Initial period In 1961, work began on the creation of a car to replace the GAZ-21. General designer - A. M. Nevzorov, designers - L. I. Tsikolenko and N. I. Kireev.
The car was originally designed for different types engines - a modernized four-cylinder from GAZ-21, a newly developed three-liter V6, which was available in the production of V8 from GAZ-23, and also a diesel I4.
From 1962 to 1965, up to six plasticine search models were built, which differ greatly in their appearance. By 1965, the appearance of the car as a whole had developed, and the development of the aggregate part was basically completed.
The new model required a higher general culture of production, therefore, in parallel with the development of the car, the technological equipment of the plant was modernized, new, modernly equipped workshops were erected on its territory.
"Volga" belonged to the "American" school of automotive engineering, in those years, quite widely represented in the world. The appearance and design of the car were quite standard for this direction, the technical characteristics were also approximately average. Similar "Americanized" models were produced in those years in many countries - Germany, England, Australia, Japan, Latin America, etc.
At the same time, taking into account the peculiarities of operating conditions in the USSR during the design process, as well as the specific purpose of the car (most of the Volga was not intended for sale for personal use and was operated in taxi companies and other government organizations) predetermined a number of specific design features, for example, increased ground clearance, reinforced (and heavier) load-bearing body, greater "survivability" on bad roads, familiar to repairmen and convenient for operation in fleets with centralized maintenance, pivot suspension, etc.
No additional options were offered on the domestic market, however, some of the equipment foreign cars in those years, offered as an option, was included in the basic package.
Running prototypes
In 1966, the first running prototypes appeared, called M-24 (the previous model of the plant was GAZ-M-23 based on GAZ-M-21), the prototypes were assembled in two versions of the front design, two- and four-headed, went into series, as you know , two-way machine. Special differences from the first stock cars did not have prototypes.The idea of a six-cylinder engine, as well as the standard installation of an automatic transmission, had to be abandoned, the car went into series with two engine options - a 2.5-liter I4 and manual transmission-4 or a 5.5-liter V8 and automatic transmission-3. However, in parallel with the serial production of the model, the plant built a few prototypes with imported six-cylinder engines, both in-line and V-shaped.
Various diesel engines(mainly Peugeot-Indenor, sometimes Mercedes) were installed on small series export cars, both by GAZ itself and by foreign firms - dealers of the plant, there were both four- and six-cylinder options.
In 1967, Autoexport announced the start of production of a new Soviet car somewhat prematurely. Mass production began a few years later. Putting into production
In 1968, an experimental batch of 32 cars was assembled using bypass technology, the following year another 215 cars were assembled, and at the end of the year a conveyor was launched. On July 15, 1970, the release of the GAZ-21 was stopped; the only model produced since that time was the GAZ-24.
Issue periodization
During its release, the Volga GAZ-24 was significantly upgraded twice - in 1976-1978 and 1985-1987. According to the changes made to the design, the GAZ-24 production can be conditionally divided into three parts according to the significant changes made by the plant to the appearance and design. This division is conditional and was not used by the plant.
"First episode".
GAZ-24 produced in 1968-1977 can be conditionally distinguished as the first generation, or, according to the terminology generally accepted in relation to Pobeda and GAZ-21, the first GAZ-24 series.
Distinctive features of all cars of the “first series” are bumpers without fangs, but with chrome-plated sidewalls, license plate plates under the front bumper, reflectors on the rear panel of the body separate from the rear lights, a dashboard with a black leatherette-covered upper part and a lower part painted to match the body color, black with ivory effect handles on the instrument panel, door trim panels with a vertical pattern, a three-piece sofa-type front seat with independent adjustment and a central armrest.
The car was constantly subjected to minor improvements. In particular, until 1975: the automatic fan clutch was removed from the design of the engine cooling system, which showed the unreliability of its operation; changed the shape of the external rear-view mirror; installed a new, more convenient and reliable trunk lock; they began to install new springs with a parabolic sheet profile; the ignition lock was unified with VAZ cars; the speedometer of the original design (tape) was replaced with a traditional pointer, more durable; on rear racks roofs installed parking lights that light up when passengers exit, etc.
"Second Series"
During 1976-78, the first major modernization of the GAZ-24 followed, which can be considered the beginning of the production of the second generation, or the second series of GAZ-24.During these years, the car received "fangs" on the bumpers, fog lights on front bumper, rear lights with built-in reflectors, a redesigned interior, in which almost all metal parts were covered with soft plastic lining for safety, door trim panels with a horizontal pattern, static belts front and rear security (which required the removal of the armrest from the front seat structure), new seat upholstery; There were other, smaller changes as well.
In this form, the car was produced until 1985 with a minimum of upgrades.
"Third Series" (GAZ-24-10)
In the mid-1980s, the machine was again subjected to modernization, this time more substantial and radical. The result of this was the GAZ-24-10 model, which can be called the third generation, or the third GAZ-24 series.The introduction of modernized components this time also happened gradually - from the plastic radiator grill that appeared on export cars in the late 1970s, until the station wagon was updated in 1987. In 1985, they produced a "transitional" version of the sedan, which combined the features of the GAZ-24 and 24-10 in various proportions and received the unofficial designation GAZ-24M.
