Our GAZelle had relatives abroad: yes / no?

GAZ‑3302 has become the main machine of emerging small, medium and other companies.

For the Gorky Automobile Plant, the GAZelle, whose production began in 1994, also became a revolution – the first mass-produced post-war car of this class.

The secret of success is largely due to the maximum unification of the GAZelle with the already produced Nizhny Novgorod cars. But foreign influence in the car is minimal.

As factory analogues, they mainly thought of Iveco Daily (it became the prototype of the Soviet truck KiAZ-3727, which never went into production) and Ford Transit. It is on the then Transit that the GAZelle is somewhat similar. Includes some external elements. For example, stiffeners on the sides of the cabin, door handles. But direct copying was out of the question.

The basic truck in the family was the GAZ‑3302 low loader with a wheelbase of 2900 mm. The total weight of the GAZelle is 3500 kg, the permissible load is 1650 kg, including the driver and two passengers. The car received a completely new three-seater cabin with headlights and indicators, like the Volga GAZ‑31029.

The base engine of the GAZelle is the ZMZ-4025 in-line four, a version of the Volga series engine. With a working volume of 2.45 liters (92 × 92 mm) and a compression ratio of 6.7, he developed 90 liters. Of. and 173 Nm at 2400–2600 rpm. They also provided the ZMZ-4026 engine with an increased compression ratio (8.2) – with a capacity of 100 horsepower. Of. and torque 182 Nm

The gearbox of the GAZelle was also maximally (in particular, along the crankcase, axles and other parts) united with the five-speed Volgovskaya. Of course, they changed the gear ratios: in passenger boxes they used a row of 3.62 / 2.19 / 1.30 / 1.0 / 0.79, and for the GAZelle – 4.05 / 2.34 / 1.40 / 1.00 /0.85.

The suspension GAZ‑3302 is extremely simple: both front and rear depend on longitudinal springs. The main advantages are low cost, strength and maintainability.

The frame of the Transit in the version with double-slope rear wheels (like the GAZelle) was different – more complex in shape. But Ford was also produced with single wheels at the rear and therefore with a simpler frame. Fords were made with bases of 2850-3570 mm.

GAZ-3302 received the most simple frame, by the way, similar to that of KiAZ-3727. However, the Gazelle frame, with minimal modifications, turned out to be suitable for all-wheel drive vehicles, and for elongated versions, which later appeared in abundance.

GAZelle received quite modern brakes. For the first time on Gorky, and indeed on Soviet trucks, there were disc mechanisms in the front. They were also united with those of Volgovsky. And all in modernized – with a floating bracket. This design was based on components and parts developed for the Volga GAZ-3105, which remained small-scale.

The vacuum brake booster is the same as on the Volga. An efficient and reliable knot made under license from Lucas. As a result, the truck had effective, almost “light” brakes.

The GAZ‑3302 panel has nothing to do with Ford.

The Transit panel (photo) has a slightly more elegant shape. But this car was made for different money and for another life.

The interior of the GAZelle is unpretentious, but very solid. There was even a tachometer on the instrument panel, which, by the way, was not on the Volga.

Good luck hooves

Simple, cheap and at the same time quite modern for the early nineties, the GAZelle took the plant to a new level. It turned out to be a car that the country needed exactly and at the exact time in which it appeared.

Admittedly, GAZley’s workmanship was less than ideal, to say the least. But this is a separate conversation. Moreover, not only Nizhny Novgorod cars in those years suffered from this ailment.

For the Nizhny Novgorod plant, the basic GAZ-3302, which became the basis for many modifications, turned out to be an ill-fated model. Cars of this particular class still keep GAZ afloat.

Requires 7,000 tires in popular sizes

Without ties, public order cannot be guaranteed, medical care cannot be provided to those who need it.

“Behind the wheel” together with the Popular Front began to collect funds that will be used to purchase tires for cars of the People’s Police and operational services of the LPR and DPR: ambulances, the Ministry of Emergency Situations, vehicles delivering humanitarian aid to the inhabitants of Donbass, and army equipment. You can make your contribution
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Our GAZelle had relatives abroad: yes / no?