GAZ ir kt. istorija (anglų kalba)

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The GAZ (Gorkovsky Avtomobilny Zavod, "Gorky Automotive Factory") is the second Russian factory about production, and also one of the oldest (founded in the early '30). In Europe somebody can remember the Gaz-69, seen also in the Western countries before the UAZ-469. In Russia, the GAZ (especially the "M-21/M-24 Volga" models) was, typically, the mid-luxury car, used by officials of the Communist Party (PCUS) and others; for the highest functions of the Soviet state (presidents, ministers, etc.), the car was the GAZ "Chaika", or the ZIL (see the page).

The beginnings (and some racing prototype)

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The GAZ was founded in 1932, with the help of...the Americans! This because the Americans given technological help to the Russians during the first Soviet five-years developement plan. As a matter of facts, the first model, the GAZ "A" (above, first pic), was a...Ford "A", therefore a "clone" of the American car. During that period, the GAZ starts also the trucks production; the factory grows up, and begins to be one of the greatest Soviet plants. In the second pic, one of the engineers of the factory, Andrei Aleksandrovich Lipgart (to the left in the pic).

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Among the models produced during the years '30, the GAZ "M-1" (above) is the most important model, because it's the first Russian car intended specifically for the national roads, although it remains, technically, a Ford "clone". For the first time in the Russian history, the suspensions are hydraulic, with new shock absorbers (not the mechanical shock absorbers of the previous models). This model was realized with four or six cylinders engines, and was enough reliable: several "M-1" are still existant, sometime even used daily!

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From these cars, also interesting prototypes were obtained. In the first and second pics above, the GAZ "Aero", realized in the 1934 by the designer Aleksei Osipovich. Although the very interesting design, it was equipped with the normal engine from the "A" model, 38 hp, and only 106 km/h (48 hp with aluminium head). The pics are courtesy of Andrei Nikitin, grandson of the designer. In the 1936, always on the base of the "A" model, a racing car was obtained (third pic), with a coachwork similar to a rocket and with a max speed of 112 km/h (slightly slow also for the years '30s)! In the 1937, A. Girelja realized the car in the fourth pic, the GAZ "A-Sport", always based on the "A" model, 50 hp, 130 km/h: substantially, it was still a self-made car, not very advanced, and still too slow for a racing car.

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But, in short time, new racing cars were realized, with improved performances: the GAZ "TSAKS" (first and second pics above), designed in the 1937 by V.Tsipulin, always derived from the "M-1" (therefore with a six-cylinders engine, 3300 cc, 50 hp, 135 km/h), and, in the third pic, the GAZ "GL-1" (1938), with the same engine, but with 60 hp, 150 km/h. The "GL-1" was equipped also with a fairing on the driver's seat (fourth pic), and the speed was improved up to 162 km/h. Substantially, these cars were still far from the best Western realizations...anyway, a progress of 30 km/h in one year was good!

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At the end of the years '30s, in order to realize a newer car, some prototype was realized (first and second pics above), with very aerodynamic shapes, similar to the Czechoslovakian Tatra, but the war stopped the project. However, this work was useful for the new GAZ car launched in the 1946: the "M-20 Pobjeda" (third, fourth and fifth pics above). It's a 2100 four-cylinders (the engine derives from the six-cylinder of the "M-1"), with side valves, produced until 1958. The car, although a good reliability, was quite slow, even considering the period (52 hp, 105 km/h), but it has some interesting feature, as the very aerodynamic "hatchback" coachwork: the declared Cx was even of 0,31, better than several modern cars (although this data is probably theorical, but not far from the reality)! Moreover, the comfort was quite good (with new forward indipendent suspensions); indeed, this car was still reserved to the medium and high levels of the "nomenklatura", and not to the common people!

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There were also some prototypes of van derived from the Pobjeda, realized in the early '50s (four pics above). The project, called "NAMI-013" (the NAMI was a Russian research institute), was very interesting, with the forward drive and the engine placed behind, always 2100, four cylinders, but with a modified head (mixed system, side and overhead valves together), for a max power of 63 hp, 113 km/h. The engine, for the first time in the history of the Russian cars, was also equipped with an automatic transmission. Ok, the look was not fascinating...but the concept was substantially the same of several modern machines. But, during the tests, the car was a real disaster: the engine had problems of overheating, moreover an incredible mistake in the project of the steering system maked necessary to turn the steering wheel in the direction opposite to the steering of the car!!!! Because of this..."distraction", the project was stopped: a pity.

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Quite interesting also the little car in the three pics above: the GAZ "18". It was realized in 1958, for a perspective production destined especially to the invalids of the Second Worldwide War; the engine was a twin-cylinder 500 cc, with automatic transmission. It remained as prototype; now it's in the factory's museum.

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From the slow and heavy "Pobjeda", even some aerodynamic prototypes were obtained! In the first and second pics above, two exemplars of "Pobjeda Sport" (1951 and 1955) with aerodynamic shapes, powered by the same engine of the normal "Pobjeda", but increased to 2500 cc, and equipped (on the several versions) with aluminium head, high-compression pistons, twin-spark ignition and supercharger, for a max power of 105 hp and a max speed (quite low...) of 165 km/h on the later versions. Same mechanical part for the car in the third pic, strangely called GAZ "Torpedo", equipped -differently from the "Pobjeda Sport"- with a specific tubular skeleton in duraluminium: the speed was increased to 190 km/h, thanks to the improved weight and aerodynamic.