Earlier, in 1982, the GAZ-3102 car was launched into the series for servicing public institutions(has been in development since 1976), using a seriously redesigned body, engine, transmission and suspension GAZ-24 - he became the ancestor of the Volga family of cars, which is still on the assembly line.
GAZ-24-10 was produced until 1992, after which it was replaced in the production program by GAZ-31029, which, in fact, was a GAZ-24-10 unit in an updated body based on the body of the GAZ-3102 model.
Major modifications
- GAZ-24-01, produced from 1970-1971 to work in a taxi. It was equipped with a derated engine ZMZ-24-01, a special marking of the checkered body, a lantern Green colour“free”, interior trim made of leatherette, allowing sanitation; instead of a receiver - a taximeter.
- GAZ-24-02, mass-produced in 1972-1986 with a five-door station wagon body.
- GAZ-24-03, sanitary based on GAZ-24-02
- GAZ-24-04, to work in a taxi. It was equipped with a derated engine ZMZ-24-01, a special body marking of the “checkered” type, a green lamp “free”, a leatherette interior trim that allows sanitation; instead of a receiver - a taximeter based on GAZ-24-02
- GAZ-24-07, produced in 1977-1985 for work in a taxi, was equipped with a gas-cylinder installation.
- GAZ-24-24, version for special services, so-called. "Catch-up" or "escort car", equipped with a modified power plant from GAZ-13 "Seagull" - engine ZMZ-2424, V8, 5.53 l, 195 l. With. and three-stage automatic transmission gears, as well as power steering. It had a reinforced body and chassis. Maximum speed - up to 170 km / h.
- GAZ-24-54, right-hand drive export modification(less than 1000 copies produced).
- GAZ-24-76 and 24-77, car kits for a sedan and station wagon, respectively, for Belgium to be equipped with a Peugeot Indenor diesel engine by Scaldia-Volga.
- GAZ-24-95- an experimental all-wheel drive modification, created using GAZ-69 units, a characteristic feature of the design is the absence of a frame. At the beginning of 1974, 5 pieces were produced, one copy was served by L. I. Brezhnev in the Zavidovo hunting ground; the second one remained in the GAZ Design Bureau for some time. The rest of the cars were distributed among departments in Gorky and the region - in the regional party committee, the military, and the police; before today two cars have been preserved - Zavidovskaya and Obkomovskaya.
The 1960s are often referred to as a time of change. Everything changed in this decade - styles and fashions, presidents and general secretaries, and in the Soviet Union the Khrushchev thaw ended and the Brezhnev stagnation began. The principles of automotive design also changed - the empire-style, pretentiously rounded turned into a gothic, polished-faceted...
Moskvich fell the first victim of change - between the "four hundred and third" and "four hundred and eighth" lay the border that separated two eras of automotive style. The Volga was destined to change next - from the "twenty-first" to the "twenty-fourth".
Passenger cars of the Gorky Automobile Plant were originally intended for middle-ranking officials - plant directors and secretaries of regional committees, military commanders and chief designers, chiefs of central departments and deputy ministers. A large proportion of cars were intended for taxi companies, but it was almost impossible for an unremarkable citizen of our country to purchase an Emka, Pobeda or the twenty-first Volga for personal use.
Car GAZ-21 "Volga" The Gorky Automobile Plant has been producing since 1956. It was quite modern for its era. passenger car, which was distinguished by a number of original constructive and design solutions, which, by the way, was confirmed by quite stable demand for it abroad. But in the early 1960s, he began to lag significantly behind foreign models - both in design and construction.
Work on the creation of the next model to replace the aging "twenty-first" was started in 1961 - the lead designer was appointed project manager passenger cars GAZ mobiles A. M. Nevzorov, designers (now such specialists are called designers) - L. I. Tsikolenko and N. I. Kireev.
The car was supposed to be produced with a whole range of engines, which included a modernized four-cylinder from the GAZ-21, V-shaped six- and eight-cylinder, as well as a four-cylinder diesel engine. There was also an idea to bring to mind the automatic transmission, which at first they tried to equip the "twenty-first" Volga. However, subsequently, the designers had to abandon the idea of equipping the car with an automatic gearbox, as well as a six-cylinder engine, and the car went into series with two engine options - with an in-line 2.5-liter “four” and a 5.5-liter V-shaped Noah "eight", and the latter were produced in a very small series as the so-called "escort vehicles" (for work in escorts of high-ranking party and government officials) or "catch-up" (for the KGB). Well, diesels foreign production installed by the factory only by special order, on cars of small export series.
As already mentioned, the creation of the “twenty-fourth” fell on a period of change, therefore, during the design studies of the body shape of the new car, the designers “threw” from the American automotive style of the late 1950s with its keels and chrome moldings to a purely utilitarian one with suitcase-flat outlines hood, trunk and roof.
From 1962 to 1965, the designers created six full-size search layouts, which differed significantly in their appearance. In 1965, the appearance of the car was finally determined and was approved for highest level. Almost simultaneously, the design of the aggregate part was completed, and a year later the first running prototypes were ready.
In parallel with the design of the car, work was underway to prepare its mass production. GAZ-24 contained more complex units than the "twenty-first" Volga, which forced the factory workers to significantly increase the requirements for accuracy and quality of their manufacture. By the way, it was precisely for this purpose that in 1962 the country's first investment casting shop was built and an automatic mold casting line was launched, in 1967 stamp and mold factories were built, and in 1968 a gearbox production plant.
