The Gorky Automobile Plant has produced many cars worthy of the memory of generations. The basic models were interesting, as were the machines of various purposes created on their basis. Exotic is the GAZ-46 Amphibian SUV released on the basis of GAZ-69.
Background
The experience of World War II showed the strengths and weaknesses of Soviet military equipment, as well as the gaps in its creation. There were no floating cars in the army.
Ford GPA four-wheel drive four-wheel drive amphibians and six-wheeled DUKW trucks, obtained through Lend-Lease, facilitated river crossings in Eastern Europe during the offensive of Soviet forces on fascist Germany.
Naturally, this technique was taken into account, and immediately after the war, both passenger and freight floating vehicles were included in the long-term plan for re-equipment, along with other types.
First of all, the military was interested in a light command vehicle capable of forcing water barriers and moving in the same group with armored vehicles.
Cargo DUKW became the first prototype of the ZIS-485 - a large waterfowl (BAS). Over time, the floating GPA Ford GPA became the GAZ-46 MAV, a small floating car.
History of the creation of a floating machine
The military was so interested in such types of equipment that already in 1948 the Scientific Automotive Institute (NAMI) began, on the instructions of the Council of Ministers and the Ministry of the Automotive and Tractor Industries, the development of amphibians based on the mastered platform of the GAZ-67 SUV. The terms of reference referred to vehicles designed for the transportation by land and water of a crew and sabotage groups of six people or 500 kg of cargo, towing of light trailers, pontoons and other watercraft used by engineer troops on water.
The first models were called NAMI-011, passed interdepartmental tests and were recommended for military acceptance, despite the fact that the design was crude.
The manufacture of amphibians was entrusted to the Gorky residents. The plant’s specialists made many changes to the design, improving the characteristics of the machine, as far as the mechanics of the GAZ-67 allowed.
From 1951 to 1953, the installation parties began to enter the army under the name GAZ-011 and so arranged the military that there were serious difficulties in the development and implementation of the improved GAZ-46 machine, which took into account the comments on the previous model and eliminated most of its shortcomings.
Serious intrigues plied, heads flew, leadership changed, but in the end, a new car based on the more modern GAZ-69 saw the light of day.
Unfortunately, amphibian was not produced for long, until the end of the fifties, because in the first post-war decades, not only technology changed, but also the tactics of warfare, and light floating machines became unnecessary. In addition, the production of the base GAZ-69 was transferred to the Ulyanovsk Automobile Plant, where amphibians could not be produced for purely production reasons.
Amphibian description
The buoyancy of the floating machine was provided by a steel welded body on a frame of box-shaped profiles. The chassis and transmission were from the GAZ-69, and the engine was from the GAZ-M20 Pobeda passenger car.
An additional shaft was installed in the transfer case to the propeller with three blades, protected from the bottom from damage by a powerful arc. A coil with cables mounted on the steering column connected it to the water steering wheel, which was placed in the jet of water created by the screw.
To increase cross-country ability on silted terrain in the tires, it was possible to lower the pressure, not being afraid that water would get into the wheels. All wiring is made with sealed electrical connectors, does not need additional protection and the ignition distributor, since it is completely sealed.
A signal light was installed on the dashboard to control the ingress of water into the hold. A muffler and exhaust pipe are brought to the bow deck of the GAZ-46 . True, the noise from the muffler was so strong that it unmasked the car. On the other side of the bow deck is the neck of the gas tank, that is, if necessary, you can refuel the fuel tank directly on the water.
Floating machine body
The GAZ-46 case of the pontoon type is made without doors, divided into three compartments by transverse partitions. The engine compartment is located in the nose compartment. The central compartment is a crew cabin and passengers, the luggage compartment is located behind.
On the nose there is a flip-up water guard that rises before entering the water. It prevents the nose from being “buried” in water, protects the air intake for cooling the engine and the central compartment from water.
Between the headlights there is a bollard for mooring amphibians on the water and a capstan for a rescue buoy.
Outside the body, lever shock absorbers are installed. Spare wheels are laid on the upper rear platform.
GAZ-46 car cabin
The cabin design, if in this case such a loud definition is appropriate, is Spartan simple, since the amphibian was designed on the instructions of the military. Comfort was not provided for the crew or passengers.
Anyway, in design, the GAZ-46 was more like a boat. The instrument panel was fully borrowed from the GAZ-69. The transmission control levers are located to the right of the driver. The pedal brackets are of unusual shape and are close to each other so that there are as few technological holes as possible through which water can enter the hold. The frame of the windshield is laid on the hood, a tarpaulin can be pulled over the passenger compartment.
The front row of seats consists of two seats: for the commander and driver. Behind them, a triple bench without adjustments is installed.
There is a fuel filter in the cab for easy maintenance.
