Our online publication invites you to view a collection of rare photographs. We are sure that many of you are not familiar with some of the cars, the photos of which we have found for you. All over the world, our auto industry is a mystery. Maybe that's why in the USSR, many automobile factories, trying to stand out on the world stage, created such.
AZLK plant (currently closed). IN Soviet years Moskvich cars were a dream for many.
Model 1964 Moskvich 408 Tourist. The maximum speed is 130 km/h. Amazing rare car in the back of a convertible. Unfortunately, at that time the country's leadership decided that this model was too luxurious and did not correspond to the spirit of the Soviet proletariat.
Idea to do Soviet convertible switched to baby products. could be bought in many children's worlds of the USSR. The children's car was equipped with pedals, from which baby transport set in motion. The dream of many boys and girls of the Soviet era.
AZLK 2139 Arbat (prototype 1987)
This was to be new revolution on the Russian car market in the 1990s. Unfortunately, with the collapse of the USSR, the project of this car was shelved.
Alsoin the Soviet years, a prototype sports version was developed(Moskvich 2141 KR) with a capacity of 175 hp. The maximum speed is 200 km/h. But this project was also not implemented because of the events in the country in the early 90s.
At the same time, while the AZLK plant was trying to bring a luxury car to the USSR market, factories such as Gorky (GAZ) and Volzhsky (VAZ) were developing an amphibious car.
AZ 2122 River. This car was developed in the late 70s and early 80s by order of the USSR Ministry of Defense. This one could move through the water at speeds up to 5 km / h. Unfortunately, for unknown reasons, after successful tests, this project was closed.
UAZ 3907 Jaguar . The same fate awaited the amphibious vehicle Gorky Automobile Plant. This machine was developed in the late 70s, which could move through the water using propellers. The car accommodated up to 7 people with full equipment. This vehicle demonstrated amazing operating characteristics for that time (the car could be used at temperatures from -47 to + 45 degrees Celsius). The project was also closed due to hyperinflation in the country, which was associated with the collapse of the USSR.
UAZ 3907 Jaguar was not the only car, which the GAZ plant tried to make for movement on water. In the mid-70s, an experimental Volga GAZ-24-95 , which could also move on water.
Volzhsky car factory(WHA)made attempts to produce their own sports cars. But really, in partnership.
So in 1978 in Vilnius (Lithuania), VFTS produced a model Lada Samara Eva . The car was based on the VAZ-2108. It was sport car With rear wheel drive 300 hp
Also in the Soviet years there was another modification of the Lada - Lada Samara T3. In fact, there was nothing Soviet in this car. The car was equipped with components from Porsche, the car was assembled by a French company. The car participated in various European championships in the 1990-1991 season. Also, the car was a participant in the Paris-Dakar rally in 1990.
Surprisingly, in the USSR, sports cars were also developed in the early 30s of the last century. On the basis of the ZIL plant (in the 30s of the ZIS), sports were developed Vehicle. But the country's leadership believed that cars should serve only civil servants, so promising projects never came to fruition.
The most famous sports car of Soviet times is the legendary ZIL 112-S, which was released in 1961. The power of the machine was 240 hp. The maximum speed is 240 km/h. Externally, the car resembled the Ferrari Testarossa of that time. For the production of a sports car, the components of the model were used GAZ-21 .
By the way, the first Kamaz in history was actually first developed and produced at the ZIL plant at the end of 1975. The model was called ZIL-175. Later, the model changed the name of the brand. Subsequently, KAMAZ vehicles became the winners of the Paris-Dakar race more than once.
In the photo on the left you can see a prototype car M3MA 444 Moskvich 1957, which later became ZAZ-965(Zaporozhets). Pictured is a car Zaporozhye plant 1960.
Concept car of the Russian SUV Lada Niva E2121 Crocodile .
On the basis of this prototype, later in 1979, the first serial SUV Niva 2121.
Prototype ZAZ 966 (Zaporozhets) . The car was equipped with front-wheel drive. Pay attention to the hood and wheels, which are reminiscent of VAZ-2101. Unfortunately, the ZAZ-966 model did not enter mass production in this form. As a result, the model "966" went on sale with rear-wheel drive and with a completely different appearance.
We tried to bring many of you back to the past, and to show younger people a small part of the history of the USSR auto industry. We will try to periodically upload such collections about the Soviet era of mechanical engineering. If you have any interesting photos with old Soviet cars in your family archives, then send us and we will definitely include them in our future collections.
We all love our auto industry very much, we don’t have a soul in it. But at the same time, many of us are not aware of the opportunities that Soviet engineers and designers were endowed with. And the possibilities were almost limitless. Below is a selection of rare, unique and simply unusual Soviet cars that you will never see with your own eyes ...
I am proud of the Soviet engineers and resent the Soviet officials who have killed a lot of promising developments. And what a technological backlog was lost as a result of Perestroika - it's simply incomprehensible to the mind ... And we'll start with government projects in the automotive industry.
PROTOTYPES
GAZ-62 - our answer to the Americans
GAZ-62 (1952) - a prototype of an army off-road vehicle, created to replace the Dodge 3/4, which had proven itself in the army during the war (which was supplied to the USSR under lend-lease).
The car had overall dimensions of 5000x2100x1800 mm and a wheelbase of 2850 mm, was designed to carry 12 people or 1200 kg of cargo, the maximum speed of the all-terrain vehicle was 85 km / h. A 6-cylinder 76-horsepower engine was used as a power unit.
A number of progressive solutions for that time were used in the design of this car: to prevent the ingress of water, dirt and sand, the drum wheel brakes were sealed, rubber pads in the seals of the springs reduced the amount of maintenance. The all-terrain vehicle was comfortable: there was a powerful heater with airflow windshield, A rear springs possessed variable rigidity, providing high smoothness of the course.
In addition to the main passenger version, a cargo modification of the car was also developed - GAZ-62A with an enlarged body and a horizontal spare wheel.
GAZ-62 passed all the necessary tests and in 1958 was demonstrated as a promising model of the Gorky Automobile Plant at the All-Union Industrial Exhibition in Moscow (later - VDNH), but for unknown reasons it was not put into production.
ZIS-E134 layout No. 1
In the summer of 1954, the newly formed SCV ZIS, which initially numbered only 20 people, was given the task of creating a fundamentally new medium multi-purpose four-axle (8 × 8) ultra-high cross-country vehicle (aka the ATK-6 high-speed artillery tractor) with a payload capacity of 5 -6 t.
Since there was no experience in developing such machines, an experimental four-axle (8 × 8) freight car ZIS-E134 model number 1.
Experienced ZIL-E134 proved its worth. Practically not inferior to the tracked tractor in terms of cross-country ability and traction, it had a number of significant advantages - higher speed on the highway and a running gear resource, cheaper operation.
The conducted tests made it possible to identify areas for further research. Both the developer and the customer wanted to see a more advanced machine. According to the requirements of the military, its carrying capacity was to be at least 6 tons, the weight of the towed gun doubled.
Nevertheless, the invaluable experience gained in the design, construction and testing of the ZIL-E134 layout No. 1 gave confidence in the successful completion of the new task at a high technical level.
ZIS-E134 layout No. 2
In order to determine the parameters and design solutions for a floating vehicle, on April 9, 1956, a prototype 8 × 8 ZIS-E134 layout No. 2 was built.
It differed from its predecessor in a displacement hull, lack of elastic suspension wheels (based on the experience of testing the ZIS-E134 model No. 1), the presence of a water jet (not installed immediately) with a rotary nozzle that performs the functions of a water rudder. Working wheel the water cannon was borrowed from the PT-76 tank. By power plant, transmission, propulsion and control system new car did not differ from the ZIS-E134 layout No. 1.
MAZ-505
MAZ-505 (1962) - experienced four wheel drive truck with an onboard platform, created for the army. This model did not go into mass production, most likely giving way to another novelty of those years - the GAZ-66.
ZIL-132R - a super truck for the agricultural industry
The machine, created under the leadership of the chief designer A. I. Filippov in the department of the chief designer of the ZIL, headed by V. A. Grachev, had a number of interesting features. The chassis had a uniform placement of three (2100 + 2100 mm) axles along the base, power unit(engine ZIL-130, boosted to 165 hp) with a clutch and gearbox located between the first and second axles, and a fiberglass cabin with steel doors - in front of the engine.
The transmission was carried out according to the n-shaped scheme, that is, with on-board distribution of the power flow so that the wheels of each side had a rigid (non-differential) kinematic connection with each other. Double disc clutch supplied hydraulic drive, and a manual 5-speed gearbox - remote control.
