In the early years of peace restoration in the North, the demand for transportation increased, which made many military motorcycle officers worry: Why can other countries produce cars? Our technology is backward, but we can still produce many types of weapons that make the enemy terrified, can we make cars?
In 1958, Chien Thang Automobile Plant decided to produce a small car in our own way. The task was assigned to General, engineer Ho Manh Khang, Director of Z157 Factory – Motorcycle Management Department – and Mr. Vu Van Don, Director of Motorcycle Management Department at that time directly supervised and directed.
The homemade car (left) made by Vietnamese hands
At that time, Chien Thang Automobile Plant gathered skillful mechanical craftsmen but the conditions for production were extremely difficult. The production plan was to choose a car, disassemble it according to that model using machines or manually.
The Renault Fregate, fueled by gasoline, was used as a model. Parts such as the engine body, engine cover, carburetor, fuel pump, oil pump were carefully searched and molded, then cast in iron before being cut, machined for precision.
Some details had to be cast and recast many times before succeeding. The raw materials were mainly taken from the junkyard of French war remnants. To make the machine shaft wheel, a train wheel axle had to be used, measured to obtain the size, drawing the standard model. For just this “rotating shaft wheel” part, turning, cooling, grinding… had to struggle day and night for nearly two weeks.
However, there were some details that could not be made and had to be fitted with foreign parts, such as: electric candles, wires, clock and indicator system, light bulbs, glass systems, tire patches, and bearings.
Artist Diep Minh Chau helped the factory with the design and color. He even spent money to buy ivory to make a horn knob, on which was carved the image of the One-pillar Pagoda. He made a small gypsum soldier holding a flag so that the factory could cast it in bronze and attach it to the hood.
On December 21, 1958, at this factory, the first 4-seater car produced by the Vietnamese people, though not 100% complete, was born. It looked “fancy” not inferior to the Soviet Matxcovik at that time. President Ho often heard the news and came to see and encourage.
Nearly 500 people worked day and night, forgetting to eat and sleep, to accomplish a historic task of the military motorcycle industry. On December 21, 1958, the “Chien Thang” (Victory) car with the license plate QS 0001 left the factory.
- Pobeda – A car that traveled nearly 40,000 kilometers with Uncle Ho
- Admire the “bulletproof supercar” that once carried President Ho
Diep Anh (TTTD/Source: QDND)
Young group in Đắk Lắk province manufactures vintage Mercedes-Benz 300 SL car by hand.
The rare vintage car was crafted by a group of young talents, comprising Huynh Kim Dai and Pham Quoc Binh. They reside and work in Krong Nang district, Dak Lak province.
Vietnamese create cars since 1958
The Vietnamese-designed and crafted car, named Chiến Thắng, first appeared in the Northern region in 1958.
Young Ð?k L?k province group crafts vintage Mercedes-Benz 300 SL car with precision
The exquisite classic automobile was meticulously handcrafted by a collective of young prodigies, led by Huynh Kim Dai and Pham Quoc Binh. These gifted individuals call Krong Nang district in Dak Lak province their home and workplace.
