In the 53rd year at the Gorky Automobile Plant. Molotov, it was decided to develop a completely new model of a passenger car that would replace the legendary M-20 Pobeda, outdated by the standards of world automotive fashion, on the assembly line. The created design group under the leadership of A. Nevzorov at the end of the 53rd year began to develop the machine. The design developments of Ford, the “progenitor” of GAZ, had a strong influence on the development of the body of the new model. The design of the car was developed by Lev Eremeev.
On May 3, 1955, state tests of three samples of the Volga began - two with automatic transmission and one with a mechanical one. Part of the test was the Moscow-Crimea run and back. "Volga" must go where "Victory" took place, and tests have shown that it even surpasses its predecessor in terms of cross-country ability.
Starting from the earliest prototypes, the hood of the Volga was decorated with a figurine of a deer frozen in a dynamic pose. The choice of this animal as an emblem had deep heraldic roots - a deer has long been depicted on the coat of arms of Nizhny Novgorod. The stylized bonnet figure had the proportions and pose traditional for car emblems in the form of animals.
The figurine of a deer had some differences depending on the year of manufacture of the car, and among the drawn images of the prototypes there are those on which the deer is depicted as having separate antlers and a higher degree of detail compared to serial ones.
On all "Volga" with a nominally installed "deer" from the factory, in addition to the figurine itself, on the hood there was a long cast longitudinal molding, which is a sculptural continuation of the deer's legs, a transparent (not red) plastic stand and the so-called "boat" - a pointed end part of the molding encircling the stand.
From the very appearance of the Volga, her bonneted figure has become very popular; often there were cases of theft of a figurine from the hood of a car for the purpose of sale or a kind of "collection". Therefore, and also because of its high cost and, most importantly, injury risk, already at the end of the fifties, the deer figurine was no longer put on export cars and taxis, replacing it with a “drop” - a safety streamlined figure of an elongated shape. In 1962, all decorations from the hood of the Volga were removed - both the deer with a stand, and a drop, and a two-piece longitudinal molding.
Modifications of the Volga are divided into three main lineups. Colloquially: "with a star", "shark mouth" and "whalebone". In fact, the factory changed the base model index four times. Moreover, at the beginning of the production of a new modification, a significant number of so-called "transitional" models were produced each time.
The first serial "Volga" were painted with nitro enamel and made from Belgian steel.
Gas 21 (1 episode)
Gaz-21 "Volga" is a Soviet middle-class car, mass-produced at the Gorky Automobile Plant from 1956 to 1970. The factory index of the M-21 model, later (since 1965) - GAZ-21.
Cars produced from 1956 to November 1958 subsequently received the name "first series" (also "first issue", "with a star").
On October 10, 1956, the first three serial Volga GAZ-21s left the assembly line (and most likely left the small-scale pilot production).
In total, until the end of 1956, only five copies were produced. Mass production began only the following year, approximately from March-April. The main feature of the interior of the first series is the instrument panel without leatherette or spray finish and with a “low” lining of the receiver with loudspeakers located on top horizontally, covered with a metal grill. Moreover, it remained so until the end of 1958, that is, even after the transition to type II series cladding. In total, about 30 thousand cars of modifications of the 1st series were produced.
Sales market: Russia.
"Twenty-first" Volga (GAZ-21) became a landmark car of the Soviet era and to this day remains one of the best examples of the domestic automotive industry. Of course, during the development, the designers took into account the rich experience of foreign manufacturers, in particular, the influence of the American design school of the 50s is very noticeable. The car received a load-bearing body with a powerful front subframe, distinguished by a pronouncedly dynamic silhouette, high smoothness, and, most importantly, a level of comfort previously inaccessible to domestic models. The car was exported to 75 countries of the world. The very first GAZ-M 21G cars, belonging to the so-called "1st series", which is also called the "Volga with a star" (for the emblem on the radiator lining), rolled out of the gates of the experimental workshop on October 10, 1956. In total, until the end of 1956, only five copies were produced. Mass production began only the following year.
In addition to the impeccable exterior, the Volga also attracted with its interior. The front sofa (you can’t say it any other way) with a reclined back turned the salon into a real bedroom. In those years, not much attention was paid to the interior lining, so painted metal in the cabin was considered commonplace, and there is a minimum of plastic, but it has a pleasant “live” color that imitates ivory, and natural ingredients were used in its manufacture: gelatin, bone flour and lactic acid. A mandatory attribute was chrome trim, a large round clock with the inscription "Made in the USSR." The shift knob was on the steering column. There was a radio receiver with two ranges of LW and MW (long and medium waves) and a memory of stations implemented using mechanics; to power the radio tubes, a power supply unit was used that converts the direct current of the on-board network with a voltage of 12V into alternating 200V. In the taxi version, a meter was installed instead of a radio, and the front seat was divided into two parts for the driver and passenger, while the passenger part could be folded to form a luggage area. In total, about 30 thousand cars of the 1st series were produced.
