The history of the GAZ M20 car “Victory. The history of the car GAZ M20 "Victory Gearbox and rear axle

24.07.2019

It was not in vain that the GAZ M20 passenger car was called “Victory” - it really was a victory in all respects. The Great Patriotic War was won, it became possible to raise the country's industry to a high level. AND new car became a symbol of that era.

This is how one of the first models of the GAZ-20 Pobeda car looks like

The creation of a new car model proved that there is a huge potential in the industry of the Soviet Union and the country can produce products that are not inferior in their characteristics to the goods of well-known Western manufacturers. Considering that the production of GAZ M 20 began almost immediately after the end of the war, then for our fatherland such an event can be considered a great achievement.

A new model of the GAZ passenger car began to be developed in the pre-war years. Then there were a lot of design ideas - at the same time, a new project was being conceived, the development of a 6-cylinder GAZ 11 engine was in full swing. But the designers began to design a middle-class passenger car in 1943.

The first modification of the Victory

It was at this time that the basic components and assemblies were determined, the forms of the future body were indicated. The model had its own characteristic differences from the previous brand:

Lower floor level compared to its predecessor;
Location of the engine above the front suspension beam;
The presence of a hydraulic drive in the brake system;
Improved independent front suspension;
Engine with higher efficiency;
Streamlined body with "licked" wings;
Improved interior design.

At first, the new model was considered in two versions, depending on the engine, each of them was assigned its own index:

With a 6-cylinder engine - M-25;
With a 4-cylinder engine - M-20.

It looks like the M-20 engine in the context

Almost immediately after the end of the war, "Victory" was subjected to lengthy tests, and after their successful completion was submitted to the highest party government for consideration.

The project was approved, and it was decided to launch a more economical version, the M-20 brand, into mass production. In the future, this name was assigned to the car.

During the development phase of the car, the name "Motherland" was also considered. But Stalin did not approve of this option. When it came to selling a car, it turned out that they were selling the Motherland. The production of the GAZ Pobeda machine began at the end of June 1946. Despite successful tests, many different design flaws and shortcomings were revealed in the car. Therefore, over the next six months, only 23 cars rolled off the assembly line, and mass assembly at the Gorky Automobile Plant began only in the spring of 1947.

The interior of the car "Victory" GAZ 20

Already in February 1948, GAZ assembled 1,000 units of the new model, and by the beginning of autumn, another 700 Pobeda vehicles appeared.

Design features of the "Victory"

The prototype of the GAZ M 20 is to some extent the Opel Kapitan, at least many design decisions were taken from this car. But their own design solutions made Pobeda unique:

The front and rear wings practically merged with the body, which was an innovation in those days;
The hinges of all four doors were attached in front of the pillars and the doors opened in the direction of the car;
There were no decorative steps.

Lipgart A.A. was the chief designer of the GAZ Pobeda project. The design team included engineers: Krieger, Kirsanov and Kirillov. The first of these was the deputy chief designer, the second led the group. Kirsanov was engaged in the development of the body. The unique appearance of the car was created thanks to the artist Samoilov, but Samoilov never saw his project in the form of a real car - the artist died tragically in 1944. The first sketches were created by the artist Brodsky in 1943.

For "Victory" body and body elements for the first time they became parts of their own, domestic production. Prior to this, other car brands received parts from foreign firms, in particular, they ordered production from American manufacturers.

Engine

Since the 6-cylinder GAZ 11 engine did not go into series, the 4-cylinder GAZ 20 became the main engine on the GAZ M20. The new power unit had the following differences from the GAZ 11 engine:

The compression ratio in the cylinders was only 5.6, but such a low figure made it possible to work on low-octane 66th gasoline. In the post-war years, there were problems with fuel in the country, and the use of such a brand of gasoline made it possible to somehow get out of the situation. But the thrust of the engine was weak, and the engine could hardly cope with its duties even in a passenger car.

Gearbox and rear axle

The gearbox had three forward speeds and a gear reversing. It did not have synchronizers, the gearshift lever had a floor arrangement. This box was borrowed from the GAZ M1 model. In the early 50s of the last century, the gearbox lever was moved to the steering column, and the gearbox was taken from the ZIM car. It already provided synchronizers in second and third gear.

The rear axle was not borrowed from other car models; it was designed specifically for the GAZ M 20 brand.

It looks like a gearbox for Pobeda gas 20

The main gear had a pair of spiral-conical type. The inconvenience of the design is that in order to dismantle the axle shafts, it was necessary to completely disassemble the crankcase main gear.

Body and interior features

At times in the post-war years, the bodywork was considered to be of a high standard, which was repeatedly noted by foreign experts in the automotive business. The body had a thick layer of metal (from 1 to 2 mm). Thicker was the metal on the side members and in places where the body was reinforced. The body type was classified as a "cabriolet".

The salon had a modern layout for its time, it was attended by:

There were other useful little things, such as lighting luggage compartment and engine compartment, or cigarette lighter in the interior console. In later versions of Pobeda, windshield heating was provided for in the heating system, and even later the car began to be equipped with a standard radio.

There were no separate seats, which are in modern cars, on Pobeda. In total, two sofas were installed in the car: front and rear. At that time, velor was not used, “seats” were sheathed with high-quality woolen fabric. The front seat was adjustable and could move back and forth. In cars designed for taxis, sofas were covered with leatherette.

Front and rear suspension, brake system

The schematic diagram of the front suspension was subsequently used on all Volga models. It was of the pivot type, independent, provided for the presence of threaded bushings. Some parts were borrowed from the Opel Kapitan model (shock absorbers, threaded bushings), but the pivot device had its own design. The hydraulic shock absorbers were of the lever type, that is, they simultaneously served as upper suspension arms. Exactly the same design was present in rear suspension, rear axle attached to springs.

The GAZ M 20 brake system was considered the most advanced in the middle of the twentieth century, for the first time it became hydraulic for the entire time of the Soviet automotive industry.

But there was only one circuit in the system, there was no question of any separation. That is, if any of the 4 working cylinders began to leak, the brakes disappeared altogether. In all Volga models with drum brakes, two working cylinders per wheel were installed.

Scheme of the design of drum brakes Pobeda

On Pobeda, both suspensions had one cylinder each, each cylinder bred two pads at the same time.

Electrical part

The electrical equipment of the Pobeda was also distinguished by its modernity, it used the most Hi-tech post-war years. Of the features of the electrical part can be noted:

The instrument cluster in the cabin had the entire necessary set of sensors that informed the driver about the state of the car and the speed of movement:

Speedometer;
Fuel level sensor;
Oil pressure sensor;
Water temperature gauge;
Ammeter;
Watch.

The panel also had two turn signal lamps. The instrument panel itself was made of steel and painted to match the body color, plastic lining decorated it and gave it elegance.

Today we are going to talk about really iconic car, whose fate is closely intertwined with the history of the Soviet Union, about the GAZ M20 Pobeda car. In the Soviet Union, as you know, all the most significant was done on the instructions of the party. At the end of the war in 1945, the design bureau received a government order to create a civilian vehicle.

All the plants of the Soviet automobile industry and the entire industry as a whole were focused on the production of military equipment, and the wise party leadership was already looking far ahead. In those difficult times, it was difficult to imagine the full scale of the work to fulfill the conditions of the order. It was supposed to be an affordable, reliable car that a well-to-do Soviet citizen could afford. As a result, the car became the car of the creative intelligentsia, military officials, and other honored persons of the Soviet Union.

The outstanding designer Andrey Alexandrovich Lipgart took up the design of the car. At one time, he was an intern at the Ford plant in Detroit. But the design of the GAZ M20 Pobeda is in no way connected with his past “American” experience. This is a completely original model designed by Andrey Lipgart. After the end of the Great Patriotic War, the construction of a new GAZ automobile plant began in the city of Gorky. Andrey Lipgart, who was directly involved in the construction of the plant, subsequently headed its design bureau for the design of cars.

