The UAZ-450 car was created on the basis of the chassis components of the GAZ-69 car.
1956 For its two-tone color and unusual radiator grille, the UAZ prototype, designed by artist Vladimir Aryamov, was nicknamed “magpie”
Modifications
UAZ-450A - ambulance UAZ-450V - minibus UAZ-450D - truck (flatbed) with a double cabin and a wooden body UAZ-450P - experimental truck tractor with semi-trailer UAZ-752
The development of an all-wheel drive vehicle with a carrying capacity of 800 kg at the Ulyanovsk Automobile Plant began in 1954. In order to accommodate a spacious body on the short chassis of the GAZ-69 passenger SUV, it was decided to adopt a cabover design. Thus, the UAZ-450 became the world's first mass-produced all-wheel drive wagon-mounted vehicle, and the vehicle with a cargo platform designed on its basis became the first domestic truck with a cab over the engine.
The car was developed by Ulyanovsk designer Ivan Alekseevich Davydov. In 1955, five prototypes were assembled for testing.
The beginning of the way
In the spring of 1955, the design bureau of the UAZ automobile plant, headed by chief designer Ivan Alekseevich Davydov, was given the task: to develop, based on the chassis of the UAZ-69 passenger SUV, a car that could transport luggage weighing up to 800 kg.
The length of the GAZ car's wheelbase was only 2300 mm, so the traditional, sequential design of the vehicle: engine-cab-load platform was not suitable for the project. In this regard, it was decided to use a carriage layout in the construction of the car, which was previously used only in buses.
The work progressed at a fairly fast pace. Already in the same year, the car plant assembled the first five experimental UAZ-450s, which immediately received a new popular name for its rounded shape - “loaf”.
About high cross-country ability
The vehicle, which had remained virtually unchanged for more than 50 years, was able to earn its success only because of the qualities that the van had. For example, high traffic. “Loaf” has practically no competitors in the domestic automobile industry.
Enthusiasts gave the UAZ 450 a test drive. On the cobblestone road the car shakes terribly. On rough terrain, the car is not afraid of even large sandy hills. Going uphill is also very easy and relaxed, even if it is a steep hill. But the deep rut is not very suitable for the “Loaf”. The only thing that upsets me is the speed of driving along the intersection. You constantly have to work in gears. What the car lacks is a differential lock.
"Loaf" device
Due to the fact that the car used a cabover design, the car turned out to be quite roomy despite its compactness. In fact, the UAZ-450 (photo below) was an all-wheel drive all-metal minibus, the front doors of which opened against its movement, and passengers were boarded or luggage was loaded through the rear double hinged doors.
A smooth ride was ensured by spring suspension and lever-piston shock absorbers.
As a power unit, a bored analogue of the four-cylinder engine from Pobeda (GAZ M-20) was installed in the car. The diameter of its cylinders was increased from 82 to 88 mm. Because of this, the working volume of the engine became 2432 cm3, and accordingly, its power also increased, now it is 62 l/s. They also borrowed a three-speed gearbox from Pobeda.
The UAZ-450 received a two-stage transfer case, a stamped frame and both continuous axles from UAZ-69. The front-wheel drive, like the “sixty-nine”, was switchable.
Drum brakes equipped with a hydraulic drive system.
Salon
The UAZ 450 is designed in such a way that it is very inconvenient to get into the driver's seat. This was due to both the narrow door opening and the high threshold. The steering wheel was made three-spoke. The front panel is metal. The designers believed that it was as utilitarian as possible. The speedometer was located to the right of the steering wheel - this is the largest instrument in the entire cabin.
There were no adjustments in the front seats. It was impossible to even adjust the backrest. The chair cushion did not have longitudinal adjustment. To service the engine, there is a special casing in the cabin. It separated the seats in the front. The designers hid the engine, radiator and everything else under the casing. This is very convenient if it is cold outside. The gearshift lever was located under the steering wheel. The front panel also features a dedicated tank switch. It was possible to determine from which tank the engine would consume fuel.
UAZ-450: technical characteristics
- Machine dimensions – 4360mm x 1940mm x 2300mm.
- Gross weight – 1950 kg.
- Wheel formula – 4x4.
- Track (mm) – 1436.
- Wheelbase (mm) – 2300.
- Turning radius (m) – 6.8.
- Ground clearance (clearance) mm – 210.
- Seats in the cabin - 2.
- Seats in the cabin - 9.
- Load capacity – 800 kg.
- The maximum possible speed is 90 km/h.
- The total volume of two gasoline tanks is 96 liters.
- Fuel consumption per 100 km is 14 liters.
- Power reserve (average value) – 500 km.
Factory versions of the new UAZ
Mass production of the UAZ-450 began in the fall of 1958. At first, the family of serial “loaves” included three models: the UAZ-450A medical vehicle, the UAZ-450D small truck, and the basic “450th” – a closed van.
The ambulance was intended to serve ambulance stations, primarily in rural areas where the roads were not of good quality.
The design of the car was an all-metal body with side windows, which was divided inside by a partition into two compartments: the driver’s cabin and the sanitary room. In the medical part of the vehicle along the sides there were a pair of folding benches, one on each side, which could accommodate three people. Another seat is attached directly to the partition itself. For bedridden patients, special brackets with belt fastenings were provided, on which four stretchers could be installed in two tiers. In addition, even when fully loaded, the car could transport a trailer, the weight of which should not exceed 850 kg.