Cylindrical side differential transfer box equipped with a locking mechanism. A power take-off mechanism with a hydraulic pump was mounted on the gearbox to drive a tipper body or fertilizer application equipment.
The change in direction of movement was provided by turning the front and rear steered wheels due to hydraulic system without a rigid connection between the front and rear steered axles.
Tires 16.00–20 with a diameter of about 1400 mm were installed on the car, which, in combination with an independent suspension, provided ground clearance from 480 to 590 mm, centralized system air pressure control in tires and ventilated disc brakes with dual-circuit hydraulic drive, which were not located in the wheel hubs, but on the final drives of the front and rear steered wheels.
Among the serial trucks ZIL-132 R at that time there was no equal. Moreover, the cross-country performance of the car was so high that it freely competed, and in many cases surpassed caterpillar tractors used in the countryside.
But the car was built in a single copy.
ZIL-E167 - snowmobile off-road
ZIL-E167 (1963) - experimental wheeled all-terrain vehicle terrain, designed for use in conditions complete off-road under adverse climatic conditions. The machine was created using components and assemblies from the 135L chassis, which was practically ready by that time, the frame of which was additionally reinforced.
The super all-terrain vehicle was driven by two ZIL-375 engines of 118 hp each. each, the power was transmitted according to the onboard circuit. The engines were located at the rear, for better cooling air intakes were provided on the sides of the body. Huge wheels, shod in tires with a dimension of 21.00-28 and a diameter of 1790 mm on unique fiberglass (!) Prefabricated disks with metal elements, weighed almost three times less than their metal counterparts.
The ground clearance of the car with these wheels was 852 mm, the bottom was covered with steel sheets to protect the units and better glide through snow and mud.
The cabin of the driver and passengers was also made of fiberglass; longitudinal seats were installed in the cabin. The cabin, borrowed from the ZIL-135L, and the interior were heated by independent heaters. Among other things, a winch was installed on the machine with tractive effort in 7 tons.
Suspension matched that of 135L, drum brakes driven by a hydropneumatic system. During the tests, the car proved to be excellent, maximum speed in winter on the highway it was 75 km/h, on virgin snow 10 km/h. However, the all-terrain vehicle did not go into series, because due to the complexity of the transmission design, it was inferior in terms of maintainability to the GT-1 tracked tractor.
ZIL-49061
ZIL-49061 is a three-axle all-wheel drive floating vehicle based on the ZIL-4906 all-terrain vehicle. It is part of the search and rescue complex "Blue Bird".
These amphibians were equipped with ZIL-131 engines with mechanical boxes gear; applied independent suspension of all wheels, two propellers; the front and rear wheels were made steerable, and the connection between the two was provided by a hydrostatic servo drive, due to which the turn rear wheels begins after turning the front ones at an angle greater than 6 °. It was a very unusual decision brake mechanisms: they are disc, but they were not placed in the wheels, but in the body of the car.
The machines of the 490 complex have successfully passed the tests and have been mass-produced for many years. These "Blue Birds" are still serving in the Military Space Forces. There is no replacement for them. Two 4906s were sent to Germany during the floods that swept over it in the summer of 2002, where they were used very effectively to evacuate residents from flooded areas. In Europe, there was nothing like it, which caused the Germans a feeling of admiration and outright envy.
In addition, the Blue Bird complex included ZIL-2906.
ZIL-2906 is a rotary auger snow and swamp vehicle carried on a cargo ZIL-4906. After the improvement, he received the index 29061.
The swamp vehicle was equipped with two VAZ rotary piston engines with an onboard transmission scheme, the body and augers were made of aluminum alloy, and the cabin was made of fiberglass.
To this day, no other country in the world has such a unique complex, which, thanks to the ZIL-29061, has almost absolute all-terrain capability.
ZIL-4904
The auger snow and swamp all-terrain vehicle ZIL-4904 was built in 1972 and is the largest in the world. Payload- 2.5 tons. However, he developed a very low speed - 10.1 km / h on the water, 7.3 km / h in the swamp, 4.45 km / h on the rafting, 10.5 km / h on the snow.
Lightweight hollow or polymer-filled (for example, foam) augers allow the machine to float on water, cross such deadly places where any wheeled and tracked vehicles get stuck or sink.
However, since the augers are made of a hard material, usually non-ferrous metals, an auger-rotary all-terrain vehicle is completely unsuitable for paved roads. On asphalt, concrete and even rubble, such a car will have to be transported on a tow truck.
VAZ-E2121 "Crocodile" - early prototype the legendary Niva
VAZ-E2121 "Crocodile" (1971) - an early prototype of the experimental VAZ-2121, with a frame and an open body, switchable front and rear axles. IN further construction The car was almost completely changed, only two prototypes of this model were produced.
AZLK-2150 - a prototype of the off-road Moskvich
AZLK-2150 is a light SUV from AZLK, created in the USSR in 1973, as part of a project to create a compact comfortable SUV. The aggregate part of the prototype was unified with the M-2140 model, which was planned for production at that time. In total, two prototypes of the M-2150 were created with canvas and hard tops.
The Moscow SUV turned out to be different in concept from the Niva, closer to the “classic” SUVs - with a separate spar frame, continuous axles and stiff springs.
In the competition of three plants (at AvtoVAZ - the future VAZ-2121 Niva, and at IZH-mash - Izh-14), AvtoVAZ won, having managed to create the most comfortable and competitive on the world market, although less "off-road", design.
The military department became interested in the M-2150 prototype, formally an order was received from the Ministry of Defense for the production of 60 thousand vehicles per year at a plant in the city of Kineshma, but the matter never came to production.
VAZ-E2122 - army SUV from Tolyatti
VAZ-E2122 (1976) - the first version of an experimental, floating off-road vehicle, developed by order of the USSR Ministry of Defense (initially, the project was created on the plant's own initiative). The car was designed using components and assemblies of the civilian VAZ-2121 Niva car, which was being prepared for production at the same time.
E2122 differed from analogues in the first place original design, which did not give out an amphibian in it, small size and maneuverability (for example, the turning radius on water and land practically did not differ). The sealed body allowed the car to move through the water at a speed of 4.5 km / h by rotating the wheels.
1.6 liter engine, permanent four-wheel drive, contributed to the good maneuverability of the car (on land and on water), which was not at all inferior to the "old man" UAZ-469. From UAZ (for the purpose of unification), the prototype got a winch and a tow bar, at the request of the military, the bumpers were made as flat as possible, with lights recessed into them so that a car stuck in front could be pushed, the windshield and side door frames folded.
In addition, the "jeep" was equipped with two gas tanks, and the body structure provided for the installation of a stretcher.
On the first version of the car, the awning did not have side windows, but during the tests it became clear that rear visibility was sorely lacking and they were included in the design.
However, the tightness of the body was badly affected by the temperature regime of the "Nivovsky" units, as a result of which they quickly failed, the light body could not withstand serious loads. But the customers still liked the prototype, it was decided to continue work and design the second version of the jeep.
VAZ-2E2122 - the second version of the floating jeep
VAZ-2E2122 (1977) - the second version of the floating SUV for the army, created on the basis of the E2122 prototype. On this prototype, the VAZ designers tried to take into account all the wishes of the military department and get rid of the shortcomings of the first version: overheating of the engine and transmission, breakdowns in the exhaust system, poor visibility, and also worked out several other important points, such as the ability to start at low temperatures.
UAZ-452K - triaxial loaf
UAZ-452K (1973) - an experimental sixteen-seater bus with a 6x4 wheel arrangement. Based on this bus, Medea resuscitation vehicles were developed for the needs of Georgian mine rescuers. There was also a variant with a 6x6 wheel formula, later in Georgia a small-scale production of reanimobiles was established from 1989 to 1994, approximately 50 units per year.
But this project was not buried - the car was produced from 1989 to 1994 by the Vezdekhod cooperative from the Georgian city of Bolnisi.
ZIL-4102 - the prototype of the last "membership"
ZIL-4102 is a promising limousine that was supposed to replace the outdated five-seater ZIL-41041 sedan. In 1988, the sixth ZIL workshop produced two prototypes of the car.
The fundamental difference between the new model and others Soviet limousines consisted in the absence of a frame, in connection with this, the ZIL designers had to do a lot of work to reduce the vibrations of the supporting body.
The new sedan was half a meter longer than the Volga, and weighed half a ton less than the ZIL-41041. Roof and floor panels, trunk lid, hood and bumpers were made of fiberglass.
NAMI-0284 "Debut" (1987)
The car - a concept car, as they wrote then, "of an especially small class", was built with the prospect of using some solutions for a serial ZAZ car.
