Jon Searles' photos with the keyword: automobile

I've written a bit about the Tatra 603 elsewhere, but in summary, the Tatra 603 was introduced in 1956, after a design process that took 3 years, and borrowed a bit from earlier Tatra designs. It had a number of typically "American" features, including a HEMI V-8 engine, dual exhausts, and tailfins, while also having some distinctive Czech features such as a rear/rear layout and an air-cooled engine. The engine was also, in spite of being a HEMI, only 2.5L displacement, in contrast with the Mopar "Firepower" HEMI of the time, which came out to roughly 5.8L. The purpose of the Tatra 603 in the Czech "market," if that's the word, was to serve as a domestically-produced alternative to Soviet-built luxury cars issued to the Communist Party. The only users of the Tatra 603 who were not in the Communist Party elite were the Statna bezpecnost (StB), who were the Czech Communist secret police. Otherwise, the vast majority of Czechs (who qualified to have a car) were issued with whatever the current model of Skoda was. The Tatra 603 received two facelifts, in 1962 and 1968 although both had only a minor effect on its appearance. The more significant would have been the 1962 facelift, in which the original, unusual, three headlights were replaced with a more-conventional four. At least a few 1956-61 603's I've seen, though, have had five headlights, but I don't know if this was an original factory option. This is an example of the five-headlight configuration: upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/01/Tatra_603.jpg/1024px-Tatra_603.jpg Judging from the headlight design on the 603 in my photo, this appears to be a 1968-75 model, although I don't know the precise year.

If you're looking for a genuine Trabant 601 still in running order, it's far easier to find them in the Czech Republic and Slovakia than in the former East Germany, where they were actually built. However, they do still appear from time to time. I found this one, still in close to original condition (at least on the outside, although I don't know if the fog lights are original) parked next to some much newer, much more expensive, much less charming cars (whatever you think of the Communists).

This is a Hindustan Ambassador taxi, probably built sometime between the 1950's and the 1980's, as the car was based on a Morris Oxford Series III upon its introduction in 1957, being built by Hindustan Motors in Uttarpara, India. The company had actually started in 1942, building other Morris copies, but upon the introduction of the Ambassador, no major design changes were attempted until the 1990's, when safety concerns forced a redesign. To this day, the cars remain in production in this newer, redesigned form, in spite of competition from Tata and, of course, the whole range of foreign cars which offer a higher level of performance and comfort. This Ambassador was on display in Praha Ruzyne airport, advertising flights to India.

I just spotted this Maserati randomly in traffic in Prague. I had never seen one like this before, so before I posted the photo I did some Wikipedia research. Judging from the photos, it looks like this is a Ghibli, but I'm not 100% certain since I couldn't find a comprehensive list of models and photos.

This idiot owned a BMW, for once getting all the idiot driver stereotype ducks in a row.

This idiot was also parked in the traffic lane, blocking a legally parked delivery van.

More idiot parking!! :-) I don't remember the street for certain, but I'm pretty sure this was Jugoslavskych Partyzanu. This idiot is especially imaginative in that he/she has parked in the traffic lane next to an open space, right around the corner from where someone could hit them.

The street performers also had this customised Trabant 601. These cars run nearly forever, so they're still quite common 20 years after the fall of Communism, in spite of not even being Czech.

This is the first in my new photo series "Idiot Parking," about shaved gorillas who have somehow acquired driver's licenses, and like to park their cars in ways unseen even in New York City. This classic double park on Jugoslavska would perhaps be seen in New York....in the case of a delivery truck or a car with a dead person in it.

This was another shot on Jugoslavska....I think. I can't really remember this one. Another double park...even though there's a space readily available!!!!

Just up the street, a Skoda Octavia is also double parked, pressuring another Octavia onto the tracks.

This red Octavia was in a long line of double-parked cars that left one lane open, but which blocked legally parked cars from being moved.

At U Kastanu, another moron has parked his Golf in the traffic lane, causing this Audi driver to swerve onto the tram tracks, risking an accident.

I earlier posted a photo of a 1960's-era Volga police car, so here's a 1980's-1990's era GAZ-24-10 Volga taxi. This one's been in use in the area of the Hradcanska metro for many years, although when I first moved to Prague it was still painted white, as in the Communist era. At one time, many of Prague's taxis were Volgas. They can be seen in old documentary footage of Elton John's 1984 visit to Prague, for example, although I've had trouble getting much information on said documentary.

I spotted this old Fiat Panda customised with spray paint on Ujezd. I see odd cars a lot in Prague, but I don't usually post the photos. This one is an exception....

There was so much snow on this hill that even after I had this photo developed it wasn't immediately clear whether this Trabant 601 was on blocks, or simply held in place by blocks. As on careful inspection you can see the tread of the right front tire, it is in fact held on the hill with blocks. Yes, I know that I normally avoid car pictures, but I make an exception when it's something special. There aren't too many cars like this in the U.S. :-)

I rarely take car photos anymore, as I hate the car culture, but this is no ordinary automobile, comrade! This is a Lada 1500. :-) :-) :-) I don't know the year, but I know that these were introduced in 1966, and not significantly redesigned until the 1980s.