During 1957, the Volga was produced with a modernized "Pobedovsky" engine in the GAZ-21B modification, which had a larger working volume due to the cylinder diameter increased to 88 mm, and with a compression ratio increased to 7.0 (2.4 l., 65 l. sec at 3800 rpm, torque 158 Nm at 1800 rpm). The engine was aggregated only with a three-speed manual gearbox. In the summer of 1957, preparations for the production of a modern overhead valve engine of the ZMZ-21A model were completed at the automobile plant, and approximately from July the conveyor switches to equipping cars with a new engine. These cars had a power reserve of 70 "horses", and the maximum speed was increased from 120 to 130 km / h. By order and for the first time for a domestic car, an automatic hydromechanical gearbox could be installed on the GAZ-21 Volga.
The design features of the car included a rear axle with a continuous one-piece cast crankcase, created on the basis of the ZIM GAZ-M-12 bridge by shortening the axle shafts and their casings. Before that, on the very first cars produced, a noisy rear axle with spiral bevel gears was installed, which was a modernized GAZ-69 rear axle. Lever shock absorbers and pivot front suspension were considered archaic solutions even at that time, but the latter is more reliable and resistant to heavy loads than the ball-bearing design. Interestingly, the car from the factory was equipped with a centralized lubrication system for front suspension units using special tubes and hoses that delivered lubricant to all injection points - it was enough to press the rod of a special pump. It was recommended to do this after driving through deep puddles and once every 100-200 km. The car received a clutch hydraulic drive from an outboard pedal, a three-bearing cardan shaft. The brake system included one circuit and drum brakes, while the front brakes have separate hydraulic cylinders for the brake pads, while in the rear brakes both pads are actuated by one common cylinder. The parking brake is transmission, with an exhaust lever under the instrument panel. The car received 15-inch wheels and tires 6.70-15 "(170-380) with an outer diameter of 72 cm.
The safety of the GAZ-21 was given no more attention than any other domestic car of that time. Volga received an automatic turn signal switch, but, for example, a windshield washer appeared only on cars of the next release. The car did not have seat belts - only some export modifications had places for their installation.
GAZ-21 is a legendary car of considerable interest as an object for restoration. The cars of the first series, which are considered the rarest, are especially valued. Given the presence of both restored copies in a more or less authentic form, and those that have undergone all kinds of tuning, as well as thoroughly worn out cars that require significant investments, the price range is very large.
Read completely4.9 / 5 ( 19 votes)
GAZ-21 "Volga" is a Soviet rear-wheel drive passenger car serving as a middle class sedan. The model was mass-produced at the automobile plant in the city of Gorky from 1956 to 1970. The prototype was the Ford Mainline. In order to conduct detailed studies of his automatic gearbox, the automobile factory bought a similar machine.
Already at the onset of 1954, they began to build prototypes of cars. They were equipped with an overhead valve power unit, which was an experiment, and there was also a hemispherical combustion chamber and a camshaft chain drive. It is worth mentioning that the latter did not show its best side, so it was not allowed for serial production. The entire range of GAZ.
Car history
Already in the next year, 1955, or rather on May 3, they began to test 3 cars at the state level. Two of them were with an automatic transmission, and one was with a manual transmission. As a test, the cars were to participate in the run from Moscow to the Crimea and back. As soon as the first tests passed, the plant received permission to produce drawings, and began to prepare for the production of machines.
The appearance of the GAZ-21 car on the domestic automotive market was a real breakthrough. Outwardly, it looked a bit like an American car, because there were also “shark fins”. The sedan began to be used in various structures, including the KGB.
In October 1956, the debut 3 GAZ-21 production vehicles were released. They had the presence of a lower-valve power unit bored out to 2.432 liters, the power of which was 65 horses. This modification received the marking "21B".
And next year the car was put on the conveyor. This gave the car its own overhead valve type power unit, the power of which increased to 70 horsepower. Until today, the car looks luxurious, despite the past decades. Today on the road you can meet a lot of foreign cars, which is understandable, since it goes everywhere.
However, the car many years ago, which embodied power, grace, prosperity and elegance, has remained the same and still knows how to attract people's attention. Of course, it is worth recognizing that there are already a considerable number of cars, which are much more powerful, which are far ahead of this Soviet-made car in terms of technical component.
However, the very consumption of this car does not meet environmental and current standards for a long time, which are associated with the ubiquitous struggle for energy saving, however, almost every motorist, if he sees such a car on the street, simply cannot help but come up and “feel” the hood of the car, or stroke roof or racks. In this article you can see a photo of the GAZ-21.
Exterior
The appearance of the GAZ-21 car can be called original, looking at its photo. Lev Eremeev, who was then an artist, created not only a unique look that fit perfectly with the fashion of past years, but also changed it for 14 years while this model was being produced.
It is very important that the car cannot be called borrowed, copied or plagiarized. Judging by the photo of the GAZ-21-10, the car was in line with the fashion that it was in previous years. The body of the car itself did not receive a single straight line, most of the details are rounded and patterned. It is clearly visible in the photo.
GAZ-21 third series Uniformity between series reached 100%. There was an opportunity to change the decor, using only a file in the right places, so that the details and elements could fit. However, we are talking about the already familiar unchanging massive swollen wings and a hood that has a roundness and a small hump along.
