The four‑wheel drive GAZ trucks trace their origin to the late 1930s, with production finally commencing in 1948. This postwar model represented a marked departure from its pre‑war predecessor, built on a serial GAZ‑51 platform while embracing new capabilities and a rugged design philosophy.
During the Lend‑Lease period, foreign trucks already familiar to the USSR served as direct analogues to the 63rd, offering practical benchmarks for capability and reliability.
The GAZ‑63, a four‑wheel drive variant with a payload in the 1500–2000 kg range, inherits its basic footprint from the GAZ‑51. Both share the same chassis length of 3300 mm, and the track remains nearly identical at about 1588–1600 mm, with the GAZ‑51 rear track measured at 1650 mm. Ground clearance for the GAZ‑63 stands at 273 mm, surpassing the 250 mm clearance of the Studebaker US6 and Chevrolet G7170 models that were known in the USSR.
The frame of the GAZ‑63 is straightforward and sturdy, reinforced by two crossbars where the transfer box is installed.
In many ways, the four‑wheel drive frame closely mirrored the GAZ‑51, delivering ample power and reliability for demanding work.
Prototype development for the GAZ‑63, akin to the second generation GAZ‑51, began in 1943, with plans to place vehicles on production lines shortly after the Great Patriotic War. Early versions emerged as the war ended, paving the way for mass production.
On the 1943 Gorky prototypes, the cabs borrowed from the massive American Studebaker US6 trucks, while the final version was still under development elsewhere.
The GAZ‑51 and GAZ‑63 share a four‑speed manual gearbox without synchronizers, with gear ratios of 6.40 / 3.09 / 1.69 / 1.00. The Soviet transmission is derived from an American design originally used on the GAZ‑AA (MM) since 1927, itself a derivative of the Ford AA blueprint.
The rear axle of the four‑wheel drive version essentially repeats the GAZ‑51 axle, with a key distinction in gearing: the main gear ratio is 6.67 for the GAZ‑51 and 7.6 for the GAZ‑63.
Both post‑war mono‑ and four‑wheel drive GAZ trucks use the same six‑cylinder engine. This unit features a 3.5‑liter displacement (82 × 110 mm) with a compression ratio of 6.2, producing about 70 hp at 2800 rpm. It draws on a Dodge design from the latter 1930s. A later engine, installed on the Dodge WC family used for USSR passenger‑cargo vehicles, has a 3.8‑liter displacement (82.5 × 117.5 mm) and delivers around 92 horsepower with a compression ratio of 6.7.
The transfer case of the GAZ‑63, with a 1.00/1.96 gear ratio, represents a completely original design that does not imitate any foreign model.
The release of the GAZ‑63 began in 1948, and the cabin evolved to look less American. Notably, mudguards with integrated headlights replaced earlier designs. Early GAZ‑51 and GAZ‑63 cabins were built from a wood‑metal blend due to material shortages.
Serial GAZ‑63 models featured an all‑metal cabin and the addition of an exterior mirror, marking a further step toward durability and practicality.
BRAT‑63
Postwar unification with the base GAZ‑51 enabled a quick and economical development of an all‑wheel‑drive variant. In the immediate postwar period, the army and the national economy required such a vehicle for mobility and reliability.
The BRAT‑63 proved to be capable off‑road, with excellent cross‑country performance. The narrow gauge and high ground clearance did bring a tendency to roll on uneven terrain, but the broader objective of unification with the base machine justified the trade‑offs for military and industrial use.
From the GAZ‑63, truck tractors were produced, and several factories manufactured four‑wheel drive buses. Overall production reached 474,464 units, including the 63 chassis, up to 1968, and many examples still exist in museums and private collections.
- All details about the American relatives of the ZIL‑130 are available in other resources.
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