“The Evolution of Škoda’s Backbone Frame: From Josef Zubatý’s Prototype to Modern-Day Models”

Škodovka has been producing ladder-frame cars with rigid axles in Mladá Boleslav since the 20s of the last century. In the following decade, however, a change was to come, from the pen of the engineer Josef Zubatý – a spinal frame.

The designer Zubatý returned from an eight-year working stay abroad in 1931 and from the summer of 1932 he developed a new concept at Škodovka. He originally worked on a rectangular cross-section beam that was branched at the front to accommodate the engine. A cardan shaft led the power of the engine to the rear axle, the wheels of which were suspended by oscillating semi-axles and sprung by leaf springs.

The first prototype went into operation already in September 1932, the anniversary celebrates the beginning of deliveries of models built in this way to 420 customers – they started in April 1933. Just at the time when the world economic crisis was at its bottom in Czechoslovakia.

The backbone frame construction had the advantages of higher rigidity and lower weight compared to the ladder frame. The Škoda 420 was about two meters lighter than the 422 model. The independent suspension of the rear wheels also meant better driving comfort, although the front axle was still stiff.

From 1934, a new design with a circular cross-section replaced the rectangular “spine”. The first model to receive it was the Popular model. The front wheels also got independent suspension. And because this concept was very variable, it was soon used by other Škoda cars, including the eight-cylinder Superb 4000 or the military special Škoda 903, which even had three axles and a 6×4 drive.

Škoda cars from the 1950s had the same technical basis, i.e. the 1200 “Sedan”, Octavia, Felicia or utility vehicle 1202, which were produced until 1973. However, they used the Škoda backbone frame abroad for even longer – for the Turkish Škoda 1202 Kamyonet pick-up , which was produced in the years 1971-1980. In addition to him, the New Zealand Trekka and the Pakistani skopak also rode it.