1930 Wikov 70 Cabriolet

1930 Wikov 70 Cabriolet

The Prostějov factory, Wichterle and Kovářík as , shortly WIKOV , was a mechanical engineering firm in the then Czechoslovakia .

The company was founded on December 22 of the year 1918 by merging two companies prostějovských Wichterle and Kovarik. Company Wichterle , founded by František Wichterle , produced since the 80s of the 19th century agricultural equipment and gradually expanded. Its activities included the repairs of agricultural machinery. In 1888 František Wichterle bought another failed enterprise and expanded his business to other operations including the foundry. In addition to agricultural machinery, the company manufactured engines, steam boilers, gears, electric motors, wall elevators and slaughterhouse facilities. Company F. and J. Kovářík owned by brothers engineersFrantišek and Josef Kováříková, who has been producing plows and tools for soil cultivation since 1894 , gradually moved to a similar assortment as Wichterle. Although these two companies were competitive, they cooperated with each other during the First World War , which led to their merger just after the establishment of the independent Czechoslovak Republic .

Wikov not only continued to produce traditional products, but gradually developed technology to produce other products. The company has become the largest producer of agricultural technology in Czechoslovakia. In 1929 , the company began to produce agricultural tractors . During World War II the production of agricultural machinery and equipment was limited and the company was forced to manufacture the German war economy. In 1948 the company was nationalized and became Agrostroj Prostějov .

In 1924 , Ing. Dr. Františka Kováříka production of cars Wikov, which lasted only until 1940 . The goal of the company was small-scale production of cars for rich customers. The company began experimenting with the first car prototypes in 1924, but they were produced in just a few pieces. The first serial car produced by Wikov is considered to be the model of Wikov 7/28 from 1925. Due to the high price, these cars eventually formed only 280 pieces.

It followed the technically more advanced model of the 1932 Wikov 35 , which had the advantage of very good aerodynamics . Even this car did not have significant sales success, and in just three years only 150 pieces were produced. The interesting thing is that this car was already equipped with a steering wheel on the left, as we know it today, even though the traffic sides were changed later. However, in the 1930s, the change was being considered, and Wikov was ready to do so.

On the model 35 chassis, the most interesting car of the Wikov - Kapka factory , the first aerodynamic car produced in Czechoslovakia and one of the first in the world, emerged . All the time, however, only three pieces were produced (according to some sources up to 6). The problem with this aerodynamic car was that its true aerodynamic characteristics were not very good, and the added aerodynamic shields increased the weight of the car by more than 100 kg.

In 1933 , several luxury cars of the Wikov 70 type were made, and in 1934 the model of Wikov 40 began to be produced , with 330 pieces being created.

Altogether, only about 800 passenger cars and 100 freight cars have been produced in Wikov during its existence, so today's cars are highly valued among collectors.

This Wikov 70 was the largest model produced by Wichterle & Kovarik. By combining two four-cylinder engines of the 35 model the eight-cylinder engine was created.

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