Interestingly, just this modification received frontal glass washer jets. The side of the car looks a bit curvy, partly due to its puffy shape and sloping front and rear lines. Given all these points, the GAZ-21 can be called a fairly large car.
Making the car more expressive are huge stampings, which can be found on the doors installed at the rear and on the wings. On the one hand, it seems as if it is lightning, and if you look differently - the hind legs of a predatory cat. Massiveness adds the presence of ground clearance GAZ-21 - 1,900 mm. It gives the impression of a sort of off-road vehicle.
This can be achieved by using native wide-profile tires, where the width is much smaller. As mentioned above, the ground clearance is simply amazing. However, if you remember at what time this car was produced, then everything falls into place. Then there were not many roads themselves, to tell the truth, and it was necessary to pass where today many SUVs simply cannot pass.
Chrome will not spoil the Volga, because it is almost everywhere here, and from the factory. It can also be found in comfortable door handles for a standard grip and with a button. It can also be seen in small stripes at the bottom of the doors and along the edges of the windows. It’s just impossible not to mention the large saucers of wheel covers.
Provided from the factory and the presence of export chromium, which was put only on certain cars. There it was possible to meet the belt window sill line of the molding, the chrome drain, the windshield edging, the arrows on the wings and the name "Volga". Rear-view side mirrors are absent here, however, as in any series.
Among the distinguishing features of the 3rd series, one can also distinguish the drains - here they reach the beginning of the wing, which is not easy to find in the debut and 2nd series. In general, the 3-series turned out to be the fastest, thanks to its complex innovative external materials. At the rear, there is a large, prominent luggage compartment with a lid that extends to the top of the bumper.
Lanterns learned the vertical direction, and can be transferred to any previous modification. They were deprived of a heavy salary, only a thin rim around the edges, made of chrome, remained. The luggage compartment lid itself is not installed in a vertical position at a high height, which leads to a forced bending of the back during unloading and loading.
But this does not adversely affect the loading of luggage into a fairly stowable luggage compartment. We allocated a place for a spare tire on the right side, and tools can be installed between the wheel and the trunk wall, which then will be better fixed and will not drive all over the bottom.
As for the crooked starter and rack jack, their installation does not take up usable space, since there is room for them from the factory. The bird, which found its place on the lid of the luggage compartment, inside which was the button to open the same lid, changed along with other changes.
And yes, it’s worth recognizing that there are also fins here, which speaks of the American style, but it makes no sense to say that the Gorky Plant “stole” this idea, because at that time this stylistic decision could be found on many cars, such was fashion.
GAZ-21 first generation The design staff of the GAZ-21 was able to design a car that can attract attention with its original appearance, despite forty years of "experience". With the help of accurate calculations of power parts, it was possible to make high body strength.
Moreover, the Volga car was distinguished by increased resistance to corrosion with the help of a specialized “phosphating” body treatment. If we talk about the degree of the body painting of the car itself, then some models do not need to be repainted even today.
Interior
The GAZ 21 interior itself can be described in a few words, without going into details - it is huge, comfortable and quite pleasant. However, it is simply not possible to remain silent about many of its features. Landing is carried out in the car without any problems, which is achieved in part by comfortable door handles.
There is no need to lower your head. When landing, you find yourself on a rather big and soft sofa, which can be seen in the photo. Many people already know that this model of the plant received a single front seat, which, if necessary, lowers and moves towards the steering wheel. If we talk about the seat, then it is quite soft here, thanks to the installation of internal springs.
front sofa Nothing constrains the body, so you can sit down as you like, because seat belts were not provided even from the assembly line. However, if you move a little closer to the steering wheel, then it will cause a little discomfort, because then they didn’t know anything about steering column adjustment. If anything, you can wind the ribs on the steering wheel.
However, there is a nice bonus - the gearbox is controlled using a lever that can be found on the steering wheel. It turns out that even three people can sit in front, because there is no wings. Seated passengers in front will be quite comfortable, because the legs can be placed where it will be convenient.
Speaking about the dashboard, it is necessary to talk only about the famous transparent hemisphere of the speed sensor with an arrow layout, which stands out against the general background. There are fuel gauges and an ammeter, and under them on the left side you can find the setting for air, light and stove flows. The lever for opening the front hood was placed on the floor.
The steering wheel is large and slim, there's a chrome high/low horn button, and a small medallion with an ornate animal. Taking it in your hands, you can’t say that it is uncomfortable, although it is not as comfortable as foreign cars. However, there were some drawbacks here - time passes, and they begin to turn yellow, crack and collapse. It’s not so convenient to work with them, but it’s a matter of habit.
To the left behind the "steering wheel" there are turn signals, which, of course, do not have automatic return, as well as a manual gearshift lever. They are not large, but it is quite convenient to work with them, you don’t have to reach out, everything is nearby, which undoubtedly pleases.
To the right are water and oil level sensors, an ignition lock and a suction. I was pleased that even in such a car there is an unusual thing for many - a plug. In addition, it is working, and the car has a flashlight from the factory, which can be turned on during operation as additional lighting.