The car created under his leadership was truly unique. It was the first "pontoon-type" model produced in the Soviet Union. From the point of view of aerodynamics, the body has been so well thought out that even by today's standards it deserves high praise.

A column of several cars from Gorky to Moscow went to the court of the state commission. But at the first meeting, the commission rejected the car. The party leadership and the generals considered the design of the GAZ 20 Pobeda car not successful (when landing in the cabin, the hat flew off the heads of the generals) and “raw”, and they gave it another year for revision.

During this time, a number of changes have been made. In particular, the rear sofa was lowered as low as possible. Other design solutions were innovative, namely, this is the first Soviet car in which a stove appeared, and now a Soviet citizen could afford the luxury of driving without a sheepskin coat and boots. It also featured a radio for the first time. Plus the body shape itself, at that time it was a real breakthrough. Streamlined, graceful and even somewhat feminine, it was in line with the trends of the then automotive fashion.

Initially, they wanted to call the car "Motherland", and, in principle, this name suited the commission. But Comrade Stalin asked the question: “What are we going to sell Motherland for?” The question baffled many, and then the name "Victory" was chosen, symbolizing the Great Victory of the Soviet people over Nazi Germany.

In total, about 236 thousand GAZ M20 Pobedy were produced, and many of them happened to survive to this day due to the fact that Lipgart managed to create a structure that was very reliable and durable on the one hand, and simple and, most importantly, maintainable on the other. The components and assemblies of the GAZ M20 Pobeda were so successfully combined with the components and assemblies of other models that Russian ingenuity, a “hammer with a chisel”, and “a couple of hot words” were required to repair it. There are cases when the car rolled over several times, got up on wheels and, as if nothing had happened, continued on its way. This is a clear indication of the great strength of the body.

During its existence, Pobeda changed its face several times, underwent so-called "restylings" that corresponded to the spirit of the times. In addition, the car had different modifications. In addition to the usual "sedans" was produced in the same way (unheard of luxury for Soviet citizens) - a car designed for comfortable rest. There was also an order to make a car for the village on the GAZ M20 Pobeda platform, and the Gaz workers managed to create an all-wheel drive car. The chairmen of wealthy collective farms and state farms drove around their fields with pride without fear of stalling somewhere in the middle of the field. They also tried to make an ambulance out of Pobeda, however, the attempts were unsuccessful due to the short body.

But what she really took place in, gaining fame, was as a Moscow taxi. And, by the way, it was on it that the famous green light in the upper corner of the glass first lit up, saying that the taxi was free.

Each car has its own flaws, including Pobeda. Its biggest drawback was the engine. The car turned out to be large and heavy, but the domestic industry of that time could not offer an engine that met its criteria. It was equipped with a 2-liter engine with a capacity of only 52 hp. with., although under the hood of the GAZ M20 "Victory" there is a lot of free space, and a much larger engine could fit there.

The interior of this car was quite spacious and roomy. The driver in his place was comfortable and even comfortable. Perhaps the idea of the front sofa was inspired by the designer during his American adventures, but it was possible to comfortably stretch out at full length for rest in between work, or even to spend the night if you have to travel.

The steering wheel, by our standards, is not comfortable, quite thin and huge in size, consistent with the fashion of that time. The GAZ M20 Pobeda gearbox is also made in the American style - mechanical with a control lever located under the steering wheel. There were wipers and two switches for them (depending on the strength of the rain). More informative devices were installed on the front panel, the clock was conveniently placed. All arrangement of devices on the panel is symmetrical. This is still the same tribute to the fashion of those years.

The interior trim was made of plastic, imitating wooden stains, the seats were sheathed with leatherette, sometimes with velor. The visibility of the car was poor, but at that time there were not so many cars on the roads, so a rear-view mirror was enough. Windows appeared on the doors of the car (windows), the windows were raised and lowered manually and were enclosed in tight frames so as not to rattle.

As mentioned above, the GAZ M20 Pobeda car has successfully established itself as a taxi. Interesting fact: in Amsterdam (Holland) at one time our "Victory" worked as a city taxi. The rear sofa is spacious enough for a person of any build. For smokers, an ashtray is mounted in the back of the front sofa (they did not fight against smoking then). For interior ventilation, the rear doors also had vents.

The trunk of this car was no different large capacity, most of it was occupied by a spare wheel and a toolbox. True, a few suitcases could still be placed here. Craftsmen managed to attach to the body upper trunk, on which shovels, rakes, seedlings and other garden tools were taken to the dacha. And young people on these machines in full gear traveled south. These were joint tours consisting of several cars moving in a column to the Black Sea.

Not all citizens could afford to buy the GAZ M20 Pobeda, but, nevertheless, the first store selling these cars was located in Moscow in the Baumanskaya district. A queue formed for its purchase, even despite its high price. There were not enough cars for everyone, and Pobeda became a kind of bargaining chip as an encouragement and reward for outstanding people: artists, professors, academicians, military pilots.

Now the Pobeda car has become a retro car, and quite affordable. For relatively little money, you can buy a very decent machine in technical condition. Plus, because of its maintainability, many parts from other cars are suitable for it. For example, the engine from the GAZ M20 Pobeda will stand up like a native. This, if you like, is “a constructor for an uncle who is drawn to dig into the hardware.”

At the first exhibition, where Soviet Union presented his model, the GAZ M20 Pobeda caused a sensation. The grandson of Henry Ford, from whom Lipgart once studied, having evaluated the car, frankly admitted that in this case the student surpassed the teacher - he liked her so much. When she won international success, they began to shamelessly copy her, including in England. There it was produced under the Longard Standard brand, and was very similar to the GAZ M20 Pobeda with all its technical solutions. When Pobeda was taken out of production at the Gorky Automobile Plant, the patent for its production was sold to the Poles, who for another 20 years produced domestic cars under the brand name "Warsaw".

Years passed, the global auto industry began to march with huge steps forward, and our Pobeda soon became obsolete. The inertia of the Soviet automotive industry did not allow further development of this model. On the assembly line, it was replaced by the GAZ-21 Volga and the GAZ M20 Pobeda went to another plan. Designers (honor and praise to them) had promising developments, ideas, innovations, but all this was dissolved in the offices of officials. If not for these obstacles, now we could have a completely different higher-level auto industry.

But today all over the world, and in particular in Russia, there are many fans of this legendary brand. There are special clubs even in Germany, in Eastern Europe where enthusiasts and admirers of this car gather. And in Russia there are clubs of Pobeda fans who unite, leaving for the annual routes on April 12 and May 9. The victorious, as they call themselves, arrange runs through the streets of Moscow, evoking positive emotions among Muscovites and admiration among the guests of the capital.

Here is a GAZ M20 Pobeda car - reliable and not expensive, beautiful and sincere, famous all over the world. We have something to be proud of!

Material from the Encyclopedia of the magazine "Behind the wheel"

GAZ-M20
Specifications:
body	fastback (4-door sedan) and 4-door convertible
Number of doors	4
number of seats	5
length	4665 mm
width	1695 mm
height	1590/1640 mm
wheelbase	2700 mm
front track	1364 mm
rear track	1362 mm
ground clearance	200 mm
trunk volume	l
engine layout	front longitudinally
engine's type	petrol
engine capacity	2112 cm 3
Power	52/3600 hp at rpm
Torque	125 Nm at rpm
Valves per cylinder	2
KP	3-speed with synchronizer 2nd and 3rd gear
Front suspension	independent, lever-spring
Rear suspension	spring
shock absorbers	double-acting hydraulic.
Front brakes	drum
Rear brakes	drum
Fuel consumption	13.5 l/100 km
maximum speed	105 km/h
years of production	1946-1958
type of drive	rear
Curb weight	1350 kg
acceleration 0-100 km/h	45 sec

GAZ M-20 Pobeda is a serial Soviet-made passenger car produced at the Gorky Automobile Plant (GAZ) from 1946 to 1958. One of the world's first mass serial cars mobiles with a load-bearing 4-door pontoon-type body, which did not have separate wings, steps and headlights. Produced in various modifications, including with open body cabriolet type.