The original body was good aerodynamics(drag coefficient Cx - 0.23). The Oka engines (VAZ-1111 and VAZ-11113) were installed on the car, and the MeMZ-245 was installed on a later version with a slightly modified finish ("Debut-II"). They also planned to test a car with turbocharged VAZ-11113 and MeMZ engines with a 16-valve block head. "Debut" was equipped with an electrovacuum clutch, a cruise control system.
AZLK 2142 "Moskvich" - an experienced sedan
AZLK 2142 "Moskvich" (1990-96) is an experimental sedan created on the basis of AZLK-2141 and presented to the general public in 1990. The car was fully tested and practically ready for production, it was planned to send the car to the conveyor already in 1992, equipping it with a new Moskvich-414 engine.
After the collapse of the USSR, the death of the then general director of AZLK V.P. Kolomnikov, these plans were not destined to come true, but with various engines the prototype was assembled for several more years. Moreover, a car that did not actually exist later served as the basis for the small-scale models "Prince Vladimir" and "Ivan Kalita" produced in small batches.
Project "Istra"
AZLK-2144, "Istra" - an experimental car of the AZLK plant, created in the mid-late 1980s. It was made in a single copy around 1985-88, never mass-produced.
Distinguished by a whole range unique solutions, including - duralumin body without a central pillar; two wide side doors opening vertically upwards; diesel engine running on rapeseed oil; night vision device and indication of instrument readings on the windshield; unique automatic transmission.
Istra was ahead of its time in many ways. At that time, this machine was much superior to its predecessors.
The only model sample, previously kept in the AZLK museum, is now in the museum on Rogozhsky Val in Moscow.
UAZ-3170 Simbir
In 1975, at UAZ, under the chief designer Startsev, development began, and in 1980 a demonstration model of a "car general purpose off-road" UAZ-3170 "Simbir". The car had a ground clearance of 325 mm and a height of 1960 mm - both parameters differed from the "469th" (215 and 2050 mm). The suspension was dependent spring.
Alexander Sergeevich Shabanov was the lead designer of the GAK theme and the head of the test group. Military samples of the machine were tested and protected by the project in the Moscow Region in 1982-1983.
Subsequently, according to the results, the second version of Simbir was born - UAZ-3171 (1985-1987).
Simbir 1990 army
Simbir 1990 civil
NAMI-LuAZ "Proto" - the ghost of a Russian country road
NAMI-LuAZ "Proto" (1989) - a prototype created in the Leningrad branch of NAMI as part of a competition announced by the Ministry of Autoselkhozmash, a team of designers and designers led by G. Khainov. The body was a metal frame, on which were hung plastic panels, which simplified the repair, improved the performance of the car.
As power plant the MeMZ-245 engine from Tavria was used, the transmission was developed almost anew: non-switchable cardan gear, gear box driving and pluggable front axle(without transfer box).
Gearbox, power take-off on front-wheel drive, front final drive were assembled in one block. Front suspension independent (McPherson), rear dependent (De Dion). The motor, along with the front suspension and radiator, was mounted on a removable subframe, which facilitated the repair and assembly of the car.
Salon "Proto" is designed for four passengers, the seats have been transformed, forming a single sleeping area. Rear end the roof was removed, it was possible to install an awning.
In parallel with Proto, LuAZ developed its own version as part of the competition future car which had significant differences.
LuAZ 1301 (1984/88/94) is a prototype of a light SUV, which was supposed to replace the outdated 969M model on the conveyor. The first version of the car was designed back in 1984 and was the same 969M with a new body.
The prototype of 1988 was distinguished by a frame-panel body (steel frame and plastic panels), pneumatic elements in an independent spring suspension, allowing you to change the ground clearance. The upgraded MeMZ-245 engine from Tavria was used as a power plant.
The drive of all wheels is permanent, the transmission had a lockable center differential. The roof and sidewalls were removed, making it easy to turn a jeep into a pickup truck, a version with soft top. Backdoor the machine was made of two sections - upper and lower, spare wheel and a set of tools were placed in niches under the front seats, thus completely freeing the luggage compartment.
But for unknown reasons, not a single version of the machine was chosen, and a year later it was completely out of time for prototypes.
MAZ 2000 "Perestroika"
MAZ 2000 "Perestroika" (1988) - prototype main truck, which was distinguished by an original modular design: most of the units were located in front - the engine, gearbox, drive axle and steering. If necessary, any of the "passive" bogies was replaced by a similar set of units, allowing you to build road trains of any length and carrying capacity.
It was the first soviet car designed specifically for truckers. In the autumn of 1988, on Paris Motor Show this design was highly praised, but the prototype never made it into production, for obvious reasons.
The wrong country was called Honduras.
Of course, this is not the whole list. There were still a lot of interesting projects that remained in single copies. And even in the form of drawings.
Why were these projects not implemented? There are reasons for that. Soviet system again was imperfect, often it gave rise to brilliant projects and revolutionary ideas but immediately killed them. But there is an even more interesting category of Soviet cars.
HOME-MADE CARS
Why not? If you have a technical education, a pot cooks, and claws do not grow from your ass, so why not build your own own car? In the USSR it was quite possible.
In the 1960s, the well-known magazine Tekhnika-molodezhi led the movement of amateur automotive industry in the USSR. For 20 years, on the pages of the magazine, on TV screens, during many car runs around the country, dozens of home-made cars appeared before the eyes of millions of readers and viewers.
A huge thing in the popularization of the amateur automotive industry in the 80s was made by the program "It's You Can" (computer), which enjoyed popular attention. For each 45-minute broadcast, television received up to half a million letters (!!!).
Of all the projects of that time, I selected the most interesting ones.
"Pangolina"
Like the first products of Ford and Benz, the legend of the Soviet author's automotive industry - "Pangolina", was designed and built by almost one person. Alexander Kulygin. Unlike the amusing “Shelf” or “Ant”, Kulygin’s “Pangolin” was a full-fledged car, created by an experienced and talented designer.
The main structural material of the body was fiberglass. Work on the creation of the Pangolin body began with the formation of a master model - a plywood base for fiberglass. The main operations were carried out in Moscow. After Kulygin left for Ukhta, the master model was destroyed.
The process of adapting the body to the chassis of the VAZ penny took place in the city of Ukhta. The original engine from the VAZ 2101 was used as the engine - a forced alternative to the planned boxer engine, which never appeared in final version"Pangolins".
Connoisseurs claimed that Kulygin's inspiration was Lamborghini sports car Countach. This is indicated by the shape of the body and the original design of the mechanism for opening and closing doors - implemented in the form of a movable cap that captures part of the roof. A periscope prism was used as a rear-view mirror.
SUV "Neva"
"Neva" (~ 1988) - a home-made off-road pickup truck, designed in the 80s of the last century by residents of Strelna (St. Petersburg) Nikolai Yakovlev and Vladimir Kapusto.
The car, produced by the creators in two copies, was assembled on the units and assemblies of the GAZ-69 and UAZ-469 - transmission, chassis; GAZ-24 - suspension elements; VAZ-2101/03/21 - engine, gearbox, glass. The frame, body panels were made by the designers themselves from metal.
According to the creators, the cars showed excellent cross-country ability, easily overcoming obstacles that were beyond the power of, for example, Niva.
"Jeep" - a homemade car for travel
"Jeep" (1981) - a self-made car for travel, designed by ErAZ design engineer Stanislav Holshanosov (Yerevan, Armenia). The rear-wheel drive all-terrain vehicle was created on the principle of "simple and reliable", the design used space frame, sheathed with external panels of aluminum. The engine from the VAZ-2101 was used as a power plant, the car also got a gearbox, rear axle, electrics and headlights from the Zhiguli.
The designer made the front axle himself, cardan shaft was borrowed from the Volga GAZ-21 and modified, springs dependent suspension, appliances, windshield wipers and a gas tank went to the all-terrain vehicle from the UAZ-469.
Homemade car showed itself perfectly in the most difficult conditions operation, has always attracted the attention of the public, was awarded the first prizes in competitions and runs.
Universal cross-country vehicle of V. Bezrukov
V. Bezrukov's car (1984-87) - universal, rear wheel drive car off-road with a front engine, designed by V. Bezrukov (Elektrougli, Moscow region) on the basis of components and assemblies LuAZ-969 (rear axle, wheels), UAZ-469 (cardan shaft, suspension elements), ZAZ-968M (engine, gearbox transmission, electrical equipment), Moskvich-412 ( brake system) and other production vehicles. The body, frame, original door opening mechanism and much more were made by the author himself.
"Laura"
Gennady Khainov and Dmitry Parfyonov worked in a dilapidated building on the outskirts of, then, Leningrad. As a basis, a home-made welded frame made from ordinary water pipes was used.