The first experimental series of 32 cars was assembled in 1968 using bypass technology, in 1969 another 215 cars were made in this way, and in January the main conveyor was launched. The simultaneous production of the 21st and 24th models continued for about six months, and on July 15, 1970, the production of the GAZ-21 was discontinued. Without stopping the conveyor, they began to collect only new car - car "Volga" GAZ-24.
Vehicle Specifications
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| Model | GAZ-24 | GAZ-24-02 |
| Length, mm | 4760 | 4735 |
| Width, mm | 1800 | 1800 |
| Height, mm | 1490 | 1540 |
| Base, mm | 2800 | 2800 |
| Front track, mm | 1470 | 1420 |
| Number of places | 5 | 7 |
| Own weight, kg | 1420 | 1550 |
| Maximum speed, km/h | 147 | 145 |
| Acceleration time to 100 km/h, s | 19 | 21 |
| Maximum engine power, l. With. | 95 | 95 |
| Engine capacity, l | 2,445 | 2,445 |
| Control fuel consumption at a speed of 80 km/h, l/100 km | 10,5 | 11 |
| Front suspension | independent spring | |
| Rear suspension | on longitudinal semi-elliptic springs | |
| Fuel tank capacity, l | 55 | 55 |
 1 - filler neck of the fuel tank; 2- fuel tank; 3 - rear suspension spring; 4 - rear suspension shock absorber; 5 - spare wheel; 6 - rear axle; 7 - handle for adjusting the backrest front seat; 8 - silencer; 9 - body spar; 10 - air intake of the heater and interior fan; 11 - handle for adjusting the seat along the length of the cabin; 12 - cardan shaft; 13 - master cylinder clutch mechanism; 14 - main brake cylinder; 15 - gearbox; 16 - steering mechanism; 17 - spring front suspension; 18 - ignition coil; 19 - ignition distributor (distributor); 20 - accumulator battery; 21 - oil filter; 22- sound signal; 23 - oil filler neck; 24 - air filter; 25 - oil cooler; 26 - radiator of the interior heating system; 27 - voltage regulator; 28 - hydraulic vacuum brake booster. |
"Twenty-fourth" according to the scheme did not differ from "twenty-first" - the same rear-wheel drive, with a front engine. The base of the car was 100 mm larger than its predecessor, which allowed the rear seat cushion to be lowered and brought out of the arches. rear wheels. This contributed to a more free accommodation of passengers. The increase in wheelbase, led to a smoother ride of the car.
The car body is load-bearing, with a sub-frame welded to it. The rear fenders of the car were fastened by welding, the front fenders - with screws.
The layout of the body ensured its maximum unification at release. options car - sedan, station wagon, ambulance, taxi, etc.
It should be noted that the body of the GAZ-24 differed from the body of the GAZ-21 not only in design, but also in its design concept, which incorporated everything new that appeared in the industry from 1955 to 1965. Design power elements the body of the GAZ-24 was stronger than that of the GAZ-21.
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The hood of the engine compartment - with front hinges, which were a system of levers; the raised hood was held by coil springs. The open trunk lid occupied an almost vertical position and was held in it with the help of transverse torsion bars. By the way, by today's standards, the trunk of the GAZ-24 did not differ in its ease of use. With its gigantic (0.7 m³!) volume, it was not very convenient to use it - it was almost impossible to reach its front wall, and given that the “reserve”, fixed directly in the trunk, “ate” a considerable share of its volume, then and it was not possible to put something large in the trunk.
The main difference between the body of the GAZ-24 and the GAZ-21 was the height - old car was 130 mm higher. Accordingly, the new one had a lower center of gravity (this increased its stability and controllability) and a reduced midsection. The latter parameter contributed to a decrease in the drag coefficient, which made it possible to increase speed and reduce specific consumption fuel.
It is worth noting that when reducing the height of the body, the designers went to some violation of GOST - the fact is that the size of the unobserved zone in front of the car by the driver should not exceed 8 m, while for the GAZ-24 it was 9.5 m.
Despite the big wheelbase, the "twenty-fourth" "Volga" was 75 mm shorter - in combination with increased steering angles of the front wheels, this somewhat improved the maneuverability of the car.
In the first years of production, a three-seater sofa was installed in front, in the back of which there was a convenient armrest for the driver's right hand. The speedometer on cars manufactured before 1975 had a tape scale - as the speed increased, a red strip crawled along the scale from left to right. In addition, on cars until 1978, reflectors were located at the rear separate from the rear lights, which later migrated to the rear position lights.
Among the important innovations that the "twenty-fourth" differed from its predecessor, include a fully synchronized gearbox (the "twenty-first" had no synchronizers), a full-flow oil filter, a separate drive for front and rear brakes, a servo drive in the brake system, self-adjusting brake cylinders, telescopic shock absorbers and a parking brake with rear-wheel drive (the "twenty-first" "handbrake" was transmission). In addition, although the number of regular injection points was reduced by a factor of three (from 30 to 10), the front pivot suspension, which traces its origins to the pre-war Opel Kapitan of 1936, still required regular lubrication.