History of creation

Government assignment for the design and preparation for production of a new model of a passenger car that would meet current trends of the world automotive industry and had improved performance characteristics than the GAZ-M1 car produced at that time, the management of the Gorky Automobile Plant received in December 1941. However, the plant was fully occupied with the production of military equipment, and the project was postponed for a while.
Then, at the very end of 1941, the Gorky plant received a trophy german car Opel Kapitan 1938 release. This car was chosen as the prototype because it was the best fit for the requirements. terms of reference and the ideas of Soviet designers about what a modern passenger car should be like.

Photo Lipgart and Kirillov, 1944

The practical development of the GAZ-25 "Rodina" car began in early February 1943 with a draft design by the artist V. Brodsky. On February 3, 1943, a meeting was held in Moscow at the Narkomsredmash, at which A.A. Lipgart, the chief designer of GAZ, made a presentation in which he outlined in detail the new car models being prepared for release, including the GAZ-25 Rodina, despite the fact that this project existed only in the form of general outline sketches. Upon returning to Gorky, a group of designers was organized at the plant, whose task was to create a new middle-class passenger car. It included B. Kirsanov (head of the design team), A. Kirillov (leading body designer) and other engineers. The work was under the control of Deputy Chief Designer A. Krieger (he was responsible for the chassis and engine) and Yu. Sorochkin (he controlled the progress of the body design). At the initiative of Sorochkin, the artist V. Samoilov was involved in the work, who created the unique look of the car. Samoilov's variant was taken into development. Unlike the final version of the "Victory", the rear doors of Samoilov's car were hung on rear rack bodies and opened, like the Opel Kapitan, back, against the progress of the car.

A photo of Kirillov showing a layout by a modeller, 1944

The artist himself did not see his project in metal. Soon after finishing work on the sketches, Veniamin Samoilov died tragically. The first prototype of the car was ready on November 6, 1944, and Andrey Alexandrovich Lipgart personally brought it outside the factory gates to the test site. Soon, two more cars arrived for testing. Unlike the serial model of Pobeda, these three cars were equipped with 6-cylinder engines from the GAZ 11-73 car (an upgraded version of the GAZ-M1, produced during the war years). This motor was produced under license from the American company Dodge. The line of future "Pobeda" provided for the production of cars with both a 6-cylinder upgraded Dodge D5 engine and a 4-cylinder engine. Moreover, the first modification was the main one, and the second was intended for the acquisition of taxi companies. But later, they decided to abandon the idea of equipping a new car with a 6-cylinder engine in favor of a 4-cylinder one for reasons of fuel economy (which was lacking in the post-war years in the country) and simplifying the design of the car. The 4-cylinder engine was unified in detail with a more powerful version and was the same "six" truncated by a third, which was later used in ZIM cars and trucks of the Gorky Automobile Plant (in particular, GAZ-51).

John Williams (in a sleeveless jacket) and the head of the body design bureau, Yuri Sorochkin, discussing plaster models. 1949

On June 19, 1945, both modifications, with 6 and 4-cylinder engines, were presented to Joseph Stalin. The head of state was skeptical about a car with a 6-cylinder engine, believing that it falls outside the classification of passenger cars adopted by the government and is closer to a higher class of cars. Soon the name of the car was also changed - Stalin, hearing the name of the project, said: “How much will you sell your homeland?” when they announced the second name - "Victory" - Stalin grinned and said: "A small victory, but it will do."

life size wooden mockup

On August 26, 1945, a resolution of the State Defense Committee "On the restoration and development of the automotive industry" was issued, according to which the production of the GAZ-M20 was scheduled for June 28, 1946. The serial production of the new machine began ahead of schedule - June 21, 1946 (but this fact does not find convincing confirmation). Cars were made by bypass technology, mostly by hand. Until the end of 1946, only 23 cars were produced. Mass production of the GAZ-M20 was launched on April 28, 1947. At the same time, the original version of the car has undergone modernization. The design of the front of the car was changed, the speedometer was replaced (from tape to pointer), a place was provided for installing a radio receiver.

Name

GAZ-M20 became the first Soviet passenger car, which, in addition to the factory index, had a name - "Victory". The letter "M" in the index of the car means the word "Molotovets" - from 1935 to 1957 the plant was named after People's Commissar V. Molotov. The number "20" means that the car belongs to a new model range with a reduced engine displacement (up to "two liters"). Models of the older line were designated as "1x" - GAZ-12 "ZIM", GAZ-13 "Seagull". In subsequent years, this indexation was preserved - GAZ-21 Volga, GAZ-24 Volga.

Design

For the mid-40s of the last century, the GAZ-M20 Pobeda was completely revolutionary. Borrowing from the 1938 Opel Kapitan, the design of the monocoque body (internal panels and power elements), the designers of the Gorky Automobile Plant completely rethought the appearance of the car and adopted a number of innovations that became widespread in the west only a few years later.

The body of the "Victory" belongs to the "fastback" type, which is rare today. This is an aerodynamic "two-volume" with a sloping roof, narrowed back, strongly inclined back glass, with the allocated luggage carrier of small capacity. The prototype Opel Kapitan had four doors, the front ones opened along the car, the rear ones against. On Pobeda, all four doors open in the direction of the car - in the traditional way today. Pobeda got its modern (at that time) look due to the appearance of a belt line, the combination of the front and rear fenders with the body, the absence of decorative steps, an alligator-type hood, headlights mounted in the front of the body and other characteristic details that were unusual in the mid-forties .
The working volume of the 4-cylinder engine was 2.112 liters, power 50 horsepower. The maximum torque was reached at 3600 rpm. The motor has earned a reputation for being reliable, durable and high-torque. But the Victory engine clearly lacked power. Up to a speed of 50 kilometers per hour, the car accelerated quite briskly, but then a failure occurred in acceleration. Pobeda reached speeds of 100 kilometers per hour in 45 seconds. The maximum speed was 105 kilometers per hour.
The M-20 engine was used on many poppies of cars and not only Gorky plant. They were equipped with the Soviet "jeep" GAZ-69 "Truzhenik", the production of which was transferred to the Ulyanovsk Automobile Plant, they were equipped with "Warsaw" - the Polish version of "Victory", Polish minibuses "Nysa" and other cars. The lower-valve engine was distinguished by a low compression ratio and the ability to run on low-octane fuel (A-66 gasoline). For its time, Pobeda was an economical car, although by modern standards, fuel consumption for such a working volume is too high. According to technical data, the car consumed 11 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers, operating consumption - 13.5 liters, real - from 13 to 15 liters per 100 kilometers.

Of the other components of the car, effective lever shock absorbers attract attention - the car was distinguished by a smooth ride. Hydraulic drum brakes with a common all-wheel drive - this solution was applied on a Soviet-made car for the first time. The brake mechanism was very simple - the pads were bred by one hydraulic cylinder in each of the four brake drums.
Further, in the original version of Pobeda, which was mass-produced from 1946 to 1948, there was a three-stage non-synchronized gearbox from a GAZ-M1 car with an “easy engagement” clutch (instead of a synchronizer). In 1950, Pobeda received a 3-speed gearbox with synchronized 2nd and 3rd gears from the GAZ-12 ZIM car (this gearbox later migrated to the GAZ-21 Volga). The shift lever was moved from the floor to the steering column. As a result, according to technical data, the five-seater car accommodated six people - one more passenger could sit in the front seat next to the driver.
The car was distinguished by a practical finish. In "Victory" for the first time in automotive history The USSR had a built-in heater that blew the front glass. Then the warm air naturally spread throughout the cabin, there were no special outlets for the current of warm air in the cabin, so in winter the Pobeda was quite cold machine. It is worth noting the ventilation system - to improve air circulation inside the cabin, the windows of the rear doors of the car had rotary windows, the same as those installed in the windows of the front doors (only “back to front”, not in front of the window, but in the back).