The process of building a couple of cars (both designers wanted to have personal transport) stretched out over several seasons. In the cold season, work was underway on undercarriage, and in the warm - a glass-cloth case was glued.
The VAZ 2105 engine became the heart of the future car. Through the efforts of Khainov and Parfenov, the VAZ unit was connected to the gearbox produced by the Zaporozhye Automobile Plant, but nodes from the Niva were used as CV joints. All work was carried out only by hand.
As a result, the efforts of the authors of this project managed to create two original machines that could adequately represent Soviet car industry at the EXPO-85 exhibition. Cars developed speeds up to 170 km / h. In the cabin of "Laura" there was a unique electronic dashboard equipped with an on-board minicomputer.
As the latter, a conventional programmable calculator was used. The tandem of designers broke up in 1988. The fate of the original cars is different: one of the Lauras was dismantled for spare parts for the Laura 2 project, and the second was sold to one of the specialized museums.
Yuna - Soviet sports car
The inspirers of the Yuna project were the brothers Yuri and Stanislav Algebraistov, champions of the USSR in aircraft modeling sports. It was they who were engaged in the selection and installation of hardware. The Shcherbinin brothers joined the project a little later - at the stage of work on the design and creation of the body.
Unlike most author's cars, the Yuna project did not use an engine from a lawn mower, but a full-fledged unit from a scarce Volga GAZ-24. It was the GAZ-24 engine and transmission that influenced the final design and dimensions of the car body. The Shcherbinin brothers proposed to implement the body in the form of a sports two-seater coupe. It took only one year to develop the Yuna body layout.
After the final agreement on the parameters and calculations (in this matter, the Algebraistovs and Shcherbinins were helped by the engineers of the Moscow plant small cars) began to create a frame and a master model made of ordinary wood board. The body material was fiberglass, already familiar to Algebraic aircraft modellers. Even anatomical seats for the driver and passenger were made from this structural material.
Car "Katran"
Undoubtedly, the home-made car "Katran" by Alexander Fedotov can be considered one of the most famous representatives"Samavto". The car won its popularity by participating in many motor races and competitions of home-made designs.
Being engaged in aircraft modeling, and after water-motor sports, Alexander Fedotov gained invaluable experience, which he successfully applied when creating this interesting car.
Being a modeller by profession, Alexander began work on the Katran by making a model of the future car on a scale of 1:10. On it, he worked out many design options, layout and design solutions. And only having verified everything thoroughly, he began to manufacture a car in full size.
The base of the "Katran" is the bearing bottom with elements of the spinal frame, made of 2 mm steel. For the manufacture of the frame, Alexander invented and made a bending machine. A tubular frame is attached to the base, on which fiberglass panels are hung. The frame also serves as an element of passive safety.
The homemade engine is driven by the VAZ-2101 engine, docked through an adapter plate with the Zaporozhye checkpoint. Homemade car"Katran" is made according to the rear-engine scheme. With this arrangement, the front axle accounts for 47%, the rear axle - 53%, which is very good for a rear-engined vehicle. The car tenaciously clings to the road, which is also facilitated by a low center of gravity.
The use of a gearbox from "Zaporozhets" led to the fact that "Katran" has an independent suspension on all wheels. This favorably affected the comfort of passengers, and the cross-country ability of the car.
The comfort of a four-seater body is facilitated by anatomical chairs made by the author himself. "Katran" is made doorless. For entry and exit is a cap that folds up and forward. The hood is lifted using telescopic lifts.
The high thresholds of the car make it difficult to get in and out. To facilitate this procedure, steering column deviates to the right. For this, the steering gear was introduced universal joint. The parting line of the cap with the body made it difficult to use lowering side windows. Therefore, the side windows are made sliding. The task of interior ventilation helps to solve the rear window, which is lowered by means of an electric drive.
The gas tanks of the car are two 35-liter containers made from tanks washing machines. fuel tanks located in the compartment between the engine and the passenger compartment. Placing a gas tank inside the base is considered the safest solution in the global automotive industry.
Originally solved rear-view mirrors. With the help of the drive, they can hide in the front fenders. The shape of the upper part of the mirror body repeats the surface of the wing, the retracted mirror is flush with the wing.
Many years of operation of "Katran" and solid mileage proved the correctness of the technical solutions used in this undeniably exotic car.
This is VAZ 2103. VAZ ordered a restyling of the model from the designers of "Porche". And if the VAZ 2106 had not been ready, then this car would have gone to the conveyor.
VAH "X" 1990. Almost nothing is known about the car, and thank God. 
VAZ E1101. Development of Vazovskaya. Did not go to the conveyor. 1971 
VAZ 2151. 2003. It's very reminiscent of Fusion, isn't it? It was supposed to replace 2104. The price should have been no more than $ 4000 (!) 
An experimental version of the VAZ 2110. This is exactly what a dozen could become) 
VAZ 2108 "TARGA". 1988 It was built in a single copy, after which it was destroyed. 
Lada "GNOM" The author of the project was at that time a young specialist, and now the chief designer of AvtoVAZ Petr Prusov. 
Experienced Volga 3105. 
Experimental Volga 3105 (1987-1992) 
A certain Volga "Cardi" 
Volga "Universal". An interesting model., I think they could launch it) 
VOLGA GL 5000. Big name 
GAZ ATAMAN 
GAZ ATAMAN 2. The model looks much better than the first one. However, what for to do the second if the first is not started?! 
And another ATAMAN) 
GAZ 2169 KOMBAT. The concept car was first presented in the summer of 2000 at the Moscow International motor show car with design in GAZ-69 style built on a shortened chassis and using units of the "Ataman" model 
BLAME PT 1964. Promising taxi. There was a place for luggage next to the driver, a large (740 mm) right sliding door was opened by the driver from his seat. The VNIITE-PT body panels were made of fiberglass, the pedal assembly was adjustable. The Moskvich-408 engine was installed at the back, across. 
Muscovite IVAN KALITA. In general, the Muscovite released a lot of concepts. There were also Coupes at different bases. 
Moskvich 2142. 
Combi replacement. 
ZIL 4102. More like the American Lincoln. 
MAZ 2000 "Perestroika". Very interesting truck model. They say they sold it to the French. 
T-98. Armored SUV. Gathered in St. Petersburg. The price goes for 10000000 rubles. 
We all love our auto industry very much, we don’t have a soul in it. But at the same time, many of us are not aware of the opportunities that Soviet engineers and designers were endowed with.
And the possibilities were almost limitless. Below is a selection of rare, unique and simply unusual Soviet cars that you will never see with your own eyes ...
I am proud of Soviet engineers and indignant at Soviet officials who ruined many promising developments. And what a technological backlog was lost as a result of Perestroika - it's simply incomprehensible to the mind ... And we'll start with government projects in the automotive industry.
PROTOTYPES
GAZ-62 - our answer to the Americans 
GAZ-62 (1952) - a prototype of an army off-road vehicle, created to replace the Dodge 3/4, which had proven itself in the army during the war (which was supplied to the USSR under lend-lease).
The car had overall dimensions of 5000x2100x1800 mm and a wheelbase of 2850 mm, was designed to carry 12 people or 1200 kg of cargo, the maximum speed of the all-terrain vehicle was 85 km / h. A 6-cylinder 76-horsepower engine was used as a power unit. 
A number of progressive solutions for that time were used in the design of this car: to prevent the ingress of water, dirt and sand, the drum wheel brakes were sealed, rubber pads in the seals of the springs reduced the amount of maintenance. The all-terrain vehicle was distinguished by comfort: there was a powerful heater with a windshield blower, and the rear springs had variable stiffness, providing a high ride smoothness.
In addition to the main passenger version, a cargo modification of the car was also developed - GAZ-62A with an enlarged body and a horizontal spare wheel.
GAZ-62 passed all the necessary tests and in 1958 was demonstrated as a promising model of the Gorky Automobile Plant at the All-Union Industrial Exhibition in Moscow (later - VDNH), but for unknown reasons it was not put into production.
ZIS-E134 layout No. 1 
In the summer of 1954, the newly formed SCV ZIS, which initially numbered only 20 people, was given the task of creating a fundamentally new medium multi-purpose four-axle (8 × 8) ultra-high cross-country vehicle (aka the ATK-6 high-speed artillery tractor) with a payload capacity of 5 -6 t.
Since there was no experience in the development of such machines, in order to study the issues of increasing the cross-country ability of wheeled vehicles, as well as to assess the influence of individual design parameters on the cross-country ability, during July-August 1955, an experimental four-axle (8 × 8) truck ZIS-E134 layout was built No. 1. 
