Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain: Autobahn Ford Probe GT & The Wartburg 353 🇩🇪🏎️

Click here to share your favorite car, car story or any automotive trivia!What was car culture like behind the Iron Curtain? It involved waiting lists for plastic cars, 2-stroke engines, and heating fuel lines with an open flame just to get to school in the winter.In this episode, we sit down with Chris Kalinsky, who grew up in East Germany before moving to the US. His automotive journey began with a Wartburg 353—a 3-cylinder, 2-stroke sedan gifted by his grandmother. While it was considered the "luxury" alternative to the Trabant, it still required some serious "MacGyver" skills (and a lighter) to keep running.Chris shares the culture shock of moving from a 50hp Eastern Bloc classic to a Ford Probe GT and taking it to the limit on the Autobahn. We also discuss the unwritten rules of German high-speed driving, the terror of being passed by a Lamborghini Diablo like he was standing still, and how a failed attempt to buy a Porsche 911 led to a friendship with past guest James McCrea.And Don't miss Chris' favorite episode with his good friend and ours, James McCrea: https://buzzsprout.com/2316026/episodes/15677751In this episode, we cover:🇩🇪 Iron Curtain Classics: Life with the Wartburg 353 (and why it was cooler than a Trabant).🔥 Winter Survival: The terrifying reality of using open fire to heat frozen fuel lines.🏎️ The Autobahn: Why German highways are curvy by design and the reality of 100mph+ commuting.🔄 Restoration & Regret: Selling his first car for a Ford Probe, only to hunt down another Wartburg 30 years later.🌲 Giving Back: How his current business supports rewilding and nature preservation in Finland.Connect with us:Binge our 70+ episodes and more via our LinkTree 🔗🌲https://linktr.ee/carslovedCheck out our Guest-inspired Road Trip Playlist on Spotify: 🎧🚗 https://carsloved.com/playlistCheck us out on Instagram @toallthecarsivelovedbeforeConnect with Us: Got a great car story? Email us at [email protected]. Find all our content and social links here: linktr.ee/carsloved.Podcast News:Our co-host, Doug was a guest on the Driven Radio Show Podcast to share the origin story of our podcast and connecting with his late father through his DeLorean project.Check out the amazing article about the podcast by Elevate Society and Tal Gur, author of "The Art of Fully Living"Feedspot selected To All The Cars I've Loved Before in their list of Top 100 Car Podcasts and 31 Best Road Trip Podcasts For Your DriveOur co-host, Doug was featured in this magazine article along with his DeLore...