Amphibian engine
The Gorkovites used GAZ-46 engines of the same family, which were produced at the plant after World War II. They are gasoline (fuel can be used even with an octane rating of 66), four-stroke carburetor, with a volume of 2.1 liters.
The M-20 and GAZ-69 engines are almost identical in design and overall dimensions. GAZ-69, with a capacity of 55 liters. pp., for a floating machine it was more suitable because it is equipped with an oil cooler, which does not need air blowing at high speeds, inevitable when moving in water.
Engine power from the "Victory", which is the base, is not much lower - 52 liters. from.
Since air access to the engine was limited, from the very beginning, heat exchangers were provided for cooling the power plant in the outboard water cooling circuit.
The engines of the M20 group were so reliable and durable that they still work on older machines. They are easy to maintain, maintain and repair, but the place for installation in a narrow and deep compartment makes this advantage imperceptible in the GAZ-46.
Amphibian transmission
The car was equipped with a three-speed manual transmission with gear ratios in three gears of 3.115, 1.772 and 1.0, respectively, and at the rear - 3.738. Transfer case - two-stage, with gear ratios of 1.15 and 2.78. The gear ratio on a conical final drive with a spiral tooth is 5.125, on the steering gear, which was a globoidal worm with a double roller, 18.2.
Clutch - dry single plate. Shoe brakes, working - on all four wheels with hydraulic drive from the pedal, parking - on the transmission with manual mechanical drive.
Technical characteristics of the car GAZ-46
SUV General Information:
- number of places: 5 or 2 + 500 kg of cargo;
- weight: 1.85 t without load;
- dimensions, length × width × height (with the awning raised): 5.06 × 1.735 × 2.04 m;
- wheelbase: 2.3 m;
- ground clearance under the axles (with full load): 210 mm;
- turning radius along the most protruding part - 6.5 m.
On land, the GAZ-46 developed a top speed of 90 km / h, an average speed of 48 km / h, and water speed of 9 km / h.
The fuel consumption on the highway is 17 liters per 100 km, when driving gasoline on water, 16.5 liters are needed for one hour, the cruising range on land is 500 km, and afloat is 6 hours. The car is not able to overcome the ditches, the steepness of the slope available to him is 60%.
New life of the old amphibian
More than half a century has passed since the last car was produced, most of the military units that rusted at the back of the car went to scrap, but thanks to lovers of retro cars, some of them were given new life.
Today's view marks the beauty of the hull and its safety. In any case, it takes little effort and time to restore it. But the engine is changed to a more powerful GAZ 24/31 from the Volga. The 46th GAZ with a load weighs more than two and a half tons, and the M20 engine is already considered weak for it. However, in order to cool a modern gasoline engine, there is not enough air in the hold, diesel works better in such conditions. Specialists leave the native manual transmission, razdatka, screw, bridges, capstan, pump for pumping water and appliances (!). Although modern drivers no longer accept bridges without blocking, they change them to military. Probably, wheels cannot be found now either, therefore they are installed from a “distant relative” - UAZ.
Amphibian Abroad
Lovers of floating cars are everywhere. A vivid example is the event in Treben-Trarbach (Germany) in August 2014, when amphibian owners gathered on the Moselle River in their vehicles. There were shows on the roads, and descent along the river.
During the week, this celebration of the triumph of technical thought lasted. It involved about sixty different machines, including unique home-made amphibians.
It is interesting that most of all were the same floating Ford GPA SUVs (there were fourteen) that served as a prototype for the GAZ-46. The photo confirms this relationship even today. In the top picture is Ford, and below is a Russian floating SUV (there were five of them at the meeting).
By the way, there were as many freight DUKWs and Porsche Schwimmwagens, who participated in the Wehrmacht's army in World War II.
Amphibian models
GAZ-46 was honored under No. 100 to enter the collection of models of the Russian scientific and educational magazine about Soviet automobiles "Autolegs of the USSR". The publication dedicated to one model was published twice a month, and in the kit it was accompanied by a collectible copy car made at the scale of 1: 43 in China by the Italian company DeAgostini. The declared circulation was 120 thousand copies. A dark green machine for such a scale has been worked out in detail in sufficient detail, but experts say that the wheels in the model are not native, and the awning spoils the look. The model is disassembled into four parts: body, interior, bottom and the same unsightly awning.
An amphibian model is being made on the same scale and at the Uralsky Sokol workshop in Yekaterinburg, not only in green but also in more decorative colors, for example, blue or red.
The GAZ-46 car was mass-produced until the end of 1958 and had no modifications; it remained in service for more than thirty years, although BRDMs were already used as reconnaissance vehicles. Amphibians were armed with pontoon-bridge regiments and airborne assault battalions not only in the Soviet Union, but also in the countries of the Warsaw Pact. It is not known how many cars are on the move today, but they are, regularly carry caring owners to fishing or hunting and serve as their legitimate pride, participate in special equipment shows.