The dashboard center also has a native tube radio, which operates in three frequency bands. Today, there is no one to surprise with cruise control, but even in the USSR there was cruise control. The small, round lever between the ashtray and the tube radio is manual throttle.
After setting the speed, you need to pull the lever towards you and take your foot off the accelerator pedal - then the GAZ 21 Volga car continues to move on, you just need to steer. Massive clock, where there is a proud inscription: "Made in the USSR", shows the time, starting from that time.
To let them down, a mechanism was provided under the torpedo. The glove compartment in the Volga turned out to be small. The torpedo in the cars of the debut modifications was not upholstered on top, which is why the rays of the sun often glared on the windows, which forced the drivers themselves to paste over the surface with leatherette. Later, they began to cover the surface already from the conveyor.
The salon was so comfortable and spacious, and the sofa was soft, that you could even spend the night in the car without any discomfort.
The back row also has a huge space and a soft landing. There is enough free legroom, three passengers can sit comfortably without discomfort. Even the floor-mounted transmission tunnel wasn't that huge and didn't stand out too much in the cabin. In order to move around, as well as to make a convenient boarding and disembarking of passengers, handrails were provided attached to the front sofa.
Rear sofa As a comfort here, on the second row, you can find only an ashtray. However, such soft sofas and a large free space make it possible to use this car as a means for long-distance trips - there is no need for camping or tents, there is a comfortable sleeping place.
All you need is to lay out the front sofa and you can relax. The right B-pillar has a small interior light switch and compact coat hooks. The volume of the luggage compartment was 170 liters of usable space.
Specifications
power unit
This beauty was equipped with an in-line four-cylinder ZMZ 21 carburetor power unit, the volume of which is 2.5 liters. This allows you to develop a power of 75 horsepower. Among its features, the lower system can be distinguished - the camshaft was installed in the lower part of the block, and the valves operate through specialized rods.
It also has wet cast iron sleeves (and the block itself is made of aluminum) - it does not need to be bored. All that is needed is to replace the piston group along with the liners. The motor turned out to be quite reliable, it has a negative attitude towards high speeds, however, low speeds allow it to carry large loads, including a trailer.
The carburetor has the name K124, as well as a special window that allows you to find out the amount of fuel inside it. The engine has a considerable appetite. In front of the power unit, an element necessary for winter was installed - blinds. First, on a cold engine, they need to be closed, then you start it and wait until it warms up.
After, it is very important not to forget to open it, otherwise it will just boil, because from the very beginning the car had a water cooling system. The engine consumes about 13.5 liters per 100 km in the combined cycle. The maximum speed is at the level of 130 km / h.
Transmission
The developers have synchronized an unusual power unit along with a 3-speed manual gearbox with a switch mounted on the steering wheel. The box has its moments, such as the lack of a synchronizer for forward and reverse, therefore, a double clutch release was required.
700 cars were produced with an automatic transmission, but they could not take root due to poor maintenance and the fact that there was simply no right hypoid oil.
Suspension
Ahead, they decided to install an independent spring suspension. Until 1960, a centralized suspension lubrication system was used, but the latter was very complex and often stained on the road. Therefore, there is a need for frequent lubrication. Also in front you can see the anti-roll bar.
The third series made it possible to have telescopic shock absorbers on the sedan instead of outdated lever ones. The rear of the car had a dependent suspension with a split axle on longitudinal springs, where there were telescopic shock absorbers. The disadvantage of this bridge is that after the separation of the stockings, it is very difficult to assemble them, mainly to expose the contact patch.
Steering
It was deprived of amplifiers and obsolete kingpins were used. The steering column was not adjustable. There was a pendulum mechanism.
Brake system
The brake system is the presence of drum mechanisms, where there is no pedal booster. They did not forget about the parking brake, which was located on the gearbox, as in all previous cars.
It is logical that due to this the cardan transmission is blocked. It was not without a fly in the ointment, because when a sedan has one wheel on the pavement, and the second on a wet or slippery surface and uphill, it can go.
| Body | 4-door sedan (GAZ-22 modification - 5-door station wagon) |
| Number of doors | 4/5 |
| Number of seats | 5 |
| Length | 4770 mm |
| Width | 1695 mm |
| Height | 1620 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2700 mm |
| Front track | 1410 mm |
| Rear track | 1420 mm |
| Ground clearance | 190 mm |
| Trunk volume | 170 l |
| Engine location | front longitudinally |
| engine's type | carbureted, 4-cylinder, with an aluminum cylinder block and wet cast-iron sleeves, overhead valve |
| Engine capacity | 2432 cm3 |
| Power | 65/3800 l. With. at rpm |
| Torque | 167/2200 N*m at rpm |
| Valves per cylinder | 2 |
| checkpoint | 3-speed with 2nd and 3rd gear synchronizer |
| Front suspension | independent lever-spring |
| Rear suspension | dependent spring |
| Front brakes | drum |
| Rear brakes | drum |
| Fuel consumption | 9 l/100 km |
| Max Speed | 120 km/h |
| type of drive | rear |
| Curb weight | 1460 kg |
| Acceleration 0-100 km/h | 34 sec. |
Advantages and disadvantages
Machine advantages
- High-quality body "Volga";
- High corrosion resistance with structural steel phosphating;
- High-quality painting;
- Low cost and ease of interchangeability of elements and parts;
- Pleasant appearance;
- Good aerodynamics of the car;
- Good engine;
- High ground clearance;
- A rather large volume of the luggage compartment;
- Spacious salon;
- Comfortable and soft sofa set in front and behind;
- There is a radio;
- Good dynamic characteristics;
- Soft suspension that allows you to swallow most of the bumps and pits;
- Rich story;
- The use of modern technologies in the creation of the suspension.
