Published:
24.09.2016
UAZ is a well-known brand not only in Russia, but also abroad. In recent years, the main focus of the Ulyanovsk plant has been the production of special equipment for Russian departments and off-road vehicles. The plant's products are also popular abroad. 75 years of experience, time-tested quality, combined with unpretentiousness and relatively low cost, have made the plant’s products popular not only in the domestic market, but also in the foreign market. The plant's latest developments, for example the UAZ Patriot, are successfully sold abroad. However, the plant did not begin its long development path in the automotive industry and under a completely different name. The history of UAZ cars is impressive. In less than a century, the model range has been updated many times, new modern models and modifications of machines have been created, many of which have earned worldwide recognition and awards.
The history of UAZ goes back more than 65 years
How did the UAZ story begin: an evacuated ZIS
The history of UAZ began simultaneously with the beginning of the war. Then, back in 1941, the country's leadership decided to move large enterprises from Moscow, the region, and all western industrial regions to the east. It was then that it was decided to move the production facilities of the ZIS (Stalin Plant) to Ulyanovsk. Already in October of this year, part of the production equipment arrived at the new location, and production resumed in the new year. Initially, given the military situation, the main task of the enterprise was to meet the needs of the army. At first they were engaged in the production of military shells. However, by the end of spring 1942, the assembly of the ZIS-5 car was launched (5 cars were produced in the first month). By July, their production increased to 30 units. per month. In the fall, production of small cars began to meet the needs of the army.
The first independent “steps” of UAZ
In 1943, the State Defense Committee decided to build the Ulyanovsk Automobile Plant on the basis of the ZIS. A year after this, the first prototype of a self-designed vehicle of the newly created UAZ, UlZIS 253, was designed. It was a small truck with a diesel engine. In terms of technical parameters, it was not inferior to the machines of American industry and could even compete with them. The very next year, the management of the enterprise was instructed to transfer the assembly of this truck to the Urals, and to begin developing GAZ-AA vehicles themselves. Literally 3 years later, UAZ released the first truck of this model. And two years later, at a demonstration in October, the UAZ-300 was presented. However, although this model passed all the tests and tests, it did not go into production. In the same year, the total production of UAZ vehicles since their creation reached 10,000 units.
In 1954, a design department was formed at the enterprise. Initially, the department’s task was to receive technical papers from GAZ and subsequently transfer them to the assembly department. So they started assembling GAZ-69, 69A here.
The year 1955 was significant for UAZ. The history of self-assembled light-duty car models begins this year. The company began to develop minibuses, vans, trucks and cars for sanitary needs. For the first time, a new design began to be used. In the cars, the cabin was located above the engine, which made it possible to increase the footage of the body without increasing the overall length of the car.
The following year, for the first time in the history of the plant, the export of cars began. The cars of the Ulyanovsk plant were very unpretentious, easy to operate, reliable and with good driving performance. It is for these characteristics that they have become quite popular in neighboring countries. At that time, deliveries were made to 22 countries.
1960 was marked by the renewal of production equipment. The design department has developed and patented a moving rod production line.
The history of the creation of the UAZ-451D and UAZ-451, which are assembled in improved models to this day, began in 1961. By mid-December, the first prototype had already been assembled.
The year 1965 became memorable for the history of the enterprise in that this year the 250,000th GAZ-69 was assembled, but after 6 years the production of this model ceased, as the designers developed a new modification of it - the UAZ-49.
1966 was marked by the first awards in the history of the plant. At the international exhibition of agricultural machinery, the UAZ-452D was awarded a gold medal for its high maneuverability and all-terrain capability.
For this, the plant employees were soon awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labor.
1974 was also significant for UAZ; production reached the 7 million mark. Also in 1974, the UAZ-469B SUV was tested. The car was able to climb a 4,000-kilometer altitude along a mountain range in 38 minutes. This development became the reason for the next award of the team with the Order of the Red Banner of Labor.
There were product and team awards in the following years. UAZ products have earned quality marks: 1976 for the engine (UMZ-451), 1977 for the UAZ-452 truck. And in 1983, the world's first floating car, the Jaguar (UAZ-3709), was designed. There are no such people in the world even to this day. The development department also received awards from the government for it. This car was developed for military needs. The speed of movement on water reached 10 km/h. The car successfully passed all tests. The jaguar traveled along the river back and forth from Ulyanovsk to Astrakhan. However, it was not put into mass production, since the army never received an order for it.
