Early project with a long GDR history
This Wartburg 311/108 de Luxe with a folding roof is one of our early projects. The car was manufactured in East Germany in 1964 and even then featured the later 1000 series technology with a 992 cc three-cylinder two-stroke engine. However, its history wasn't straightforward. As early as the 1970s, it received a standard replacement body. After German reunification, the Wartburg went to Belgium before a Wartburg enthusiast brought it to the Czech Republic in the early 2010s.
Such vehicles tell a lot about everyday life in East Germany. They were repaired, swapped, modified, and driven on. A swapped body wasn't a curiosity back then, but a pragmatic solution for preserving a car. For a modern Wartburg 311 restoration, however, this means: one must carefully distinguish between what has evolved historically, what was technically sensible, and what obscures the model's original character.
Wartburg 311/108 de Luxe with folding roof
The 311/108 was the deluxe version of the folding-roof sedan. This combination is precisely what makes the car so appealing: a four-door body, a large sunroof opening, more upscale features, and the elegant lines of the 311. The Wartburg 311 isn't a complicated car, but it possesses many model-specific details that must be accurate during restoration. Trim strips, lights, interior, instruments, chrome parts, the folding roof, and the color scheme all determine whether the car looks like a genuine 311/108 or simply like any other Wartburg that has been haphazardly restored.
With this particular vehicle, an additional point was important: many parts had been replaced over the course of its life with later components from the Wartburg 353. This, too, is typical. Whatever fit, or could be made to fit, was used. For everyday use in the past, this was sensible. However, for a classic car restoration, such modifications must be examined and, if possible, reversed to their original condition.
Bodywork despite good frame
The bodywork showed all the typical damage found on Wartburg 311s. Critical areas include the sills, lower door edges, fenders, wheel arches, floor area, lower body edges, mounting points, and transitions to add-on parts. The frame, however, was virtually undamaged. This is an important finding with a Wartburg, as the frame and body must be considered together, but they are not always equally damaged.
The focus was therefore on the bodywork. Old repairs, later parts, rust, and incongruous details not only had to be removed but also placed within the context of the vehicle's history. The aim was not to disguise the 1970s replacement body. The aim was to restore the Wartburg to the appearance and design befitting a 311/108 de Luxe with a folding roof.
Yellow and white, based on historical models
The car was given a custom color scheme that reflects its original character: yellow and white. Two-tone paintwork plays a particularly important role on a Wartburg 311 de Luxe. It accentuates the car's shape, lightens the appearance of its large body, and is appropriate for the era from which it was built. An incorrect color combination can quickly make a 311 look generic. A well-chosen paint job brings the lines back together.
The complete restoration encompassed everything: bodywork, paint, mechanics, engine, transmission, chassis, brakes, electrics, interior, convertible top, chrome, and final assembly. A project like this isn't about a single job, but rather many small decisions. Which 353 parts can't be salvaged? Which 311 parts need to be sourced or refurbished? Which traces are part of the car's history, and which detract from its identity?
Completed, but still being supervised to this day
The restoration was completed and the Wartburg returned to us roadworthy condition. However, the project didn't end there for us. To this day, the car comes to us regularly for servicing. This is essential for old two-stroke Wartburgs. Carburetor, ignition, cooling, brakes, suspension, seals, and minor adjustments remain important issues if a classic car is to be driven, not just stored away.
This Wartburg 311/108 de Luxe is therefore more than just a completed early project for us. It demonstrates how much history can be contained in an East German classic car: manufactured in Eisenach, a replacement body in East Germany, a stopover in Belgium, return to the Czech Republic, and finally, its restoration back to a coherent 311/108 with a folding roof. Vehicles like this clearly illustrate why a restoration isn't simply about swapping parts. You have to understand what the car once was and what it has become over the course of its life.