Cons of the car
- An outdated engine that has not undergone any changes;
- Most of the details in the design are simply outdated;
- Large mass of the car;
- The automatic transmission did not catch on;
- Lack of hydraulic boosters in the steering and brake system mechanisms;
- Unreliable parking brake;
- Unjustified centralized lubrication system;
- Unsuccessful design of the 3-speed manual gearbox;
- There are no seat belts;
- The steering column is not adjustable;
- Small adjustments to the front sofa.
Summing up
After getting acquainted with such a “work of art”, only pleasant memories remain. If it is capable of being liked today, it is hard to imagine what a stir it caused in 1957. The car had smooth rounded lines and outlines, a pleasant appearance and "shark fins" popular in those days.
The car "Volga" GAZ-21, as well as "Victory", has long been a legend. This is a car from the times of espionage passions and fashionable, but forbidden in those years, rock and roll. Remember the movie "Beware of the Car"? Its main character, Yuri Detochkin, stole exactly the 21st Volga ...November 21, 1953 designer Alexander Mikhailovich Nevzorovand designer Lev Eremeev began to develop a project for a new Soviet car GAZ-21,and the following year, its first prototypes were assembled ..
To be precise, the factory index of the model was originally designated GAZ-M-21, and only later (since 1965) as GAZ-21. They were equipped with an experimental overhead valve engine with a hemispherical combustion chamber and a camshaft chain drive (it proved to be not so hot as it did not go into mass production).
Two transmissions were developed for the new car - automatic and manual. Both were three-tiered. The main gear at first was not hypoid, as on models released after 1957, but conical. The car had an independent front suspension with linkage hydraulic shock absorbers. Rear, common, independent on longitudinal semi-elliptical springs. Tires 6.70-15. A chrome-plated deer soared from the hood of the car.
A wide molding went from it in the center of the hood to the windshield. Radiator cover with 10 vertical holes. The rear lights included parking lights, brake and direction indicators - three in one red diffuser and a reversing light in a steel chrome frame.
Volga began to be equipped with a tri-band radio as standard equipment. The exception was taxi modifications - 21A (later 21T). In a taxi, instead of a solid front sofa, they put two separate chairs. There was no cigarette lighter in these modifications. Large round clocks with the inscription "Made in the USSR" were installed on all versions of the car.
On May 3, 1955, state tests of three samples of the Volga began - two with automatic transmission and one with a mechanical one. Part of the test was the Moscow-Crimea run and back. The Ogonyok magazine wrote in July: “A few tens of kilometers from Simferopol, on the territory of the state farm“ Path to Communism ”, in a thick thicket of bushes lies an abandoned clay road. It seemed unnatural to see a beautiful car, born for high speeds, floundering in deep ruts of flimsy mud "Scattering columns of water, he jumps over swollen ditches, climbs out of the sucking sand. The Volga must pass where the Pobeda passed, and tests have shown that it even surpasses its predecessor in cross-country ability."
I hope you remember the chase scene...
The production of the GAZ-21 on the conveyor was timed to coincide with the World Festival of Youth and Students, which was held in Moscow in the summer of 1957. On the "Volga" of the first issue, the front lining was made in the same style as on the "Pobeda" of the last series (1955-1958) - three horizontal chrome bars. The upper beam was laid along the hood, and the lower one was closed along the edges with direction indicators. The composition was crowned with a five-pointed star. A motorist who did not particularly distinguish between modifications said so: "Volga with a star".
The appearance of this lining on the machines of the first series is a separate story. Marshal Zhukov did not like the design of the front of the car at the obligatory demonstration of experimental cars in the Kremlin. An urgent directive was given to the plant from Moscow: to redo it. Remade. The marshal's star could not fail to please. In 1958, when the commander fell into disgrace, a new directive came - to remake. By that time, about 31 thousand "Volg with a star".
The car received its own engine only in 1957. It was an overhead valve motor. In 1962, the Volga became the car of the 60s. For this, there were enough cosmetic changes. The body itself remains the same. But its silhouette has lost the heaviness of previous modifications. The fangs are gone from the bumpers. The bumpers themselves have become more elegant. Now only their upper part was covered with chrome, and the lower part, the apron, was painted in body color. The front bumper has become wedge-shaped in plan. Instead of 16 wide holes, 36 narrow holes appeared in the radiator lining. In driver's slang it was called "whalebone".
With the cladding, new marker lights were integrated into the sidewall of the wing. The rear lights lost their steel casing, they, together with the reflector, were cast from plastic. A new license plate light on the trunk takes the form of a soaring seagull.
