Trabi/IFA Chat Forum

There are a couple of websites that have a free downloadable Trabant repair manual in German. Somebody found a link to one in a previous discussion about this subject. And couldn't you use an internet translation tool if you had a problem understing that? And anyway there's always Keri to explain anything you could possibly not understand.

But what about when [USER=757]Keri[/USER] is off gallivanting with Comrade Trabi? This would allow us to help ourselves

I think between [USER=785]Bountyflyer[/USER] and [USER=757]Keri[/USER] it would be a good venture , I also agree that profit for copies should NOT come into it . May I suggest that it is available for members to look at BUT if you require a download for example, that members could make a small donation to the running of the site or something similar, someone must have to pay for the site? I hope I am not speaking out of turn.. I just believe in fairness for all and to help ones fellow comrades .

I'm not against selling manuals for supporting this site or any other good cause.
I just don't feel that it is likely to accomplish this!
The effort and expense of printing will probably never be recovered, so if it's a project to raise funds, it will probably fail in that respect.
Paying for translation services would probably be the largest expense, so let's try to avoid that.

It's a good, worthwhile cause.

Likely problems:

People damaging their Trabi or them selves after reading the manual and blaming the translators or the supplier (us)
Copyright issues from the original publisher
Proliferation of unauthorized copies
Runaway expenses with little chance of recovery

[USER=939]DDR[/USER], There are expenses with the site, which is why I do things like the T-Shirt sales, I make a little profit on them and all the proceeds literally go into the site. The cost of domain renewal in minimal, what is the most cost has come from the server built to handle the site and several months ago we bought the pretty new platform we have now. It's done for the love of the hobby and the car and with no intention of really making money or making profit.

With that being said, some of the upgrades that I would like to do to the site are to add a member garage and add a second server that mirrors the primary. The primary is in South Carolina and my close friend and our web person, [USER=1]bttw[/USER], hosts it and pays to upgrade the server to keep the site going 24/7. However, there are times where storms hit and circumstances beyond anyone's control can cause the site to go down, so we want to get a second server and host it where I am at in Texas. Also I would like to be able to reimburse [USER=1]bttw[/USER] for money he has already spent.

So supporting the site through donations and purchasing are always helpful to grow the community and keep developing it. So if you are anyone wants to do that, then please feel free to donate or buy the T-Shirt we are selling right now.

Going back to the manual, I think way too much is being read into it. [USER=757]Keri[/USER], I believe you are right, to print an actual hard copy would be probably cost prohibitive and paying people for something we have the ability to do ourselves would go against our Trabant ways We could do a scan for reference online and like the other things that are on here, it is doubtful that I would charge a fee for download, it would just be part of the community that would help others out, which is what this community is intended to do. Although if this translating a workshop manual does start to become a reality, then I would at least humor the thoughts of getting hard copies printed after we translate and see what the cost would be.

I don't think a professional translator is necessary [USER=785]Bountyflyer[/USER] volunteered his time and his ability to translate manuals he already has. All he asked for is help from someone mechanically knowledgeable to make sure his spelling and grammar was correct. As mentioned, I will volunteer to help with this and I'm sure there are a couple others that who could help too.

With these issues:

People damaging their Trabi or them selves after reading the manual and blaming the translators or the supplier (us) - a disclaimer could help with that. When I mess up on my MG, I don't blame Haynes, plus my brother is an attorney so we could get the wording correct.

Copyright issues from the original publisher - I know [USER=785]Bountyflyer[/USER] contacted the company to try and get permission, so I think we would be fine for any free e-copy, but if not then we will come up up with a plan B if its needed.

Proliferation of unauthorized copies - Im not overly concerned about this one, it is what it is

Runaway expenses with little chance of recovery - This one just won't happen, worse case we go through it and end up with an electronic copy and all we have in it is time.

Anyway, it would be nice to have an English shop manual so [USER=785]Bountyflyer[/USER], whatever we need to try to start this, lets do it!

Hi [USER=55]Justin[/USER] & [USER=757]Keri[/USER] , These are all good ideas and for the benefit of the Trabant community as a whole [USER=55]Justin[/USER].. Haynes are somewhat vague I.E " Remove engine, strip and rebuild it " ..well, ok not really that bad but never seem to tell you about the part you the owner are working on ( This is my opinion and NOT that of the site or its owners ) ..and while we are on the subject disclaimers are the way to go :p.

[USER=939]DDR[/USER], Actually I think Haynes ARE that vague and really are as bad as that example leads on to.

Disclaimers are great, sad some of the ones we have to use these days

If I recall corretly, Trabants were exported to Iceland. Is that where English versions of books went. I could be wrong. Any one in Iceland or know any of our Trabant friends in Iceland?

<----- Liked Haynes manuals... ops:

You're also VERY mechanically inclined

I've made an arrangement with Keri, and we will start working on our version of the manual. It won't be an exact translation but there will be parts out of the manulas. We will write it for today's Trabant collector. For example the book would say to remove the engine air fan bearing use the .....number puller... We will say the same thing with the addition that according to our knowlage nobody has ever been able to remove the bearings without damaging the plastic fan itself. We will include advises what we have figured out on our own. Take it or leave it. I think who takes upon himself to repair his own car will appercipiate advises from others who did it before. If we touch an issue where oppinions are wastly different we will address our oppinion and our findings and let the reader decide. Prime example would be the oil to be used in a Trabant gas tank...

So I'll start on it soon, chapter by chapter. I think we will have it printed out and will see what to do with it.

Not too suprisingly the local Trabant collectors are just as cheap as the ones I know in Hungary. So asking money for a shop manual would not go too far I think. I probably would give a hard copy to those who sign up to the site or become a member to the Trabant club. (I know we don't have one yet but that could change)

It will take quite a bit of effort to make this manual happen, so you will have time to figure out what to do with it. But mean while if anyone have the need to read something out of the manual, I'm willing to work on that revelent part what someone needs, for example the Carburetor or transmission... We will work on one chapter at a time with Keri, so the order won't matter. So if you have a request, let us know.

To DDR: not all russian looking caracters are used by the Russians only. The shop manual you've found on Ebay was written in Bulgarian language and has nothing to do with Russian. The letters might look similar thru... It's like you should be able to read and understand German because they (mostly) used the same caracters as English.... Sofia is in Bulgaria by the way....

[USER=785]Bountyflyer[/USER] , Yes , I understand that . The link I found said it was a Russian manual . When I clicked the link and read it properly it said it was Bulgarian , so maybe keri would not want that one after all. . I wish you all the best with your efforts and with [USER=757]Keri[/USER] .

There was very minimal export to Russia. They had thier own cars like Lada Volga and Moskvitch. At the other hand Hungary was forbiden to make a national car. Hungarians made buses called Ikarus. Very interestingly there is one not too far from College Station right next the main road!

Bulgaria was so behind in industry and everything else that they have inported all kinda things. Therefore they had cars from all over the eastern block. They are right next to Russia and they have a long pravoslav history. For some reason I don't know they using ciril letters.

Sorry if I've snapped at you, that wasn't my intention.

Look at this video then you understand why I'm getting excited about things like this:

[media=youtube]Cey35bBWXls[/media]

Again, I didn't say that you are like the blond lady in the video, just I know that those places are so far from here and I keep hearing many miss information about them every day, even from well educated people I'm working with.

I hope you will enjoy the video thru....

Greetings, Peter

Thats ok , I got misled by the link .. So Hungary was prohibited from making a car? I wonder why? Maybe do a better job than the Russians .. Oh my goodness , I would send her back to school ! That is ridiculous .. thanks for sharing .