It should be noted that in the new Volga, the gearshift lever, in accordance with the new trends, was located on the top cover of the box.
The driveline consisted of a single shaft with a pair of hinges, sliding spline connection on the gearbox output shaft in the extension. This design provides vibration reduction and, accordingly, increased durability of the connection.
The rear axle is hypoid, lightweight, with a split crankcase.
Rear suspension - spring, with telescopic shock absorbers. Springs - asymmetrical, elongated, with an increased width of sheets and a reduced number of them - these provide best performance suspension and good lateral stability. On the body, the springs are fixed with the help of conical rubber bushings.
Steering gear - with rear location steering rods. The rod joints are equipped with plastic liners that do not require lubrication during operation. The steering mechanism is a globoid worm paired with a double-ridge roller, which are located in an aluminum crankcase. The steering wheel is two-spoke, with a recessed hub.
Brakes - shoe, drum, with automatic adjustment of the gap between the shoe and the drum. Brake drive - hydraulic, separate for front and rear wheels.
Wheels - disk, stamped, with tires in size 7.00 - 14".
The period of production of the "twenty-fourth" can be divided into three stages in accordance with the main modernization of the car.
So, cars of the first generation (produced in 1968 - 1977) were continuously improved during the production process. The very first years of production were spent on correcting all sorts of minor flaws - in particular, the rear-view mirrors installed on the front fenders of the first production cars, turned out to be inconvenient to use, therefore right mirror seized, and the left one was transferred to the driver's door, a new, more reliable trunk lock was installed, springs with an improved sheet profile, the ignition lock was unified with VAZ cars, and the tape speedometer was replaced with a traditional - pointer, since the indications of the first were difficult to read due to tape vibrations during work; parking lights were installed on the rear roof racks, which light up when passengers exit, etc.
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| Car of the Gorky Automobile Plant GAZ-24 Volga. In the picture "three-quarters in front" - "Volga" of the first years of production with rear-view mirrors on the front fenders and with a bumper without "fangs"; in the picture "rear three-quarters" - a car of later years of production with a rear-view mirror on the driver's door and bumpers with "fangs". |
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In 1977-1978, the first major modernization was carried out - the second generation of the GAZ-24 saw the light. The car received fangs on the bumpers, seat belts, fog lights, an updated instrument panel with new, completely black handles.
In this form, the car was produced until 1985, when it was again subjected to modernization, this time more radical, which resulted in the GAZ-2410, which can be called the third generation of the GAZ-24. In the same period, in 1982, the GAZ-3102 car was launched into the series to serve government agencies - a modified body, engine, transmission and suspension from the GAZ-24 were used in the car. By the way, it was the GAZ-3102 that became the ancestor of the family of cars produced by the plant.
Despite the very laconic design, the Volga GAZ-24 makes a very favorable impression. At the time of launching into serial production, the appearance of this car did not look outdated at all - American analogues of the same class and year of manufacture were produced until the end of the 1970s. Quite harmonious proportions of the sedan with the sidewall line falling to the stern gave it a dynamic and elegant appearance. The car unexpectedly and quite successfully combined design refinements with fairly simple angular contours and the requirements of stamping production - almost all body panels turned out to be quite technologically advanced. The same combination of technology and design was observed when working out the shape of the windshield and rear windows- they had minimal flex, in keeping with the automotive fashion of the time, which was equally comfortable in their production. Incidentally, for the first time in domestic auto industry the door glass also had a slight bend.
The signature features of the new "Volga" were stamping on the hood in the form of an air intake and a stiffening rib on the trunk lid. The radiator grill was almost the same as on the GAZ-21 - with a whalebone pattern. Front direction indicators and position lights are made in accordance with European standards. The rear lights also looked European (unlike the Volga GAZ-21, where the lighting was made in the American way) - with red brake lights, orange turn signals and white lights reversing. On the machines of the first stage of production, the lights were three-section with separately installed reflectors, but later the reflectors were transferred to the rear lights. After 1977, round repeaters were installed on the front fenders.
The door handles looked like a bracket with a round lock button - it opened when the button was pressed with the thumb. On the newer Volga, though safe, but not very comfortable handles appeared, recessed flush with the surface of the door. Until 1978, car bumpers had simple form with a rubber strip in the middle - in light collisions, it prevented damage to the chrome coating. Rubber pads appeared on the bumpers of cars manufactured after 1978, but they were removed in 1985 due to their frequent injury to pedestrians.
The car in the basic configuration was equipped with interior and exterior rear-view mirrors (on early production cars - two on the wings, on later production cars - one on the driver's door) and an electrically driven antenna in the right front fender.
In addition to the well-known modifications at the Gorky Automobile Plant, cars were produced in small series on special orders. In particular, at the request of the State Security Committee and the Special Purpose Garage, the plant designed the GAZ-24-24 escort vehicle to work as part of VIP motorcades. The car had a body with more powerful front spars, in which an 8-cylinder V-engine from the "Seagull" GAZ-13. The maximum speed of the car reached 200 km / h, and it accelerated to “hundreds” in 12 seconds.
