Cars produced in our country in most cases are marked with abbreviations that reflect the name of the company where they were made. The GAZ transcript, for example, looks like the Gorky Automobile Plant. This largest enterprise in Russia began its work back in the days of the USSR - in 1932.
Factory History
Until the end of the 20s, cars in the USSR were purchased abroad. In 1929, the government decided to correct this situation. This spring, a decree was issued on the need to build a modern automobile plant.
The site for the new enterprise was found a month later. It was decided to build a new plant near Nizhny Novgorod, which from 1932 to 1990 was called Gorky. The choice of a site just next to this settlement was explained by the convenient location both in terms of geography and natural resources.
Since there was no experience in building automobile enterprises in the country then, engineers of the world famous Ford company had to be invited to develop a plant project. But, of course, Soviet specialists also took part in the construction of a new automobile enterprise.
First cars
Work on the construction of a new enterprise took place at an accelerated pace. And therefore, the plant was put into operation a little earlier than the scheduled time - in 1932. In total, the construction of the GAZ, the decoding of which means "Gorky Automobile Plant", thus took about 18 months.
Originally a new venture named after Molotov was engaged in the production of only trucks. But already at the end of 1932, cars began to roll off the assembly line. As a prototype for their first GAZ cars, the same Fords were used. However, due to the fact that the imported cars were somewhat inconsistent with Russian roads, their design had to be rather seriously modernized.
So, in particular, an improved steering system was developed for the new GAZ trucks. Also, engineers reinforced the clutch housing, which now could withstand significant loads.
The appearance of the car body was also slightly modified. For example, the first model of the GAZ-AA plant had an onboard platform. The cab of this car was made of wood and cardboard. Initially, the first car of the enterprise was called NAZ-AA. But later it was renamed GAZ. The decoding of the brand began to reflect the name of the enterprise - the Gorky Automobile Plant.
GAZ-AA engines were equipped with Ford brands at 40 l / s. The same engines were used when assembling the later model. In 1934, the "one and a half" were improved. They began to install metal cabins. At the same time, a new car was created at the plant - GAZ-AAA. Its carrying capacity was no longer 1.5, but 2 tons. By 1935, more than 100 thousand cars had already left the GAZ conveyor.
Mythic GAZ-M
The "Lorry" of the Gorky plant was used at all all-Russian construction sites, passed the war roads and became a true legend of the Soviet automobile industry. But this company became famous not only for its reliable trucks.
A truly landmark event was the release by the factory of a new passenger car model GAZ-M - the famous "emka". The prototype of this car was also a Ford. However, in this case, the design of the car before release was significantly improved by Soviet engineers.
So, for example, the car received instead of:
- transverse springs longitudinal;
- primitive friction hydraulic shock absorbers;
- stamped steel discs.
Also, the car has increased the size of the wings and improved the front brake drive. Thus, new cars were prepared for Russian roads.
Initially, GAZ-M engines used Ford-A engines. They had a power of 50 l / s. Later, six-cylinder Dodge D5s began to be installed on these cars at 76 l / s. "Emki" with such motors were very popular and were produced under the marking 11-73.
After some time, the plant them. Molotov began to produce advanced all-wheel drive GAZ-61. It was these cars that later became the main personal transport of the highest ranks of the country.
Original models
At different times, the Gorky Automobile Plant was engaged in assembly:
- passenger pickups based on GAZ-A and M1;
- buses 03-03, once used even as fixed-route taxis in big cities;
- ambulances;
- dump trucks on the basis of "one and a half", equipped with a body that sank under the pressure of the load.
Military equipment
During the Second World War, the Gorky Plant completely stopped the production of civil vehicles and began to supply military equipment to the front. At the time, the following were developed at the enterprise:
- GAZ-64 SUV, on the basis of which the famous UAZ-469 was later created;
- artillery tractor GAZ-67B;
- armored car BA-64;
- self-propelled gun SU-76.
Also, the specialists of the Gorky Automobile Plant took an active part in the development of the legendary T-60 and T-70 tanks.
Volga
These cars, manufactured by the Gorky factory since 1959, have long been the most prestigious brand of Soviet citizens. The Volga was more expensive than the then-popular Zhiguli, Muscovites and Zaporozhtsev. But the operational characteristics were more impressive. Initially, these cars were labeled as GAZ-21. Later, the advanced GAZ-24 went on sale.
