Arsenal: a Hungarian neo-classic hobbycar

Arsenal

Arsenal: the first advanced guard of a Hungarian army?

Back in '80s, when socialism was the prevailing thought and within the COMECON Hungary wasn't allowed to manufacture cars, only a few brave people durst toying with the idea of kitcars. It wasn't so bold after all as in the Big Brother's land the Soviet Union a lot of people transformed their rusty Ladas, Zaporosetzhs into a plastic-bodied sportscars. But they remained one-offs. In 1980, in the heartland of the Hungarian wine, grown on sandy soil, Soltvadkert a then 41-year old mechanic freak, named Frigyes Bank designed and built a car on the base of the popular Lada and named the creature Arsenal. As I've tried to suggest there were strict regulations to get a license plate (and they still exist!). Neither the German TUV, nor the British MoT are accepted. We don't have such thing as limited type approval, if You're planning to sell a kit-car You either bribe or pay every time You sell a car or get a normal type approval.
To make a long story short, the red car (in the the well-known dark red shade [as the red star]). The car passed with flying colours. Bank claims "I have a wonderful memory. I just closed my eyes and imagined the shape of the car and then simply designed and built it". The car had styling elements from the Mercedes 500K, Bank's favourite.
Main features of the Arsenal includes a Lada 1200 engine, built onto a basic frame. The body is made of plastic and strengthened with steel. The roll-bar is so thin that it can't help in case of accident.
Options: wire wheels, side-pipes.

Bank built the Arsenals on his own and he is bitter. As he said neither the previous regime nor this one respect him and his neighbours are just envy. So he moved to another city. We hope that not only 8 Arsenals will prove Hungary has creative minds and persistent men.

The above was written in 1995. Since then I had no words from Bank, but the last thing I know that he contacted a Volkswagen dealer to help selling his car.

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