Another little-known modification of the "twenty-fourth", developed in the winter of 1973/1974, was the GAZ-24-95, the design of which combined the comfortable body of the Volga and all-wheel drive chassis army all-terrain vehicle UAZ-469. Interestingly, when creating it, the designers managed to do without a frame - with it the all-terrain vehicle would have been much higher. In total, five copies of this car were assembled, one of them entered the hunting estate in Zavidovo, where he drove the country's chief hunter L. I. Brezhnev.
 Comfortable frameless SUV GAZ-24-96 "Volga", created using units and assemblies of the army all-wheel drive vehicle UAZ-469, was produced in an ultra-small series of five cars specifically for the "chief hunter of the country" L. I. Brezhnev. |
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| Renault Logan car | |
The Soviet passenger car "Volga" GAZ 24 is a symbol of the era of its time. "Volga" was considered a very prestigious brand, officials and government officials drove such cars.
An example of a classic Volga GAZ 24
Black "twenty-fourth model" in Soviet time was the ultimate dream of many citizens, and it was almost impossible to buy it for personal use. At that time, no other cars of such impressive size were produced in the Soviet Union, so the GAZ 24 was out of competition.
Back in the early sixties of the twentieth century, the design of the Volga GAZ 21 began to become obsolete, and the designers decided to start developing a new model. In 1965, the first prototypes of the car appeared on the streets of the city of Gorky. In total, twelve samples were created until July. In the autumn of the same year, he was ready to start serial production of the GAZ 24.
Serial production was planned to be launched by the fiftieth anniversary of the Great October Revolution, which was celebrated in 1967, but a combination of unfavorable economic circumstances prevented the plans from taking place. 
The main reason for the delay in the launch of the Volga in the series was the beginning construction of the Volga Automobile Plant in Togliatti, the state could no longer allocate so many subsidies to Gorky residents. In addition, due to the aggravation of the political situation in the world, GAZ had to intensively engage in the production and development military equipment, in particular, the BTR 60 and BTR 70 models.
As a result, for the entire next 1968, 31 GAZ 24 cars rolled off the assembly line of the automobile giant. But from mid-July 1970, the production completely stopped, and the line of the Gorky Automobile Plant for the production cars was completely given to the new model.
Advantages and disadvantages of GA3 24
Unlike its predecessor, the "twenty-first" Volga, GAZ 24 had a number of significant advantages:
In addition to the positive aspects, GAZ 24 also revealed some shortcomings:
Various options for GAZ 24 models
Modernization of GAZ 24
Throughout its existence, the "twenty-fourth" Volga has twice been subjected to serious constructive changes. The production of GAZ 24 and all modifications ceased in 1992, and over the entire period more than one million four hundred thousand copies have been produced.
All changes in the "Volga" took place mostly not immediately. The first series of upgrades took place between 1972 and 1978. During this time, the upholstery on the seats changed in the Volga, “fangs” appeared on both bumpers, and the rear lights became different. The tape speedometer was abandoned due to its frequent failures, instead of it a pointer, more reliable device appeared.
Rear view of Volga gas 24
A number of new improvements followed from 1985 to 1987, and from 1985 an updated base model began to be called.
In this car, the "fangs" on the bumpers disappeared again, new exterior door handles appeared, underwent modernization and four-cylinder engine. The new seats are more comfortable and softer.
GAZ 24-10 was very popular and this one was latest model, which existed throughout the "twenty-fourth" series. In January 1992, the GAZ 24 10 replaced the GAZ 24 10, which differed from the previous version of the Volga in its body, all units and many interior elements remained the same, and the changes occurred as gradually as in the twenty-fourth.
GAZ 24 modifications
The Volga has a lot of modifications. It should be noted that the GA3 24 was mainly produced with two body types - a sedan and a station wagon.
An example of the Volga 24 station wagon
Cars of the Gorky Automobile Plant were made for export, a number of cars were intended for taxis. There were special cars for ambulances and special services.
Modifications:
Internal combustion engine GAZ 24
When designing the Volga, at first it was planned to install three types of engines on it internal combustion(ICE): six-cylinder, four-cylinder and V-shaped eight-cylinder. 
The 6-cylinder internal combustion engine was immediately abandoned, and the 8-cylinder engine was mainly equipped with special services cars and cars that were in the department of high-ranking officials.
The "Eight" was mainly equipped with cars of special services, where it was necessary big power And high speed(GAZ 24 24 and GAZ24 34). Therefore, the main ICE on the GAZ 24 was a four-cylinder engine with an overhead valve with a volume of 2.445 liters.
The power 4-cylinder unit was produced in two versions: 95 hp. with the expectation of AI-93 gasoline (now it is AI-92), and 85 hp. for gasoline A-76. All the difference in the internal combustion engine was in the cylinder head (cylinder head).
It looks like the cylinder head GAZ 24
In the version of the engine for the "seventy-sixth" gasoline, the cylinder head was higher, respectively, the combustion chamber was larger.
The 4-cylinder unit remained unchanged until 1985, when steel (Ai-93 gasoline) and ZMZ 4021 (A-76) were installed on the transitional models of the GAZ 24M car. The new engine models have changed the cylinder block and cylinder head.
The internals of the motor were practically not affected by the changes, except that they began to use a modernized high-performance oil pump. These internal combustion engines were later used both on Gazelles and on subsequent modifications of the Volga (GAZ 31029,).
