Romanian scout car "Hamster" (?)

About 3 years ago there was a TV story about a military scout car project of "Dacia" factory based on the old "Dacia 500" model. Yes, the ridiculous "Lastun", the nightmare of the Romanian comunist car industry.

Well, the "Lastun" as a car was a piece of crap, but the orriginal project was very different from the comunist product, as they modified the project specifications to lower the production costs. I know that for sure 'cause one of the engineers that worked at that project is of one of my friends father. He sais that the engine (if biult in the designed specifications) is very good, with an output of 40 HP and a fuel consumption of 3.5-4 l/100km. For a 500cmc engine is pretty good.

The TV story I'm talking about showed a prototype of that "Hamster" scout car, a funny looking small car, resembling a desert buggie. It was a 2 sits vehicle with no roof or doors, just an engine hood and a windscreen. Like a big skateboard with an engine in front. It had very large and wide weels and the performaces were outstanding: 120 Km/h max speed, 400 km authonomy, cross-county abilityes (running over obstacles at high speed, even over a small water pool)... The TV coment talked about exporting it in the middle-east.

:?: I've waited in vain to hear more about this project. Does any of you know anything about it? Was it terminated after "Dacia" was purchased by "Renault"?

It was a Turbomecanica project, not Dacia.

PS:Here is an article I found on the web:
http://www.jurnalul.ro/arhiva/martie2001/2.../adevaruri.html

Some time ago there was alsoa photo on the MApN site, but it isn't there anymore unfortunately.

Thanks Victor!

There have been quite a few Romanian military projects which have not seen the light of day. This 'hamster' vehicle, the Iar 95 and that IRIS radar. When we upgraded our tanks Romanian engineers had a plan to built a tank from scratch the TR-2000.

Well, anyway wouldn't it be great if someone would write a book about all the good (and maybe not so good) Romanian military projects that never saw the light of day because of beraucracy or lack of resources.

Or better yet a book about the military projects of former Eastern Block countries. I'm sure the Yugoslavs the Czechs and the Poles must have had all sorts of projects.

i think i saw this vehicle at expomil 2003 , it was shown outside .. yet i did not note down the specifications ....

Unfortunately the link has now been broken.
Petrus

On Expomil 2003 I saw only Mowag Eagle III (shown at http://www.armyrecognition.com/europe/Roum..._Romania_01.jpg )

On Expomil 2005 a Mowag Eagle IV was displayed (together with a rumor that maybe MFA Mizil will assemble the car).

Unfortunately the link has now been broken.
Petrus

Thanks to waybackmachine.org, here it is the missing article:

http://web.archive.org/web/20030707185000/.../adevaruri.html

I don't know if this is it, but here is a picture of the Hamster in action:



Source: An amateur geocities page describing the Scouts in the modern Romanian Army - Sorry, forgot the exact site name

I don't know if this is it, but here is a picture of the Hamster in action:



Source: An amateur geocities page describing the Scouts in the modern Romanian Army - Sorry, forgot the exact site name

I dont think thats the Hamster. I've seen this presented on "Top Gear", and its commercially available for whoever pays, nothing Romanian or military about it specified. Ofcourse, unless looks are deceiving and this is a Romanian creation.

take care

Here is the site http://www.geocities.com/romanianspecialfo.../cercetasi.html

...and here is the picture: http://www.geocities.com/romanianspecialfo...inuta_mediu.jpg

Hi Guys,

For recently declassified photos of Romanian special forces using the Hamster on an undercover mission at Disneyland try the following:

http://www.dusko.net/bananasplits/index2.html

and

http://www.route6x6.com/museum/Amphicat/ac...os/banbingo.jpg

Cheers,

Sid.

Good one!

take care

What you say about this Austrian car?


(Picture from www.bmlv.gv.at
Military parade on 25th of October 2005).

Off-topic: Austrian use horses as well.

(Same source)
I wonder if our troops still use horses in the mountains.