Aro Revolution

[Ramiro]

IMS-57

The history of Aro (which name means "Automobilul Romanesc") begins with the outbreak of war. The 1st model was the IMS-57. Between 1957 and 1959, were built 914 vehicles. During the 2nd World War, in the premises of a paper mill, belonging to the company "Letea", in Campulung-Muscel, were produced airplane propellers and shooting equipment for aircrafts by the IAR Brasov.

After the end of production, a group of workers began to building the first Romanian motorcycles in 1953. The construction of the vehicle IMS-57 (which name means its production year ) was based on the Russian Gaz 69 model.

The 914 IMS-57 produced had two-doors, the body covered with canvas, petrol engine, 3260 CC, 50 HP, a maximum speed of 80 km/h, and the consumption of 24 liters per 100 km ...

The construction was handicraft, but the chassis had quality and the first tests took place in the mythical route Campulung-Colibasi. The model was painted and finished in the factory of Pitesti. The most curious in the IMS-57, is the manual windshield wipers.

The legend was born...

[Ramiro]

M-59

In 1959, two years after the construction of the 1st Romanian 4x4 vehicle, the IMS-57 was replaced by the M59, which represented a significant advance over its predecessor.

The M59 was designed by Grigore Negoita in collaboration with Ghita Holbosan. The engine had 56 hp (weighing over 70 kg) and maximum speed of 90 km/h. The manual wind screen wiper was replaced by an electric engine...

The model had 3 versions; with 2 doors, 4 doors or pick-up, and was painted and completed in Campulung.
In 1959 were produced only 803 vehicles, but in 1963 the vehicle became popular, increasing to 3222 units.
However, the vehicle appeared to have some difficulties in the steering and braking systems.


Pictures taken from Taurelli

[Ramiro]

M-461

The production of the new model, the M461, which began in 1964 and ended in 1975, had profound changes in the equipment available, and mechanics systems. Built in Câmpulung-Muscel, it was a 4x4 with 2 doors and 2 versions: convertible and pickup.

With a 2.5 L petrol engine, 4 in line cylinders, 70 hp (52KW), maximum speed of 100 km/h and a consumption of 17 l at 80 km/h, 4 manual speed, 2.512 C.C, a wheel base of 2.330 mm, and also the following characteristics: length 3.860 mm, width 1.720 mm and 2.010 mm heigth.

The export of the M461 began in 1965 to China and Colombia (2,000 units). The M461 had great performances and won several international competitions like “Forests Rally” (Belgium) in 1970, and “Sons of Beaches” (Oregon) in 1973.

80,233 units were produced until 1975, 46,549 of which were exported and a large part used by the Romanian army.
It is believed that in Romania still exist 3,000 units of M461 on the road. The latest version of the model in Germany became known as M473.

[Ramiro]

M-461 C

the C code.

The new model was created in 1969 with many modifications when we compared with the M461.
Till today remains the mystery of the C code in the M461 Brand.

This model presents a great versatility resulting from changes depending on the country where it was exported.

Italy sought a model with white indicator lights at the front, and so the models exported were fitted with indicators of the Fiat 500/850, and were also used the indicators of the Fiat 1100/1300.
For other markets were exported M461 with indicator lights from East Germany, the same as those used on the Trabant...

To resolve technical problems were imported windscreen wipers and wiper motors from East Germany, ignitions from Poland, and dashboard instruments from France.

[Ramiro]

The rectangular instruments of the dashboard, produced in Balanta factory, at Sibiu, were replaced by four round dials and a new type of speedometer.

By this time, the Electro-Precizia factory, in Sacele, began to produce "Jaeger" instruments under licence, like speedometer, oil level, pressure, water temperature and fuel level ... The panel instruments of my Portaro it's also "Jaeger"!...

The rear headlights were also replaced by other wider manufactured by Elba, at Timisoara - where the rear lights of my Portaro were also produced !...

A cap with key was placed on the fuel filler on the right side of the body - like in my portaro - and the starter began to be activated by an ignition key, instead of a button. My portaro still have the button! ...
The doors windows received an opening mechanism from the Dacia 1100.