Experienced ZIL-E134 proved its worth. Practically not inferior to the caterpillar tractor in terms of cross-country ability and traction, it had a number of significant advantages - higher speed on the highway and a running gear resource, cheaper operation.
The conducted tests made it possible to identify areas for further research. Both the developer and the customer wanted to see a more advanced machine. According to the requirements of the military, its carrying capacity was to be at least 6 tons, the weight of the towed gun doubled.
Nevertheless, the invaluable experience gained in the design, construction and testing of the ZIL-E134 layout No. 1 gave confidence in the successful completion of the new task at a high technical level.
ZIS-E134 layout No. 2 
In order to determine the parameters and design solutions for a floating vehicle, on April 9, 1956, a prototype 8 × 8 ZIS-E134 layout No. 2 was built.
It differed from its predecessor in a displacement body, the absence of an elastic wheel suspension (based on the experience of testing the ZIS-E134 model No. 1), the presence of a water cannon (not installed immediately) with a swivel nozzle that performs the functions of a water rudder. The water jet impeller was borrowed from the PT-76 tank. In terms of the power plant, transmission, propulsion and control system, the new machine did not differ from the ZIS-E134 layout No. 1.
MAZ-505 
MAZ-505 (1962) - an experienced four-wheel drive truck with an onboard platform, created for the army. This model did not go into mass production, most likely giving way to another novelty of those years - the GAZ-66.
ZIL-132R - super truck for the agricultural industry 
The machine, created under the leadership of the lead designer A. I. Filippov in the department of the chief designer of the ZIL, headed by V. A. Grachev, had a number of interesting features. The chassis had a uniform placement of three (2100 + 2100 mm) axles along the base, the power unit (ZIL-130 engine, boosted to 165 hp) with a clutch and gearbox was located between the first and second axles, and a fiberglass cabin with steel doors - in front of the engine.
The transmission was carried out according to the n-shaped scheme, that is, with on-board distribution of the power flow so that the wheels of each side had a rigid (non-differential) kinematic connection with each other. The double-disk clutch was supplied with a hydraulic drive, and the mechanical 5-speed gearbox was equipped with a remote control.
The cylindrical differential of the inter-board transfer case was equipped with a locking mechanism. A power take-off mechanism with a hydraulic pump was mounted on the gearbox to drive a tipper body or fertilizer application equipment. 
The change in direction of movement was provided by turning the front and rear steered wheels due to the hydraulic system without a rigid connection between the front and rear steered axles.
Tires 16.00-20 with a diameter of about 1400 mm were installed on the car, which, in combination with an independent suspension, provided a ground clearance of 480 to 590 mm, a centralized tire pressure control system and ventilated disc brakes with a double-circuit hydraulic drive, which were not located in the wheel hubs, but on the final drives of the front and rear steered wheels.
Among the serial trucks ZIL-132 R at that time there was no equal. Moreover, the cross-country ability of the machine was so high that it competed freely, and in many cases even surpassed the caterpillar tractors used in the countryside.
But the car was built in a single copy.
ZIL-E167 - cross-country snowmobile 
ZIL-E167 (1963) is an experimental off-road wheeled all-terrain vehicle designed for use in complete off-road conditions in adverse climatic conditions. The machine was created using components and assemblies from the 135L chassis, which was practically ready by that time, the frame of which was additionally reinforced.
The super all-terrain vehicle was driven by two ZIL-375 engines of 118 hp each. each, the power was transmitted according to the onboard circuit. The engines were placed at the rear, for better cooling, air intakes were provided on the sides of the body. Huge wheels, shod in tires with a dimension of 21.00-28 and a diameter of 1790 mm on unique fiberglass (!) Prefabricated disks with metal elements, weighed almost three times less than their metal counterparts.
The ground clearance of the car with these wheels was 852 mm, the bottom was covered with steel sheets to protect the units and better glide through snow and mud. 
The cabin of the driver and passengers was also made of fiberglass; longitudinal seats were installed in the cabin. The cabin, borrowed from the ZIL-135L, and the interior were heated by independent heaters. Among other things, a winch with a pulling force of 7 tons was installed on the machine.
Suspension corresponded to that of 135L, drum brakes were actuated by a hydropneumatic system. During the tests, the car proved to be excellent, the maximum speed in winter on the highway was 75 km / h, on virgin snow 10 km / h. However, the all-terrain vehicle did not go into series, because due to the complexity of the transmission design, it was inferior in terms of maintainability to the GT-1 tracked tractor.
ZIL-49061 
ZIL-49061 is a three-axle all-wheel drive floating vehicle based on the ZIL-4906 all-terrain vehicle. It is part of the search and rescue complex "Blue Bird".
These amphibians were equipped with ZIL-131 engines with mechanical gearboxes; used independent suspension of all wheels, two propellers; the front and rear wheels were made steerable, and the connection between the two was provided by a hydrostatic servo drive, due to which the rotation of the rear wheels begins after the front wheels turn by an angle of more than 6 °. The solution for the brake mechanisms was very non-standard: they were disc brakes, but they were not located in the wheels, but in the body of the car.
The machines of the 490 complex have successfully passed the tests and have been mass-produced for many years. These "Blue Birds" are still serving in the Military Space Forces. There is no replacement for them. Two 4906s were sent to Germany during the floods that swept over it in the summer of 2002, where they were used very effectively to evacuate residents from flooded areas. In Europe, there was nothing like it, which caused the Germans a feeling of admiration and outright envy.
In addition, the ZIL-2906 was part of the Blue Bird complex. 
ZIL-2906 is a rotary auger snow and swamp vehicle carried on a cargo ZIL-4906. After the improvement, he received the index 29061. 
The swamp vehicle was equipped with two VAZ rotary piston engines with an onboard transmission scheme, the body and augers were made of aluminum alloy, and the cabin was made of fiberglass.
To this day, no other country in the world has such a unique complex, which, thanks to the ZIL-29061, has almost absolute all-terrain capability.
ZIL-4904 
The auger snow and swamp all-terrain vehicle ZIL-4904 was built in 1972 and is the largest in the world. Payload - 2.5 tons. However, he developed a very low speed - 10.1 km / h on the water, 7.3 km / h in the swamp, 4.45 km / h on the rafting, 10.5 km / h on the snow. 
Lightweight hollow or polymer-filled (for example, foam) augers allow the machine to float on water, cross such deadly places where any wheeled and tracked vehicles get stuck or sink.
However, since the augers are made of a hard material, usually non-ferrous metals, an auger-rotary all-terrain vehicle is completely unsuitable for paved roads. On asphalt, concrete and even rubble, such a car will have to be transported on a tow truck.
VAZ-E2121 "Crocodile" - an early prototype of the legendary Niva 
VAZ-E2121 "Crocodile" (1971) - an early prototype of the experimental VAZ-2121, with a frame and an open body, switchable front and rear axles. In the future, the design of the car was almost completely changed, in total two prototypes of this model were produced.
AZLK-2150 - a prototype of the off-road Moskvich 
AZLK-2150 is a light SUV from AZLK, created in the USSR in 1973, as part of a project to create a compact comfortable SUV. The aggregate part of the prototype was unified with the M-2140 model, which was planned for production at that time. In total, two prototypes of the M-2150 were created with canvas and hard tops.
The Moscow SUV turned out to be different in concept from the Niva, closer to the "classic" SUVs - with a separate spar frame, continuous axles and stiff springs.
In the competition of three plants (at AvtoVAZ - the future VAZ-2121 Niva, and at IZH-mash - Izh-14), AvtoVAZ won, having managed to create the most comfortable and competitive on the world market, although less "off-road" design. 
The military department became interested in the M-2150 prototype, formally an order was received from the Ministry of Defense for the production of 60 thousand vehicles per year at a plant in the city of Kineshma, but the matter never came to production.
VAZ-E2122 - an army SUV from Togliatti 
VAZ-E2122 (1976) - the first version of an experimental, floating off-road vehicle, developed by order of the USSR Ministry of Defense (initially, the project was created on the plant's own initiative). The car was designed using components and assemblies of the civilian VAZ-2121 Niva car, which was being prepared for production at the same time.
The E2122 differed from its counterparts primarily in its original design, which did not give out an amphibian in it, small size and maneuverability (for example, the turning radius on water and land practically did not differ). The sealed body allowed the car to move through the water at a speed of 4.5 km / h by rotating the wheels.
The 1.6-liter engine, permanent all-wheel drive, contributed to the good maneuverability of the car (on land and on water), which was not inferior to the “old man” UAZ-469 at all. From UAZ (for the purpose of unification), the prototype got a winch and a tow bar, at the request of the military, the bumpers were made as flat as possible, with lights recessed into them so that a car stuck in front could be pushed, the windshield and side door frames folded.