A longitudinal molding and a deer figurine were no longer installed on the hood, which caused serious injuries when hitting pedestrians, but more often became a victim of vandalism. The new emblem on the hood was borrowed from the Seagull. The only difference is that her chrome frame had two horizontal wings. The pomposity of past years has been replaced by lightness and swiftness. The car visually began to be perceived as completely new. About the deer and "reindeer breeders" a little more in detail:
The famous deer that adorned the hood of the Volga in the first and second series was not used in the final series, which is explained not only by concerns about pedestrian safety. He became a real magnet for thieves who plucked deer from cars. Therefore, due to its high cost and, most importantly, injury risk, already at the end of the fifties, the deer figurine was no longer put on export cars and taxis, replacing it with a “drop” - a safety streamlined figure of an elongated shape.
In 1962, all decorations were removed from the hood of the Volga - a deer with a stand, a drop, and a two-piece longitudinal molding. There is evidence that the traffic police sometimes forced the owners of the first or second issues to remove deer during the technical inspection.
There is another reason: during rain, streams of water, hitting a deer, flew straight to the windshield, which made it difficult to see while driving. But the owners of the GAZ-21 still planted deer on the hoods of their cars. They bought them at auto parts stores.
The front suspension has also undergone changes - instead of lever shock absorbers (Pobedov's scheme), they began to install telescopic ones. The suspension has become stiffer. The fabric upholstery of the ceiling was replaced with a washable one made of artificial leather. The basic model received the designation 21L - this is exactly what Detochkin will steal from Dima Semitsvetov "Beware of the car").
In the same 1962, the lineup was replenished with a 5-seater station wagon GAZ-22 with a horizontally divided rear door. With the rear sofa folded down, the car could carry bulky goods weighing 400 kg. On its basis, an ambulance was produced - GAZ-22B.
In 1965, Eldar Ryazanov filmed Beware of the Car. And at the same time, the Gorky plant carried out the last modernization of 21 models. Spars were reinforced in the car, more efficient heater and windshield wipers were installed. The front wheel hubs began to be equipped with roller bearings instead of ball bearings. The base model with a 75-horsepower engine received an index of 21P, a taxi - 21T, a station wagon - 22V, an ambulance - 22D. The top models were 21US and 21C. The price of the most expensive export modification 21C (85 hp) was 6455 rubles in 1965. A car with a two-tone body cost as much as 270 rubles more.
The last Volga left the assembly line on July 15, 1970. This car of modification 21US with body number 334312, painted in anthracite color, took a place in the exposition of the factory museum. In total, from 1956 to 1970, 638875 GAZ-21 and GAZ-22 cars were produced.
GAZ-21 right-hand drive:
Yes, there were even such models. True, it was all in vain. Even the right-hand drive and the absence of a star on the grill did not make the Volga popular in England, and in the West, in general. The Belgian importer Scaldia Volga even experimented and installed economical diesel engines from Peugeot and Rover under the hoods of the GAZ-21, but this did not add popularity to the car either.
The point, in many respects, was that the Volga was somewhat large and voracious for Western countries. And its advantages, such as smooth running and comfortable driving on bad roads, were not particularly appreciated there, since there were no problems with this. But on the other hand, its obvious advantages were appreciated by people from the closest Scandinavian countries in terms of climate, as well as from Greece, which was “famous” for its bad roads.
GAZ-21, slightly modified by the Italian automobile studio Ghia. The biggest changes were made to the radiator grille. It is unlikely that the Italians will take up the revision of modern Russian cars, and the Volga at that time was even honored with such an honor:
Generally speaking, the Volga, despite the rather pleasant reviews, has not achieved much popularity in the west. The reasons were very different. One of them was the much-disliked star on the grille, which hinted at the origin of the car. Not all Western countries treated the USSR well in those years, since they saw a communist threat in it.
On this, with the technical side in the style of "gallop across Europe" after watching the videos, we will end.
And we will talk about three separate copies and artistic creativity in the next part.
TO BE CONTINUED...
| GAZ-21 | |
| Specifications: | |
| body | 4-door sedan (GAZ-22 modification - 5-door station wagon) |
| Number of doors | 4/5 |
| number of seats | 5 |
| length | 4770 mm |
| width | 1695 mm |
| height | 1620 mm |
| wheelbase | 2700 mm |
| front track | 1410 mm |
| rear track | 1420 mm |
| ground clearance | 190 mm |
| trunk volume | 170 l |
| engine layout | front longitudinally |
| engine's type | carbureted, 4-cylinder, with an aluminum cylinder block and wet cast-iron sleeves, overhead valve |
| engine capacity | 2432 cm3 |
| Power | 65/3800 hp at rpm |
| Torque | 167/2200 N*m at rpm |
| Valves per cylinder | 2 |
| KP | 3-speed with synchronizer 2nd and 3rd gear |
| Front suspension | independent, lever-spring |
| Rear suspension | dependent spring |
| shock absorbers | |
| Front brakes | drum |
| Rear brakes | drum |
| Fuel consumption | 9 l/100 km |
| maximum speed | 120 km/h |
| years of production | 1956-1970 |
| type of drive | rear |
| Curb weight | 1460 kg |
| acceleration 0-100 km/h | 34 sec |
GAZ-21 "Volga" is a Soviet car with a sedan body. Until 1965, it was called the GAZ-M21 Volga. It was mass-produced from 1956 (until 1958 in parallel with the GAZ-M20 Pobeda) to 1970. The total output of GAZ-21 of all modifications is 638,798 copies (according to the serial number of the last car that rolled off the assembly line). Became the most successful car of domestic development for all the years of the existence of the USSR.
