At the end of the 1950s, the Karosa company in Vysokmyth started developing a light caravan. The result was the W 4 Dingo camper trailer.
The prototype was completed in 1959, in 1961 small series production began. An acquaintance took care of the appearance designer Otakar Diblík, who chose rounded shapes for Dingo. The body of the unbraked trailer was made of fiberglass and was placed on a grid of steel profiles.
Steel arches were welded to the front and rear of the grille, which formed the reinforcement and attachment of the bodywork itself. The wheels were suspended on swinging arms cushioned by a rubber block.
W 4 Dingo: Small, compact and light
From today’s point of view, the dimensions are very interesting, because Dingo is very small. The length of the caravan is only 3750 mm (however, the length of the body is only 3250 mm), it is 1850 mm wide and 2150 mm high. The weight, including basic equipment, was around 400 kilograms.
At the same time, a light trailer was needed, because at the turn of the 1950s and 1960s, mainly the not very powerful Škoda Spartak and Octavia drove on Czechoslovak roads.
The caravan offered living space with an area of 5.9 m2the height between the floor and the ceiling is about 1840 mm and, according to the manufacturer, it allowed four adults to live there, with the possibility of additional accommodation for two children.
The equipment then included a number of storage spaces, a kitchenette and inside there was also room for a gas stove. Two more points of interest are connected to the interior. The first relates to the central part of the roof, which was not painted in order to maintain partial translucency and allow additional light into the caravan – even though the trailer had several windows.
Also unusual is the idea of using inflatable mattresses for seats and backrests instead of upholstery, which are also “suitable for swimming”.
Only 47 produced and a high price
In the end, the life of the W 4 Dingo trailer did not last long, only 47 specimens (including the prototype) were produced during the short production period. The caravan was quite expensive, costing at least 20,000 crowns at the time. At the same time, the Škoda Octavia cost 28,000, and the average salary in Czechoslovakia in 1960 was only 1,300 CZK.
The camper trailer was actually ahead of its time, at the turn of the 1950s and 1960s cars were still not a mass issue, so there were no suitable conditions for caravanning.
One is currently being sold for CZK 75,000
Today, however, Dingo is a rare piece of history that has its fans. If you like it too, then you might be interested to know that it is currently in the Czech Republic one piece for sale.
However, it will require a lot of work, even according to the seller, it is suitable for a complete renovation. In addition, it seems that the original is only a shell on it, so it is a matter for real “hearts”. The price is 75 thousand crowns.
2023-05-29 16:00:42
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