In addition, the "jeep" was equipped with two gas tanks, and the body structure provided for the installation of a stretcher. 
On the first version of the car, the awning did not have side windows, but during the tests it became clear that rear visibility was sorely lacking and they were included in the design.
However, the tightness of the body was badly affected by the temperature regime of the "Nivovsky" units, as a result of which they quickly failed, the light body could not withstand serious loads. But the customers still liked the prototype, it was decided to continue work and design the second version of the jeep.
VAZ-2E2122 - the second version of the floating jeep 
VAZ-2E2122 (1977) - the second version of the floating SUV for the army, created on the basis of the E2122 prototype. On this prototype, the VAZ designers tried to take into account all the wishes of the military department and get rid of the shortcomings of the first version: overheating of the engine and transmission, breakdowns in the exhaust system, poor visibility, and also worked out several other important points, such as the ability to start at low temperatures.
UAZ-452K - triaxial loaf 
UAZ-452K (1973) - an experimental sixteen-seater bus with a 6x4 wheel arrangement. Based on this bus, Medea resuscitation vehicles were developed for the needs of Georgian mine rescuers. There was also a variant with a 6x6 wheel formula, later in Georgia a small-scale production of reanimobiles was established from 1989 to 1994, approximately 50 units per year.
But this project was not buried - the car was produced from 1989 to 1994 by the Vezdekhod cooperative from the Georgian city of Bolnisi.
ZIL-4102 - the prototype of the last "membership" 
ZIL-4102 is a promising limousine that was supposed to replace the outdated five-seater ZIL-41041 sedan. In 1988, the sixth ZIL workshop produced two prototypes of the car.
The fundamental difference between the new model and other Soviet limousines was the lack of a frame, in connection with this, the ZIL designers had to do a lot of work to reduce the vibrations of the supporting body.
The new sedan was half a meter longer than the Volga, and weighed half a ton less than the ZIL-41041. Roof and floor panels, trunk lid, hood and bumpers were made of fiberglass.
NAMI-0284 "Debut" (1987) 
A car - a concept car, as they wrote then, "of an especially small class", was built with the prospect of using some solutions for a serial ZAZ car. 
The original body had good aerodynamics (drag coefficient Cx - 0.23). The Oka engines (VAZ-1111 and VAZ-11113) were installed on the car, and the MeMZ-245 was installed on a later version with a slightly modified finish ("Debut-II"). They also planned to test a car with turbocharged VAZ-11113 and MeMZ engines with a 16-valve block head. "Debut" was equipped with an electrovacuum clutch, a cruise control system.
AZLK 2142 "Moskvich" - an experienced sedan 
AZLK 2142 "Moskvich" (1990-96) is an experimental sedan created on the basis of AZLK-2141 and presented to the general public in 1990. The car was fully tested and practically ready for production, it was planned to send the car to the conveyor already in 1992, equipping it with a new Moskvich-414 engine. 
After the collapse of the USSR, the death of the then general director of AZLK V.P. Kolomnikov, these plans were not destined to come true, but the prototype was assembled with various engines for several more years. Moreover, a car that did not actually exist later served as the basis for the small-scale models "Prince Vladimir" and "Ivan Kalita" produced in small batches.
Project "Istra" 
AZLK-2144, "Istra" - an experimental car of the AZLK plant, created in the mid-late 1980s. It was made in a single copy around 1985-88, never mass-produced.
Notable for a number of unique solutions, including - duralumin body without a central pillar; two wide side doors opening vertically upwards; diesel engine running on rapeseed oil; night vision device and indication of instrument readings on the windshield; unique automatic transmission.
Istra was ahead of its time in many ways. At that time, this machine was much superior to its predecessors. 
The only model sample, previously kept in the AZLK museum, is now in the museum on Rogozhsky Val in Moscow.
UAZ-3170 Simbir 
In 1975, at UAZ, under the chief designer Startsev, development began, and in 1980 a demonstration model of the “off-road general purpose vehicle” UAZ-3170 “Simbir” was released. The car had a ground clearance of 325 mm and a height of 1960 mm - both parameters differed from the “469th” (215 and 2050 mm). The suspension was dependent spring.
The lead designer of the "HOOK" theme and the head of the test group was Alexander Sergeevich Shabanov. Military samples of the machine were tested and protected by the project in the Moscow Region in 1982-1983.
Subsequently, according to the results, the second version of Simbir was born - UAZ-3171 (1985-1987). 
Simbir 1990 army 
Simbir 1990 civil
NAMI-LuAZ "Proto" - the ghost of a Russian country road 
NAMI-LuAZ "Proto" (1989) - a prototype created in the Leningrad branch of NAMI as part of a competition announced by the Ministry of Autoselkhozmash, a team of designers and designers led by G. Khainov. The body was a metal frame, on which plastic panels were hung, which simplified repairs, improved the performance of the car.
The MeMZ-245 engine from Tavria was used as a power plant, the transmission was developed almost anew: a non-switchable cardan gear, a gearbox that drives and a plug-in front axle (without a transfer case).
Gearbox, front-wheel drive power take-off, front final drive were assembled in one block. Front suspension independent (McPherson), rear dependent (De Dion). The motor, along with the front suspension and radiator, was mounted on a removable subframe, which facilitated the repair and assembly of the car.
Salon "Proto" is designed for four passengers, the seats have been transformed, forming a single bed. The rear part of the roof was removed, it was possible to install an awning.
In parallel with the Proto, LuAZ developed its own version of the future car, which had serious differences, as part of the competition. 
LuAZ 1301 (1984/88/94) is a prototype of a light SUV, which was supposed to replace the outdated 969M model on the conveyor. The first version of the car was designed back in 1984 and was the same 969M with a new body.
The prototype of 1988 was distinguished by a frame-panel body (steel frame and plastic panels), pneumatic elements in an independent spring suspension, allowing you to change the ground clearance. The upgraded MeMZ-245 engine from Tavria was used as a power plant. 
The drive of all wheels is permanent, the transmission had a lockable center differential. The roof and sidewalls were removed, making it easy to convert a jeep into a pickup truck, and a soft top version was also planned. The rear door of the car was made of two sections - upper and lower, a spare wheel and a set of tools were placed in niches under the front seats, thus completely freeing the luggage compartment.
But for unknown reasons, not a single version of the machine was chosen, and a year later it was completely out of time for prototypes.
MAZ 2000 "Perestroika" 
MAZ 2000 "Perestroika" (1988) - a prototype of the main truck, which was distinguished by its original modular design: most of the units were located in front - the engine, gearbox, drive axle and steering. If necessary, any of the "passive" bogies was replaced by a similar set of units, allowing you to build road trains of any length and carrying capacity. 
It was the first Soviet car designed specifically for truckers. In the autumn of 1988, at the Paris Motor Show, this design was highly appreciated, but the prototype never got into production, for obvious reasons.
The wrong country was called Honduras.
Of course, this is not the whole list. There were still a lot of interesting projects that remained in single copies. And even in the form of drawings.
Why were these projects not implemented? There are reasons for that. The Soviet system, again, was imperfect, it often gave rise to brilliant projects and revolutionary ideas, but immediately killed them. But there is an even more interesting category of Soviet cars.
HOME-MADE CARS
Why not? If you have a technical education, cooks a bowler hat, and claws do not grow from your ass - so why not build your own car? In the USSR it was quite possible.
In the 60s, the well-known magazine Tekhnika-molodezhi led the movement of amateur automotive industry in the USSR. For 20 years, on the pages of the magazine, on TV screens, during many car runs around the country, dozens of home-made cars appeared before the eyes of millions of readers and viewers.
A huge thing in the popularization of the amateur automotive industry in the 80s was made by the program “You Can Do It” (computer), which enjoyed popular attention. For each 45-minute broadcast, television received up to half a million letters (!!!).
Of all the projects of that time, I selected the most interesting ones.
"Pangolin" 
Like the first products of Ford and Benz, the legend of the Soviet author's automotive industry - "Pangolina", was designed and built by almost one person. Alexander Kulygin. Unlike the amusing "Shelf" or "Ant", Kulygin's "Pangolin" was a full-fledged car created by an experienced and talented designer. 
The main structural material of the body was fiberglass. Work on the creation of the Pangolin body began with the formation of a master model - a plywood base for fiberglass. The main operations were carried out in Moscow. After Kulygin left for Ukhta, the master model was destroyed.
The process of adapting the body to the chassis of the VAZ penny took place in the city of Ukhta. The original engine from the VAZ 2101 was used as the engine - a forced alternative to the planned boxer engine, which never appeared in the final version of the Pangolin. 
