Send to a friendVal June 14th, 2007 5:24 PM Link
OMG, that was awesome, with that rate i can only imagine how many people were involved in “quality” control only. And trabbies were quite popular it would seem
Video: At Trabant, Quality Is Job #1(,897)
Written By: Chris Paukert
This priceless footage shows plant workers toiling away at Trabant assembly with rudimentary impliments. Apparently, building the Communist cars required little more than simple hand tools: rubber mallets, wedges, grille adjusters (also known as the business end of one’s boots), wrenches, and a heady dollop of East German elbow grease. Oh, a fun haircut helps too, evidently.
Enjoy.
+ YouTube: DDR - Trabi Endkontrolle im VEB Sachsenring (funny!)
19 Comments
VMMVMMM June 14th, 2007 5:50 PM Link
If that’s the only car you can buy, yeah, it’s pretty popular! What a hilarious video. I was in Berlin just a few weeks ago and it’s amazing how things have changed over what to me seems like such a short 18 years.
Sharky June 14th, 2007 7:18 PM Link
The dude with the dark hair and moustache is either Borat or John Oates (from Hall & Oates). Can’t figure out which from that slightly grainy footage.
Johnny Rocket June 14th, 2007 7:45 PM Link
It could be called a “volkwagen.”
john June 14th, 2007 7:54 PM Link
to be fair, SOME of the techniques they are using are similar to those of what a high end restorer would use, though some are just plain brutal to the car. i think most of the footage is a testament to how horribly made the panels were to begin with. it shouldn’t take that kind of heaving to make a hood fit.
John June 14th, 2007 8:23 PM Link
All metal surfaces and metal joints were flexing and easily manipulable by hand.
I bet the car turns into a pancake in a 50 mph crash.
taratatira June 14th, 2007 11:05 PM Link
the car wasnt even made of metal, but some kind of plastic.
robw June 15th, 2007 12:07 AM Link
It makes me wonder what was the purpose of the creation of this video in the first place. May be this was a training video for new employees?? Oh boy… 
fantasyfreddy June 15th, 2007 2:53 AM Link
hand made!!
John Carder June 15th, 2007 11:15 AM Link
Even with the crude tools and techniques, they were moving cars down the line, getting it done.
Nick Gomez June 15th, 2007 12:37 PM Link
Very enlightening. Actually a lot of abusive looking treatment can be seen in manufacturing plants, especially during trial unit manufacture.
smokeydog001 June 15th, 2007 3:07 PM Link
Not much different from the British Leyland days when the Marxists were on the assembly line. And not a hell of a lot better than the Corvette plant in Bowling Green.
GC June 15th, 2007 8:06 PM Link
Plenty of people still use mallets and wedges to deal with door gaps etc.. especially in the hotrod business.. and yes those are 100k+USD cards.. eg American HotRod, SoCal Speed Shop etc.
klarens June 17th, 2007 5:39 PM Link
the car is made from plastic. and this is the only way to fit all the pieces.i remember my friend use to have one few years ago.it has 600cc engine just two storkes you have to put oil into the gas tank, cause the engine will blow off.4 speed manual trans.the shifter is situated right on the steering wheel, looks like automatic.tho doors even the combi version.about 40 hp. the body is verry light because of the material.accelerate prety good but on highway just doesnt work.the max speed is around 60-70mph.
i just cant find you some pics to see how the east germans(they love this trabi)are making a rockets of this car.
in my country there are safari with trabant cabrio.is just for the tourists and for fun.i’m about to try it that summer.
i’ll bring some pics
James June 20th, 2007 1:47 AM Link
The funny thing is Ford Australia still use the mallet and wood method in current production to line up doors on the Ford Falcon. Maybe they use the above training video.
LLC June 26th, 2007 7:11 PM Link
Ok…granted their design and process are bad, but there is not much wrong with their technique, they are right on and not too far from what is normally done.
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