Salon GAZ 24
The interior trim on the GAZ 24 was very modest even by the standards of the 70s of the last century. But a large volume of interior space and fairly comfortable seats smoothed out the first impressions of the interior. In the first editions of the Volga, an armrest was installed between the front seats. Later it was abolished. On GAZ 24 10 models, the seats have been completely updated.
Now they were with comfortable headrests and completely upholstered in cloth.
At one time, many owners of pre-styling "Volga" sought to change their old seats for new "ten" ones. It was cool to have such “seats” on the old Volga.
The instrument panel did not differ in exquisite design, the front part was mainly pasted over with a wood-like film. The glove compartment looked simple, without any decoration. The bottom of the panel was iron, the steering wheel was quite large with a thin rim.
One of the options for the GAZ 24 salon
Since 1985, modernization has had a marked effect on these elements - steering wheel became smaller in diameter, and the rim is much thicker. The instrument panel has completely changed, it now has significantly more plastic elements.
The interior upholstery was not very different. They were made of leatherette, divided by colors into brown, gray and red. The color of the skins did not depend on the color of the car; at the factory, the cars were equipped with whatever came to hand (if it was not a special order).
Example of salon 24 Volga and wood
While the guys from the "Expedition Sunrise" set off on their new journey, we will talk about their war chariots. In this material you will learn a little about the Soviet car Gorky plant GAZ-24, on which the guys got from.
Development history
There have always been special requirements for the Volga, they must be modern for a long time, beautiful, comfortable and at the same time passable, maintainable and hardy. They were in service with many public services countries, were the main model in taxi companies, and in the station wagon they served as ambulances.
Gaz-24 is the second generation of the Volga and the fifth in the passenger car line of the Gorky Automobile Plant.
Work on the creation of a car to replace the GAZ-21 was started in 1958 under the leadership of Alexander Mikhailovich Nevzorov. Above appearance two teams of designers worked in parallel on the car - under the leadership of Lev Eremeev and Lenya Tsikolenko, from 1959 to 1964 they built at least six plasticine search models, which differed greatly in their appearance. It was the design that received the greatest American reflection. Many constructors and designers drew their inspiration from overseas machines, which was facilitated by the Exhibition of American Industry, held in 1959. The first layouts definitely resembled an American of those years.
Nevzorov with a team of designers designed the Volga for 4 types of engines. The first was a modernized engine from the GAZ-21, a 2.5 liter "four". Possibly designed for taxi stations. Type II - newly developed 3-liter V6 (basic equipment). Type III - V8 from GAZ-23 (special version for law enforcement agencies). The last type was a four-cylinder diesel power unit (designed for the European market).
In addition to the development of a new car model, the technological equipment of the plant was also modernized, which required the production of new cars.
Since 1965, on the streets of Gorky and the roads of the Gorky region, they began to come across unusual cars with a "foreign" appearance and Super nameplates on the front fenders - these were running prototypes of the new Volga, camouflaged as unidentified foreign cars, that were being tested. Between themselves, they differed in engine options, gearboxes and exterior design details.
The act of accepting the machine for industrial production was signed in the fall of 1966. In the middle of 67, the patenting process was completed, but due to the unstable situation in the Middle East, the plant sharply increased the production of military equipment. As a result, work on a new passenger car model was significantly delayed.
The assembly of the first production series of the GAZ-24 began in the autumn of 1967. At the beginning of 1968, an experimental batch of 32 cars was assembled using bypass technology, the following year another 215 cars were assembled, and by the end of the year a conveyor was launched. On July 15, 1970, the production of the GAZ-21 was discontinued. The only model was the GAZ-24.
Specifications
The idea of a six-cylinder engine, which was designed as a basis, had to be abandoned, as well as the installation of an automatic transmission. The car was launched with two engine options - a 2.5-liter V4 with a four-speed manual transmission and a 5.5-liter V8 with a three-speed automatic transmission. However, in parallel with the serial production of the model, the plant built single copies with imported six-cylinder engines, both in-line and V-shaped.
Various diesel engines (mainly Peugeot-Indenor, sometimes Mercedes) were installed on small series of export cars both by GAZ itself and by foreign dealers of the plant, there were both four- and six-cylinder options.
Technically, the car corresponded to its time and was radically different from its predecessor. The main innovations were:
- four-speed manual transmission with synchronized gears,
- hydraulic brake booster,
- separate control brake system.
Advantages and disadvantages
Advantages and disadvantages are usually recognized in comparison with the previous model. If we compare 24 with 21, then it has improved significantly paintwork thanks to the use of synthetic enamel instead of nitro.
The most important difference and plus of 24-ki was new body, thanks to which the quality of control has improved, despite the old pivot suspension and rear leaf spring.
The preservation of the old suspension is due to the fact that most of the cars were supplied to the state apparatus and other structures. "Volga" had to undergo maintenance at existing car depots with old equipment, specializing in the previous design.
Cons were in the body structure:
- too low doors, making it difficult to land;
- uncomfortable flat trunk, albeit with a huge volume of 700 liters; its back wall is so far ahead, so that with a sufficiently high side, loading heavy objects is quite difficult.
- At the end of the film, the heroes of Eldar Ryazanov's Office Romance, Novoseltsev and Kalugin, leave on the black Volga GAZ-24.
