The beginning of the history of the Skoda Liaz car manufacturing company is considered to be the very beginning of the 50s of the last century. It was then that the leadership of Czechoslovakia decided to transfer the production of Skoda trucks from the AVIA plant in the city of Letnany to the city of Liberec, which was located in the north of what was then Czechoslovakia.
Birth of the enterprise
This was preceded by a series of measures for the reconstruction of small enterprises in the settlements of Rynovice, Mnichovo Hradiste, Sviyany Loukov and Liberce proper. All of them entered the Liberec Automobile Plants association, which, in turn, was part of AZNP, the main Skoda enterprise located in the city of Mlada Boleslav. A year later, LIAZ (Liberec Automobile Plants) gained independence, but the trucks produced had a double brand - Skoda LIAZ - until 1984.
Models 706 D and 706 R: Features and Specifications
The basis for the first truck, which the enterprise began to produce, was the Skoda 706 D. With a payload capacity of 7 tons and a power of 110 liters. s., trucks during the war were produced for the needs of the Wehrmacht. Before the resumption of production in 1946, modernization was carried out. The car was equipped with a new cab and increased power by 25 liters. With. The updated version received the index 706 R and was presented in 1949 in Moscow at the Czechoslovak Automobile Exhibition. On its basis, vans, buses, dump trucks and special-purpose vehicles were subsequently produced. The use of a common base greatly simplified the ordering of spare parts, regardless of the intended use of the car.
The development and production of Liaz trucks was established even before the war.
A diesel 6-cylinder engine was installed on the truck, the design features of which made it possible to remove pistons and connecting rods from the block without dismantling the entire engine. Glow plugs were located in each cylinder. The fuel pump was equipped with a centrifugal distributor that supplies fuel to the injectors. The water cooling system was equipped with a thermostat.
The maximum declared speed of the car was about 53 km / h, in fact, it rarely exceeded 40 km / h with an average fuel consumption of about 30 liters per 100 km. The diesel engine was paired with a 5-speed manual gearbox.
The car was equipped with an engine brake, which was not available in most diesel trucks of the time.
The cabin of the 706 R is spacious, it freely accommodated the driver and three passengers, and it was made of wood sheathed with steel sheets.
New model - 706 RT and its modifications
In 1957, the 706 R was replaced by a new model - cabover RT. It was she who soon became a truly mass phenomenon on the roads of the Soviet Union. Based on this model with a 160 hp engine. With. and direct fuel injection dump trucks RTS1 (with unloading on one side), RTS3 (with unloading on three sides), RTO bus chassis, Skoda RTTN truck tractor and other modifications were produced.
In the 60s, mass deliveries of the Skoda 706 RT family to the USSR began. The main type of semi-trailers with which Czech tractors worked in the Soviet Union were refrigerators, the purchases of which began in 1964. Cars for various purposes based on RT have earned popularity due to their reliability and endurance in operation. The gearbox, engine and main components worked perfectly, and if necessary, it was easy to find spare parts for repairs.
The comfort of the driver's seat was incomparable with what domestic manufacturers offered our drivers.
Series 706 MT
In 1966, the production of the Skoda 706 MT series was launched with a 180 hp engine. s., and since 1969 - the MT4 and MT5 series with a 210-horsepower engine and a 5-speed gearbox. The MT family also received an updated cab, and in 1973 the production of two-seat cabs for machines operating over short distances began.
The end of the production of the series was the development and production of the new Liaz 100 model, the production of which began in 1974 with truck tractors, and later flatbed trucks. Nevertheless, Skoda 706 series dump trucks were produced until 1987.
LIAZ family
Presented at an exhibition in Brno in 1973, the LIAZ 100 family at that time consisted of only two cars - a flatbed truck and a truck tractor with indices 100.45 and 100.05, respectively. The start of mass production of new models took place in 1974, and the family update was introduced in 1984. It included the Skoda Liaz 110 series with a forward-leaning cab, as well as the 122 three-axle vehicles, represented by a 26-ton flatbed truck 122.03 and a tractor 122.48 for 42-ton road trains.
The new generation of Czechoslovak trucks Skoda Liaz 110 was distinguished by an unusually stylish and thoughtful design. This was preceded by the creation of several prototypes, which ultimately made it possible to create a truly optimal model with perfectly crafted details and unified spare parts. The new MS638 and MS637 engines designed for Liaz, equipped with 6 turbocharged cylinders, produced 270 and 304 hp at 2000 rpm. With. Mounting of both engines was designed in such a way that each of them can be installed on any modification. The 45-degree tilt of the cylinders allowed more space for the middle seat and lowered the cab floor. Also behind the seats in the cab there was a luggage rack and a berth, which the previous model could not boast of.
Interestingly, around the same time, Renault granted the AVIA factories a license to produce light trucks, and LIAZ immediately made an attempt to install a French cab on their tractors. However, this idea was unsuccessful, and the Czechs returned to their own design.
Soon, Skoda modifications with a shortened cab, three- and four-axle models, an all-wheel drive chassis with a passenger body (Africabus model) were developed. Opportunities for collaboration were not missed either. For example, for Tatra trucks, a cab was developed with a special radiator lining and a high seating position.
