Turkey's first domestic production car in 'Revolution Cars'

Domestic automakers these days, as tOGGer spoken, Turkey's first domestic production car in the Revolution, came up again. Here is the tragic story of the Devrim cars, which were produced 60 years ago by Turkish engineers in 129 days.

Turkey's first indigenous car passed over 60 years to produce the Revolution. The project started when President Cemal Gürsel expressed his desire for a domestic automobile at the meeting of the Turkish Industrialists and Businessmen's Association (TÜSİAD) in 1961. Now he speaks of the domestic automobile Turkey. Nobody believed that the Turks could build an engine of their own. However, despite all the negative thoughts, an incredible situation occurred and the Revolution Cars project was completed in 129 days in total.

State Railways Factories and Traction Departments directors and engineers were called to a meeting on June 16, 1961 for this special task. TCDD Deputy General Manager Emin Bozoğlu explained the directive received from the Ministry of Transport to the engineers and managers. In the given directive, it was stated that the first thing to be done was to meet the army's need for a passenger vehicle. For this purpose, 1 million 400 thousand TL was allocated to TCDD Enterprise. The delivery date of the car was set for October 29, 1961. This meant that the engineers had 4.5 months.

They Worked by Including the Night into the Day

20 engineers and nearly 200 workers took part in the project. Turkey today for Rail Operating System Utilities Industry Corporation (TÜRASAŞ) which Eskişehir Railway Factory have been set foundries. A sign was hung on the door of the workshop. On the plate, the number of days left for the delivery of the car was written. Two different samples have been created so that the basic and technical features of the vehicle are not similar to another vehicle. To avoid this error, the model of the car was changed, two bodies crashed. Two separate engines, one A and the other B, were prepared. One of the cars was painted black as an office car and was named 'Experience'. The one painted white was named 'Revolution'.

While the last works of the first vehicle built were carried out, on the other hand, the final speed was tried to raise the B car, which will be presented to the President. The top coat of the B-type vehicle was shot on 28 October. The cake and polish were made on the train while being shipped to Ankara. During the towing with a steam locomotive, the gas tanks were emptied so that the sparks from the chimney prevent the vehicles from igniting. The train carrying the Revolution cars arrived in Ankara in the morning.

Refueling forgotten, Revolution over

The people accompanying the cars did not know about the fuel supply. The situation was understood in front of the Assembly and gasoline was put into one of them. While refueling the second one, Cemal Pasha's "What's going on?" Engineer Rıfat Serdaroğlu at the steering wheel replied "Pasha, gasoline is over". Cemal Pasha traveled to Anıtkabir in vehicle number 1. He got out of the car and said, "You built a car with a western head, but you forgot to refuel with an eastern head."

Many parts of the domestic car were made in Eskişehir

The studies were started by researching other automobile types and their technical features. Then the type, size, gearbox etc. of the car. Other spare parts were planned to be designed and manufactured last. In the Revolution car, the basic features of a regular car were first requested. The planned car was determined to be five-seater, with a weight of 1000-1100 kg. After the physical characteristics were determined, it was considered to put a 4-stroke and 4-cylinder engine with 50-60 hp (horsepower).

A 1: 10 scale plaster model of one of the 1:1 scale models selected for the vehicle's body was made. The upper part of the bodywork was manufactured by hammering the hair like the hood on the concrete molds made in accordance with this model. The body and head of the engine, which Warswa was taken as an example, were cast in Sivas Railway Factory and processed in Ankara Railway Factory. Piston, piston ring and arms were manufactured in Eskişehir. The engine of your car was assembled at the Ankara Railway Factory. All features and mechanical equipment, except for electrical equipment, differential gears, cardan crosses and engine bearings, glass and tires, were locally produced.

If mass production was started, it would be sold for 30 thousand liras.

The 20 engineers involved in the project do not do this as a task; he saw it as a life purpose, a struggle for dignity and honor. They worked so selflessly that they had working hours that increased to 12 hours a day, including weekends. They slept on the hood rather than going home. The price of the Devrim car, which was planned to be produced for 30 thousand units, was determined as 30 thousand liras after the serial production.

Too empty tank talked about the car

On the morning of October 30, as if all the newspapers agreed, the headline "100 meters went broken" on the Revolution Car. However, no mention was made of the passage of vehicle number 2 at the hippodrome on the first day or that Cemal Gürsel went to Anıtkabir with another Devrim Car. In fact, all the news, speeches and anecdotes on the agenda said that the car produced was wasted and the money was wasted. But when the press said "the allowance for the Revolution was wasted"; He never mentioned the 25 million TL allowance allocated by the Ministry of Agriculture for the 'breeding of the horse breed' that same year.

May Fate Be Unlike

Turkey's eagerly expect that domestic automakers' tOGGer promotion exhibited in the museum after the Revolution comes to mind in Eskisehir car. Turkey's first indigenous car tOGGer walking in front notation was made in December 2019. With the completion of Gemlik facilities in 2021, the first production of TOGG, where 1.500 personnel will be employed, is expected to take place in the last quarter of 2022. Citizens are experiencing a similar story to the story of the Revolution in 1961, Turkey's first domestic car electric car hoping not happen in tOGGer.

Every sacrifice is punished

At the end of the work day and night completed the first domestic car, despite being one of the most important industrial enterprises in Turkey's history to put more store made famous by the gasoline forgotten. The following sentence in the movie 'Devrim Arabaları', directed by Tolga Örnek and produced by Türker Korkmaz / Arti Film, summed up the experiences: "Everyone who serves for this state will of course be punished for this sacrifice." The Devrim automobile is on display at the TÜRASAŞ Revolution Cars Museum in Eskişehir. There are many materials used in its construction such as welding engine, drill, lathes, limestone model of the vehicle.

Tuned steering not accepted Cadillac did

Revolution Cars, aside from being produced in a short period of 4.5 months, are important for Turkish history as proof that there is no such thing as 'Impossible'. The cars they developed by 20 engineers and 200 workers, with their heart and soul, became an inspiration for foreign automobile manufacturers. During the production phase, Turkish engineers came up with the idea of ​​adjustable steering wheel. However, it was not accepted due to time constraints. Two years later, Cadillac brand introduced this new idea in the automotive industry as a new feature to the world.