- GAZ-24 played a prominent role in the Depeche Mode video for the song "Stripped". Volga 1973 participated in the filming.
- GAZ-24 "Catch-up" - this is the name of the version of the Volga with a V8 engine, on which KGB officers went on operational missions in Soviet times.
- He holds the record for the number of roles in films - 928.
Conclusion
GAZ-24 became the most massive car in history. In total, up to 1993, 1,481,561 copies of the GAZ-24 of all modifications were produced, including the GAZ-24-10; it was the most massive passenger model in the history of the plant (GAZ-24 produced 2.3 times more than GAZ-21; 6 times more than GAZ-M20, and 23.5 times more than M-1). Had 22 modifications.
Unfortunately, even the most glorious history comes to an end, so the legend of one of the most prestigious car brands Soviet Union approached sunset after the collapse of the state. No matter how they tried at GAZ to revive the idea and release a new car that would be no less popular, nothing came of it.
With hidden resentment against the state, which did not give something to its “ordinary citizens”, sometimes splashed out in idle conversations in kitchens and smoking rooms. Volga as a car "not for everyone" was the subject of such discussions. Say, they wanted to make a lot of motors to choose from, and then left people with one - they say, that's enough for them! Indeed, back in the 1960s new Volga was designed with the expectation of a whole family of 4-, 6- and 8-cylinder power units. Engine compartment spacious - you can see for yourself in our photos. The hood opens against the stroke and rises high, in top position it is held by a spring-lever mechanism, and not by any stops - in a word, nothing prevents servicing any engine from any side.
The base engine was a four-cylinder gasoline engine with a volume of 2.445 liters and a power of 95 hp. With. He was destined to become the most massive and widespread engine of the 24-ki. It did not differ in advanced constructive ideas, but by the end of the 1960s and the beginning of the 1970s it was considered to be a modern wave. So, advertising brochures abroad compared the dynamics of the Volga with a classmate Mercedes-Benz W111 in the 220 S version with a smaller displacement (2.2 liters), but equal power.
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Due to the lack of a “six” brought to mind and the desire to make the car as massive and easy to operate as possible, as well as due to a shortage of highly qualified repairmen in the outback, the six-cylinder engine was abandoned. So the GAZ-24-16 prototype built in 1966 with a 2.6-liter V-shaped six-cylinder engine and remained a prototype.
There was also the Volga GAZ-24-24 - a modification with an eight-cylinder engine from Chaika ZMZ-2424 with a volume of 5.53 liters and a power of 195 liters. with., which worked in tandem with a three-stage "automatic". The sedan was used by special services as an "escort car" or "catch-up". It was used mainly for covert surveillance of diplomats (who drove "their" powerful foreign cars) and escorting motorcades of the first persons of the state.
The limited run and disposal of the catch-ups after scrapping made it one of the most coveted cars among collectors.
She was supposed to be a six-seater!
The issue of cabin capacity was relevant for the country, where one passenger car accounted for eight to ten families. And in the case of the six-seater Volga, there was no smoke without fire. Indeed, the GAZ-24, before the first major restyling, which took place in 1977, was equipped with a sofa-type front seat, which consists of three parts - wide seats for the driver and passenger and a plump folding armrest between them. The armrest rose and formed a flat back of the third seat in the center, with the axis of the armrest attached to the right front seat.
We tested the car of 1982 - on it the front seats are already clearly separate. To abandon the idea of a wide front sofa forced mandatory installation seat belts. Of course, one can argue about the convenience of driving in front of the three of us - after all, the gearshift lever was installed on a wide transmission tunnel, so there was very little legroom for the “center”.
It is interesting that even today some manufacturers are returning to the idea of an armrest, which helps transform two chairs into a common sofa (for example,).
The Volga with a diesel engine is being exported!
The suspicions of the Soviet people that all the best was exported from the USSR were often justified. In fact, the problem of fuel efficiency for Soviet private traders during the "youth" period of the GAZ-24 did not stand: a liter of gasoline, depending on the brand, cost 6-10 kopecks. Many bought it even cheaper - from drivers of "state-owned" cars, who received surpluses through savings or mileage additions. Therefore, diesel cars could be of interest only to those professional drivers who had a personal car (or a neighbor with a personal car), but worked for diesel technology- dump truck, tractor, diesel locomotive. However, Soviet cars, due to the cheapness of gasoline and the complexity of maintenance by "private" motorists, were not equipped with diesel engines. Moreover, the “Volgovsky” motor ZMZ-24D (index D did not mean “diesel”!) Partially diesel habits: high torque (186 Nm), good traction on the bottoms and, in general, gravitation towards low and medium speeds. We thoroughly tried this quality in city traffic jams and when accelerating from traffic lights.
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However, foreign markets demanded a diesel engine, and after all, a considerable part of our cars were sold abroad, in capitalist countries. It all started with Moskvich-407, then the tradition passed to the "24-ku". The Belgian company Scaldia-Volga, which was the importer, was engaged in ordering cars with heavy fuel engines. domestic cars. Peugeot engines XDP 4.90 with a volume of 2.1 liters (62 hp) were installed in series at GAZ, on a conventional auto assembly line. For a better understanding of the matter, a group of Soviet engineers were trained at the Peugeot factory. Since 1979, a 2.3-liter diesel engine with a capacity of 70 Horse power. In total, GAZ produced about 8,000 diesel Volga. Officially, they were not sold in the USSR, but re-export copies were found in the Union in the 1980-1990s.