[Ramiro]

Aro M461 C was presented and won trophies at motor shows around the world: Paris, Lisbon, Porto, Brussels, Bogota, Khartoum and Barcelona were just some of them.

More than half of production was exported, mainly to China, Colombia, Poland, Bulgaria, Germany, and later, for the most European countries.

The armies of Greece, Egypt, Czech Republic and Syria have been equipped with M461-C, and some of these countries still have a strong representation of this vehicle.

The slogan that promoted the vehicle "race on Sunday, sell on Monday" became famous and many tests and competitions were made to publicize the brand.

[Ramiro]

The most well-known test was done by the West Germany motor magazine "Hobby" in 1972.

Aro M461 C took part in a test with off-road vehicles of great prestige: Range Rover, Nissan Patrol, Land Rover 88, Citroen Mehari, among others. Aro obtained a great sucess due also to the official importer of the brand, Albert Buscher - The Werner Amlacher by that time...

But it was after the victory obtained by the Aro test driver Tudor Fatuloiu, in a stock car against other racing cars prepared by the respective brands, that the sales of Aro in West Germany increased, making him earn a place in the history of Romanian vehicles...

[Ramiro]

In Italy, M461C participated in several competitions: on 23 April 1972, in a competition with 66 members obtained the 1st place at the “Prato” rally in Florence.

Famous was also the 25,000 km journey to the Himalayas of an M461C with a Czechoslovakian scientific team, as well as the participation of an Aro in America in 1972, on Independence Day, in the "Sons of Beaches" rally, in Oregon.

However, the most famous adventure of an M461C was the participation in the trans-African rally organized by a group of Romanian scientists, in 1971, with the aim of collecting material to complete the collection of Romanian museums of natural sciences, under the aegis of the United Nations.

The technical assistant for the operation was Ion Cataranciuc, an Aro engineer, and also has been present the pilot Costica Ludu. They used three Romanian vehicles: one Aro M461C and two TV Vans produced in Bucharest

[Maxim]

Wow!
M461 in an environment many TATRA 148!
A little such trucks still living and working in my city ...

[Ramiro]

Yep, Max!!

URSS was the first exportation market of this powerful Czechoslovakian truck, whose production stoped in 1982, and it's contemporary of Aro M461.
No wonder there are still of them in krasnoyarsk.
One of these days I'll post about it...

Regards

[Ramiro]

ARO M461 C was represented by dealers all over the world. It’s important to remember some of them, as a way to honor the exceptional efforts which they made in promoting these vehicles:

AUTOROM ITALIANA Srl (Italy);
S.A. BOSSIMPEX N.V. (Belgium);
ARO LAND CARS, Ltd (Great Britain);
M.A.M. (France);
REMARK S.A. (Spain);
ALBERT BUSCHER (Germany).

In Romania, the vehicle cost 80,000 lei; in West Germany, 10,500 DEM, and in Italy, 2,100,000 lira.
The vehicles´warranty was 6 months or 10,000km, and, very peculiar, they could be ordered with a package of spare parts straight from the factory…good old days

[Werner]

The Price for ARO M461 just 80.000Lei??? The Price for Dacia 1300, whitout extras, was 72.000 Lei. I don't know how much a ARO cost, but I think it was over 100.000 Lei. If You order the Car in Romania and some of affinity pay it in Germany, it cost 15.000 DM (the ARO 243 whit Câmpulung engine).

[Ramiro]

Hi, Werner

Thanks for the precision of your detail...

Regards

[tarzy]

The Price for ARO M461 just 80.000Lei??? The Price for Dacia 1300, whitout extras, was 72.000 Lei. I don't know how much a ARO cost, but I think it was over 100.000 Lei. If You order the Car in Romania and some of affinity pay it in Germany, it cost 15.000 DM (the ARO 243 whit Câmpulung engine).

The price for Romania was for state company only.

[Ramiro]

Appropriate clarification, Tarzy!!...