Turkey 1st Indigenous Car "Devrim" (1960's)

Hakan · Mar 24, 2014

Turkey's First Indigenous Car "Devrim"

Some of the English is crappy.

DEVRIM’ (meaning ‘revolution’ in Turkish) was perhaps a glimmer of hope in a country where the revolution newfangled. It was a Turkish dream to be realized, a dream of having something produced from scratch...

On 16th of June, 1961, the President of Turkish Republic, Cemal Gürsel stated a mission to develop an automobile to meet the needs of Turkish Army to have ‘street cars’. The mission had been addressed to National Railways of Turkish Republic (TCDD). The main aim, which also raised the motivation within the project team, was to prove out the idea that "this country is capable of producing local cars” to themselves as well as to those who were discussing the necessity and value of such an expensive project whereas the country was facing already tons of other problems. In other words, concerning the political conditions of the period, the bureaucratic obstacles, everyone looked upon on this project as impossible to achieve. Following that, major repercussions on the press were not surprising.

In spite of all these named reactions and comments on this project, the team created by Emin Bozoğlu kicked off the project in Eskisehir, a city in western part of Turkey. The team has chosen a building as the workshop which was first established as a small-scale maintenance and revision workshop in 1894. Later on in 1924, this building had become the Eskişehir Railway Factory. The team was composed of 20 engineers. However, some of them did not even know how to drive a car. For that reason, they first had to examine the structure of various types of automobiles to have a better and deeper opinion.

Following the set of Devrim’s trunk line, design of components like engines, gearboxes i.e., had been generated. Thanks to some engineers, who had cars and were brave enough to disassemble them, the team had the chance to disassemble other automobiles and their engines in order to explore examples and get inspired to find the optimum way to manufacture. As a result of that, the decision of important point; such as weight and manufacturing process, has been made.

In the end, the team was supposed to come up with two cars. The design process of those two was completed only within four and a half months. It is obvious to estimate that the normal process should have taken much more. The final concept has been selected among other proposed 1/10 scale models of various concepts. Afterwards, 1/1 scale model of selected concept has been made of plaster. Most of the body parts have been manufactured through concrete block molds. Molds has been constructed after 1/1 scale model and every single metal sheet has been formed with hammer to construct Devrim’s body.

Time was so short, that technical drawings of components could not be drawn. Engineers and workers had to communicate by showing samples and using a vocabulary like "this is too long here or it has to be short here" during the progress. Foremen and workers were manufacturing the part of automobile as they understood. All those undefined words were corresponding to the parts in the design of the ‘Devrim’; in fact they all had a crucial role.

In the assembly process, team confronted important problems, such as providing housing-motor integration or placing gas-brake mechanism. On the other hand; the State Planning Organization was preparing a negative report about ‘Devrim’ project. In this report, it was basically claimed that savings of the Turkish public were deposited to develop a passenger automobile for the unprofitable market. Economical demand in this business was pushing to produce 20,000 units per year, but it was also stressed that such a demand was impossible to produce.

Despite the technical difficulties and political problems, this revolution -Devrim- took place internally on October 29th, 1961(on the 38th anniversary of the foundation of Republic of Turkey) and then went off to take President Cemal Gursel to Anıtkabir (Mausoleum of Atatürk). As a result of the aggressive time planning, even last additions on the car had to be completed eventually in the train which was taking ‘Devrim’ to Ankara. Due to safety problems, petrol tank was evacuated before transportation. Because of rush, the team unfortunately forgot to refill the petrol tank. This small mistake was maybe a milestone which changed many things in a country, because the automobile stopped 100m after Cemal Gursel got in and they had started to drive. Petrol was the only missing thing. Therefore, this ill-fortune happened in front of the excited audience which was ready to celebrate the dream, the dream of having something produced from scratch...

Later;Cemal Gursel declared: “the project team developed automobile with western mind, however forgot to supply the fuel with eastern mind” and following day all national newspapers took this quotation to their headlines. Afterwards a lot was written, and many stories were told. In that time as one of the most remarkable coincidences, big automobile companies; such as Ford, Chrysler, were also investing on business in Turkey. Of course, the idea of developing local car industry in Turkey did not suit with their goals. In addition; the community against the government was murmuring that ‘Devrim’ cars were not carried out, that the government after the military coup also would not work out. Besides, negative articles about Devrim were reproduced.

What would happen; if Cemal Gursel had gone on instead of saying this famous phrase; is still a question. There could be comments on facts like Devrim’s tragic failure, not continuing of production, the political interpretation of events, the way that press pictured this project and if the design was stolen or not. ‘Devrim’ was the dream to produce cars and engines that came into life in a period when there was no industry in Turkey at all. To see a car with a Turkish label on must have been an incredible feeling in 1961. Even today; Turkey is still missing a car with a local label on…