It all started in the century before last, in 1894, when in the city of Mlada Boleslav, the local bookseller Vaclav Klement, who was then the chairman of the local cyclists' club, decided to buy a piece of land and build a small bicycle repair shop on it. Things quickly went uphill, and Clement began producing bicycles of his own design called Slavia. A visit to the World Exhibition in Paris abruptly changed his mind towards mechanical means of transport - first of all, motorcycles, of which there were many exhibited in Paris. Returning home, he and his close friend Vaclav Laurin now decided to build and sell motorcycles. And where there are motorcycles, there are internal combustion engines, and then, of course, light personal cars, buses and ... trucks.
The first of these appeared in 1901. In the twenties, about 35 thousand people worked at Laurin & Klement. Factories produced everything - up to military and agricultural equipment. And the names of the owners of these plants were constantly compared by their contemporaries with the names of Rolls and Royce. Inventors and the most talented designers motorized the entire Austro-Hungarian mail and carried out many useful deeds. In 1913, Laurin & Klement became the owner of the Reichenberger Automobil Fabrik (RAF), which produced cars weighing from 1.5 to 6 tons with four-cylinder engines and a chain drive. Note that this production was located in the city of Liberec! The company began its activities in 1906. The 1909 model had a working engine with a volume of 3,053 cm 3 and a power of 26 hp. Vehicle length 4200 mm, width 1550 mm and height 2350 mm. The permissible weight was 1,470 kg, and the maximum speed was 60 km/h! By the way, this year we can celebrate the 100th anniversary of this once powerful and well-known company.
In 1925, Laurin & Klement and the Skoda factories in Pilsen merged into one huge European enterprise. Skoda began its activities during the First World War. It produced military vehicles and various military equipment. And since 1919, it began to produce civilian cars. Now in the city of Mlada Boleslav the name Skoda has thundered (instead of Laurin and Klement). Together they decided to take this particular brand. In 1923, the world-famous company emblem was registered - a winged arrow in a circle. The deteriorating political situation in Europe led in the mid-thirties to an increase in the production of weapons. Europe was seething. How it ended is known to all. In 1945, just before the end of World War II, factories in the city of Pilsen, where trucks and buses were produced, were almost completely destroyed. And in 1947, the firms Avia and Praga continued their production, since the national economy needed precisely trucks, buses and special, but now peaceful equipment. And in 1951, the production of trucks was transferred to the Liberec Automobile Plant with its factories in the cities of Rynovice, Jablonec and Mnichovo.
The main production of passenger cars remained in the city of Mlada Boleslav. Exactly this year is the year of birth of LIAZ and the SKODA-LIAZ alliance. Although the machine-building and foundry divisions remained on the sidelines. Skoda 706 trucks and Skoda 706 RO wagon buses on their modernized chassis began to be produced since 1947. Modernization consisted in moving the steering column forward and changing the position of the steering mechanism. Actually, this is how the story of our protagonist began imperceptibly. On January 1, 1953, the city of Yablonets officially became the owner of the independent LIAZ plant, which produces trucks only under the SKODA brand. Trucks LIAZ will appear for the first time only in 1973. Until 1953, 931 SKODA 706 vehicles (and modifications R, RO, RS, RSch) were manufactured in the cities of Yablonets and Mnikhovo.
Further production expanded, and the following year 2,446 cars were produced, and in 1954 - 4,120 trucks and buses. 1957 brought a gift to the automotive world in the form of a wagon truck SKODA 706 RT. This very successful car was overgrown with new modifications every year, but the main two remained: a two-axle truck tractor (RTTN) and a two-axle flatbed truck (RT). The truck tractor had an in-line 6-cylinder M634 diesel engine with a volume of 11,940 cm 3 with direct fuel injection. He developed a power of 210 hp. A 10-speed manual transmission worked with him. A lot of domestic and foreign drivers remember this very successful truck. On the same chassis, buses were also produced by Karosa from Vysokie Myto and the Polish Jelzc. A little later, truck tractors Praga S5T (1958) appeared with a slightly modified appearance of the driver's cab, but with exactly the same layout. After the decision of the special commission of the CMEA (1949-1990), the assembly of these vehicles was also transferred to Bulgaria, to the automobile enterprises of MADARA SHUMEN, where the whole range of modifications began to be produced - from a truck tractor to a dump truck with a short cab without a berth. In the early seventies, a new generation of trucks was being prepared in full swing. Constructors and designers worked tirelessly. Many prototypes were made. In our "report" there are several of them.
The year 1973 has come. At the World Fair in Brno, motorists were in for a pleasant surprise in the form of a family of trucks with the name LIAZ. True, the family so far consisted of only two cars - a truck tractor with an index of 100.05 and a flatbed truck with an index of 100.45. From that moment on, the triumphal procession of the LIAZ trademark began throughout our planet, especially in the countries of socialism. But, mind you, on all subsequent truck models, the front panel of the cab carried the inscription LIAZ and the SKODA emblem at the same time. At the same review of the latest technology, but in 1975, the truck tractor (100.45) received the Gold Medal.