Experts claimed that Kulygin was inspired by the Lamborghini Countach sports car. This is indicated by the shape of the body and the original design of the mechanism for opening and closing doors - implemented in the form of a movable cap that captures part of the roof. A periscope prism was used as a rear-view mirror.
SUV "Neva" 
"Neva" (~ 1988) - a home-made off-road pickup truck, designed in the 80s of the last century by residents of Strelna (St. Petersburg) Nikolai Yakovlev and Vladimir Kapusto.
The car, produced by the creators in two copies, was assembled on the units and assemblies of the GAZ-69 and UAZ-469 - transmission, chassis; GAZ-24 - suspension elements; VAZ-2101/03/21 - engine, gearbox, glass. The frame, body panels were made by the designers themselves from metal. 
According to the creators, the cars showed excellent cross-country ability, easily overcoming obstacles that were beyond the power of, for example, Niva.
"Jeep" - a homemade car for travel 
"Jeep" (1981) - a self-made car for travel, designed by ErAZ design engineer Stanislav Holshanosov (Yerevan, Armenia). The rear-wheel drive all-terrain vehicle was created according to the principle of "simple and reliable", the design used a space frame sheathed with aluminum outer panels. The engine from the VAZ-2101 was used as a power plant, the car also got a gearbox, rear axle, electrics and headlights from the Zhiguli. 
The designer made the front axle on his own, the driveshaft was borrowed from the Volga GAZ-21 and modified, the dependent suspension springs, instruments, windshield wipers and the gas tank went to the all-terrain vehicle from the UAZ-469.
The self-made car proved to be excellent in the most difficult operating conditions, always attracted the attention of the public, was awarded the first prizes in competitions and runs.
Universal cross-country vehicle of V. Bezrukov 
V. Bezrukov's car (1984-87) is a universal, rear-wheel drive off-road vehicle with a front engine, designed by V. Bezrukov (Elektrougli, Moscow region) on the basis of units and assemblies LuAZ-969 (rear axle, wheels), UAZ-469 ( cardan shaft, suspension elements), ZAZ-968M (engine, gearbox, electrical equipment), Moskvich-412 (brake system) and other serial vehicles. The body, frame, original door opening mechanism and much more were made by the author himself.
"Laura" 
Gennady Khainov and Dmitry Parfyonov worked in a dilapidated building on the outskirts of, then, Leningrad. As a basis, a home-made welded frame made from ordinary water pipes was used. 
The process of building a couple of cars (both designers wanted to have personal transport) stretched out over several seasons. In the cold season, work was underway on the undercarriage, and in the warm season, the fiberglass body was glued.
The VAZ 2105 engine became the heart of the future car. Through the efforts of Khainov and Parfenov, the VAZ unit was connected to the gearbox produced by the Zaporozhye Automobile Plant, but nodes from the Niva were used as CV joints. All work was carried out only by hand.
As a result, the efforts of the authors of this project managed to create two original cars that could adequately represent the Soviet auto industry at the EXPO-85 exhibition. Cars developed speeds up to 170 km / h. In the cabin of "Laura" there was a unique electronic dashboard equipped with an on-board minicomputer.
As the latter, a conventional programmable calculator was used. The tandem of designers broke up in 1988. The fate of the original cars is different: one of the Lauras was dismantled for spare parts for the Laura 2 project, and the second was sold to one of the specialized museums.
Yuna - Soviet sports car 
The inspirers of the Yuna project were the brothers Yuri and Stanislav Algebraistov, champions of the USSR in aircraft modeling sports. It was they who were engaged in the selection and installation of hardware. The Shcherbinin brothers joined the project a little later - at the stage of work on the design and creation of the body.
Unlike most author's cars, the Yuna project did not use an engine from a lawn mower, but a full-fledged unit from a scarce Volga GAZ-24. It was the GAZ-24 engine and transmission that influenced the final design and dimensions of the car body. The Shcherbinin brothers proposed to implement the body in the form of a sports two-seater coupe. It took only one year to develop the Yuna body layout.
After the final coordination of the parameters and calculations (in this matter, the Algebraistovs and Shcherbinins were assisted by the engineers of the Moscow plant of small cars) they began to create a frame and a master model made of ordinary wood board. The body material was fiberglass, already familiar to Algebraic aircraft modellers. Even anatomical seats for the driver and passenger were made from this structural material.
Car "Katran" 
Undoubtedly, the self-made car "Katran" by Alexander Fedotov can be considered one of the most famous representatives of "Samavto". The car won its popularity by participating in many motor races and competitions of home-made designs.
Being engaged in aircraft modeling, and after water-motor sports, Alexander Fedotov gained invaluable experience, which he successfully applied when creating this interesting car.
Being a modeller by profession, Alexander began work on the Katran by making a model of the future car on a scale of 1:10. On it, he worked out many design options, layout and design solutions. And only having verified everything thoroughly, he began to manufacture a car in full size. 
The base of the "Katran" is the bearing bottom with elements of the spinal frame, made of 2 mm steel. For the manufacture of the frame, Alexander invented and made a bending machine. A tubular frame is attached to the base, on which fiberglass panels are hung. The frame also serves as an element of passive safety.
The homemade engine is driven by the VAZ-2101 engine, docked through an adapter plate with the Zaporozhye checkpoint. Homemade car "Katran" is made according to the rear-engine scheme. With this arrangement, the front axle accounts for 47%, the rear axle - 53%, which is very good for a rear-engined vehicle. The car tenaciously clings to the road, which is also facilitated by a low center of gravity.
The use of a gearbox from "Zaporozhets" led to the fact that "Katran" has an independent suspension on all wheels. This favorably affected the comfort of passengers, and the cross-country ability of the car. 
The comfort of a four-seater body is facilitated by anatomical chairs made by the author himself. "Katran" is made doorless. For entry and exit is a cap that folds up and forward. The hood is lifted using telescopic lifts.
The high thresholds of the car make it difficult to get in and out. To facilitate this procedure, the steering column deviates to the right. To do this, a cardan joint was introduced into the steering drive. The parting line of the cap with the body made it difficult to use lowering side windows. Therefore, the side windows are made sliding. The task of interior ventilation helps to solve the rear window, which is lowered by means of an electric drive.
The gas tanks of the car are two 35-liter containers made from washing machine tanks. Fuel tanks are located in the compartment between the engine and the passenger compartment. Placing a gas tank inside the base is considered the safest solution in the global automotive industry.
Originally solved rear-view mirrors. With the help of the drive, they can hide in the front fenders. The shape of the upper part of the mirror body repeats the surface of the wing, the retracted mirror is flush with the wing.
Many years of operation of "Katran" and solid mileage proved the correctness of the technical solutions used in this undeniably exotic car.
We present to you a few interesting concepts, developed during the Soviet era, and unique cars that existed in a single copy.
As a rule, they were created to set speed records, sometimes "airplane" technologies were used in their construction. And some models were built by enthusiasts who worked alone or in small groups, and surprised the people with masterpieces that in many ways surpassed the products of the automotive industry.
GAZ-A-Aero
The serial GAZ-A, produced since 1932, was almost a complete copy of the Ford-A, but the GAZ-A-Aero, built in 1934, looked little like its predecessor. Engineer Alexander Nikitin, as part of his work “Investigation of car streamlining”, was able to reduce fuel consumption by about a quarter and increase the maximum speed from 80 km / h to 106 km / h.
For this, GAZ-A had to be overhauled, leaving only the chassis and engine the same. The body of steel sheets on a wooden frame was built on the basis of models tested in wind tunnel MAI. rear wheels were covered with fairings, the locks and steps were hidden inside, and the headlights were recessed into the fenders. The mass of the body remained almost unchanged: GAZ-A weighed 1200 kg, GAZ-A-Aero - 1270 kg. The width of the car remained the same - 1710 mm, and the length was 4970 mm with a wheelbase of 2620 mm.
Unfortunately the second World War forced Nikitin to stop research in the field of aerodynamics of cars, turning his attention to tank tracks, and the further fate of the only instance of GAZ-A-Aero is unknown.
"Victory-Sport"
The Pobeda-Sport sports car (GAZ-SG1), designed by aircraft engineer Alexei Smolin, was based on the chassis of the serial GAZ-M-20 Pobeda, but the boosted engine and aerodynamic duralumin body made it possible to achieve really high speed characteristics. GAZ-SG1 was the first Soviet sports car built in several copies. Most likely, there were five such machines. Three of them in 1951 were equipped with Rutz rotary superchargers and a two-chamber K-22 carburetor, which made it possible to increase the power of the modified Pobedov engine with a volume of 2487 cm³ to 105 hp, and speed - up to 190 km / h.
