Info für Besucher ohne Javascript

Premium

Innovation without a future - the Skoda 440 Spartak Polytex Roadster

This article was auto-translated. We apologize if some words are confusing or simply amusing. Would you like to help us improve?

Created on January 25, 2014

Reading time 5min

Written by:

Jirka Pollak

Photos:

Owner/Besitzer

27

Archiv Jan Tucek

11

Archiv

1

Owner/Besitzer

27

Archiv Jan Tucek

11

Archiv

1

Skoda 440 Spartak Polytex Roadster (1955) - fertig restauriert und in neuem Glanze

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Skoda 440 Spartak Polytex Roadster (1955) - Frontansicht

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Skoda 440 Spartak Polytex Roadster (1955) - die Metamorphosen auf einem Bild zusammengefasst

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Skoda 440 Spartak Karosa (1956) - Entwurfszeichnung von Otakar Diblik

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Skoda 440 Spartak Polytex Roadster (1956) - der schnittige Roadster

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Skoda 440 Spartak Polytex Roadster (1956) - bereit für die Ausfahrt

Bild von Partner Porsche AMAG November Foto-Galerie 2025

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Skoda 440 Spartak Polytex Roadster (1956) - frühe Werksaufnahme

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Skoda 440 Spartak Polytex Roadster (1956) - gefälliges Design

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Skoda 440 Polytex Roadster (1957) - 75 kg leichter als die Serienversion des 440

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Skoda 440 Spartak Polytex Roadster (1956) - mit dem Plexiglas-Hardtop, das ein wenig nach Science-Fiction aussah

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Skoda 440 Spartak Polytex Roadster (1955) - noch ein kurzer Check vor der Losfahrt

Bild von Partner Planai Classic 2025 Inline 1

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Skoda 440 Spartak Polytex Roadster (1956) - das originale Cockpit

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Skoda 440 Spartak Polytex Roadster (1956) - Unfallschaden nach einem Reifenplatzer

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Skoda 440 Spartak Polytex Roadster (1956) - Unfallschaden nach einem Reifenplatzer

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Skoda 440 Spartak Polytex Roadster (1956) - die Rohkarosserie beim Bau

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Skoda 440 Spartak Polytex Roadster (1955) - das Wrack - gut sichtbar sind die später angepassten Heckflossen

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Skoda 440 Spartak Polytex Roadster (1955) - das Wrack - irgendwann hatte man dem Wagen ein Hardtop angepasst

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Skoda 440 Spartak Polytex Roadster (1955) - das Wrack - so sah der Wagen vor der Restaurierung aus

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Skoda 440 Spartak Polytex Roadster (1955) - das Wrack - Interieur in katastrophalem Zustand

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Skoda 440 Spartak Polytex Roadster (1955) - das Wrack - der Wagen wurde ein wenig an den AU 1000 SP angeglichen

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Skoda 440 Spartak Polytex Roadster (1955) - das Wrack - die Heckflossen konnten abgelöst werden

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Skoda 440 Spartak Polytex Roadster (1955) - das Wrack - auch am Motor fehlte einiges

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Skoda 440 Spartak Polytex Roadster (1955) - das Wrack - Elemente der hydropneumatischen Federung

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Skoda 440 Spartak Polytex Roadster (1955) - die Karosserie war vergleichsweise gut erhalten

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Skoda 440 Spartak Polytex Roadster (1955) - die unrestaurierte Karosserie und das Chassis vor der Restaurierung

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Skoda 440 Spartak Polytex Roadster (1955) - die unrestaurierte, aber von nachträglichen Veränderungen befreite Kunststoff-Karosserie

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Skoda 440 Spartak Polytex Roadster (1955) - die unrestaurierte, aber von nachträglichen Veränderungen befreite Kunststoff-Karosserie

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Skoda 440 Spartak Polytex Roadster (1955) - die ursprüngliche Form ist wieder da, aber noch war viel Arbeit nötig

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Skoda 440 Spartak Polytex Roadster (1955) - viel Arbeit war vonnöten, um die Karosserie wieder in den ursprünglichen Zustand zurückversetzen zu können

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Skoda 440 Spartak Polytex Roadster (1955) - die Front ist bereits wieder auf den alten Stand zurückgebaut

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Skoda 440 Spartak Polytex Roadster (1955) - das fertig restaurierte Chassis mit Motor wartet auf die Karosserie

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Skoda 440 Spartak Polytex Roadster (1955) - das restaurierte Chassis

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Skoda 440 Spartak Polytex Roadster (1955) - die restaurierte Hinterachse

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Skoda 440 Spartak Polytex Roadster (1955) - die restaurierte Hinterradaufhängung mit der hydropneumatischem Federung

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Skoda 440 Spartak Polytex Roadster (1955) - die restaurierte Vorderradaufhängung

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Skoda 440 Spartak Polytex Roadster (1955) - mit dem ursprünglich so nicht vorgesehenen Faltdach

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Skoda 440 Spartak Polytex Roadster (1955) - Heckansicht mit geschlossenem Dach

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Skoda 440 Spartak Polytex Roadster (1955) - Heckansicht mit geöffnetem Verdeck

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Skoda 440 Spartak Polytex Roadster (1955) - Cockpit

You have only

38 out of 39

images seen in high resolution

Summary

In 1955, Otakar Diblik designed a roadster for Skoda with the aim of supplementing the 440 model series. The material used was a fiberglass laminate, and the hardtop of the open sports car was made of Plexiglas. Some of the technology also broke new ground. Unfortunately, the car never made it out of the prototype stage. After years of continuous decay, the roadster was rescued and almost completely restored to its original condition. This report tells the story of the Skoda 440 Spartak Polytex roadster and shows the car through all its metamorphoses.

This article contains the following chapters

Lightweight plastic body
Changes compared to the base model
Roadster as a field of experimentation
Unsuccessful first appearance
Gradual decay
Temporary rescue of the prototype
Reconstruction
Helped to a new shine

Estimated reading time: 5min

Preview (beginning of the article)

The Skoda 's full name was"Versuchswagen S 440 mit Kunststoffkarosserie" - a long name for a car that only existed once. And its story is characterized by many twists and turns, but ends with a happy ending. The roadster as an addition to the Skoda 440 model series In 1955, Otakar Diblik, an architect from the Brno University of Technology, designed the roadster with the aim of supplementing the Skoda 440 model series. At the time, Diblik worked as a developer at the Karosa Vysoke Myto body plant (North-East Bohemia, Czech Republic). When it was still called Sodomka, Karosa was the leading bodywork company in Czechoslovakia. This was in the period between the world wars. Its owner Sodomka was compared to the most famous car designers of the time for his bodywork creations.

Welcome to Zwischengas!

Continue reading this article for free?

Photos of this article

Source: