The Soviet Union throughout the world was considered a powerful country. The USSR has reached tremendous heights in science and medicine. It was the Soviet Union that conquered space and launched the technology race, which in the future turned the whole world up. It is thanks to the best minds of the USSR that the space industry will then begin to develop. Together with space technology, science and medicine, the automotive industry developed in a large country. However, despite serious progress, the USSR lagged behind other countries in the automotive industry. But this does not mean at all that Soviet cars are bad. Let's get acquainted with the most famous representatives of the domestic auto industry, which today are considered retro classics.
The birth of the domestic auto industry
In 1927, the head of the Soviet Union, Stalin, demanded that a powerful and competitive automotive industry be created in the country during the first five-year period - from 1928 to 1932. At that time, in comparison with the countries of Europe and the USA, the automobile industry was virtually absent in the country, and the USSR was not a competitor for the global auto giants. However, due to the rapid development of industrialization, by the middle of 1928, there were more than 3 million people employed in the manufacture of automobiles.
When the first five-year plan ended, more than 6 million people were already working in the auto industry. Thanks to this plan, a new social class has been formed in the USSR - these are workers for the automotive industry with good incomes for that time. But although a huge number of jobs were created and the standard of living grew, for many the car was a luxury then. Soviet cars were bought only by a wealthy working class. This is taking into account the fact that the capacity of car factories by 1932 reached about 2.3 million copies.
KIM: small car
Glavavtoprom in August 1938 proposes to develop and launch the production of small cars. They planned to establish it at the Moscow automobile assembly plant, created in honor of KIM.
To develop a car, a design department was formed at the plant. The process was led by a specialist from NATI A. N. Ostrovtsev. GAZ specialists worked on the design and construction of the body. To develop faster, we decided to take the American Ford Perfect, which was produced in the UK at that time, as the basis. The solutions used by Ford engineers were well known to engineers from the USSR - several models of cars based on Ford A and AA were already produced in the country. Although the English car was taken as the basis, the body design is completely Soviet. GAZ specialists worked on it. During the process, they created two options - a model with a closed body and two doors, as well as an open phaeton. Interestingly, the car was manufactured on equipment from the United States.
It was planned to connect many factories of the USSR to production. So, at ZIS, frames, springs, forgings were to be made. At GAZ, the main body parts and castings were made. A huge number of different industries were supposed to provide the assembly shop with everything necessary - glasses, tires, upholstery materials, as well as all the details that KIM simply could not manufacture.
Exterior
The model was called KIM-10, and at that time it was a serious step for the entire automotive industry.
The appearance of the car was newer and fresher, unlike other Soviet cars. The body shape and overall design practically did not differ from foreign models. The body of this car was very progressive for its time.
The hood opened upwards and was alligator type. In order to open it, the designers created a bow decoration. The side parts of the hood served as fairings for the headlights. The doors were quite wide in size, in addition they were equipped with rotary windows. Side windows could be lowered.
Design features
In addition to modern ideas at the time of the creation of this car, more conservative solutions were used. So, the engine with the lower location of the valves did not have mechanisms for their adjustment. The connecting rod bearings were filled with babbitt. The thermosiphon cooling system is already outdated, but was used at KIM-10. Also among conservative solutions - a dependent suspension system, mechanical brakes. Turn lamps were semaphore type.
Specifications
This car was made in two types of bodies - a two-door sedan and a chaise with side parts. The car could accommodate four passengers.
The body length was 3960 mm, width - 1480 mm, height –1650 mm. Ground clearance - 210 mm. In the fuel tank fit 100 liters of fuel.
The engine was located in front of, longitudinally. It was a 4-cylinder carbureted four-stroke power unit. Its volume was 1170 cubic meters. see. Engine gave out 30 l. from. for 4000 thousand revolutions. The engine was paired with a three-speed manual gearbox. The car had rear-wheel drive, and its fuel consumption was only 8 liters per 100 kilometers.
The history of this car ended in 1941.
Car GAZ-13 "The Seagull"
The need for this car arose in the 50s. So, in the USSR they had to create a car of a representative level, which would correspond to fashion trends of that time. Designers of GAZ, as well as ZiSa and ZIL, developed the project. In addition, the ZIL-111 car is already outdated.
The result of the work of GAZ specialists was presented to the public in 1956. The car was launched into mass production only two years later, in the 59th. For those 22 years that this model was produced, a total of 3189 copies were produced. The famous designer Eremeev worked on the legendary design of the described car. In the exterior of the car, you can trace the features of the American automobile industry.
GAZ-13 "The Seagull" did not immediately become what it was subsequently remembered. In the process of working on the body, two options were created. They differed from the production models by the taillights, front sidelights, moldings on the wheel arches and the frame of the windshield.
Specifications
This car was impressive in size. The layout is front-engine, and the rear-wheel drive. Surprisingly, even then a three-stage hydromechanical gearbox was installed on this car.
There were two motors - GAZ-13 and GAZ-13D. These are eight-cylinder V-engines with a volume of 5.5 liters. But the first unit was calculated on A-93 gasoline, and the second on A-100. The second motor also has a higher compression ratio and a power of 215 hp. The first unit had a capacity of 195 liters. from. The design of the motor was distinguished by innovation - it is an aluminum cylinder head and valves.
The engine was equipped with liquid cooling and a carburetor consisting of four chambers. The motor, along with automatic transmission, could accelerate the car to 160 km. Up to 100 km, the car accelerated in 20 seconds.
As for fuel consumption, in the combined cycle, the car consumed 18 liters per 100 kilometers. Automatic transmission allowed the use of three gears - it is neutral, first gear, movement and reverse. They had to switch using the keys on the dashboard.
Modifications
So, GAZ-13 is a basic model. Three rows of seats were installed in the rear compartment, and prototypes significantly differed in equipment from serial ones.
GAZ-13A is the same basic model, but a partition was installed in the cabin between passengers and the driver.
13B is a convertible, used this modification in military parades.
13C is a station wagon. This modification did not go into series. A total of about twenty of these cars were produced.
Subcompact car "Moskvich" -400
This is the next model after KIM-10-52. Work on the car started after the war, in early 1946. Also after the war, the plant changed its name to Moskvich. This is a people's car, which was supposed to be created before the war.
The car was made in the image of the Opel Kadett K38, which was developed at General Motors in '38. All equipment was exported to Germany, stamps for the production of bodies could not be saved, so I had to create my own, Soviet ones.
This car was developed by domestic and German engineers. The cost of the car, according to various sources, is from 8,000 to 9,000 rubles. It was a lot of money, and at first only a few could afford the new Moskvich-400, but in the 50s the well-being of people increased, and a whole line was built behind the machine.
Exterior
As the basis used Opel Kadett K38. Stalin liked the machine very much, and he ordered the USSR to make an exact copy. It must be said that Opel was created in Germany before the war, and in the 40s the whole structure, along with the design, was very outdated. Opel at that time produced more interesting models, but no one dared to argue with Stalin. Later, the appearance will be slightly updated, but this will not affect the body.
Engine
Since in Germany there was no documentation on the power unit, Soviet engineers developed a new motor. The car was equipped with a four-cylinder eight-valve unit, the power of which was only 23 liters. from. with a working volume of 1100 cubic meters. see. The motor worked in tandem with a three-speed manual gearbox. The power unit was created under the A-66 fuel. Consumption was 8 liters per 100 kilometers at a maximum speed of 90 km / h.
GAS
At this plant, a lot of different interesting models were produced. One of them is GAZ A. The history of the car begins in Detroit. It was then that old man Henry Ford decided that the Ford T was just hopelessly out of date. And he took it off the assembly line. Instead, they launched Model A. First, the engine was finalized - after transformations, its power changed from 23 liters. from. up to 40. The volume grew to 3.2 liters. Also in the car was a dry single-plate clutch.
Then Ford created a truck - AA on the basis of a passenger A, and then a three-axle machine AAA went onto the conveyor. It was this unified and generally universal car that the Soviet leaders liked. On the basis of it, they decided to create a simple, reliable and technologically advanced Soviet passenger car. So GAZ A was born. A model was produced from 1932 to 1938.
Design
The bumper was a failure two elastic bands of steel. The radiator was plated with nickel, and its first nameplate of the GAZ plant was decorated . The wheels were equipped with wire spokes - their feature is that they did not require adjustment.
For the windshield, triplex glass was used. A gas tank plug was installed in front of him. The tank itself was located on the rear wall of the engine compartment - so it was possible to exclude the gas pump from the design. Gasoline fell into the carburetor by gravity.
These Soviet cars were produced in the back of a phaeton type for 5 seats. In case of rain, it was possible to pull an awning from a tarp.
Salon
The steering wheel was black, and ebonite was the material for it. Next to the signal on the steering wheel, designers placed special levers - with the help of the first the ignition timing was regulated, and the second served to supply gas. The speedometer was a drum with numbers. A special heel stand was installed below the gas pedal.
Design features
If you disassemble the car, then only 21 bearings will be typed. A belt brake was also used , there was a lack of ability to regulate the valve, a small compression ratio of the engine was 4.2. As a suspension used transverse springs.
A little later this model will be replaced by the GAZ M-1 sedan, which is also based on the Ford A, but modified for off-road patency. So, they increased the strength of the body, strengthened the suspension. Modified the voracious 3.2-liter engine so that its power increased to 50 liters. from.
In the series, this GAZ M-1 off-road limousine was in 1936. Released more than 60,000 copies. It was a very successful model.
GAZ-21
These are Soviet sedan cars. The car was launched into mass production in the year 56, and it lasted until the 70s. This is the most successful model of the domestic auto industry.
Development began in 1952. Initially, they worked on the M21 models. L. Eremeev and artist Williams worked on the design. In 1953, the first M21 models were created, the Williams project did not fit. Then, in the spring of 1954, the first prototypes of the Volga GAZ-21 were assembled.
Tests were conducted during which cars showed good results. The new Volga turned out to be economical, significantly surpassing the GAZ M-12 ZIM in terms of dynamic characteristics. In addition, the car had a unique design.
The first models were equipped with a lower valve motor, its working volume was 2.4 liters. Engine power was already 65 liters. from. This is a motor from the "Victory", which was forced in the factory. Paired with the power unit worked three-speed manual gearbox.
The owners of the Volga car (GAZ-21) talked about the high resistance of the body to corrosion, about the good passability of the car. Today it is already a retro car, and you can see its representatives in private collections.
GAZ-24
Later, in 1968, the GAZ-24 was launched on the basis of this car. The car was produced in two bodies - a sedan and a station wagon. At one time it was the most prestigious car. They began to develop the model immediately after the launch of the 21st Volga. The car managed to survive three restyling, the design gravitated to the features of American cars. But there were also original features in the exterior, which gave the body swiftness.
Vehicle Specifications
GAZ-24 was produced, as already noted, in two bodies. Ground clearance was 180 mm. The engine was located in front of the longitudinally. As a power unit, a 2.4-liter gasoline engine was selected. Its power was 95 liters. from. He worked in tandem with a four-speed manual gearbox. Fuel consumption - 13 liters per 100 km. With this unit, the maximum speed is 145 km / h.
Based on the described “Volga”, then many different modifications were released. Models were also produced for export. Finished graduation in 1985.
I must say that Soviet cars are much more interesting than those that are produced today. Now everything seems uninteresting to modern people, and then every new model was a real celebration for car enthusiasts. These cars are being filmed today, they are in museums and private collections, the ZIS-110 car is very popular abroad, including in the USA and Europe. Many motorists give huge amounts to buy and restore such cars. This is a real retro. And let them scold the domestic auto industry, but then in our country they knew how to make good cars.