LOL I always liked this car and it has evolved by the subsequent owner to continue to be cool.
Hilarious that you posted this today, as you can now own this cars challenge drivetrain! For sale on the GRM forum!
Photography Credit: Anthony Neste
A $2000 Challenge car with ties to the 24 Hours of Lemons is going to be a little nuttier than usual, right? Jim Thwaite won this 1958 Wartburg 311, an Eastern bloc people-mover, via a Lemons essay contest. He stretched the wheelbase while fitting a Subaru Legacy engine in the trunk. In addition to its Challenge appearance, the Wartburg participated in the BABE Rally and a Lemons race. It got around.
The car hasn’t been seen lately, but we know where it sits. We await its return to the $2000 Challenge.
Make your own low-buck memories at the Grassroots Motorsports $2000 Challenge Presented by Tire Rack, held March 29-30, 2025.
The Grassroots Motorsports $2000 Challenge is Presented by Tire Rack, in Association with HPX Show, BendPak, CRC Industries and Miller Electric.
LOL I always liked this car and it has evolved by the subsequent owner to continue to be cool.
Hilarious that you posted this today, as you can now own this cars challenge drivetrain! For sale on the GRM forum!
So who’s going to get the band back together?
Sounds like Mr_Asa is strongly considering it. Quick everyone enable him.
In reply to nocones :
Enable! Enable!
Is the car now down here in Florida?
In reply to David S. Wallens :
Patrick has turned the car into this glorious beast.
I bought the challenge engine/adapter that was on the VW transmission from him when the Wartburg 2.0 Gasser was in early development. I am now selling that drivetrain plus a few other Subaru parts it accumulated in my garage like a 2nd engine.
Mr_Asa has expressed some interest in this swap kit for a Type 3 VW he has access to.
Okay, I thought the engine was going back into the Wartburg. I knew Patrick turned it into a gasser and got confused....
I drove this car in its lemons race. No way that was 18 years ago. Right? Guys?
^ I was in the same LeMons race and it absolutely was not checks notes... ah beans
dculberson said:I drove this car in its lemons race. No way that was 18 years ago. Right? Guys?
It was just last summer that we were rebuilding the Jeep knuckles for the Wartburg's new life as a gasser.
Byrneon27 said:^ I was in the same LeMons race and it absolutely was not checks notes... ah beans
There’s no way.
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