Photo - sailor, and later the famous writer Yuz Aleshkovsky (right). 1949

The car enjoyed great love among motorists, although there was no rush demand during the years of production. It should be remembered that at the price of "Victory" of 16 thousand rubles, the average wage in the USSR was 600 rubles. The car was simply not available to anyone. For comparison, ZIM was sold for 40 thousand rubles and was on free sale. Cars "Moskvich" 400 and 401 cost 8 and 9 thousand rubles (but they were not in great demand either).

Modifications of "Victory"

1946-1948 - GAZ-M20 of the "first" series.
1948-1954 - GAZ-M20 of the "second" series. The springs, the thermostat, the clock since 1950 were modernized, the car received a heater and a ventilation system (blowing the windshield). Since 1950, they began to install a new gearbox and a water pump on Pobeda (both mechanisms from the ZIM car). The total production volume since the beginning of production is approximately 160 thousand copies.
1955-1958 - GAZ-20V. A modernized engine with a capacity of 52 horsepower. The car received a new radiator lining and radio. The volume of issue is 24285 copies. The total volume of production with the first modifications and GAZ-M20V is 184285 copies.
1949-1958 - GAZ-M20A. Modification of "Victory" to work as a taxi. Compared with basic option this one had a different interior and exterior design. The total volume of issue is 37492 copies.
1949-1953 - GAZ-M20 "Victory Convertible". A car with an opening fabric top and non-removable sidewalls that act as safety arches. The total volume of issue is 14222 copies.
1955-1958 - GAZ-M72. The world's first jeep with a comfortable load-bearing body. The car was a hybrid of the Pobeda, from which the body was borrowed, and the GAZ-69 Truzhenik off-road vehicle. The car never bore the name "Victory" and was produced in the amount of 4677 units.
The total number of Pobeda cars produced over the years of production, including small-scale models (pickup, van, parade military convertible), amounted to 241,497 copies.

Victory fan site

From the collection "Behind the wheel" 1976 No. 8

From the collection "Behind the wheel" 1978 No. 5

From the collection "Behind the wheel" 1982 №5

From the collection "Behind the wheel" 1982 No. 7

From the collection "Behind the wheel" 1987 №1

Day of "Victory" No. 9-2003

Photobonus

Due to stamping defects, 15–20 kg of lead-tin solder had to be applied to each machine. That is why the legend was born among the people that the entire body of the "Victory" was tinned so as not to rust

Performance characteristics of GAZ 20 M Pobeda

Max Speed: 105 km/h
Acceleration time to 100 km/h: 46 c
Fuel tank volume: 55 l
Curb vehicle weight: 1460 kg
Permissible gross weight: 1835 kg
Tire size: 6.00-16

Engine Specifications

Location: front, lengthwise
Engine capacity: 2111 cm3
Engine power: 52 HP
Number of turns: 3600
Torque: 127/2200 N*m
Supply system: Carburetor
Turbo: No
Cylinder arrangement: inline
Number of cylinders: 4
Cylinder diameter: 82 mm
Stroke: 100 mm
Compression ratio: 6.2
Number of valves per cylinder: 2
Recommended fuel: AI-80

Brake system

Front brakes: drums
Rear brakes: drums

Steering

Power steering: No

Transmission

Drive unit: Rear
Number of gears: mechanical box - 3
Gear ratio of the main pair: 4.7-5.125

Suspension

Front suspension: helical spring
Rear suspension: Spring

Body

body type: sedan
Number of doors: 4
Number of seats: 5
Machine length: 4665 mm
Machine Width: 1695 mm
Machine height: 1640 mm
Wheelbase: 2700 mm
Front track: 1364 mm
Rear track: 1362 mm
Ground clearance (clearance): 200 mm

Modifications

GAZ-M-20 "Victory" (1946-1954) - the first modification from 1946 to 1948 and the second from November 1, 1948 received a heater, blowing the windshield, from October 1948 new parabolic springs, from October 1949 a new thermostat, since 1950 new more reliable watches; from November 1, 1949, it was assembled on a new conveyor; since October 1950, she received a new gearbox from ZiM with a lever on the steering wheel and at about the same time - a new water pump;

GAZ-M-20V from 1955 to 1958 - modernized Pobeda, third series, 52 hp engine. with., new design of the radiator lining, radio.

GAZ-M-20A Pobeda from 1949 to 1958 - fastback sedan body, 4-cylinder engine, 52 hp With. GAZ-M-20, modification for a taxi, mass production (37,492 copies).

GAZ-M-20B Pobeda - convertible from 1949 to 1953 - convertible sedan body with rigid safety arches, 4-cylinder engine, 52 hp With. GAZ-M-20, modification with open top, mass series (14,222 copies).

GAZ-M-20D from 1956 to 1958 with boosted 57-62 hp by increasing the compression ratio of the engine, an option for the MGB;

GAZ-M-20G or GAZ-M-26 (1956-1958) - fast version for MGB/KGB with 90 hp 6-cylinder engine from ZiM;

GAZ-M-72 - all-wheel drive chassis, developed on the basis of the GAZ-69 army jeep, with a comfortable, at that time, Pobeda body. Externally, the car was distinguished by a significantly increased ground clearance, mud flaps on the rear wheel arches and all-terrain tires.

Production

Year of issue: from 1946 to 1958

Serial production of Pobeda cars began on June 28, 1946 and continued until May 31, 1958. During this time, 241,497 cars were produced, including 14,222 convertibles and 37,492 taxis.

GAZ "Victory" - the first Soviet passenger car, which had load-bearing body fully pontoon type, i.e. without protruding footpegs, headlights, fenders and their rudiments.

The model received the factory index M-20. It was produced at the Gorky Automobile Plant, serially in 1946-1958.

How GAZ M20 was created

The level of development of the Soviet automotive industry by the end of the thirties made it possible to move from production foreign models to in-house development of original designs.

By that time, GAZ already had a full-fledged engineering school, and the design school used in its work modern methods for designing the appearance of a car, using artistic layout and using a graphic-plastic method for constructing complex surfaces of body panels.

The designers of the plant have accumulated a lot of experience while working on adaptation of foreign models to domestic conditions, as well as their modernization.

began to take shape and industrial base, at the automobile plant, experiments were successfully carried out on the manufacture of stamping and pressing equipment for the production of bodies.

In accordance with the plan for the III-IV five-year plans, in 1938 AvtoGAZ began the formation of a promising type of its products.

The following were planned for development: a GAZ-11-51 truck and a middle-class passenger car with a GAZ-11 six-cylinder engine with a capacity of 78 hp. With.

To obtain information about the latest trends in the global automotive industry, a number of foreign middle-class passenger cars were purchased, with which comparative tests were carried out, which made it possible to form the basic requirements for the body shape and dynamic performance of our own promising “passenger car”.

Based on the data obtained, the designers decided on the main structural elements of the future car, which included:

load-bearing body;
hydraulic brakes;
independent front suspension.

The history of the GAZ M20 Pobeda began in 1938, after the factory designer Valentin Brodsky made the first sketches of a passenger car with a streamlined teardrop-shaped body and a flat sidewall without protruding wings.

This body shape allowed without changing external dimensions car, increase its streamlining and the width of the passenger compartment.

Foreign manufacturers, fearing to scare off buyers with too radical a change in the appearance of the car, moved in this direction very reluctantly, so very few cars with such bodies were produced in the pre-war years, only a few experimental or small-scale models.

At GAZ, working on a car that was created for a more or less distant future, they believed that the use of an advanced body shape would give it a greater “margin of safety” from moral obsolescence - which was later brilliantly confirmed.