There was another option: not everyone knows what Polish engineers tried to adapt to the GAZ-24 diesel engine Andoria 4C90. Such an engine is small-scale for installation on a light commercial vehicles– Żuk, Nysa minibuses and Tarpan pickup.
A version with all-wheel drive is being produced for ministers!
This rumor, interesting for fishermen, hunters and inhabitants of the hinterland, also had a basis. Of course, all Volgas were rear-wheel drive (Siber does not count), but ...
The party said "it is necessary", Gorky answered - "there is". So briefly you can describe the history of the appearance of the all-wheel drive GAZ-24.
In 1973, the Gorky Regional Committee ordered GAZ a comfortable passenger car with off-road capabilities no worse than that of UAZ. In total, five units of a comfortable sedan with a 4x4 wheel arrangement were produced.
The car received a UAZ gearbox and a “razdatka”, an inverted rear axle was taken as the front drive axle, providing it with “stockings” from the “goat”. The front spar was significantly strengthened, and a traverse was added for the front spring attachment point. Steering rods have changed significantly, the shaft has become longer. During the tests, due to the lack of suitable off-road tires put on the car winter wheels from Chaika GAZ-13. The seriousness and scale of the project is evidenced by the fact that the car received its GAZ-24-95 index and even a separate instruction manual in the form of an insert in a standard booklet.
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Our car is the most ordinary in terms of equipment, despite its almost thirty-five years of age, it has been well preserved and required only a partial restoration. So, in the studio "Vintage Motors" she pulled the interior, but all the materials correspond to the authentic ones. The standard rear-wheel drive transmission is in good condition, the cardan does not clang, and the oil does not flow.
The version with a convertible body was banned by Brezhnev!
It is unlikely that Leonid Ilyich was puzzled by such problems, and yet, in principle, the rumor is not unfounded - in addition to the sedan and station wagon, there were also Volga convertibles as such. They were produced by piece copies of various car repair plants, reworking base sedan. But not for pleasure walks and not even for tourists to ride, but for taking parades in the "capitals" of military districts. For example, it is reliably known that the Bronnitsky "author" by order of the Ministry of Defense in the 1970s produced several copies of the GAZ-24 without a roof a year. They did not have an awning at all, and the body was reinforced with an X-shaped amplifier on the bottom. In connection with the placement of communication equipment and a special handrail in the cabin, the right backdoor was brewed. Initially, the cars were painted in a dark gray (ball) color, classic for front cars of the USSR, later such convertibles were repainted black by local car depots.
The Volga will never be sold to ordinary citizens!
As long as the USSR existed, it was so. Just collect the required amount (in different years GAZ-24 cost from 9,000 to 14,000 rubles) was not enough. In order to buy the Volga, it was necessary to stand a long-term queue, which could be signed up only after receiving the approval of officials at the level of the regional committee. Quite openly, it was possible to buy the Volga in stores like "Birch" and "Chestnut" - but not for rubles, but for checks earned during business trips abroad.
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There was a special kind of encouragement for those who were awarded various state prizes, high government awards, as well as for labor shock workers, athletes, distinguished military personnel, artists and other prominent citizens.
They - as a rule, people with certain savings - could be additionally awarded with a so-called postcard for the right to acquire the coveted Volga, which the majority gladly used.
But some of the lucky ones, indifferent to technology, resold the newly acquired car or transferred their right to purchase to other suffering citizens who did not receive the official right to own the GAZ-24 from the state.
Our "twenty-four" - the usual mass version - judging by the configuration, it was intended just for sale in private hands. In a past life, it was owned by a colonel Soviet army, who bought it officially - obviously, due to his rather high social status. It was in his family a few years ago that the restorers found this car close to the “ideal” and bought it back.
In the Caucasus, the Volga costs as much as twenty-five "thousands"!
Used Volga for secondary market rarely came across, each copy decommissioned from the taxi fleet or the obkom garage was of value, not to mention the cars of “private traders”. As a rule, on the black market, used Volgas cost no less than a new one in a store, or even a couple of times more expensive. For example, in Georgia, for a new black GAZ-24 with a bright red interior and other "bells and whistles" they could "weigh" up to 30,000 rubles.
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Winning the "24" in the lottery was considered a particularly successful case. The fact is that the OBKhSS (department for combating the theft of socialist property of the USSR Ministry of Internal Affairs) could ask any citizen where he got the Volga, if he was not a shock worker of socialist labor, not a writer, not an artist and not a party official. And a lucky ticket, repurchased for a lot of money from the lucky winner who won it, removed many questions from the OBKhSS at the address of an illegally enriched citizen. The wealthiest comrades even ordered the Volga to be transported to their homeland, often from another republic. Such a service cost from 1 to 4-5 thousand rubles, depending on the range and impudence of the driver-distiller.
Living Legends
As you can see, in a socialist society with its non-market relations and a certain closeness, a car could turn out to be not only a means of transportation, but also a subject of domestic politics. As soon as the state “released the nuts”, opening the market and borders, the Volga instantly became what it actually was by that time: an archaic car with a large margin of safety and dubious prestige. But the legends remain...