The new generation cars really looked very modern, with unexpectedly competent design and styling. The cabin did not carry anything extra. One got the impression that she was born in one breath, very quickly, and she was created by very talented designers, linkers and designers. She was at the right time in the right place. As for the “ease” of its creation, the number of prototypes that preceded serial samples speaks best of all about it. Engines MS637 and MS638, developed and manufactured by LIAZ, are in-line six-cylinder turbocharged diesel engines. They developed 270 or 304 hp. at 2000 rpm. The engine mount was exactly the same, so that any of them could be installed on the desired modification. The cylinders are tilted to the right by 45 degrees, which made it possible to lower the floor and freely equip the cab with a middle seat. In addition, behind the seats there is a bed and a luggage rack. The previous model, of course, did not have this. In general, the cabin of this generation looked beautiful and convincing for its time. By the way, cars of these series can be found on the track today, however, very rarely. At the same time, AVIA factories received a license from Renault for the production of light trucks. LIAZ immediately installed a French Berliet cab on its chassis. But this design was unsuccessful, and the experiment had no continuation.
The 100 family grew, trucks with a short cab (without a berth) for construction and special equipment appeared, three-axle modifications, four-axle ones, with a different radiator lining and other engines. Even an airfield tractor with ballast was made on the basis of a flatbed truck. Do not forget here and about exports. A passenger body was specially designed on an all-wheel drive chassis, and the car itself was called Africabus. There were a lot of buyers... It was with this family that Skoda-LIAZ began participating in the most popular and most difficult Paris-Dakar rally. But after all, these rallies require special cars, sometimes so different from their “donors” that it is just right to assign them independent indices. Yes, and teams need to be prepared! And so every year ... The same cabin served as a prototype for the new Tatra. Naturally, all the requirements and wishes of engineers from another company were taken into account. The car turned out to be extremely successful and proportional. A short cab with a radiator lining specially adapted for the Tatra round emblem, a high seating position (the car had a 4x4 wheel formula) gave it high cross-country ability and a clearly militaristic sight and character.
Just before the collapse of the block of socialist countries, the Czechs tried to bring the old cabin, albeit slightly “turned”, into a divine form. The most interesting thing is that it was at this time that the initiative project of a car with a cab over the engine with a lot of interesting design and technical solutions was completed at the Moscow Automobile Plant ZIL. The leader of this project was the author of these lines. How surprised he was when, with a fully finished cabin (made of metal, of course), this project was put on hold. And in the Czech Republic, a whole family of prototypes similar, like two drops of water, to the “Zilovsky” cabin soon appeared. Then several high-ranking ZiL officials worked in this country ... Believe me, it is simply impossible to make a mistake! And in order for the cabins to still differ from each other, the Czechs decided to be original and made one of its variants with a large radiator grille in the form of L-I-A-Z. In addition to cars with a wagon layout, specialists also worked with hooded ones. Moreover, the cabins of both options were maximally unified. In addition, the bonnet version should have suited the TATRA firms. With the hard work of their trucks, the wagon layout is not suitable.
1989 brought huge changes in the status of the member firms. LIAZ got out of the influence of Truck International AS, subject to the engineering giant Skoda AS, and in 1992 formed a joint-stock company. During the years of the existence of Czechoslovakia, the Skoda-Liaz association produced up to 18 thousand cars and buses and 23 thousand engines per year. In 1995, four families of trucks were produced at the Mnikhovo plant: S, FZ, 300 and M300. Trucks of the S and FZ families belong to the middle class. They were equipped with Austrian diesel engines STEYR WD 612.37 with a power of 180 hp. The FZ family included chassis and dump trucks with a gross weight of up to 16 tons. The largest 300 family consisted of 27 (!) Basic models. These are dump trucks, flatbed trucks, chassis for municipal and construction equipment and all kinds of tractors with different wheel formulas. Diesel power was in the range of 230-380 hp. The M300 family, which combines two truck tractors, was intended exclusively for international transport. In the same year, Skoda purchased the remaining shares at a fabulous price and founded a new company called Skoda Liaz AS. And in 1996, at the next international exhibition in Hannover, everyone was pleasantly surprised by the truck tractor shown by the Czech Skoda Liaz AS. Its unusual shape attracted visitors to the stand like a magnet.
The model called 400 XENA was really good! The car, equipped with an American Detroit Diesel engine with a power of 530 hp, was intended to work as part of a road train with a gross weight of up to 42 tons. The famous Czech designers Jiri Spaniel and Pavel Gushek worked on the car. The design and layout of the cabin, which is made of light alloys according to the frame-panel principle, is unusual. The car is distinguished by an unusual level of design and the highest comfort and interior decoration. To meet this model on the road is a rare case. After all, only about a hundred of them were released in six years. The dimensions of the truck tractor are 6,040 x 2,550 x 3,580 mm. Engine - Detroit Diesel Series 60 (S6067 GK62), displacement 12,700 cm 3. Transmission Eaton RTSO 17 316A. Buyer's choice of rear axle: Rockwell U 180E RSX6 or Raba A 013.41-3300 with hypoid final drive. There were no modifications and upgrades for this tractor, they just didn’t have time to carry them out ... The fateful day came. In 1999, at the turn of the century, Skoda, with the help of Truck International AS, acquired the newly organized Jablonec Skoda Motory, which became a subsidiary. On February 28, 2002, Skoda Motory became JAMOT (Jablonecky Motory) and filed for bankruptcy on June 17.
And on July 1, 2003, JAMOT became part of the TEDOM concern. All these events took place so rapidly that millions and billions flew right and left. The exchange was unable to keep track of all these transformations and mergers. Let's try to figure it out ... The lack of decent consumer demand for trucks of the Czech brand LIAZ forced the leadership of the automobile giant, well-known in the socialist years, to take a difficult step for themselves - to close the assembly plant in the city of Mhikhovo. This LIAZ enterprise was opened in 1951 and over more than half a century of history has managed to assemble about 350 thousand trucks and bus chassis. The most difficult times for the plant were the nineties and the beginning of the 2000s, when the number of orders decreased several times. The bankruptcy procedure for LIAZ was initiated by TEDOM four years ago, and in 2002 the engine plant in the town of Jablonec, the main supplier of power units for the conveyors of the former SKODA-LIAZ, was declared insolvent.
And the winner was TEDOM with new FOX models (with a huge number of modifications) and its own foundries, stamping and other industries. And, most importantly, without any "ballast", which any enterprise acquires over time. In addition, this young company, formed only in 1990, also had its own motor production. Here's how you can get almost everything in such a short time. True, no one has yet considered what all this resulted in monetary terms ... And one more thing. Skoda Holding AS and Skoda in the city of Mlada Boleslav, now owned by the VW concern, were left behind the scenes. They are not directly related to LIAZ, so we did not talk about them.
Laurin & Klement Type MS, 1922
RAF FW25, 1909 
Skoda 706, 1947 
Skoda 100 Proto, 1963 
Skoda 706 RTTN, 1967 
LIAZ 100, 1973 outside 
LIAZ 100, 1973 outside 
...and from the inside (photo 2) 
LIAZ Proto 2 and ZIL 5350 layout, both appeared in 1987. Spot the differences! (photo 1) 
LIAZ Proto 2 and ZIL 5350 layout, both appeared in 1987. Spot the differences! (photo 2) 
LIAZ 300, 8x4, 1995 
LIAZ Steyr, 1990 
TEDOM FOX, 2005, respectively, civilian... 
...and the military version
In 1951 in the north
Czech Republic was organized by the national automotive company
LIAZ. This abbreviation stands for "Liberec Automobile
factories” – the production areas were located in various settlements
points near the city of Liberec. Production of heavy trucks was established here
and buses of the Skoda 706 family.
Since 1974, the company began to produce cars in parallel
new series - LIAZ 100. The machines were intended primarily for long-distance
and international road transport. Ten years later they got
tilting cab with improved design and became known as LIAZ 110.
These trucks were delivered in large quantities to the Soviet Union.
In 1983, at the international exhibition "Autoservice Kyiv-83" was presented
anniversary, 30,000th refrigerated train as part of a truck tractor
LIAZ 100.42 and Orlican N13H semi-trailer.
In 1990 - 1992, model 110.573 appeared with an enlarged cab of the type
"maxi" and ABS system. And in the mid-90s, the 100 series was replaced by the family
300.
Cabin
The cabin is quite comfortable and spacious, although by today's standards
and low. On the LIAZ 100 model, it is made non-folding, 3-seater, in the rear
part is a sleeping shelf. To access the engine passenger
The 2-seater seat is raised. However, for major repairs, for example,
to remove the motor, the cab can be tilted, but this is a very laborious operation.
On LIAZ 110 models, the cab tilts 60 degrees forward, it is a 2-seater
and is equipped with two sleeping shelves. Cab lifts easily
using a short detachable handle.
On the "weaving" the driver's seat has air suspension with hydraulic telescopic
shock absorber. On LIAZ 110, the co-driver's seat is equipped with the same suspension.
The height of the steering column is adjusted using a convenient rotary knob:
together with the steering wheel, the steering column switches also move, always remaining
at the optimum distance from the driver.
The heating system has its own characteristics. The interior heater is located
so that dust and dirt from the street passes through the "stove" and, of course,
gets on the motor, so it is better to close the air intakes for the summer
even cellophane.
Engine
LIAZ 100/110 trucks are equipped with in-line diesel “sixes” with
direct fuel injection. They can be both atmospheric (201
l. s.), and turbocharged (257 or 288 hp). The most powerful unit
with intercooler, develops 305 hp. With. Later, the engine power was increased.
It is characteristic that the engine is located under the cab with an inclination to the right,
which made it possible to significantly reduce the height of the engine tunnel. Diesels enough
reliable and durable, tolerate domestic diesel fuel well. heating
there is no fuel, but if you work on its winter grades, there are no special problems
arises. Some craftsmen use exhaust gases to heat the tank.
The tank at the same time, naturally, becomes "smoked".
The weak point is the rubber engine mounts: there is
bolt breakage. There are two starters on the LIAZ 110 machine, the second one is provided
for "insurance", just in case (each of them is included in a separate
button). The fact is that the starters in this car are quite
capricious.
On some trucks operating in Ukraine, the native diesel is replaced
Yaroslavl. To combine it with the Czech gearbox, they make a round
transition plate. Such machines are easily recognizable by their appearance: the engine
YaMZ with vertical cylinders is taller, and the cab has to be raised.
Transmission and chassis
The clutch on LIAZ trucks can be either single or double disc.
On late production machines, a diaphragm clutch is installed.
spring. Gearbox - mechanical 5- or 6-speed, with "halves".
The transmission is reliable. Chassis with timely maintenance of special
does not create problems. The only pity is that there is no centralized lubrication system.
On our roads, sometimes the root leaf of the front springs does not withstand.
True, some craftsmen put "KAMAZ" springs, while, of course,
their fastening changes. Tires can be used both chambered and tubeless,
including the Russian "Kama" and Belaya Tserkov's Rosava.
On machines of the first years of production, the saddle is installed on a special subframe-amplifier,
which is attached to the main frame. But to work with modern semi-trailers
saddle height - 1300 mm - turns out to be too large, and in car fleets
the subframe is often dismantled and the saddle is attached directly to the frame, reinforcing
her in this place.
In Ukraine, LIAZ 100 cars produced before the 80s cost about
$ 4.5 - 6 thousand. More "young", of course, more expensive. So, LIAZ 110 production
1987 - 1990 will cost $ 8 - 10 thousand.
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The history of the SKODA automobile concern begins back in 1869, when a young engineer Emile Skoda (Emil Skoda) acquired a small mechanical plant founded in the city of Pilsen by the noble family of the Waldsteins ten years ago. In 1899, the SKODA plant was transformed into a joint-stock company, after which it gradually began to turn into one of the largest automobile plants in Austria-Hungary. The first heavy trucks and tractors began to be produced in 1905, they were produced for army purposes with engines with a capacity of 45-90 “horses” and all driving and steering wheels.
In 1919, workshop No. 83 was opened at the Skoda plant, which ended up in Czechoslovakia, for the production of military tractors and the manufacture of civilian vehicles. In 1921, the first 3-ton trucks "Skoda-304" and "306" appeared with 4 and 6-cylinder engines with a capacity of 45-65 "horses". In 1923, in the locomotive shop of the Skoda plant, under the license of the English company Sentinel, the assembly of 5-ton steam trucks with a 2-cylinder steam engine with a capacity of 70 horsepower began. In the summer of 1925, a new stage in the development of the Škoda brand began: the Laurin-Klement company from the city of Mlada Boleslav, which received the name Škoda, was included in the Pilsen Industrial Combine.
Since that time, the production of trucks developed there has been transferred to Pilsen. The first products were the modernized 2- and 4-ton cars "Laurin-Klement 500" and "540" with engines with a capacity of 35-40 hp, which received new indices "505" and "545" and a mixed brand of "Skoda- Laurin-Clement". Similar changes have also been made to the 1-ton Laurin-Clement 115 pickups. They were assigned the index "125". The first truck of the new brand in 1927 was the 5-ton Skoda-550, based on the 545 chassis with a more powerful 4-cylinder lower valve engine (6786 cm 3, 50 hp).
Independent production of Škoda trucks began in Pilsen only in 1929, when a range of 2-axle bonneted trucks was introduced (models “104”, “154”, “304”, “306”, “504” and “506” ) with a carrying capacity of 1.25-5.0 tons with its own 4- and 6-cylinder gasoline engines (1661-7274 cm 3, 30-75 hp). A year later, a 2-ton model “206” was added to them, but the main event of 1930 was the appearance of two diesel cars “404D” and “606D” with a carrying capacity of 4 and 6 tons at once, equipped with 4 and 6 cylinders, respectively. engines (5702 and 8554 cm3, 66 and 100 hp). 1934 was marked by the installation of a 100-horsepower diesel engine on the 4-ton “406D” model and the beginning of the production of small series of 3-axle vehicles 656D” (6 × 4) with rear independent suspension and “806D” (6 × 2) with a load capacity of 6, 5-8 tons.
The following year, the most popular 2.5-ton diesel truck “254D” with a 4-cylinder engine (3768 cm 3, 55 hp) rolled off the assembly line, for the first time received more streamlined external forms, and prototypes of 8 were also assembled -ton model “806DT” (6 × 2) with the most powerful 6-cylinder overhead valve pre-chamber diesel engine (11781 cm 3, 135 hp). All trucks were equipped with spar frames, single or multi-plate clutches, 4 or 5-speed gearboxes (for heavy models - with a 2-speed demultiplier), suspension on semi-elliptical springs and a hydropneumatic brake system.
Usually they were all also offered in low-bed “N” versions and as chassis for buses. Their maximum speed ranged from 40 to 80 km/h. In the second half of the 30s. Skoda has upgraded the old models, equipping them with new units and creating more advanced forms of plumage and cabins. Only in 1939 did new vehicles appear: light series “100” and “150” with a carrying capacity of 1.4-1.8 tons with front independent suspension, a 2.5-ton model of the second generation “256V” and a 7-ton truck “706D ” with an 8.6-liter diesel engine with 110 hp, which was destined to become the basis for all post-war Skoda brand products.
It should be recalled that in Mlada Boleslav a wide range of Skoda cars was produced, on the basis of which delivery vans and pickups were offered. In parallel, the Skoda company produced 3-axle army and special trucks and tractors. The first in this family in 1932 was the car "Skoda L" (6 × 4) with a carrying capacity of 2.0-2.5 tons with a 6-cylinder gasoline engine (3140 cm 3, 66 hp) and freely rotating spare wheels suspended from both sides of the cab. In 1935-39. a new generation of 3-axle hood machines “6ST6” (6 × 4) and “6STP6” (6x6) with a load capacity of 4-5 tons was produced with 6-cylinder 100-horsepower gasoline and diesel engines, a 2-stage demultiplier and single rear wheels.