Until the end of the 90s, there were no new developments; all models were updated, a separate brake system, hydraulic drive, heating system were installed, mirrors and headlights were replaced. The UMZ-414.10 engine was also updated, which made it possible to significantly increase its power.
History of "Loaf"
And it all started with Soroka. Imagine the city of Ulyanovsk in 1956. Ilyich’s homeland still presents a rather dismal sight today, and even more so then. Barracks, legless disabled people, dirt and yesterday's guards, sullenly watching any stranger. And here is a car of an outlandish shape, without a hood or wings, but with a smoothly sloping roof and raised “eyebrows” above the headlights. And the color is black and white. Neither give nor take forty.
At that time, the department of the chief designer of the Ulyanovsk Automobile Plant mainly consisted of people from GAZ. The people were experienced, therefore, when the order came from the Ministry to carry out a volume of development work to create several types of carriage-type cars, no one was surprised.
And it was necessary to make a van, an ambulance, a minibus and a flatbed truck. Moreover, as usually happens with us, everything had to be done in a short time. It is quite logical that they decided to link the new family as much as possible with the produced GAZ 69. A similar problem has not yet been solved in our country. So unexpectedly for themselves, the designers discovered that a truck driver, when backing up, usually looks not in the mirror, but through the slightly open door. And in prototypes it is fun on the rear hinges. Remade. It was also necessary to refit the new product with tires of a larger cross-section, since the front axle was overloaded during the carriage layout.
In the all-wheel drive version they somehow put up with this. But when the rear-wheel drive UAZ 451 family was launched into production in 1961, drastic measures were required. As a result, the engine was moved deeper into the base, sacrificing the size of the cargo compartment. But the goal was achieved.
With the style of the UAZ 450, and the word design in those years was almost a dirty word, things also did not go smoothly. Early examples of vans were born in Moscow. The plant did not have its own design artists. Contact US. In the winter of 1956-57, a whole group of specialists arrived from Moscow to Ulyanovsk: Aryamov, Dolmatovsky, Kobylinsky, Molchanov. But they designed such that the phrase designer-designer in Ulyanovsk became offensive. Why did the factory workers not like Moscow creativity? Since the car was created by order of the Ministry of Defense, the requirements for it were very specific. The military also agreed that the driver who drove the car into the helicopter could not leave his workplace. Something else was worse. According to the terms of reference, the body of the all-terrain vehicle was supposed to accommodate four wounded on stretchers. But the author of “Magpie,” Vladimir Ivanovich Aryamov, based on aesthetic considerations, made the roof sloping. It looked nice, but the back doorway was so low that the upper tier of stretchers could not be brought inside if the lower tier was occupied.
Five of the first samples were built. And they had to be redone several more times. But in 1958, production of the UAZ 450A ambulance van began. Next they launched the UAZ 450 cargo van. And in 1959 it was the turn of the flatbed UAZ 450D.
Throughout its production, that is, to this day, the car has been gradually modernized, experimented with modifications, from truck tractors to tracked snowmobiles.
In 1985, the three-digit indexation was changed to four-digit. It’s no secret that over the many years of production, the Ulyanovsk “Loaf” was repeatedly wanted to be replaced with something fresh, but nothing meaningful came of it. Apparently, this car is one of those rare one-piece designs that are created once and for all.
There have been attempts to make something new. So in 1989, as part of development work on the “GAK” theme, the UAZ 3972 family was created.
Four cars were built. Their appearance was controversial. The factory workers immediately nicknamed them King Kongs. But this topic did not go further.
At the beginning of the 21st century, UAZ once again tried to replace the “Loaf” with a new model. This is how “Simba” or UAZ 3165 was born - a half-hood, all-wheel drive minivan. We made four prototypes: two minibuses, an ambulance and a flatbed truck. But at that time the plant had no time for new products in order to survive. And “Loaf” is a time-tested model that you can bet on. If anything happens, he will take it out.
