This bus was nicknamed “cattle truck”. Offensive, of course, given how advanced the LiAZ-677 was in the 1960s. But seeing him pressed against the railing in rush hour, and taking a ride on him even more, can’t choose another word. But, of course, it was not the bus that was to blame, but perhaps the schedule, the lack of private cars and much more.
Expert from Za Rulem, the oldest and most popular automotive publication in Russia, Sergei Kanunnikov remembered a few interesting facts about “the same” LiAZ, and here are three of the funniest.
Filling up!
It was not possible to pick up a diesel engine for the bus, so they installed a gasoline engine on it and did not care about fuel consumption at all – it cost a penny in the USSR at the time of the creation of the LiAZ- 677 .
It was the engine v8 ZIL-375YES with a working volume of 7 liters and a power of 180 hp. According to the passport, the engine consumed 40 liters per 100 kilometers, but in reality all 50 flew into the pipe.
two steps
The bus was not suitable for intercity transport. It was designed for cities, so it was equipped vending machinestic gearbox developed by NAMI and LAZ. There were two gears with ratios of 1.79 and 1.00. Nothing could stop a bus with this machine gun! With a crowded cabin, he rode slowly but surely up each hill, gradually slowing down to walking speed. But he drove and didn’t even think to stop.
Since 1968, domestically, LiAZ-677s are supplied only with a machine gun, and buses with mechanics were driven for export, where a machine gun was offered as an option.
Driving through the air
In suspension LiAZ-677 used air springs (pneumatic springs), which was not a single domestic bus. The same cylinders were installed on American intercity Greyhound buses, but no one else indulged in such a decision.
Therefore, LiAZ’s movement was very soft and it swung smoothly over bumps and potholes and fell over in turns. This made it impossible to ride the bus without holding the handrail, even while seated – which is why all rear seats had full-length handrails from the windows to the aisle. But on the other hand, not a single turn of the wheel on the pothole penetrated the cabin.
You can learn more interesting facts about the LiAZ-677 and similar foreign buses in the February issue of the magazine “Behind the Rulem” – already on sale.
The material was prepared on the basis of the article “City News” by Sergey Kanunnikov, published in issue 2.2023 of the magazine “Behind the wheel”.