At the same time as Volga, the enterprise was engaged in the production of Chaika machines. These cars were considered even more prestigious than the GAZ-21 and -24. But they went on sale in a very limited series - just over 3,000 copies.
After some time, the factory started producing the model 31029. Then, for 17 years, the Volga GAZ-3110 , which gained immense popularity, was produced at the enterprises . In appearance, it was practically no different from the models of the 70s. The only thing, the designers chose for her a more rounded roof shape.
In the 80s, a new Volga was created at the plant - the GAZ-3105, which was equipped with a very powerful engine. However, due to economic problems, the company subsequently released only about 60 copies of such cars.
At the same time, projects of low-cost sedans GAZ-3103 and 3104 were developed at the plant. However, such cars were never put into production.
Soviet freight models
What the decoding of the abbreviation GAZ looks like, we have thus found out. It was under this brand that the famous Volga and Seagulls were produced in the USSR.
In the postwar years, the Gorky Plant produced not only high-quality cars. In the early 60s, the enterprise, for example, began production of three new GAZ trucks at once:
All these machines were supplied to the country's enterprises until the 90s of the last century. And the decoding of their marking remained, of course, the same - “Gorky Automobile Plant”.
What trucks are produced today by the plant?
In the 90s, like many other strategic enterprises of the country, GAZ experienced significant economic difficulties. He began to implement new successful projects only in 2000, after he became part of the Russian Machines holding.
Currently, the plant produces such popular truck models as, for example:
- all-wheel drive GAZ-3308 "Sadko";
- 3310 Valdai;
- airborne GAZon-nekst;
- "Sadko-nekst."
Gazelle cars
The plant began production of GAZ-33-02 cars in 1994. Initially, these machines were designed as light trucks. But later, minibuses 32213 began to be produced at their base. To date, the Gazelles are considered a separate GAZ series - commercial vehicles. In addition to GAZ-33-02 and 32213, the plant produces:
- GAZ-2705 - all-metal wagon;
- GAZ-33023 "Farmer" - an onboard truck.
Modern Volga
For today's amateur motorists, the GAZ brand, the decoding of which sounds like the Gorky Automobile Plant, is, unfortunately, not too well known. The company stopped producing old models of this brand back in 1992.
From 2008 to 2010, similar Volga-Cyber automobiles created on the basis of Chrysler and Dodge Stratus rolled off the assembly line of the enterprise. But due to low demand in 2010, the production of such cars was curtailed. Currently, Gorky Plant does not collect cars.
Decoding GAZ models
Many motorists would like to know, of course, about what the numbers in the GAZ marking mean. Deciphering these numbers is actually quite simple. The first digit indicates the engine class in terms of displacement (1 - up to 1 liter, 2 - up to 1.8 liters, 3 - up to 3.2 liters, etc.).
The second number characterizes the type of car :
- 1 - passenger;
- 2 - bus;
- 3 - cargo onboard;
- 4 - tractor, etc.
The third and fourth digits in the marking are the factory model number.
Thus, for example, the direct decryption of the GAZ-3110 is a car with an engine capacity of more than 1.8 liters, manufactured under serial number 10.
Gas for cars
GAZ cars can operate both on gasoline and diesel fuel. Sometimes such cars, like almost any other domestic ones, also drive on gas.
There are several types of such fuel suitable for use as a motor:
- The interpretation of the SPBT gas looks like a “mixture of propane and butane.” This type of natural gas is mainly used as a raw material in the petrochemical industry. As motor fuel in Russia, only about 17% of the volume of such gas is used.
- Decoding CNG gas - "liquefied petroleum." Its main components are also propane and butane. Such a mixture is usually used as automobile fuel. A feature of this gas is that when it is burned into the environment, a minimum amount of harmful substances is released.
- Decoding LNG gas is “liquefied natural gas”. Mostly it is methane CH4. After mixing with air, CH4 is highly flammable. Therefore, such gas is also often used as motor fuel. Sometimes it is used even in cars.
In everyday life in urban apartments, ordinary non-liquefied natural gas is used, containing mainly methane, a small amount of propane and butane and some other substances. It is for such blue fuel that we receive receipts at the end of the month. For gas, deciphering the abbreviation of GHG which looks like "natural gas", property owners usually do not pay too much.
Liquefied forms of this fuel are, of course, somewhat more expensive. But still, at a price they are significantly inferior to gasoline and diesel fuel. This makes gas a rather popular type of fuel among motorists.