just been to have a look at a Skoda 1000MB. Rather taken by it although the steering wheel is on the wrong side and the engine is in the wrong place....

Not knowing much about these od Skoda's In was hoping for a little advice on them, I've read up on what I can find so have a grounding on the history of these pre 1970 cars but other than that I'm pretty much in the dark. Was fun to drive and didn't seem to be lacking in power to my last 1300 Dolly. Is a well maintained one good enough to use almost daily 30ish miles to work there and back? What problems did they suffer from or likely to suffer from?

Whats it like getting hold of spares for these Skoda's....will I have to haggle in a market in Prague if I need an alternator?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated as I need to persuade the sensible half of my brain that I should go for it....

Many thanks

James

[daverapid]

Engine is of course in the RIGHT place!!

You will be lucky to find any for sale at any price in the UK. I've used rear engined Skodas as everyday transport for many years, admitidly the slightly more modern Estelle's and Rapid's. Parts are still available with the right contacts. Have you seen one in particular that you are interested in?

There's no doubt that you SHOULD go for it!

[Nobleox]

Went to look at one today, a Czech import, in Skoda red everything there didn't seem to be hiding anything nice clean engine bay (which was most certainly in the wrong place) which being more a customed to Triumph's was a nice surprise.

Problem is I know Dollies, and for the price I could get a very nice Dolly 1500 or 1850 and for a little more could get a perfectly useable Sprint....so i guess with the Skoda's of this period you'r paying for a bit of rarirty??

The styling of the old girl appealed to me just not convinced it would be a useable 'almost' everyday car. I don't believe in locking cars away in garages and only using them on sunny Sunday's! I do a fair bit of motorway driving mainly M40, M25, M4 I don't rush about usually stick to 60 in the old girls but I wonder whether the lack of speed on the M25 would be a killer (overheating).

There a car I've never considered before and I can find a few similarities between these and the Trump's....under loved slightly ridiculed (more so with the Skoda badge :peek: ) and simple mechanics I just don't know enough about these....

[skodanorman]

For any Skoda built before 1983 you pay a premium for the rarity - hence seeming expensive compared to a Triumph. Depends what you want but for cheaper daily ttransport tthen I would look at a later Estelle. Usual story though, buying cheap will result in a car needing more welding work etc.

Reliable cars on the whole though. My Rapid was my only car for two years and I went all over the UK in it - never failed to put a smile on my face.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

[skodabluecat]

Hello there James, I know the red one and its a great buy at the price he wants, its had some subtle mods that would make it more easy going for everyday use..The parts for his engine are easily obtainable on ebay and its a comfy car that is again as others have said very much a rarity in the uk..Im restoring a 1965 one at the mo and Ive also got a 1966 one and Ive had two others, hope you go for it, cheers Jay..

[Matt Bodycombe]

Very pretty little cars and getting rare now. I would think a nice original unmodded one would be a nice left field classic. Nowhere near as fast as a Dolomite but should be dependable. Didn't Dolomite engines have big issues with overheating?

[KenONeill]

Very pretty little cars and getting rare now. I would think a nice original unmodded one would be a nice left field classic. Nowhere near as fast as a Dolomite but should be dependable. Didn't Dolomite engines have big issues with overheating?

Well, the "big block" ones sort of did, but it was more of an issue with not being built properly.