The 4-ton truck “6VD” (6 × 6) unified with them for the first time received a cab above the engine. For Czechoslovakia, World War II began in March 1939, when German troops occupied a number of regions of the country. At first, Skoda continued to produce almost the entire range of its cars, but in 1941 the German authorities took over the management of the enterprise and rebuilt it in a military way. Of the trucks, only the models “150”, “254D”, “256C” and “706D” remained in production. On the basis of passenger cars, they began to assemble army cargo-passenger vehicles “Skoda-952” (4 × 2), “956” (4 × 4) and “903” (6 × 4), and since 1942, 90-horsepower RSO tractors were produced ( 4×4).
Part of the production of aircraft was transferred from the Prague plant "Avia" to Mlada Boleslav. The development of the post-war program began in the midst of the war, but immediately after it was over, it was decided to transfer the production of trucks to the Avia plant in Letnany, a suburb of Prague. Since 1946, the production of an updated bonnet car "Skoda-706K" began there. Compared with the basic version of the "706D", it had a carrying capacity of 7.5-9 tons, and the power of the 11.8-liter diesel engine created before the war was increased to 145 horsepower.
On the basis of the RGP, the dump truck “706RS” with 3-way unloading and the bus “706RO” with a wagon layout were produced. When the Avia plant decided to resume aircraft assembly, their production was transferred from January 1952 to a plant in the village of Rynovice, which was part of the joint group of enterprises of the Liberec region of Czechoslovakia, known by the abbreviation (LIAZ). In 1957, mass production of one of the most popular Skoda trucks, the 706RT cabover model with a payload capacity of 7-8.5 tons, began there.
Its basis was the bonnet version of the “706R”, but the previous engine received direct fuel injection and developed a power of 160 “horses”. The maximum speed has increased from 55 to 70 km/h. On its basis, the low-frame version “706RTDA”, the 6.5-ton dump truck “706RTS” with 3-sided unloading and the truck tractor “706RTTN” were produced for operation as part of a road train with a gross weight of 24 tons. Spacious vans for long-distance transportation were produced on the chassis of the 706RTO buses.
In 1966, the production of the modernized 706MT family began in parallel, which received an in-line 6-cylinder diesel engine of the new generation M630 (11946 cm 3, 180 hp). In May 1969, trucks of the 706MT4 and 706MT5 models appeared with an even more powerful 210-horsepower M634 engine and a 5-speed gearbox with a 2-speed demultiplier. They differed only in wheelbase (4600 or 5400 mm), had a load capacity of 8.2-9.2 tons and developed a speed of 80 km/h. The machines were also offered as "MTTN5" truck tractors and "MTS24" (4x2), "MTSP24" and "MTSP27" (4x4) dump trucks. Their production ended only in 1987.
By this time, over 300 thousand cars of the 706 series had been manufactured. While the production of Škoda trucks was increasing at the Liberec factories, the production of new passenger cars began at the head People's Enterprise in Mlada Boleslav (Automobilove Za'vody, Na'rodny Podnik, AZNP). On their basis, a small body factory in the town of Vrchlabi assembled light delivery vehicles. Since 1955, on the basis of the Skoda-1201 passenger model with a 4-cylinder engine (1221 cm 3, 45 hp), cargo-passenger options, vans and pickups were offered, which were exported to the USSR.
In 1961, the Skoda-1202 light range with an updated design also included a van and a pickup truck with a carrying capacity of 490 and 630 kilograms, respectively. On the units of these machines, in October 1968, the production of vans with a load-bearing body with a capacity of 7.3 m 3 and 1-ton Skoda-1203 flatbed trucks with a cab over the engine and independent suspension was mastered. Since 1973, their production began to be gradually transferred to the Trnavsky Automobile Plant (Trnavske Automobilove Zavody), abbreviated as TAZ (TAZ), in the city of Trnava (Slovakia). In 1987, they received a more powerful engine (1433 cm3, 57 hp) and an updated front end design.
After the collapse of Czechoslovakia and the formation of the Slovak Republic, they continued to be produced under the TAZ brand. Economic reforms made it necessary to update a number of passenger cars, and at the same time the program of light delivery vehicles based on them. In 1990, a plant in the city of Mlada Boleslav, on the basis of a front-wheel drive passenger car “Favorit” (Favorit), began to produce a cargo-passenger version of the “Forman” (Forman) with a 4-cylinder gasoline engine (1289 cm 3, 56 hp). He, in turn, became the basis for pickups and light vans, which were collected over 75 thousand pieces.
After the inclusion of the Skoda plant in 1994, the front-wheel drive passenger car Felicia appeared in the Volkswagen concern. After 2 years, on its basis, factories in Kvasiny and Vrchlabi began to produce light delivery vehicles - a pickup truck with a carrying capacity of 600 kilograms and a 450 kilogram van with a body with a capacity of 2.2 m 3. In addition to the standard 68-horsepower gasoline engine, they were offered with a Volkswagen diesel engine (1896 cm 3, 65 hp) and power steering.
For many years, the main customers of LIAZ trucks were the USSR and the socialist countries. The desire to find more prestigious markets led to the introduction in 1974 of a new generation of machines of the 100 series, on which they decided to replace the Skoda brand with the abbreviation LIAZ, which is practically unknown outside the country. Another attempt to reach the world level failed, and the political events of the early 90s. and the deteriorating economic situation of the enterprise led to the fact that the plant was on the verge of bankruptcy and in September 1995 was again included in the Skoda heavy engineering concern.