With its dimensions (length - 5680 mm, width - 1695 mm, height - 1480 mm, wheelbase - 2700 mm), the car weighed only 1200 kg. On cars of the Pobeda-Sport brand, three all-Union speed records were set and three championships of the USSR were won (1950, 1955 and 1956).
The ZIS-112, which appeared shortly after Pobeda-Sport, was also conceived as a sports car, but the designers faced a number of difficulties. serial engine ZIS-110 power 140 hp turned out to be rather weak for a body weighing 2450 kg, and it had to be replaced with an in-line 8-cylinder engine with a volume of 6005 cm³, the immodest dimensions and weight of which had a bad effect on the weight distribution of the car. The weighted front part constantly strove to take the ZIS-112 into a skid.
After a number of modifications (the base was reduced from 3760 to 3160 mm, total length- from 5920 to 5320 mm, the engine compression ratio was increased from 7.1 to 8.7 units, two more carburetors were added) engine power increased to 192 hp. at 3800 rpm, and the maximum speed is up to 210 km/h. But this did not save the clumsy ZIS. After the 1955 racing season, it was scrapped.
GAZ-torpedo
GAZ-Torpedo, which appeared in the same 1952 as the ZIS-112, was distinguished by higher maneuverability, although it was inferior to the brainchild of the plant. Stalin speed characteristics. Alexey Smolin abandoned serial GAZ-M-20 units, developing them and a new streamlined body with clean slate. New car turned out to be much easier than "Pobeda-Sport" with large dimensions(length - 6300 mm, width - 2070 mm, height 1200 mm). Its weight was 1100 kg.
Smolin settled on a forced "Pobedovsky" engine, already tested on the GAZ-SG1, with a volume of 2487 cm³ and a power of 105 hp with a Rutz supercharger, which allowed the car to accelerate to 191 km / h. Two All-Union speed records were set on the GAZ-Torpedo.
"Moskvich-G2"
The record racing car Moskvich-G2 was developed by designers I. Gladilin and I. Okunev and built at the MZMA in 1956. The Moskvich-405 engine developed power up to 75 hp. at 5600 rpm, which allowed the car with a curb weight of 660 kg to reach speeds of over 220 km / h. It set three all-Union records. In fact, "Moskvich-G2" almost did not differ from the previously built "Moskvich-G1", which in 1956 received the same engine and streamlined body, but it is believed that these are different models.
In 1959, the Moskvich-G2 was upgraded to participate in circuit racing, it was equipped with a 70-horsepower Moskvich-407 engine and a roll bar above the driver's seat. In this modification, the car was able to accelerate to 193 km / h. The driver E. Veretov, who drove the Moskvich-G2-407, became the winner in the class of cars up to 2500 cm³ at all-Union races in 1959. After 1960, Moskvich-G2 did not participate in the races.
The car "Yuna" by Yuri Algebraistov is one of the most famous "home-made" cars of the Soviet era. The construction of the car began in 1970, but for the first time Yuna left the garage only in 1982. Yuri's brother Stanislav and the Shcherbinins, who were fond of auto design, took part in the creation of the car.
Some components and assemblies were taken from the design of the GAZ-24 Volga production car, but a lot had to be done by hand. The body was completely independently developed and built: first, the frame was welded, then the base was glued from several layers of fiberglass and reinforcement was made from square pipes.
The car "lives", constantly being subjected to any alterations and improvements. So, recently the engine was replaced by a V6 from a BMW 525i, the body was modified, electric windows and headlights were installed, and devices from various foreign cars were installed. "Yuna" is still on the move and has covered more than half a million kilometers, taking part in many motor races and even acting in films ("Tests", Ukrtelefilm, 1987).
"Pangolin"
A striking example of Soviet "homemade" is the car "Pangolin" by Alexander Kulygin, which was released in 1980. The body was glued out of fiberglass according to a plywood master model, and upon completion of the work, all matrices were destroyed, excluding the possibility of a second copy of the Pangolin.
The engine of a car built on the basis of the VAZ "classics" was located almost in the cabin, immediately behind dashboard: a body shape that looked more like a Lamborghini Countach or a DeLorean than a masterpiece domestic auto industry, did not assume the front placement of the engine.
The original cap, which unites the doors and part of the roof, was driven by two pneumatic cylinders (a malfunction of this system once led to the fact that Kulygin could not leave the car on his own - unlike the Lamborghini doors, the Pangolin cap is not balanced). In the 90s, the body was modified (part of the roof was removed, additional beams were welded under the bottom) and repainted.
Despite the fact that the engine and other units were taken from VAZ production cars, the Pangolin, due to its light body and reduced aerodynamic resistance, surpassed them in speed characteristics, reaching speeds of up to 180 km / h. For the sake of obtaining license plates and permission to travel abroad, Kulygin had to make a number of compromises by changing the design of the car. In the 90s, the designer emigrated to the United States, and in 2004 he tragically died in an accident.
A homemade car built in the early 1980s by two enthusiasts - Dmitry Parfenov and Gennady Khainov - was, without exaggeration, a miracle of technology for its time. Despite the fact that some units were taken from production cars (VAZ-2105 engine, ZAZ-968 transmission), most of the Laura units were manufactured by the car's creators on their own. "Laura", the design of which began in 1982, was distinguished from the cars of those years by front-wheel drive (the first serial front-wheel drive Soviet car VAZ-2108 appeared only two years later). All instruments in the cabin were electronic. These devices (including the on-board computer) Parfyonov and Khainov also assembled on their own, using more than three dozen microcircuits.
In total, two five-seater Laura cars were built. Their curb weight was 1000 kg, fuel consumption at a speed of 120 km / h - 7.8 l / 100 km, top speed- 165 km / h.
The work of Gennady Khainov and Dmitry Parfenov, who built the Laura car, did not go unnoticed, and they were offered to lead a project to create prototypes of future cars - the Leningrad Advanced Modeling Laboratory Cars US. The first work in the "official" status was "Okhta" - a car that was supposed to be based on the VAZ-21083, but at the same time accommodate a large number of passengers, have good aerodynamic characteristics and be no larger than the Zhiguli in size.
Salon-"transformer" easily turned into a sleeping or dining area (the front seats turned 180 °, and the middle row was transformed into a table), "Okhta" could become a two-seat van or a seven-seat minivan.
Many of the solutions demonstrated at Okhta subsequently appeared on production cars - alas, foreign ones.
Okhta, which traveled around the world's car dealerships, once could not return: in the 90s, customs officers did not allow a car that was not registered in its homeland to pass without a duty. Customs warehouse - no the best place for the car, and a few years later Parfyonov managed to get it back in a very shabby condition. To date, little has remained of Okhta, and its restoration is a big question.
The Moskvich-2144 Istra concept was developed in 1985-1988. in the Department of Design and Experimental Works AZLK.
It was assumed that the body of the car, the layout of which was tested in a wind tunnel to achieve the best aerodynamic characteristics, would include duralumin panels and wide doors that open upwards. Electronic systems were supposed to regulate clearance air suspension and diagnose problems, displaying not only warnings, but also recommendations for troubleshooting. The car was provided with a three-cylinder multi-fuel turbocharged diesel engine with a continuously variable transmission.
The experimental small car NAMI-050 "Squirrel" was developed by NAMI together with the Irbit Motorcycle Plant. A two-cylinder engine with a volume of only 746 cm³ was supposed to provide fuel consumption of 5 l / 100 km. At the same time, Belka was designed to transport 4 people. The car was distinguished by an unusual layout: the front part of the body, together with the windshield, leaned back on hinges, providing access to the front seats, and the rear could be accessed through a single side door.
"Squirrel", the curb weight of which was 640 kg, could accelerate to 80 km / h. A lighter open prototype was also made (without doors and with an awning). In 1957, the Council of Ministers of the USSR considered the issue of serial production of Belka, but the choice was made in favor of the future ZAZ-965, the design of which was based on technical solutions tested on the Fiat 600.
VNIITE-PT
The main idea of the project VNIITE-PT (All-Union Scientific Research Institute of Technical Aesthetics Perspective Taxi) is the need to develop special vehicle for a taxi service that is safe, roomy, comfortable and agile. The concept was built using Moskvich car units and was successfully tested on Moscow streets, but never went into production.
Passengers (up to 4 people) got inside the "promising taxi" through a wide electric sliding door, the driver's seat was placed almost in the center between the front wheel arches (with a slight offset to the left), which provided him good review and freedom of movement. The platform with the car control pedals could change its position relative to the driver's seat. It is also worth noting the non-standard arrangement of the Moskvich-408 engine with a volume of 1358 cm³ and a power of 50 hp. With. - transverse, in the rear of the body.
