1961 Skoda Felicia Cabriolet
Definitive proof that more than just the women are beautiful in Eastern Europe.
As you most of my friends know, I've had a fascination with all things eastern-Europe ever since I first visited Russia in 1995. While my fascination extends to nearly every part of of their culture, what gets most of my attention is the cars. Whenever I'm over there I have a ridiculous desire to wander the parking lots and point out weird to me (but common to everyone else) eastern bloc cars (Look! A Lada!).
During my last trip, I made a visit to a tiny car museum in Piestany, Slovakia. Actually, I think "museum" might be too strong of a word. The first car I saw when I walked in - and no, I'm not kidding - was a 1979 Lincoln Continental, white over maroon, with 172,000 miles on it and nearly as many dents. So, you know, welcome to the museum. Fortunately, there was one car that made it all worthwhile - a 1961 Skoda Felicia Cabriolet in red over white interior and just crazy beautiful. When I left that day, I knew that I'd never see another one as long as I lived.
Fast forward a year and one of my favorite websites, Bring A Trailer, has a post about an identical Skoda Felicia being offered for sale here in America. I knew right then that we were meant to be together.
To really appreciate this car, you need to do a little time-traveling. Imagine that's it's 1961 in Communist Czechoslovakia. It's the very height of the cold war. The U.S. and the USSR are on the verge of armageddon over the Bay of Pigs. Eastern Bloc countries are on high alert. Is this the end of the world?
Meanwhile, someone at Skoda decides to build a chirpy little red convertible with candy cane interior instead of the usual utilitarian, communist, shit-boxes they've been churning out for over forty years. Man, how I would've loved to have been in that meeting.
As you most of my friends know, I've had a fascination with all things eastern-Europe ever since I first visited Russia in 1995. While my fascination extends to nearly every part of of their culture, what gets most of my attention is the cars. Whenever I'm over there I have a ridiculous desire to wander the parking lots and point out weird to me (but common to everyone else) eastern bloc cars (Look! A Lada!).
During my last trip, I made a visit to a tiny car museum in Piestany, Slovakia. Actually, I think "museum" might be too strong of a word. The first car I saw when I walked in - and no, I'm not kidding - was a 1979 Lincoln Continental, white over maroon, with 172,000 miles on it and nearly as many dents. So, you know, welcome to the museum. Fortunately, there was one car that made it all worthwhile - a 1961 Skoda Felicia Cabriolet in red over white interior and just crazy beautiful. When I left that day, I knew that I'd never see another one as long as I lived.
Fast forward a year and one of my favorite websites, Bring A Trailer, has a post about an identical Skoda Felicia being offered for sale here in America. I knew right then that we were meant to be together.
To really appreciate this car, you need to do a little time-traveling. Imagine that's it's 1961 in Communist Czechoslovakia. It's the very height of the cold war. The U.S. and the USSR are on the verge of armageddon over the Bay of Pigs. Eastern Bloc countries are on high alert. Is this the end of the world?
Meanwhile, someone at Skoda decides to build a chirpy little red convertible with candy cane interior instead of the usual utilitarian, communist, shit-boxes they've been churning out for over forty years. Man, how I would've loved to have been in that meeting.
