Skoda restores ultra-rare 1100 OHC Coupe racer

To commemorate the 120th anniversary of Skoda Motorsport, one of the brand’s rarest cars has been reconstructed.

Skoda only built five examples of the 1100 OHC race car, with just two of them being coupes. 

Now one of the lightweight 1100 OHC Coupes has been reborn, using a combination of traditional techniques and modern technology.

Simply clever construction

Based on the Skoda 1101 ‘Tudor’, the 1100 OHC was developed for sports car endurance racing. Initially designed in 1957 as an open-top roadster, Skoda revealed a pair of streamlined coupes in 1959 and 1960.

Key to the 1100 OHC’s low weight was a semi-monocoque chassis, with thin-walled tubes providing rigidity. With a lightweight body on top, the 1100 OHC tipped the scales at just 555kg.

A production-based 1.1-litre four-cylinder engine was chosen for the 1100 OHC Coupe. Both the cylinders and crankshaft were made from aluminium, and the diminutive motor offered a impressive 92hp. Depending on the five-speed transmission’s gearing, it could reach a top speed of 120mph.

Following the end of their racing careers, both 1100 OHC Coupes were destroyed in road accidents.

Rebuilt from the ground up

Fortunately, many parts from the 1100 OHC Coupe had been preserved. Technical documents for the car were also still present in the Skoda Auto archive, including detailed drawings of the bespoke components. 

The Skoda Museum had previously acquired the rolling truss-frame chassis, with a complete restoration finished by the end of 2015. Instead of simply displaying the rebuilt chassis in the museum, though, employees decided to go a little further. 

Recreating the Coupe’s aluminium bodywork would be the most challenging task. Numerous 2D drawings were scanned and analysed by Skoda’s Prototype Centre, generating 3D models and sketches. 

Once all departments were happy, fabrication of the aluminium parts could begin.

All boxes Czech’d

Made from aluminium sheets just 0.8mm to 1mm thick, the bodywork was formed entirely by hand. 

Other classic Skoda models were used to supply smaller parts found on the 1100 OHC. Door handles were taken from a Skoda 1200 saloon, with the three-spoke steering wheel from a Skoda Popular. 

Now a fully working race car again, the 1100 OHC Coupe will go on display at the Skoda Museum in Mladá Boleslav.

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