Working on improving visibility from the driver's seat and at the same time giving the car a more streamlined shape, Brodsky in his project provided for the use of a panoramic windshield, but in those years there were no technologies that would allow the production of large curved glass with high optical qualities.

In this regard, instead of one curved glass, four flat ones had to be used - two large medium ones, installed in the form of the letter V, and two small ones were located on the sides of them.

The headlights turned out to be completely drowned in the wings, while retaining the semicircular radiator mask as an independent element of the architecture of the front of the car.

Moscow, a young artist Vladimir Aryamov in 1940 presented his version promising car Gorky plant.

His two-door fastback sedan, designated GAZ-11-80, also had a very advanced body shape, with a flat sidewall and no protruding wings, with a flat front end without a protruding grille.

At that time, the design of a passenger car was of less economic importance, and besides, it was more complex than the priority truck GAZ-11-51, so work on the creation of a new passenger car was delayed. This was also affected by the call in 1940 to the war with Finland by V. Brodsky, and of course the beginning of the Great Patriotic War.

After the Battle of Stalingrad, the plant had a full-fledged opportunity to work on cars.

On February 3, 1943, at a meeting of the People's Commissariat of Medium Industry, a promising type of the post-war model range presented by the plant was approved.

As a result of the meeting, the plant received a government assignment, which was essentially a formality and repeated its own proposals.

The main work on the design of the car was entrusted to the chief designer of the plant A. A. Lipgart. The development of the chassis to A. M. Krieger, the body - to A. N. Kirillov.

The car was originally designed in two versions: M-25, fully consistent with the assignment received and had a 2.7-liter six-cylinder engine, and a 2.1-liter four-cylinder, created on the initiative of Lipgart M-20.

The numbers "25" and "20" in the designations of the cars spoke of their belonging to a new line of GAZ models, with engines that had a working volume reduced compared to pre-war models - later the GAZ-21 and GAZ-24 became the successors of the model.

The designations of multi-displacement passenger models began with a unit - GAZ-11, ZIM (GAZ-12), GAZ-13 and GAZ-14 Chaika.

In terms of dynamic qualities, the Pobeda with a four-cylinder engine approximately corresponded to the Emka M-1, the replacement of which in the national economy was the main task of the new model.

Having a more advanced engine design, which made it possible to reduce its working volume from 3.5 to 2.1 liters without loss of power, the GAZ 20 Pobeda car was noticeably more economical.

GAZ M25 with a six-cylinder engine had dynamics corresponding to similar European models of that time, as well as the six-cylinder GAZ-11-73, but had a relatively lower efficiency. Subsequently, work on the six-cylinder version of the "Victory" was curtailed for a number of reasons.

During the Great Patriotic War, the Soviet Union gained extensive experience in the operation and maintenance of a variety of foreign automotive equipment, both captured German and American lend-lease - in those years, Germany and the United States were recognized leaders in the design and production of automobiles.

This allowed Soviet automotive designers to study the latest achievements of the global automotive industry “on full-scale copies”.

Also during the war years, the Gorky Automobile Plant assembled Chevrolet cars.

The long-term operation of foreign car models made it possible to highlight constructive solutions, which were most suitable for specific climatic, road and operating conditions THE USSR.

Given this valuable experience, technical specifications were drawn up and the first passenger cars were designed.

To compensate for the time lost due to the war and the general lack of experience in design modern cars, the designers of the Gorky Automobile Plant used the information obtained at the same time - in particular, the general design plan of the front suspension was borrowed, many elements of the sub-frame and power elements of the bottom, german model Opel Kapitan of 1938 model, which had a modern load-bearing body and mass-dimensional characteristics close to the car designed at AvtoGAZ.

But otherwise, the body of the Soviet car was quite original in design and technological design, and due to the non-standard design for its time, a number of unique solutions were applied that were not found anywhere else.

Yury Dolmatovsky, an employee of the People's Commissariat of Medium Machine Building, who worked on the design perspective model, took Brodsky's pre-war developments as a basis, but also made his own changes, removed additional sections of the windshield, changed the radiator mask from convex to flat, which continued the surface of the front fenders, with headlights placed in them.

The final look of the future GAZ M20 "Pobeda" was made by designer Veniamin Samoilov - it was he who, in his sketches, made the original design of the front end with widely spaced headlights and a characteristic horizontal-striped "three-story" front end lining that goes onto the front fenders.

By the beginning of the summer of 1944, the preparation of the blueprint drawings was completed, a master model for the manufacture of the body was made (from hard wood, a blank was made that exactly repeated the shape of the surface of the body, subsequently templates for making stamps were removed from it) and a demonstration model of the car was made from tree.

In the same year, on November 6, they tested the first running sample car in a six-cylinder version (M-25), with two-tone, black and gray, coloring.

With the rear doors hung on the rear hinges and opening forward, like the later ZIM GAZ-12 model, with a sidewall decorated with chrome molding, subsequently, on production cars, both of these solutions were abandoned.

The four-cylinder prototype M-20, beige, was ready only by the beginning of 1945 and had the design of doorways already stock car.

Both running layouts had common features of differences from the production cars that followed them:

"Three-story" radiator grille, which has two moldings of the first "floor", which went under the sidelights (there is evidence that it was preserved on the very first production cars); a more complex shape of the sidelights themselves;
two-piece front fenders - the fender itself and a spacer between it and the front door;
wheels from Emka, which are given a characteristic disk shape, with imitation of individual spokes.

The slowest work was carried out on the decoration of the interior of the car. On the first running mock-ups, in order to speed up the work, ready-made appliances and interior trim parts were installed. foreign production, which came to the USSR under Lend-Lease and were available in factory warehouses (during the war years, GAZ assembled Chevrolet cars).

And only in the first quarter of 1945, the Laboratory for External and Internal Finishing was created at GAZ, which was engaged in the development of original interior design, nameplates, emblems and other small details, the selection of plastics, fabrics and other materials.

During the creation of the GAZ M-20 Pobeda car, Soviet car factories did not yet have established emblems, and therefore their own original nameplates were created for almost every model.

The pedestal of the "Victory" had the letter "M", which at the same time alluded to the prong of the wall of the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin and the symbol of the Volga - a soaring seagull.

In fact, the letter spoke of the name "Molotovets" (from the beginning of the 1930s until the end of the 1950s, the plant was named after People's Commissar V. M. Molotov).

Officially, the car was recorded as M-20 - “Molotovets, twentieth model” (the factory designation was written on the nameplate: Car GAZ-20).

The emblem, of course, was red - the color of the banner of the USSR.

After the war, the plant resumed production of the last pre-war production model- GAZ-11-73, and along with this, they began to actively prepare for the serial production of a fundamentally new car.

The demonstration to the highest state and party leadership, headed by I. Stalin, of pre-production copies of the "Victory", took place after the completion of state acceptance tests, on June 19, 1945 in Moscow.

It was decided to launch the four-cylinder version into serial production, as it was cheaper and more economical, and the final designation of the model became M-20 Pobeda.

It should be noted that a six-cylinder car based on the M-20 went into a small series, but later, and had the designation M-20G / M-26, though with a different engine - 90-horsepower from ZIM (GAZ-12), with an increased compared to with prototypes of "Victory" with a working volume of 3.5 liters instead of 2.7.

There is such a version that at first they wanted to call the car "Rodina", but when Stalin, in June 1944, was shown a sample of the future production car, he asked: "And how much will we have the Motherland?"

After that, Stalin was offered a second version of the name, which was approved. But, in fact, this is just a beautiful myth, because the official name "Victory" was incorporated into it from the very beginning of the design of the car, in honor of the imminent Victory over Nazi Germany.

The name "Rodina", according to I. Paderin, was proposed for the next model, M-21, and never went beyond the walls of the plant.