Having redeemed the shares of the LIAZ factories and closed a number of unprofitable enterprises, he formed a new joint-stock company (Skoda-LIAZ a.s.), which had only 4 enterprises in the cities of Jablonec-on-Nise, Liberec, Mnichovo Hradiste and Melnik. At first, the program included all previously produced cars that received a new Skoda-LIAZ trademark and a modified model indexing. These include the “S”, “FZ”, “110/150/250”, “300” and “MZOO” series with a gross weight of 9 to 40 tons with wheel arrangements from 4 × 2 to 8 × 4 and diesel engines of our own production or Austrian Steyr engines with a capacity of 180-410 “horses”.
The first new Skoda-LIAZ car in 1996 was the Xena 19.47TBV (Hepa) mainline tractor for road trains with a gross weight of up to 44 tons, which led the new 400 series. It is equipped with a 6-cylinder Detroit Diesel turbocharged engine (12742 cm3, 437 or 477 hp), a 16-speed Eaton gearbox, imported axles, front disc brakes , ABC, electronically controlled rear air suspension, a new spacious cab made of laminated fiberglass on an aluminum frame.
After the war, the leadership of Czechoslovakia decided to reduce the range of cars and trucks produced at various factories in the country. As a result, the Škoda automobile plant began to build railway locomotives, and the production of trucks and buses was transferred to the Avia company in Letňany. By agreement with the designer of the designs - Škoda, the former emblem remained on the facings of their radiators and the name of the company was preserved.
The first post-war Škoda truck was named Skoda 706R, its production was established in Letnany from 1946 to 1951, and in June 1951 production was transferred to a plant in the village. Rynovice, now part of the city of Liberec. In 1952, the new plant, together with branches in the cities of Mnichovo Hradiste and Ganychov, became the center of the "Group of enterprises for the production of trucks and buses S706". Subsequently, this group of enterprises became the basis of the company LIAZ (LIAZ - "Liberec Automobile Plants").
The development of the Škoda 706 R began back in 1930, when the model was called the Škoda 706. The post-war model differed from the 1930 model in a more spacious cabin, a more powerful diesel engine and had a greater payload - 7300 kg.
The diesel engine installed in the Škoda 706 R was a 6-cylinder wet-liner, pre-chamber mixture formation, and had several design features that greatly facilitated its repair and maintenance. The crankshaft was assembled at the factory from seven parts, and it rotated in a powerful crankcase on seven large diameter roller bearings. Pistons together with connecting rods during repair work could be removed from the block without dismantling the diesel engine from the car. Light alloy pistons contained four compression rings and one oil scraper ring.
The timing camshaft with pushers and rocker arms was driven from the crankshaft by a gear drive. The diesel engine was equipped with a compressor that served the pneumatic brake system of the car, and was driven by a gear transmission from the crankshaft. Two filters with replaceable paper elements were mounted in the oil line. Starting a cold diesel engine was facilitated by glow plugs located in each cylinder. The high pressure fuel pump with a centrifugal type distributor supplied fuel through steel tubes to the injectors that were easily dismantled during maintenance. The cooling system included a thermostat that regulates the flow of water in the water jacket.
The volume of the diesel engine was 11.781 cm3 and had a power of 135 hp. at 1750 rpm. The maximum speed was 53.5 km / h. In real operating conditions, the speed of the truck rarely exceeded 40 km / h. The average fuel consumption was about 30 liters per 100 km. Oil consumption was also rather big - 1 liter per 100 kilometers!
Paired with a diesel engine, the Škoda 706 R was equipped with a 5-speed manual gearbox with three pairs of constant mesh gears. The steering included a worm-roller actuator, while low effort on the steering wheel was achieved by a large gear ratio and a huge steering wheel diameter. The designers installed an engine brake (damper in the exhaust manifold), which many other European diesel trucks of that time could not boast of.
The cab of the Škoda 706R trucks was very wide - the driver and 3 passengers could easily fit in it. The cabin frame was made of wood, sheathed with steel sheets. In 1954, the cabin was replaced with an all-metal one, but by 1956 they had already decided to abandon it, because. in 1956, a sample with a cab-over-engine layout was introduced. Trucks with such a cabin, welded from steel elements, were assigned an index 706RT. Flatbed trucks were equipped with a wooden platform measuring 5000 × 2350 mm with three folding sides and a steel frame at the base of the floor.
In 1954, the trucks of the 706R family underwent modernization: a new radiator lining and fenders became more technologically advanced in manufacture, and access to the engine for repair and maintenance was also facilitated (small areas appeared to the right and left of the hood, located behind the front bumper). The maximum diesel power has increased to 145 hp. With. at 1800 rpm, which increased the maximum speed to 68 km/h. The upgraded models with an onboard platform were distinguished by an increased carrying capacity of up to 7750 kg and consumed 32 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers. Production of the 706R model continued for another three years - in 1957 it was discontinued.
The 706R was replaced by Škoda-706MT. The model received an updated cab, which differed from the previous one only in the design of the front. The new cab was installed on cars of the MT family and on the RT that continued to be produced. In 1973, a double cab was developed for vehicles operating on short routes - before that, all Škoda-706RT / MT were equipped with a "long" cab with a sleeper.
