Solved - MJW #1028 - Tatra T80 Cabriolet by Sodomka 1932

[woodinsight]

1935 Aero 30 Cabriolet by Sodomka?

Ray - 'fraid it's a No,No,No.....

[mekubb]

Coachbuilder is Czech as well or from a different country ?

[woodinsight]

Coachbuilder is Czech as well or from a different country ?

Yes, the coachbuilder is also Czechoslovakian

[4popoid]

OK, I'll call this a 1932 Wikov 35 Cabriolet, with a body by Sodomka (since I don't know any other Czech coach builder).

[woodinsight]

OK, I'll call this a 1932 Wikov 35 Cabriolet, with a body by Sodomka (since I don't know any other Czech coach builder).

No, it's not a Wikov and the body is not by Sodomka

[mekubb]

Skoda ?

[woodinsight]

Skoda ?

Not a Skoda.....

[Trommel]

1932 Tatra 80 bodied by ARCO of Prague.

[woodinsight]

1932 Tatra 80 bodied by ARCO of Prague.

That's the information I have so a point for you.
I was recently informed that there are sites that state that the coachbuilder was Sodomka. It won't affect your point but I'm carrying out a search to find the truth! I won't move it to solved just yet. Perhaps Joao, Pal and Wendax or others may like to comment and confirm?

[Trommel]

Yes - it's attributed to Sodomka on several sites (that's how I found it).

[Bill Murray]

Just to keep the confusion going, I did further research and found one quite reliable site that corrected the coachbuilder from Sodomka to ARCO and if I read the rather difficult translation into English correctly, it further stated it was a T70, not a T80.
Even using Google.cz, I have not found anything on the firm ARCO. Did they go by another name or combination of names??

[woodinsight]

I have ARCO listed on my coachbuilder database as Carrosserie ARCO, Smichov, Prague - active in the 1930s.
I don't know of other cars they built bodies for other than Tatra.

[FrontMan]

Hey,....what's all this "database" stuff?  I do all mine from memory!

[Carnut]

Hey,....what's all this "database" stuff?  I do all mine from memory!

You must be a lot younger than we are then, FrontMan!
Memory is something I used to have so long ago that I've forgotten it!

[FrontMan]

Not younger, but I'm starting to remember stuff I thought I'd forgotten:..... 

[woodinsight]

I'm moving this one up to the Pros for further discussion and proof........

[pnegyesi]

From Marian-Suman Hreblay:
Ateliery pro navrhy, stavbu a opravy karoserii - or Ateliers for design, building and repairs of coachworks) were active in Praha Smíchov suburb in about 1933-1938. Except of some ads in motoring periodicals of an era there were no more infos available.

I'll ask the Tatra Museum whether they know who built the body of this car

[woodinsight]

From Marian-Suman Hreblay:
Ateliery pro navrhy, stavbu a opravy karoserii - or Ateliers for design, building and repairs of coachworks) were active in Praha Smíchov suburb in about 1933-1938. Except of some ads in motoring periodicals of an era there were no more infos available.

I'll ask the Tatra Museum whether they know who built the body of this car

Excellent!
Thanks very much Pal and I'll wait with interest to see what their reply is.....

[pnegyesi]

Oops, did I tell you that Tatra Museum said body was by Sodomka?

[woodinsight]

Oops, did I tell you that Tatra Museum said body was by Sodomka?

Thanks for that Pal - now I can place this one in the Solved section.
Before I do that though I'm going to award a point to RaytheRat as he was the first to guess Sodomka and another point to Pal for his work in confirming the coachbuilder.

[pnegyesi]

thank you, it is very kind of you

[milos62]

According to my information: The body is of TATRA T 80.

[pnegyesi]

Yes, it's a T80, but I think this just a mistake in the heading

[woodinsight]

According to my information: The body is of TATRA T 80.

My apologies, it was a typo when I was writing the description - now corrected....

[Bill Murray]

Just to put some finishing touches on this one.

I had completely forgotten that buried in my library files I have the book "Osobni Automobily 1897-1972" by Karel Rosenkranz.  This one of two books, the other on trucks and busses, that Rosenkranz authored that are histories of the Tatra brand cars and commercial/military vehicles.  They are basically "photo books" with all images taken from the Tatra archives.  Along with each book was a loose leaf bunch of sheets giving all the technical details of each specific Tatra model.

On page 179 and 180 of the book are two photos of almost identical "Sportovni Cabriolet Tatra 80 - Karoserie Sodomka".  One photo is the exact same one as the quiz photo and the other had very minor variations including the paint scheme.

As this book was done in cooperation with Tatra and their archives, I would suggest it is most likely the definitive source and should verify the type and coachbuilder.  Sadly, it did not give a year for either car but I have seen it identified elsewhere on enthusiast sites as a 1932.  Hope that helps.

Bill