The GKO decree “On the restoration and development of the automotive industry”, issued on August 26, 1945, prescribed from June 28, 1946 to master the production of a new model of a middle-class passenger car.

During the post-war devastation and lack of raw materials, the development of the car was associated with the development of a large number of new and complex products for the Soviet industry.

The body of the Pobeda GAZ M20 is the first fully designed and prepared for mass production in the USSR. Until that time, even for relatively independently developed models (KIM-10), production tooling was ordered from foreign, more often American firms.

So the tooling for the ZIS-110 model was made in the USSR, but it was not suitable for mass production, because the stamps cast from zinc-aluminum alloy withstood only a limited number of work cycles. The political pressure exerted at the same time forced the factory workers to rush to launch a new model in a series.

The result was that the first conditionally serial cars of the Pobeda brand, produced in 1946, from June 28 (and as some sources say, there was a release ahead of schedule, from June 21), were made using bypass technology, manually. The production of such cars in 1946 amounted to only 23 cars.

In 1947, on April 28, the start of large-scale production was announced. Stalin, in the same month, was shown a conveyor assembly machine, but the car was still very “raw”, with an undeveloped technology for its production.

In February 1948, the thousandth car rolled off the assembly line of the plant. The factory photographer immortalized this event, thanks to him we have the opportunity to see the details of the finish of the cars produced during this period.

The photo shows the car - already with a "double-deck" radiator grille, but still with headlight bezels that are painted to match the body color, rather than chrome, as on cars of a later production second production series.

During the release of the first production series until August (according to some sources - October) 1948, 1700 cars were assembled, which were Low quality assembly and had manufacturing defects, which caused a huge number of complaints from consumers, most of whom were responsible employees, as well as state and public institutions of a fairly high rank.

In October 1948, based on the complaints received, they decided to stop the conveyor to eliminate the identified shortcomings.

Ivan Kuzmich Loskutov, was relieved of his post as director of GAZ, despite previous merits, and the chief designer of the plant, Lipgart, managed to keep his place only because of his participation in the development of the next model of the ZIM GAZ-12 passenger car.

Hurrying to launch the car in a series, the tests of the "Victory" were carried out according to an accelerated program, which did not allow to identify all the defects in its design.

The forced pause in production made it possible to conduct full-fledged tests of the car. NAMI carried out studies of cross-country ability and dynamic qualities, measurement of body rigidity, its fatigue strength on a vibration stand. As a result, all the necessary changes were made to the design of the car.

After the forced stop of the conveyor, a number of works were carried out, as a result of which 346 parts were changed and more than 2000 tools and devices involved in production, which included the stamps used to make the body, all the design documentation for the car was completely reissued.

The design and manufacturing technology of many components have been revised, in most cases, while relying on modern, highly efficient production methods. As a result, the plant has mastered spot electric welding, high-speed metal cutting, hardening with high-frequency currents.

The workshops of the former 446th aircraft plant, which had more advanced conductor-type conveyors rather than belt-type conveyors, were transferred to GAZ, where they mounted a new production line for assembling a modernized car. As a result, it was possible to sharply raise the level of production culture.

Thus, in fact, a completely new, much more perfect technological process for an existing industrial design.

The conveyor of the plant, from 1948-1949, began to produce "Victory" of the second production series. From November 1, 1949, the machines were produced in modernly equipped, new buildings. As a result, the scale of production has sharply increased, and the machines that were produced before that with detected defects returned to the plant to eliminate them.

In 1949, the M-20 car and its creators were awarded the Stalin Prize. At the same time, they mastered the production of a modification with an open body M-20B.

Since October 1950, they began to install a new gearbox (based on the ZIM GAZ-12 unit) with a control lever mounted on the side of the steering shaft and synchronized top gears.

In 1955, the production of the modernized Pobeda, the third production series, began, which received its own designation M-20V.

The main modifications of the GAZ M - 20

M-20 Pobeda

Produced from 1946 to 1955

First series (from 1946 to 1948).

Second series:

from November 1, 1948, a heater and windshield blower were added;
since October 1948 new parabolic springs have been added;
since October 1949 a new thermostat has been installed;
since 1950, new, more reliable clocks have been installed;
on November 1, 1949, assembly began on a new conveyor;
since October 1950, it was equipped with a new gearbox from ZIM with a lever on the steering wheel and around the same time - a new water pump - a fastback sedan body, a 4-cylinder engine, power 50 hp. With.;
since 1955 - 52 years old With. (M-20), mass series (184,285 copies, including GAZ M20V Pobeda and about 160 thousand of all modifications up to M-20V).

M-20V

Produced from 1955 to 1958

The third series of the modernized "Victory", with a 52 hp engine. p., radio, new design of the radiator lining.

M-20A Pobeda

Produced from 1949 to 1958

Fastback sedan body, four-cylinder engine, 52 hp With. (M-20), modification of the GAZ M20 taxi, mass production (37,492 copies).

"Victory" - convertible

There is a version that this modification had its own index "M-20B".

Produced from 1949 to 1953

Body sedan - (with rigid safety arcs) four-cylinder engine, 52 hp. With. (GAZ-M-20), open-top modification, mass production (14,222 copies).

Small-scale and experimental modifications

M-20D

Produced from 1956 to 1958

It had a forced engine with a capacity of 57-62 liters. With. by increasing the piston diameter to 88 mm.

M-20G or GAZ-M26

Produced from 1956 to 1958

High-speed version for MGB/KGB, which had a 90-horsepower six-cylinder engine from ZIM.

M-20E

Produced in 1956

For life tests of the GAZ-21 engine.

Van

The project, the body after the B-pillar was bakelitized plywood with a wooden frame.

GAZ M20 pickup

GAZ Pobeda pickup was built at repair plants from sedans.

Sedan "Pobeda-NAMI"

Produced in 1948

Released two prototypes.

Stretch

An insert is welded into the body - the carrier of the units, was used in the development of ZIM.

Four-door parade convertible

Small-scale production of GAZ PAMS for the Ministry of War (front doors, with a welded left rear door, an X-shaped amplifier on the bottom and missing door frames).

Sports modification

It is also - GAZ-Torpedo, Pobeda-Sport - a sports factory alteration with a forced engine, fairings and a two-door body.

Specifications

Total information

Manufacturer: GAZ
Production years: 1946-1958
Assembly: USSR
Class: middle group I

Body

4 doors fastback (5 seats)
4 doors convertible (5 seats)
Layout: front-engine, rear-wheel drive

Engines

Manufacturer: GAZ
Brand: M-20
Type: carbureted
Volume: 2 112 cm3
Maximum power: 52 HP s., at 3600 rpm
Maximum torque: 125 Nm, at 2000-2200 rpm
Configuration: in-line, 4-cylinder.
Cylinders: 4
Valves: 8
Max. speed: 105 km/h
Acceleration to 100 km / h: 46 s

Combined fuel consumption:

11 l. (control);
13.5 l. (operational) l/100 km

Cylinder diameter: 82mm
Stroke: 100mm
Compression ratio: 6.2

Supply system:

carburetor K-22E (until the middle of 1955 - K22A)

Cooling: liquid
Valvetrain: SV
Cylinder block material: cast iron
Cylinder head material: aluminum
Cycle (number of cycles): 4
Cylinder firing order: 1-2-4-3

Transmission

Switching: lever in the floor
Synchronizers: no ("easy engagement clutches")
Reverse gear: 3.383
Gear ratios:
1 gear: 2,820
2nd gear: 1.604
3rd gear: 1.00
Number of steps: 3
Type: mechanical
Model: with shafts from M-1 (until 1951)
Manufacturer: GAZ
mechanical 3-speed
mechanical 3-speed
Manufacturer: GAZ
Model: with sync. (since 1951), similar to the GAZ-21 and ZIM checkpoints
Type: mechanical
Number of steps: 3
Gear ratios:
1 gear: 3.115
2nd gear: 1.772
3rd gear: 1.00
Reverse gear: 3.738
Synchronizers: on II-III gears
Switching: lever on the steering wheel

Characteristics

Length: 4665 mm
Width: 1695 mm
Height: 1590-1640 mm
Ground clearance: 200 mm
Wheelbase: 2700 mm
Rear track: 1362 mm
Front track: 1364 mm
Weight:
1460kg sedan
1490 kg convertible
Tank volume: 55 l

More detailed technical specifications of the GAZ M20 Pobeda

Technical features of Victory

The body of the “Victory”, in addition to the original “wingless” form, was distinguished by a height reduced to 1600 mm (against 1750-1800 for most mass models of that time close in class), as well as the lower location of the floor line, belt line and pillow level associated with this seats.

