1935 Škoda 935 Dynamic Prototype

1935 Škoda 935 Dynamic Prototype

In 1935, a car was presented at the Prague Motor Show, boasting an elegant and aerodynamic body with a teardrop shape, an engine mounted in front of the rear axle and a central tube frame that also served as a fuel tank. Do you think it was a new Tatra? No, it was a premiere of a Skoda with a streamlined body that captivated the public with its elegance and surprised experts with a whole range of elegant solutions. However, the unique prototype eventually fell into oblivion.

Kopřivnice Tatra is undoubtedly the most famous Czech, but still Czechoslovak, producer of automobiles with an elegant and mainly aerodynamic streamline. In the interwar years, however, most car manufacturers experimented with aerodynamics, including Skoda, which was one of the pioneers in the automotive industry.

Although the Škoda 935 Dynamic was only introduced in 1935, the path to its success probably started much earlier. Roughly in 1932, the development of Škoda 932, which was one of the first to boast a four-cylinder boxer engine that was stored at the back, began. The shapes of this car are quite far away from the elegance, but it is worth noting that its hood reminds of Volkswagen's first "Beetles".

However, the 932 prototype was given several evolutionary stages, at the end of which it was Skoda 935, which was presented at the Prague Motor Show in Holesovice in 1935, where it gave rise to general admiration. Her body was full of elegance and at the same time showed that Tatra is not the only one who can build such progressive cars.

But bad language could say a little about copying. Already at first glance, 935 Dynamic shows some details that were undoubtedly inspired by Tatry 77. For example, come across the stern with a pair of windows that divide the fin to increase the stability of the car. There is also a ribbing to remove warm air from the engine.

On the other hand, copying considerations break the front part of the Skoda designers' very elegant rounded shapes, which applies both to the very impressive grille and to the edges of the headlamps that protrude from the round fenders. It is worth noting the absence of the front bumper, which had to give way to aerodynamics and elegance. Directional lights thus moved above the windshield frame.

The newly created space in the lower part of the mask was used by technicians to install a small door, behind which is a horizontally placed reserve. This solution, which many still remember from Skoda 1000 MB, was supposed to serve as an element of protection in the event of an impact, and in fact, it compensated for the deformation zone.

The body itself offered, in addition to modern shapes, modern solutions. In fact, the construction combined the usual internal wooden structure with steel and aluminum at the time, keeping the curb weight at 1170 kilograms - a very decent value for that time.

Under the bodywork was somewhat unconventional hidden central pipe (the traditional element Tatrovek), which was also to serve as a fuel tank with a capacity of about 40 liters. However, this solution proved to be inefficient due to frequent fuel casting, so technicians placed a 60 liter tank under the front hood.

The prototype was driven by a somewhat unusual four-cylinder engine of the boxer type 1995 cm 3 , which was placed in front of the front axle. Engine power was also due to a pair of Zenith carburetors up to 55 hp (40 kW), which makes Dynamic to start up to 140 km / h. The power transmission was provided by the French four-speed semi-automatic Cotal gearbox, which was preselected and no clutch was needed.

This somewhat unusual solution was supposed to help Skoda for better driving comfort. The driveability itself was also greatly aided by independent suspension, or the location of the radiator and fuel tank at the front, resulting in better weight distribution.

Dynamic was a relatively large car, measuring 4.86 meters, 1.68 meters wide and 1.54 meters high. Inside the cabin, which boasted premium upholstery and wood paneling, was enough space for a five-man crew that could use the luggage compartment of about 300 liters.

The aerodynamic bodywork experiment in Mlada Boleslav was very successful according to the contemporary and contemporary responses, but its production did not come from a very simple and probably rational reason: the construction was too extravagant and its sales success was very uncertain.

The Škoda 935 Dynamic thus served in the automobile factory until 1939, which eventually decided to sell it (what we would give today for such a car factory). How many owners of Dynamic have no idea, but to get back to light again in 1968.

At that time, the Mladá Boleslav car factory launched its museum, for which it was looking for unusual exhibits of Škoda and Laurin & Klement vehicles through printing. A Slovak farmer from somewhere in Banska Bystrica, with whom Dynamic was at that time, was supposed to come to the advertisement.

For most people, the unknown prototype was in a greatly miserable condition, many parts were missing and the original paint was supposed to replace the paint applied with a brush. But the car was operational and thus became one of the first ten specimens that the museum had. However, due to the absence of documentation, the reconstruction has been considerably extended. Many parts have to be re-manufactured and some imperfect technical solutions have to be "tuned."

The new Škoda 935 Dynamic started its new life in 2015, when it was presented at the Techno-Classice in Essen. The car can be seen in the Škoda Museum, where it still impresses visitors.

Descriptions & pictures by carscoops & tresbohemes & skoda-storyboard & flickr & other