Simultaneously with the production of onboard versions, the assembly of dump trucks began 706RS with metal platforms that unloaded on three sides. The load capacity of the dump truck was limited to 6.5 tons with a curb weight of 7.26 tons. The main scope of their application was urban and suburban construction. Another version of the truck was a car Škoda-706ROК with a front cab, unified with the bus. Cars, as a rule, were offered as a carrier of specialized equipment (like garbage trucks, etc.) or in the form of a van.
dump trucks Skoda-706RS played a prominent role in the restoration of the destroyed factories and cities of Czechoslovakia in the first post-war decade. Wheels with large tires (12.00-22) and a huge ground clearance (250 mm) in the presence of a high-torque diesel engine provided a loaded car with good cross-country ability, including on dirt roads. The presence of a heater, a relatively small effort on the steering wheel and on the gear lever formed an opinion among drivers about the Škoda-706RS (and about the entire line of 706R models in general) as a car that is convenient to work at any time of the year. The design of the engine and transmission worked out for a decade, the high quality of the manufacture of cars guaranteed their excellent reliability and durability.
Series produced since 1969 Skoda-706MT4 And Skoda-706MT5, equipped with a new M634 engine with an HP 210 power. and a five-speed gearbox with a two-stage demultiplier.
In 1970, on the basis of the 706MT series, a new family of LIAZ 100 trucks was created. In 1974, the production of truck tractors of the new family began, and a year later, flatbed trucks. This meant the end of the production of the corresponding models of the previous family. However, the production of Škoda-706MTS24, Škoda -706MTSP24 and Škoda -706MTSP27 dump trucks continued until 1987.
Cars of the Škoda-706RT and -706MT families were produced in Bulgaria under the LIAZ-Madara brand from 1970 to 1981. Since 1975, drive axles for these cars were produced in Bulgaria and supplied to Czechoslovakia.
In the USSR, Škoda-706RT cars appeared in the early 1960s. Then truck tractors were handed over to the Soviet Union for testing. Skoda-706RTTN and Praga S5T-2TN with refrigerated semi-trailers.
Subsequently, refrigerators became the main type of semi-trailers used by Czech tractors in the USSR. According to the test results, the Škoda-706RTTN earned high marks, but there were no immediate deliveries. Only in 1964, finally, it was decided to purchase Czech tractors, and Skoda and Prague began to arrive in the USSR with Orličan refrigerated semi-trailers.
In addition to truck tractors, the USSR received onboard Škoda-706RT and Škoda-706RTS dump trucks (as well as their analogues of the Škoda-706MT family).
Škoda-706RT trucks have proven themselves from the very best side. Based on the 706RT model, trucks were designed for a variety of needs and industries: fire trucks, flatbed trucks, tankers, truck cranes and other modifications.
They were respected for reliability and durability, as well as for the comfort of the driver's workplace, unattainable for a domestic manufacturer.
Many Škoda-706RTs worked until the mid-nineties, and individual copies are still found on the roads today.
In 1973, the production of trucks under the Skoda brand ceased and the production of LIAZ trucks began (although the LIAZ plant became independent back in 1953, it produced trucks with the Skoda logo for another 20 years). The debut of the LIAZ brand took place at the World Fair in Brno in 1973.
In September 1995, the LIAZ plant was included in the heavy engineering concern Škoda. Having redeemed the shares of the LIAZ factories and closed a number of unprofitable enterprises, he formed a new joint-stock company - Skoda-LIAZ a.s., which had only 4 enterprises in the cities of Jablonec-on-Nise, Liberec, Mnichovo Hradiste and Melnik. At first, the program included all previously produced cars, which received a new brand name "Škoda-LIAZ" and a modified model indexing.
These include the "S", "FZ", "110/150/250", "300" and "MZOO" series with a gross weight of 9 to 40 tons with wheel arrangements from 4x2 to 8x4 and diesel engines of our own production or Austrian Steyr engines "(Steyr) 180-410 hp
And in 1996, Škoda-LIAZ launched a new truck on the market - the Xen a 19.47TBV mainline tractor (for road trains with a gross weight of up to 44 tons, which led the new 400 series.
It is equipped with a 6-cylinder Detroit Diesel turbocharged engine (displacement 12742 cm3, power 437 or 477 hp), 16-speed Eaton gearbox, imported axles, front disc brakes, ABS, electronically controlled rear air suspension, new spacious cabin made of multilayer fiberglass on an aluminum frame. In 2000, a new Fox series was added to it with a gross weight of 19 tons with engines with a capacity of 290-330 hp. In 2003, the production of Xen and Fox trucks ceased.
In 1999, Skoda, with the help of Truck International AS, acquired the newly organized Jablonec Skoda Motory, which became a subsidiary. On February 28, 2002, Skoda Motory became JAMOT (Jablonecky Motory) and filed for bankruptcy on June 17. On July 1, 2003, JAMOT became part of the TEDOM concern. In the same year, TEDOM began bankruptcy proceedings for LIAZ, and in 2002, the engine plant in the city of Jablonec, the main supplier of power units for conveyors of the former giant SKODA-LIAZ, was declared bankrupt. In just 50 years of its existence, Skoda-LIAZ has produced about 350 thousand trucks and bus chassis.