This markedly changed the location of the center of gravity and the distribution of masses, and also made it possible to abandon the landing steps.

The engine moved forward, into the space above the independent front suspension beam, made it possible to make the hood and the car as a whole lower.

At the beginning of the release of "Victory" (1946), this layout was considered advanced. There was an opportunity for a more rational arrangement of passengers in the body, improving the stability and controllability of the car by lowering the center of gravity, significantly reducing aerodynamic air resistance due to the smaller area of the midsection of the body, reducing shaking in the cabin when driving on bad roads, by reducing the height of the pillows seats relative to the road.

"Victory" at the time of the start of its production, according to these indicators was on par with the latest foreign models - Kaiser-Frazer model 1946 and Studebaker model 1947, and it overtook the bulk of the first post-war cars for several years.

Many foreign firms came to similar stylistic and layout decisions on mass models later, for example, the American Hudson and Packard, the English Standard - in 1948 model year, Chevrolet and Ford - in 1949, while such a transition in those years was considered revolutionary and was accompanied by a powerful advertising campaign.

Having the same engine power as the four-cylinder GAZ-M1 (50 hp), the maximum speed developed by Pobeda was the same as that of the six-cylinder, 76-horsepower GAZ-11, and with uniform movement, fuel consumption was only 10-11 liters per 100 km of track - instead of 15 for GAZ-11 and 13 for M-1. This became possible due to the body, which received a more aerodynamic shape and a reduced frontal area.

"Victory" was much more comfortable than its predecessor, due to the use of soft spring independent suspension in front, which was more than three times softer, and the passenger compartment advanced forward, located low between the axles - in the zone of greatest comfort.

And of course, a significant improvement in handling became possible due to the low center of gravity and independent front suspension, which were combined with an almost ideal distribution of the vehicle's weight along the axles (49% front, 51% rear).

By arranging passengers and cargo more rationally, the designers received an increase in cabin volume from 2.84 to 3.38 cubic meters. m, with a decrease overall dimensions width and height in comparison with the Emka, and for the first time to make a trunk, however, it was not very large in volume and most of it was occupied by a spare wheel and a driver's tool.

power unit

When designing the car, two engine options were provided - six- and four-cylinder.

Both engines are modifications of the 3.5-liter six-cylinder GAZ-11 engine, which was an analogue of the American Dodge D5, the plant acquired production documentation for it back in 1937.

The inline six had a working volume of 2.7 liters and a power of 62 hp. With., four-cylinder engine- 2.1 liters and 50 liters. With..

The engines were variants of the same design, and similar in their characteristics - the difference in power did not exceed 12 hp.

The only advantage of a six-cylinder engine compared to a four-cylinder is smooth operation. But all the details of the cylinder-piston group of the four-cylinder engine were completely unified with the GAZ-11, and the six-cylinder one had a reduced cylinder diameter compared to it, so its release would require the production of a whole range of unique, only for this engine, parts - pistons, " dry" cylinder liners, complete set piston rings, etc.

The only advantage of a six-cylinder engine compared to a four-cylinder is smooth operation. But the details of the four-cylinder engine were completely unified with the GAZ-11, while the six-cylinder engine had a reduced cylinder diameter compared to it, so its release would require the production of a whole range of unique parts used only in this engine - "dry" cylinder liners, pistons, a complete set of piston rings, and so on.

Increased efficiency and a greater degree of unification with the GAZ-11 engine, which was planned for use on promising GAZ trucks, for serial production a four-cylinder power unit was chosen.

The motor was lower-valve and unified in many details with the GAZ-51 and ZIM, it was installed on the GAZ-69 jeep; also, about two thousand first cars of the Volga 21B and GAZ-21G models had this engine, which was boosted to 65 hp. With. boring cylinders with an increase in diameter from 82 to 88 mm - this version of the GAZ-21 (“with a star and with a lower valve”) is currently one of the rarest and most desirable for a collector.

The engine had a displacement of 2112 cubic meters. cm, and the maximum power (depending on the modification) of 50-52 liters. with., which was achieved at only 3600 rpm.

The Pobeda engine had such a compression ratio that it could run on 66th gasoline, at that time it was the lowest-grade gasoline.

"Victory" had good dynamic qualities, by the standards of that time, although the car accelerated to 100 km / h in 46 seconds, it had good throttle response at speeds up to 50-60 km / h, this made it possible for confident movement in the then city traffic ; the car reached a speed of 50 km / h in 12 seconds, which was twice as fast as the subcompact Moskvich.

In those years, the congestion of suburban highways was not great, so the ability to quickly overtake and change lanes while driving along the highway was not paid much attention.

And yet, if we evaluate the engine as a whole, then it was the weak point of the "Victory" with its reliability and durability.

For heavy vehicle it was rather weak, as a result of which, even by the standards of those years, the dynamics of the GAZ M20 Pobeda was insufficient.

The reason for choosing the engine was the difficult situation with fuel in a country that had just survived the Great Patriotic War.

power transmission

The Pobeda gearbox was a three-speed one, based on the Emka gearbox, which did not have synchronizers (partially their functions were performed by the so-called “easy-on clutches”), with a floor-mounted lever.

Gearbox GAZ M20 Pobeda

Subsequently, in the early 1950s, they began to produce and install a gearbox from ZIM with synchronizers in II and III gears and a steering column lever.

The rear axle was developed specifically for Pobeda and was installed only on this machine.

Its design features were spiral bevel gears of the final drive and loaded axle shafts. It was possible to remove the axle shafts only after complete disassembly main gear case. Hubs were mounted on the conical neck of the axle shaft, which were fixed with a key from turning and attracted with a nut.

Chassis

According to the general design plan, the front suspension repeated the corresponding unit of the Opel Kapiten model.

Threaded bushings, shock absorbers with upper arms and some other parts of the suspension are interchangeable, but the design of the pivot assembly and the rack is very different.

The steering, which had a front steering trapezoid instead of a rear one, was completely different in design.

The rear suspension was made according to the Hotchkiss type scheme, which at that time became almost standard on new models - with a rigid axle beam and longitudinal springs, in contrast to the outdated Torque tube rear axle with a jet pipe, which rested against a bronze ball on the gearbox and further, through it, transmitted longitudinal forces from the rear axle to the power unit, such a scheme was typical for the first post-war Fords (until 1948 inclusive) and Emkas. Shock absorbers were lever hydraulic, as in the front.

The wheels had an unusually large width for those years and stamped discs without holes, the wheels were fastened with five nuts on studs with a bolt pattern of 5 × 5 1/2 ″, that is, 5 × 139.7 mm (an American system originating from from the first GAZ cars). Car tire size 6.00-16.

For the first time in Soviet practice, the brake system on a mass model was made hydraulic, without circuit separators and servos.

Drum brake mechanisms having one hydraulic cylinder in each brake drum which acted immediately on both brake pads.

Body and its equipment

Pobeda has an all-metal, fastback or convertible body. It is made of a framework, amplifiers and hinged panels. As a material for the body, steel grade 08 was used with a thickness of 1.0 mm to 2.0 mm (on spars and amplifiers more than 2.0 mm). A short spar frame (subframe) is bolted to the body, in front, on which are installed: the power unit, steering and front suspension.