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Post-Soviet time UAZ
Along with the collapse of the USSR, some changes took place in industry. Enterprises were closed, reorganized, and names changed. Perestroika did not spare UAZ either. The development of the plant after the collapse, despite the transformations within the country, was even more dynamic than before. Immediately after the collapse of the Union, the plant was transformed into JSC UAZ. In 1994, production of the improved UAZ-469 began here. It differed from the previous model in that it had a metal roof, new door locks, adjustable seats, as well as a new suspension with springs and an economical engine.
In 1994, the company won the Golden Globe prize for its competitive machines and integration into the world economic system. In 1996 - an international award for sales volumes. And in 1997 - a gold medal at the International Fair.
However, UAZ not only received awards. Simultaneously with participation in various competitions, the development of new modifications of machines continued. On August 5, 1997, a completely new UAZ-3160 car was assembled, which soon became the base for other models - Simbir, UAZ-3163.
1998 - assembly of cars with diesel engines. Soon the 5-seater UAZ-39094 on an iron platform was put into production.
The year 2000 did not pass unnoticed by history. In April, production of the UAZ-3162 began, and in October, Severstal became interested in the plant, which soon acquired a significant stake in the enterprise.
In the same year, the construction of the first “multivan” with a capacity of up to 12 seats was completed.
2001 - 3 historical events:
- Simbir car won first place at the exhibition fair in the capital;
- participation of factory models in car rally;
- the beginning of the development of a network of more than one hundred sales offices within the country and beyond.
2002 - the product earned another award. UAZ-23632 was awarded the Grand Prix diploma and recognized as the best pickup truck.
The first transfer of production facilities outside of Russia was in 2003. The production line opened in Vietnam. In 2003, the product received several more awards.
2004 - the plant receives a certificate of compliance with the quality system. In March, the UAZ-2360 production line is launched. In April-May, the UAZ-2360, Hunter and Simbir take part in a five-thousand-kilometer rally, where test drives and off-road championships are held along the route of the rally in large cities.
HOW THE “LOAF” WAS CREATED
It’s good for our people to give nicknames. Especially the drivers. One gets the feeling that those of us who have opened category “C” in our licenses have also passed a special test on wit. “Goat”, “Loaf”, “Tablet”, “Tadpole” - all these are unofficial names of models of the Ulyanovsk Automobile Plant. And it is unlikely that a citizen of the former USSR will have to explain which ones exactly. After all, nicknames, as they say, hit you not in the eyebrow, but in the eye.
New generation cars
The history of the creation of the latest generation UAZ cars begins with the release of the legendary UAZ “Patriot” in 2005. This is a completely new car, which was different both outside and inside. The Patriot was equipped with an improved suspension, steering, and transmission. Most of the parts were imported. To produce this model, new welding and painting equipment was purchased.
The model was a success. However, the design department and management did not stop there; they continued to improve this model. After 2 years, the Patriot was equipped with an engine cooling system, and the interior was made more comfortable by installing a new heating and air conditioning system.
New varieties are emerging based on this model. It is worth noting the Cargo model, which has several versions: in the form of a chassis for mounting additional superstructures; with tent body; with a loading platform.
Today UAZ also continues to improve its cars. The assembly of cars is gradually and confidently growing. At the same time, UAZ exports are also increasing, which once again indicates the excellent quality of the products.
On low - just forward
In terms of layout, LuAZ-969 is Zaporozhets on the contrary. The same air-cooled engine is in front, with a gearbox behind it. They change gears in a mirror way: the first one is towards you, the second one is away from you.
Next to the gearbox lever is the lever for turning on the rear drive and lowering. Between the seats there is a differential lock.
Next to the gearbox lever is the lever for turning on the rear drive and lowering. Between the seats there is a differential lock.
The standard gearbox is four-speed. But there is also a fifth off-road reduction gear. And with a gear ratio of 7.2! There is even a rear cross-axle differential lock.
Thanks to wheel gears, ground clearance is 280 mm, the bottom is almost flat, and the drive to the rear axle is hidden in a pipe. Therefore, it is difficult to break something from below.
LuAZ-969M.
LuAZ-969M.
The car has enough traction. Especially with a 42 hp engine. with a volume of 1.2 liters, which was installed on the LuAZ-969A from 1975, and then on the modernized model 969M. The car moves confidently even where the heavier UAZ and Niva sometimes give up.
But we must remember one unusual feature of the car: the downshift only works when moving forward. Therefore, rocking back and forth on a low gear is impossible.
