Over three decades, from 1962, which is considered the start of production of the ZIL-130 (only 15 cars were made that year, but there is a reason to celebrate the 60th anniversary), more than 3 .3 million cars produced with various bases, engines, two- and three-axle, in southern and northern configurations.
But no less interesting is how the ZIL-130 … did not become. After all, a lot of experimental work has been done in those decades, many of which were able to make the “one hundred and thirty” different, not the same as several generations of Soviet citizens knew. Some experiments lead designers to a dead end. But others could make the legendary car more modern and interesting.
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The job description for the new truck, designed for 4000 kg of payload, also implied a new engine – a V-shaped six-cylinder engine with an output of 130 hp. The standard 6-cylinder inline engine with lower valves and a displacement of 5.56 liters, which the factory had and whose roots go back to the 1930s, was already not modern at that time. Although, by the way, it remained in production for almost forty years.
It was the V6 engines with which the first two prototypes of the ZIL-1E130 were equipped at the end of 1956.
The first prototype ZIL-130 with a V6 engine, 1956.
A completely new cab for the mid-1950s was quite modern. In fact, it even resembled a series that appeared a few years later.
When creating the ZIL-130, the factory studied several imported, mainly American, trucks. But none of them copied. Although some features were borrowed. Let’s say the American Dodge’s panoramic windshield is C3-TA8. But ZIL had no other common features with Dodge. By the way, the Soviet car had a one-piece hood that opened backwards. And the American sidewalls were raised separately, like the Soviet ZIL-164.
Unfortunately, the V6 engine was recognized as unsuccessful after the initial tests. True, there was also an overhead valve version of the serial in-line “six” with a volume of 5.56 liters. Such a ZIL-120VK engine with a compression ratio of 6.3 developed 136 horsepower, and a forced engine with a compression ratio of 7.5 produced 154 horsepower. These units were on the 1957 ZIL-2E130 prototypes. But it didn’t make much sense to recreate the old engine. By the way, some dump trucks have an in-line lower valve engine installed for many years. But of course he couldn’t become the main one.
The factory also made a completely modern V8 engine with a capacity of 6 liters (100 × 95 mm), made under great influence of the Chrysler unit. Just not for a truck, but for a ZIL-111 limousine. Reduction of the compression ratio from 9.0 to 6.5 and the power of 200 hp. up to 150 horsepower, got an engine best suited for a truck.
Initially, this engine was considered too powerful. The idea arose to install a new V8 truck from ZMZ with a working volume of 5.52 liters and a power of 138 horsepower. – an analogue of the version for the BRDM armored personnel carrier. But this engine was not ready yet. In addition, in the 1958 reference frame, the payload was increased to 5500 kg – and this required a more powerful engine.
As a result, in 1959 the ZIL-3E130 prototype with a 6-liter V8 engine appeared. The then famous engine was also very reliable. Drivers treated him with respect.
There was only one minus: even the passport consumption of gasoline at a speed of 60 km/h was 29 l/100 km. In real life, this figure easily increased one and a half times. However, Soviet state enterprises in those years, in fact, did not care about the price of gasoline.
It was with a 150 hp V8 engine that the already noticeably modified 1960s monsters were created. They equipped the serial ZIL‑130. After the first fifteen cars of 1962 were sent for controlled use, 700 cars were made in 1963.
And on October 1, 1964, the ZIL-130 went off the main assembly line en masse.
We will tell you more about how the “one hundred and thirty” got a diesel engine, how it was modernized, remade and exported. Come in more often!
- Retrotest ZIS-150 read here.
- “Behind the wheel” can also be read in Telegram.
From the very beginning of its long history, the “one hundred and thirty” could not be what it became.
