Now most people on here will be thinking a Mk1 Octavia looks abit like this ...

However .....

Last November I bought this ...

Which is undergoing restoration after 25 years of laying dormant

However,

i'd been struggling to get spare parts,

until I visited a nice man in London & filled this ....

He's a jolly nice man because he drives this (not for sale)

But I think he's a jolly nice man,

because, he also sold me this ....

Which is now with it's friend ....

Absolutely brilliant! Great to see some really old Skodas still looked after

nice, proper old skool

love it, a true mk1.

hope the project goes well.

Good to see - well done that man

Steve

thanks for the positive comments guys

the red combi should be going into the paintshop next week

ive also got this wee beastie

although it's currently in bits too ....

That sedan is utterly gorgeous.

Not quite so sure about the estate though. Speaking of which, is it just me or does it look a fair bit like an Ovlov PV544?

The Combi is from near the end of the production run

so it has a different dashboard & it has the same rear lights as the s100 /s110r.

There's some visual similarities with the swede that Ken mentions

there's also the Hillman Husky to compare against too.

Personally I think the FWD Octy's look like the Volvo S40 on a year by year basis

as I think that's where they aim the marketing

(although I could be completely wrong)

cheers ... Darren

Lovely to see pics of the old skoda's, and especially liked the Lada that the very nice man, as you called him owned. I have owned two Lada's in my younger days.

Not both at the same time.

The Skoda body work in the photographs look relatively rust free, and I have always remembered a story, which I do not know if it has any truth in it.

It goes like this:- When Adolf Hitlers lot took over the Skoda factories during the WW2, they developed a certain paint technology, which was used on their tanks and vehicles for the war effort. This was reputedly used after the war, on Skoda cars, and that is why the engine would give notice, and jump out of a Skoda, before there were any rust problems.

Where the early Skodas made of galvanised steel sheet, does any one know? As this could also be a reason for the lack of rust on them.

May be a bit of a tall story, but has any one else heard something similar to this?

Soviet

Both of my old Octavias are pretty good bodywork wise,

there's a rain channel on the front wings near the doors

that needs sorting on both.

The Estelle has gone on the inner sills but otherwise they're not bad for their time.

Skoda were quite innovative in corrosion protection for the limited resources they had.

The issues with Skodas (in the UK esecially) tended to be perception based on low price

and rather dated looking interiors rather than anything being fundamentally wrong.

This 1983 video has just been put on youtube (not by me)

it's a bit shaky as the VHS tape was worn out apparantly

but it does give an insight into Estelle & Rapid production

glad to see you have saved another one darren

cheers steve

btw what is that clamp on yo nuskool occy for?

that skoda production video is just superb. (excuse the pun)

takes me back to the days of my old 105s.

Mark

Excellent , nice to see one of the originals.

I have the owners manual for one sat on my bookshelf

The Skoda body work in the photographs look relatively rust free, and I have always remembered a story, which I do not know if it has any truth in it.

It goes like this:- When Adolf Hitlers lot took over the Skoda factories during the WW2, they developed a certain paint technology, which was used on their tanks and vehicles for the war effort. This was reputedly used after the war, on Skoda cars, and that is why the engine would give notice, and jump out of a Skoda, before there were any rust problems.

Where the early Skodas made of galvanised steel sheet, does any one know? As this could also be a reason for the lack of rust on them.

May be a bit of a tall story, but has any one else heard something similar to this?

Soviet

I've not heard anything like this before, and I am into military vehicles (as well as many many other things). I think galvanised steel might be a bit of a red herring though, since the VW Type 1 and 2 had a similar reputation, which was based on good underbody design avoiding most of the dirt, water and rust traps that 40s and 50s unitary shells typically had.

I've not heard anything like this before, and I am into military vehicles (as well as many many other things). I think galvanised steel might be a bit of a red herring though, since the VW Type 1 and 2 had a similar reputation, which was based on good underbody design avoiding most of the dirt, water and rust traps that 40s and 50s unitary shells typically had.

Hi Ken,

This was told to me by a technican of balistics, that works at one of the millatary schools around Swindon. I recall him saying that he fires ball bearings at different types of materials all day.

Think it is Shrivenham, as he did mention it, but I don't remember for sure. When I see him again I will ask.

It was in the pub, and I happened to mention that I had just bought a Skoda, and that was what he came out with, after I happened to mention that I didn't see many rusty Skoda's about, even the older versions. He may have had a few too many, but he seemed pretty convincing. Why he would know something about this, I don't have a clue. Wish that I had asked for more info. and also how he would know about something like this.

You say about the similar reputations that the VW Type 1 and 2 had, but I am a bit confused, as where these galvanised? or do you mean it was just the good underbody design that kept the rust away?

Cheers:thumbup:

Soviet

Shrivenham sounds plausible. DAMHIKT.

I meant that the VWs had good basic design, not that they were galvanised (cos they weren't).

Well done Steve for spotting the clamp!

It was about two years ago in Camden.

I'd parked perfectly legally & paid quite handsomely for the privilege too.

But Camden are a set of "robbing barstewards" & they clamped me anyway.

I had to pay by credit card to have the clam removed & then write in & appeal.

Luckily, I had a camera with me, so I took a dozen photos of the street signs,

the road markings, the valid pay & display ticket in the windscreen.

I wrote to Camden three times, at monthly intervals reminding them,

before they sent me a letter basically saying ....

We're not admitting we were wrong,

but as a goodwill gesture here's your money back.

So if you park in Camden, make sure you've got a portable generator,

and an angle grinder in your boot.!!!

For any Southerners, the white fluffy sstuff in one of the pictures is called snow,

you might look it up in a history book!!

cheers ... Darren

Love the pics in this thread. I know I could print this thread out and show a friend and they'd be very impressed

So if you park in Camden, make sure you've got a portable generator,

and an angle grinder in your boot.!!!

Other thing you could do is carry a set of 2 wheel clamps. Park with the wheels on one side right up against the kerb and then put the clamps on the other 2 wheels. This way they have no possible way of putting a clamp on the car. You come back, you have the key to your clamps, remove them and get on your way.

They may also think you have already been seen to when they see the clamp and ignore your car.

Nice pics , I have a little mini-Brochure of that shape Octavia...

PS since we are on the subject of old Skodas , I snapped this beastie about 12-15 years ago at a local Classic car show (way way before I bought my 1st Skoda , I liked them back then too) .................1963 Felicia Cabriolet.