“Frankestein” vehicles after 2nd World War · 2020. 9. 11. · a Volkswagen VW Kubelwagen and small, non-original lights. • The two friends used it for their family needs and,

FIVA «Fédération Internationale des Véhicules Anciens”

Aleksandar VidojkovicCulture and Youth Commission Member

“Frankestein” vehicles after 2nd World War Vehicles that changed the social-economic situation in a country

• Knjazevac is a city in Eastern Serbia. Before the Second World War, Knjazevac had some 5,000 citizens,

more than 50 restaurants and very few automobiles. Some of the automobiles were extremely luxurious,

such as the 1930 Packard 7th series or the 1932 Willoughby Lincoln KB V12.

• In October 1944, there was a battle around Knjazevac between the German Army, the Combat Group

‘Grattenauer’, led by Friedrich Grattenauer, Corvette Captain, Naval Commander of Transnistria on one side,

and the National Liberation Army and the Partisan Detachments of Yugoslavia on the other.

• The battle was won by the Yugoslav Army; Corvette Captain Grattenauer lost his life and the war ended in

Knjazevac on 10 October 1944.

• The Yugoslav Army’s spoils of war were almost 100 vehicles, most of them trucks. Not long afterwards,

the Army drove the trucks to other parts of the country to use them in military operations.

• After the War, one of the main problems in Knjazevac was the transport of people and goods. There were just a few vehicles left and these were largely inoperable.



• Ingenious car mechanics and masters of other

trades assembled vehicles from the working

parts of incomplete vehicles, motivated by the

dire situation facing the people of the city.

These vehicles became known as ‘Frankenstein’

vehicles after Mary Shelley’s novel.

• This example remains a mystery. Our research

to date has been unable to identify the make

and model of the car in the photo.



• Mile Milutinovic (nickname Holandija), a driver in Knjazevac at the local authority office, and his best friend Vasilije Vale Nikolic, photographer, found the very damaged body of a pre-War Ford with the German Army’s (Wehrmacht) insignia on the door.

• They then found a pre-War Chevrolet engine, paid for it with a bag of corn, and installed it in the Ford body thanks to their mechanical skill.





• They repaired the axles but it was not easy

to find tyres and wheels. With appropriate

modifications, they installed wheels from

a Volkswagen VW Kubelwagen and small,

non-original lights.

• The two friends used it for their family needs

and, from time to time, as a primitive taxi.

Passengers paid for this service with food,

lard or other goods.

• Borislav Paunovic (nickname Bora Seceni) was a well-known local truck driver and mechanic. He repaired one passenger vehicle, which he converted into a truck. The cargo box was handmade by a local carpenter. The make and model of the base vehicle have not been identified.

• Photo: driver Zelimir Sibinovic Zela



• The family Djergovic from the nearby Kraljevo selo (King’s Village,

today Minicevo) was well known for its taxi owners, drivers and

mechanics. The family started a taxi service and car repair shop

in the mid-1920s. Father Dragi and son Dobrivoje found a very

old Fiat 501.

• They had experience as mechanics and repaired the Fiat with parts

from other vehicles, different wheels, etc.

• This old Fiat was reborn like a phoenix and driven around Knjazevac. • Photo: In front of the Knjazevac Gymnasium





• Ljubisa Jovanovic (nickname Vaganar) trained as an aeroplane pilot for the IL-2 Sturmovik at the end of

WW2. After the War, he left the Army, came to Knjazevac and started working with his own truck.

• Vaganar bought a non-working S.P.A. (Italian Army truck). He was a very talented mechanic and engineer

and repaired the S.P.A. He installed the engine of a Prague truck manufactured under licence in

Yugoslavia. He transported wood and coal by truck on Tarmac and dirt roads in and around Knjazevac.



• At that time, Vaganar and his

friends could not afford cars.

• They travelled and went on

family trips by truck with their

wives, children and other

family members.

• Later on, Vaganar assembled another truck, even bigger

with greater carrying capacity. • The chassis was from a U.S. Army truck GMC 6x6, the cab

was from a Skoda truck. • Vaganar didn’t need front-wheel drive on this 6x6 for it to

work... • Hence he removed the original front axle and suspension,

and installed the front axle and steering mechanism from an

unknown truck, with the steering wheel on the

right-hand side. With the necessary modifications, Vaganar

installed a six-cylinder Perkins diesel engine and

a Dodge truck gearbox. It’s interesting that this vehicle still

exists, in working condition. Up until a few years ago,

Vaganar’s grandson still used it to transport wood from the

forest.



• These were strange but wonderful times, when the citizens of Knjazevac, blessed by a little luck and a great

deal of mechanical knowledge, talent and the help of friends, managed to assemble and run vehicles to

meet the city’s urgent needs.• The memory of these ‘Frankenstein’ vehicles lives on, thanks to people’s personal memories and treasured

photographs.• However, only one ‘Frankenstein’ truck miraculously survived and still exists today.



• Photos and data from the book:

• “Automobiles in Knjazevac 1920-1970”

• by Aleksandar Vidojkovic

• Publisher “Narodna biblioteka Njegos”

• Knjazevac

• Published 2014.

Documents

“Frankestein” vehicles after 2nd World War · 2020. 9. 11. · a Volkswagen VW Kubelwagen and small, non-original lights. • The two friends used it for their family needs and,