Rare 1932 Tatra T-54

A rare blue 1932 Tatra 54 arriving at and leaving Arcadia Park during the 2021 Holiday Motor Excursion.

Well, Czech out what we have here! (Sorry, not sorry...) As someone who grew up being able to name pretty much every car I saw on the street, I'm constantly intrigued and humbled by the fact that when it comes to old cars, there's always much, much more for me to learn. I've encountered a couple other Tatras before, but those were the better-known bigger streamlined models. There are pretty much only two things I know about this car. First, it's incredibly rare, at least here in the States. And second, the confused looks on people's faces when they see it are priceless.

Now keep in mind this was at the Holiday Motor Excursion, an annual event where literally over a hundred brass era and other pre-war cars are present, from Model T's to Silver Ghosts. If you want to mingle with people who know and love old cars, this is the place to be. Even so, most people had far more questions than answers when this Tatra pulled up. Most had no clue what it was, and many had never heard of Tatra at all. And everyone was amazed at the simple fact that there was a Czech car - not to mention a 90-year-old one - here in America.

For those who don't know, Tatra built its first car way back in 1897. The brand actually still exists today, though it focuses on heavy-duty trucks for industrial use. The 54 (a.k.a. T-54), featuring a somewhat odd-looking front end typical of Tatras in the day, was a midsize economy car powered by a 22-hp four-cylinder engine with a top speed of around 45 mph. This car was neither fast nor luxurious, and in its day it probably wasn't even particularly cool. Nowadays, there are lawn mowers with more powerful engines. But when you're behind the wheel of one of probably just a few T-54's in the country, why not just take things slowly and enjoy the confused and fascinated looks from those around you?

Do you think Tatra should return to building cars? Leave a comment on YouTube and let me know!