History of creation
The development of the car began in 1952. At first, work was carried out on two independent projects GAZ-M21 Zvezda and GAZ-M21 Volga. The first project was led by the artist John Williams, the second - by Lev Eremeev. In 1953, mock-ups of two machines were built. Williams' project looked more advanced, but Eremeev's car was more in line with the realities of that time. In the further development of the future car, the project of Lev Eremeev was adopted. In the same 1953, A. Nevzorov was appointed the lead designer of the GAZ-M21, who worked under the supervision of the chief designer of the Gorky Automobile Plant N. Borisov.
At the end of winter or early spring of 1954, the first prototypes of the future Volga were ready and entered for preliminary tests. On May 3, 1955, three cars - cherry red (prototype 1), blue (prototype 2) and white (prototype 3) - left the gates of the Gorky plant and went to state acceptance tests. Together with them, other domestic cars and foreign-made cars of the same class as the Volga were tested. All prototypes differed from each other in details, two of them were equipped with an automatic transmission, one with a manual one.
The vehicles have been tested in a wide variety of road conditions and have shown good results. The new car was more economical and more dynamic than the Pobeda, outperformed the outdated ZIM in terms of dynamics, and was ahead of foreign analogues in terms of reliability and cross-country ability. In addition, the Volga favorably differed from foreign-made cars with a harmonious design.
Photo: In 1954, the construction of prototypes of the GAZ-21 began
In May 1955, the Gorky plant produced another, fourth copy of the Volga. It was transferred to the Murom Radio Plant for debugging the A-9 radio receiver, which was equipped with the car (in some versions). In the summer of 1955, all but the first prototypes were slightly upgraded, receiving a new radiator grille (with a star).
The first series of five cars was assembled at the plant in October 1956. On October 10, 1956, the first three Volgas, which can be called serial, left the factory gates. Five new machines joined prototypes 1,2 and 3 to take part in extensive testing at the end of 1956. These five production vehicles were equipped with engines from the GAZ-M20, boosted to 65 hp. for installation on the export version of the GAZ-69 jeep. Cars were equipped with manual transmissions. The final tests of the Volga took place in taxi companies under conditions of intensive use, which made it possible to quickly eliminate many of the “childhood diseases” of the new car.
Modifications of the GAZ-M21 within the "issues"
The GAZ-M21 Volga car of the first "release" was produced from 1956 to November 1958. Until the end of 1957, it was equipped with a lower valve engine with a displacement of 2.42 liters (2420 cc), with a power of 65 hp. at 3800 rpm. Borrowed from Pobeda, this engine was boosted by increasing the working volume (cylinder bore) and compression ratio. In total, 1100 copies of the Volga were produced with such an engine.
GAZ-M21G - in addition to the forced engine from the GAZ-M20, Pobeda was equipped with a rear axle borrowed from the ZIM car with shortened axle shafts and their casings. A distinctive feature of all cars of the first "release" is the "plus" of the electrical equipment system brought to the body.
GAZ-M21B - a car with a boosted engine from Pobeda, a modification for a taxi with a simplified finish. GAZ-M21 - produced since 1957 with a new engine ZMZ-21 of the Zavolzhsky Motor Plant (specially built for the production of "Volgovsk" engines). The engine had a working volume of 2.445 liters and a power of 70 hp. The motor was an overhead valve, entirely aluminum (the main parts are the crankcase, cylinder block, pipes) and for its time it was distinguished by many progressive solutions. Also, a three-speed automatic transmission with a torque converter was installed on the modification under the M21 index.
GAZ-M21V - a serial car with a ZMZ-21 engine.
GAZ-M21A - a taxi with a ZMZ-21 engine (based on the GAZ-21V).
GAZ-M21D - export modification with forced up to 80 hp. engine and manual gearbox. The design is complemented by a belt chrome molding.
GAZ-M21E - export modification with an 80 hp engine. and automatic gearbox.
The GAZ-M21 car of the second "release" was produced from 1959 to 1962. The "issue" of 1958-1959 is considered transitional. The changes were introduced gradually and concerned the design of the body, the increase in the wheel arches of the front fenders, the change in electrical wiring (“polarity reversal” in 1960, “minus” was applied to the body, which reduced current losses and the intensity of metal corrosion). The total volume of production of cars of the second "release" amounted to 160 thousand copies.
GAZ-M21I - the base model.
GAZ-M21A - taxi.
GAZ-M21 - a car with automatic transmission. It is not known whether it was actually produced (there is no information about this).
GAZ-M21E is another modification with automatic transmission, released in a very limited series.
