Belgrade, Serbia, Fiat (copies) and the Eurovision!

[Thotos]

I think we all know that Zastava used to make Fiat based cars for the East European markets. Originally they were simply rebadged Fiats but eventually they developed certain Fiat cars to become new models in their own right as the Zastava 101 which is a Fiat 128 based 5 door hatchback and still in production in Serbia today.  I was told just yesterday that the motor division of Zastava was purchased by Fiat but I don't know if that is true. The Zastava company is also a military arms manufacturer as well as a manufacturer of household white goods.

Motoring in Serbia seems quite different to what we are used to in Western Europe and there seem to be a lot of old cars around as well as new ones of course. I even saw two Ferraris during my short stay there.

The MOT laws must be very relaxed though by the state of the sills on this 128



and car restoration seems something done in the street rather than a garage



I remember seing lots of Fiat 1500 in Cyprus back in the 60s and even though badged a Zastava this was still of special interest to me





By the way, that's my daughter walking away in the photo above muttering "come on dad! enough pictures of old cars, it's time for lunch!"

And here's a photo specially for Eugene  There were loads of these strange looking things around 



Now for those of you who didn't believe I was going to the Eurovision Song Contest, here's some photographic evidence to convince you 

[kev131]

Theo - I'll comment on the Fiat derivative pictures first? - I love seeing old Fiats and their cousins when I visit a new country and take as many pictures as I can - Much more interesting than scenery I'm afraid. Have you any more..? And your daughter's response is all too similar where the female gender is concerned.?

I never know that Zastava made a 1500 equivalent - wonder if there is a Zastava 131 Sport knocking around..?

I sort of expected some Eurovision pics in this posting but my attitude somewhat changed as I studied them more closely.? ? Is it a co-incidence that there are scantily clad females in nearly all of the shots, or did all of the perfomers provide such "eye candy"??

[Thotos]

did all of the perfomers provide such "eye candy"? 

Why do you think I like the Eurovision Song Contest  Seriously though, the Eurovison Song Contest acts are as much about the visual appeal as they are about the song. Isn't that why Ireland had a turkey puppet? And there were Pirates, golf-karts on stage, World Champion skaters swirling next to the barefoot singer etc as well as the "eye candy" you refer to which as you say seemed to be in most of the acts but not in all. The UK had none of that, no visual appeal at all and they came last but blame it all on political voting. Maybe the Brits should be reminded that when they won in Ireland they did so by pulling the skirts off the female singers! 

As to more photos of old Fiats/Zastavas, I don't have many because most of them were driven at such high speed that they were impossible to photograph. Plus my daughter kept pulling me along whenever I stopped to take a photo of a car    I didn't see any 131s and I am sure they were never made by Zastava. The Fiat based cars made by Zastava are (thanks to Wikipaedia for the info):

    * Fiat Campagnola - Production from 17 November 1953 until 1962, 4,640 units were built without modification.
    * Fiat 1400 - Production from August 1954 until 1961, without modification
    * Fiat 1100D - Many thousands of cars were produced.
    * Fiat 600 - Production of the Zastava 750 (later 850), nicknamed "Fićo", started in 1955 until April 2000. The model was very popular, 923,487 "fića" were produced by Zastava in 45 years without modification.
    * Fiat 615 - medium truck produced by Zastava Kamioni from 1957 - 36,000 Zastava 615 were built.
    * Fiat 1300/1500 - the same of Fiat original. The Zastava 1300 production was from 1962 until 20 December 1979. 201,160 Zastava 1300 were built without modification.
    * Fiat 850, Many thousands of cars were produced
    * Fiat-OM 40, produced from 1969, to replace the Fiat 615
    * Zastava 101, this car used the Fiat 128 base with many body modifications. Launched in October 1971 in Belgrade. The model Z101 was very popular. The vehicle is still in production today in 2008; 1,100,000 units were built thus far. Many CKD cars were exported in Egypt to Nasr car company.
    * Fiat 128 : the production of the Italian original model started in 1980, and the production of the 128 ceased in 2001. The model was called Skala 128.
    * Yugo 45 : Launched 2 October 1980, the production of the Yugo (or Z102) continues today. 750,000 units were built before the conflict of 1999. More than 150,000 units of the cabrio version were exported to the USA.
    * Fiat Daily : IVECO - Fiat V.I. division - from 1 January 1991 IVECO has held 46% of ?Zastava Kamioni?.
    * Zastava Florida : the production of Z103 Florida continues today in 2008, more than 160,000 units were built before the Kosovo war in 1999.
    * Fiat Punto : it's currently Zastava's most modern car and badged Zastava Z10 by Fiat. The production started in October 2006; 100 units daily.

[january 131CL]

Talking about skirts.

Isn't it the same with Formula One or any other motor racing event around the world. One would not be wrong to assume that these races seemed more like a beauty pagent!

Back to Fiat pictures, I like the 850 most.

[Thotos]

Here's another old Fiat/Zastava




And here's some more old Zastavas but I don't think these are Fiat based

[kev131]

If today is presents for Eugene day I'm sure he would like this one...!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMN4C5_ExtY

[eugene]

Thanks Theo for the photo of the Lada Riva,but i am more into the Lada Nivas,however i do like the Riva .Eugene

[djape1977]

zastava also produced

fiat 132 1800gls, 2000 and 2500d, actually just assembled them from parts ariving from italy, therefore most of 132's in ex yugoslavia are listed as zastava 132. there was at least 25.000 made

pz 125 (polska zastava), a polish fso and zastava cooperation produced fiat 125 some 50.000 made,

fiat 124 also listed as zastava 124 since it was assembled in zastava plants something like 5.000 made

[Baja141]

The beautiful stage shots really woke me up,Theo ! 

[Thotos]

It's taken you a while though!  They were posted over 2 months ago! 

[Baja141]

Ohh .. you're right Theo, 2 mths  I was sleeping all this while  

[Thotos]

I am glad my photos managed to wake you from such a long and obviously deep sleep... 

[djape1977]

btw, oily bits only, zastava florida is a illegitimate child of fiat tipo and pinninfarina with fiat's 1.3 engine from 128 and 1.4 from tipo, and yugo 45 is the strange combination of fiat 127 and 128, with fiat engines 903ccm, 1100ccm and 1300ccm. so if any of you out there need any parts for 127, 128 and simmilar models, feel free to contact me, i'll gladly help you get those much needed parts since they are widely available and very cheap in serbia.
example: front brake calipers for yugo, new, complete with pistons, are around 30e/pair and will fit almost any '70's and 80's fiat, 131 and 132 straight bolt on job.

[djape1977]

zatava 750, produced untill 1985. getting rare around here, still some to be found like this one

[djape1977]

some more old fiats in serbia