GAZ M20 salon

The body of the Pobeda, for its time, had excellent finishes and equipment, which was repeatedly noted by foreign experts who studied the car.

In Pobeda, many elements of standard equipment were not used before, not only on mass Soviet car models, but also on many analogues. foreign manufacturers, or installed as an option, for an additional fee.

According to the tradition of those years, soft, pastel colors were used for interior decoration. The color palette included gray, beige, brown.

Artificial materials prevailed, with a minimum of chrome parts.

The use of a wingless body shape made it possible to maximize the internal space, create a more comfortable cabin, with a freer arrangement of passengers.

To make the car more comfortable, compared with pre-war counterparts, allowed a moderate height of the body and center of gravity, independent suspension front and effective double acting hydraulic shock absorbers. Especially the comfort of the car was felt when driving on bad roads.

However, the use of a specific profile of the roof of the car made less clearance over the rear seat cushion, this was very noticeable on cars of the first industrial series.

From the second series (1949), the height of the rear sofa cushion was reduced, which added comfort to the ride for passengers sitting in the back, especially if they were wearing a headdress.

One of the features of the salon was wide application plastics for finishing the instrument panel. The installation of massive plastic overlays gave the panel a neat and modern appearance.

Used plastic gray, brown or ivory. The same plastic was used for the steering wheel, various handles and buttons.

The panel was stamped from steel sheet and painted to match the body color. A complete set of instruments was installed: a gasoline level indicator, an ammeter, an oil pressure gauge, a thermometer, a speedometer, a self-winding watch and separate (left and right) control lamps for direction indicators.

The door panels were covered with leatherette, most often brown-beige (under natural tanned leather) or gray, and crossed out by three shiny horizontal moldings (two just below the window and one at the bottom).

Inside the car, two sofas with springs and soft stuffing were installed, which were fitted with high-quality woolen fabrics.

The front sofa had the ability to move in the longitudinal direction and secure in a position convenient for the driver, depending on his height. Taxi cars had sofas with hygienic, washable leatherette upholstery.

All glasses had internal edging finished according to the original technology, at GAZ they invented a special method of painting metal, which created a surface that was practically indistinguishable in appearance from Karelian birch, a valuable species of wood.

Another advantageous difference car, from previous Soviet, and from most foreign models of those years - a trunk separate from the passenger compartment, which was accessed from the outside, through lifting cover. Its purpose was mainly for storing driver's tools and a spare wheel, and only the top shelf of a small size was allocated for the luggage itself.

The interior equipment consisted of two sun visors, two ashtrays, a cigarette lighter, a ceiling lamp with automatic switching on, engine compartment lamp, portable lamp, trunk lamp with automatic switch-on, rear-view mirror, two-tone electric signal.

From the second series, they began to regularly install a heater with a windshield defroster, and from the third series, a regular radio with an antenna was added, which was located above the windshield.

Electrical equipment GAZ M20 Pobeda

Although in those years most cars used very capricious and unreliable 6-volt wiring, the Pobeda's electrical equipment was made 12-volt.

Significantly compared to previous models GAZ, the range of electrical equipment has expanded. A sufficiently powerful generator was installed on Pobeda, which could charge the battery even if many electrical appliances were turned on (at that time, the power of the generators of most cars did not exceed 100 watts, which greatly complicated operation in winter and at night).

On a Soviet car of this class for the first time as standard equipment a cabin heater was provided (installed from the second production series), combined with windshield blowing. In the heater, the fan supplied air only to Windshield, and the interior he acted by gravity, this greatly reduced the heating efficiency when parking and at low speeds.

All "Victory" rear lights differed from the usual: two marker lights combined with direction indicators (double-filament lamps) were located on the wings of the car, and the only brake light was installed in the middle of the trunk lid, in a block with a license plate light.

This was the difference between "Victory" and mass Soviet cars those years (Moskvich-400, ZIS-5, GAZ-AA, etc.), which had only one left lamp, and from the ZIS-110, equipped with two full-fledged rear lamps.

This arrangement of lighting devices was later repeated on a ZIM car.

The first batches of "Victory" did not have an interrupter relay, so when the direction indicators were turned on for such cars, they burned constantly.

It was interesting to turn on the front position lights, at Pobeda, they burned only in the middle position of the central light switch, and when the headlights turned on, the dimensions went out. This was most likely done to make it easier to distinguish between non-flashing front turn indicators, which were combined with parking lights, in which case their light is not so lost against the background of bright headlights.

Of the devices GAZ-M20 had:

- speedometer with odometer and high beam control lamp;
- fuel gauge;
- ammeter;
- coolant thermometer (for this device, the arrow deviated to the left when the temperature increased);
- oil pressure gauge;
- direction indicator lamps,
- an overheating control lamp (it could be connected to a relay-regulator, in which case, in addition to overheating, it also showed the absence of a charge).

Modernization projects

From the beginning of the release of Pobeda, it had a modern design and advanced design, but by the beginning of the 1950s, a large number of design flaws in the car were revealed, the body had a too low ceiling height above the rear seat, there was almost no rearward visibility, too little trunk volume, besides, not a good aerodynamic effect appeared - the appearance of a lifting force when moving on high speed, the strong susceptibility of the car to crosswind drift (due to these design flaws, the "fastback" body has not taken root anywhere in the world on "general purpose" cars).

The aggregate part by the mid-50s also did not correspond to the world level, first of all it concerned the lower valve engine, most American and many new European models from 1952-1954 were equipped with overhead valve engines, hypoid rear axles, curved windows, etc.

"Victory-NAMI"

During a temporary stop of the GAZ conveyor, in 1948, NAMI specialists L. Terentyev Yu. and Dolmatovsky proposed an alternative version of the modernization of Pobeda.

In this project, a large number of changes were proposed, first of all, this is the “sedan” body, which has clearly defined three volumes (instead of two for a fastback sedan), changed external design and salon.

The interior of the project received an improved finish. Instead of the front sofa, it was supposed to install two separate bucket seats with thin backs, which would increase the useful space of the cabin.

In addition, the project "Victory-NAMI" had several design options for the front end, which was carried out by designer Vladimir Ivanovich Aryamov and included the traditional symbol of the city of Gorky ( Nizhny Novgorod) - the motif of the head and antlers of a deer.

Also, for the future, it was planned to create a number of prototypes of hydromechanical automatic transmission for "Victory" (NAMI D2).

Several samples were built, which had some differences in design, one of them had a two-tone color.

The modernization project, in general, was quite consistent with the level of its time, and outwardly resembled the most advanced models of those years, mass-produced, such as the Kaiser (USA) of 1948 and other three-volume sedans with a pronounced pontoon and a clear separation of volumes, while it successfully corrected some of the shortcomings that Pobeda had.

However, the complexity of reconfiguring production and other problems (there were many difficulties with the development of the existing model, which did not go as smoothly as it should), this proposal was not accepted.

The sedan based on the Pobeda was subsequently produced in Poland, but already under the designation Warsaw (a later modification). This machine was developed independently of Pobeda-NAMI and had a different external design.

Project "Victory" GAZ M20 second generation

A group of designers from the GAZ automobile plant, since 1951, has been working on a project called the M-21 Pobeda.

The works of NAMI mentioned above were the basis of the terms of reference, and developed by L. Eremeev, appearance cars, very much resembled his own ZIM, only in a reduced form. But the design of ZIM itself, by that time, had already begun to become obsolete, and therefore the matter did not go further than a plaster model.

GAZ cars of the next generation of the middle class, which began to be developed in 1952-1953, no longer had the name "Victory": their development was carried out under the mottos "Star" and "Volga". But, in the design of the "Volga", nevertheless, a lot of developments were implemented on the project "Victory" of the second generation.

Currently, the retro car GAZ M20 Pobeda is very popular with collectors.