GAZ-M21U - luxury modification with improved finish, but with a conventional engine.
GAZ-M21K - export modification with a 75 or 80 hp engine. and additional trim elements (chrome inserts). The GAZ-M21 car of the third "release" was produced from 1962 to 1970. The car received a new grille of 37 chrome vertical plates. The deer figurine and molding disappeared from the hood (the deer was not always installed on cars of the second "release" - it was removed for security reasons). The number of chrome decorative parts has been reduced. Body lines have become smoother and more harmonious. The modification with automatic transmission was removed from the production line, the lever shock absorbers were replaced with telescopic shock absorbers, it was increased to 75 hp. engine power for the basic serial modification. The total volume of production of cars of the third "release" amounted to 470 thousand copies.
GAZ-M21L - the main serial sedan.
GAZ-M21L - export modification.
GAZ-M21U - modification "luxury", differed from the serial car with moldings on the wings.
GAZ-M21T - a modification of a taxi with separate front seats. The passenger front seat folded down to make room for cargo.
In 1962, on the basis of the GAZ-M21, the GAZ-M22 car with a station wagon was created and put on the conveyor. It was produced in various versions - as a "civilian" general purpose vehicle, as an "ambulance", an aircraft escort vehicle for airports, and so on.
At the same time, a small series of GAZ-23 cars was produced - a high-speed modification of the GAZ-M21 with a power unit from the GAZ-13 "Seagull" (automatic transmission, 8-cylinder engine with a capacity of 160, and later 195 hp). This car was intended for law enforcement agencies (in particular, the KGB) and was produced in the amount of 608 copies.
In 1965, the Volga of the third "release" underwent the last modernization. The heater was improved, the body design was slightly changed. At the same time, the letter “M” disappeared from the index of models (that is, “Molotovets”, until 1957 GAZ was called the Gorky Automobile Plant named after Molotov). The main modifications of the Volga began to be designated as follows:
GAZ-21 - the basic version.
GAZ-21S - export modification with improved finish and equipment. 85 hp engine
GAZ-21US - a model with improved finish for the domestic market and partly for export. Engine 75 hp
GAZ-21T - modification for a taxi.
GAZ-21TS - an export version of a taxi (delivered to many countries of the world, including Finland, the GDR).
In 1968, the first small batch of cars of the new GAZ-24 model was produced (using bypass technology). Until 1970, both models were produced in parallel. On July 15, 1970, the production of the GAZ-21 of all modifications was discontinued.
Design features - disadvantages and advantages
The number of modifications of the GAZ-21 car is extremely large. In fact, under the common name Volga, GAZ produced different cars that were similar in appearance and basic characteristics. For example, the GAZ-23, built on the GAZ-13 Chaika units, had high-speed characteristics that are characteristic of modern passenger cars. And the GAZ-M21 of the first experimental releases did not differ much in the same speed characteristics from the serial GAZ-M20 Pobedy.
In the design of the "Volga" of all "issues" there were many archaic features even for those years. In particular, telescopic shock absorbers (instead of lever ones) came to the Volga with a great delay. The automatic gearbox never took root (Soviet automakers were never able to master its mass production). The hydraulic brakes and steering were not equipped with amplifiers; driving a heavy machine required physical effort from the driver. The parking brake of the central type (drum brake, similar in design to the wheel brake, was installed on the gearbox shank and acted through the cardan shaft on the drive rear axle) was inefficient and unreliable. When trying to emergency stop the car with a parking brake, the latter broke. Until 1960, the Volga was equipped with a centralized lubrication system - driven by a special pedal. This solution was used on foreign (German) cars of the 30s and 40s. Finally, the three-speed manual gearbox had a synchronizer for only two higher gears, which was a completely outdated solution for the second half of the 60s.
However, there were also real discoveries. The Volga designers managed to create a car that attracts attention with its impeccable design forty years after the car was discontinued. The high strength of the body - due to the accurate calculation of power elements - gave rise to numerous myths about the "thick metal" from which car body parts were allegedly stamped (in fact, the metal was used the same as in foreign automotive industry).
"Volga" was distinguished by high resistance to corrosion - due to the special treatment of the body by "phosphating". The quality of painting the car bodies of the first and second "issues" is such that some of them do not require repainting to this day. Separately, the ZMZ-21 engine, which was produced in a huge number of modifications, should be mentioned. It found application on Soviet minibuses, was installed on boats, and was exported abroad. A modification of this engine - UMZ-451MI - was installed on UAZ-469 off-road vehicles, which were in service with the Soviet Army.
The high quality of manufacture of the GAZ-21, especially the second and the beginning of the third "issues" (there are very few cars of the first "release" left), the high degree of unification of parts with GAZ and UAZ vehicles, the impeccable reputation of a reliable car led to the fact that the market for cars of this brand exists and today. Cars are restored, maintained in working condition, resold and find new owners. True, only a relatively small part of GAZ-21 owners use these cars for daily driving. Basically, these are exhibits of private collections or cars for episodic trips and walks.
Magazine "Behind the wheel" about GAZ-21
New in the car "Volga"