The second model was the UAZ-450D (“tadpole”), which was a small truck with a two-seater all-metal cabin and a wooden side platform, with all three sides folding down.
A little later, an experimental eleven-seater minibus UAZ-450 V appeared, in which a hinged door was installed on the starboard side, along with side doors, and a dozen small windows were installed in the roof slopes. True, the car went into production with only six windows, but slightly larger, and the front doors began to open not against the movement, like the base 450, but traditionally.
UAZ 450A - ambulance
photo of UAZ-450A ambulance
The car features double glazing and installed medical equipment. The first prototypes of UAZ-450A ambulances
entered the armed forces.
Also, this ambulance could tow a trailer weighing up to 850 kg. The UAZ-450A was equipped with a windshield blower, as well as heating and ventilation devices. The driver's cabin was structurally separated from the patient room by a metal partition with a window equipped with a window. A step was installed in the opening of the rear door of the body, which served for loading stretchers with patients. The car could accommodate nine people sitting or three sitting and four on stretchers. The UAZ-450A competed with the PAZ 653 produced at that time and soon replaced it, as it was better in many respects. And in 1966, the UAZ-450A was replaced by the UAZ-452G
with a new overhead valve engine.
Factory changes and updates to the 450
Since 1961, based on the UAZ-450, production of the UAZ-451 began, which differed from the base model in the absence of all-wheel drive. Only the rear axle remained driving. However, the vehicles increased their carrying capacity slightly. The car has not undergone any other changes.
In 1965, the entire UAZ line was improved: the vehicles began to be equipped with an overhead valve engine, which was superior in power to its predecessor. The three-speed gearbox was replaced by a four-speed gearbox. In addition, the appearance of the SUV was redesigned and although, in essence, it remained the same UAZ-450, only modernized, the car received a new index - UAZ-452.
Military mission
The entire history of Ulyanovsk cars is inextricably linked with the army. There is nothing strange about this - the plant was producing SUVs that were needed by the military.
The modern UAZ is not much different from the 1958 model. Photo: Youtube.com
First, production of the GAZ-69 was established in Ulyanovsk. The Gorky plant needed free space for trucks - the country needed them for construction. No sooner had the production of the GAZ-69 been established than in 1954 a decree came obliging the production of all-metal off-road vans.
Of course, the customer was the army, which needed ambulances and staff vehicles.
Factory modifications not included in the series
At the very beginning of the 60s, the car plant made an attempt to improve the smoothness of the “nurse” by installing a hydropneumatic suspension on it, however, for that time the unit was too complex and expensive for mass production, so the designers abandoned such an improvement.
In the early 70s, factory workers based on the UAZ-450 tried to build a three-axle mini-bus with 16 seats, but it also did not reach serial production.
Another modification, a little strange for a traditional car, did not see the light of day - a hybrid of a bus and a railbus, that is, a car that would be able to move both on rails and on a regular road.
For the snow-covered, difficult-to-pass territories of the country, the factory workers, based on the UAZ-451D, designed a snowmobile in which the front wheels were replaced with skis, the rear wheels with rubber tracks, as well as an all-terrain vehicle with tracks on both axles. But things did not progress beyond the creation of prototypes.
In the 80s, mass-produced models based on the 450 again underwent modernization, which affected the engine, brake system and drive axles. The cars also received new indexes. However, despite the alterations and improvements, in all the new models of “loaves”, “nurses” and “tadpoles” the features of their prototype from the 50s are easily discernible.
History of creation
Before everything was completely different. The UAZ Bukhanka car was produced from 1958 to 1965. This was a very important development for the Ulyanovsk plant and the entire domestic automobile industry as a whole. This car was often compared by people to a loaf of bread, hence the name.
In the early 50s, it turned out that the United States would definitely attack the USSR. Such a nuclear future began to be perceived as something inevitable. The question was which country would be better prepared for such an outcome.
At the Ulyanovsk plant, which was a real branch of GAZ during World War II, they produced GAZ 69. And suddenly the company received an urgent order. Engineers had to develop a convenient vehicle for the needs of transporting the wounded from the affected area.
Now this version is perceived as nonsense, but those of the developers who are still alive claim that this is so. In a regular UAZ 450, in addition to the driver and two passengers, it was possible to attach five stretchers.
UAZ-450: do-it-yourself tuning
As you know, the goal of car tuning is not only to improve the technical characteristics of the car, but also to give individuality to the appearance.
If other models are sometimes redesigned to such an extent that it becomes difficult to recognize the base model, then with the “loaf”, as a rule, such deep modernizations are not carried out - this SUV already has excellent off-road qualities, for which it is so respected by fans active rest.
Typically, tuning a “loaf” comes down to painting it under camouflage, installing large wheels with mud tires (after all, even the original UAZ-450 wheel has a size of R15), a power bumper (bumper), and, of course, a winch, and a long external rack is mounted on the roof . In addition, SUV owners add several more spotlights to the standard light optics. In a word, independent modification of the “loaf” is more likely aimed at practicality than at beauty. Although the tuned UAZ-450 looks like a real off-road king.
UAZ 450P semi-trailer
photo of UAZ-450P semi-trailer
UAZ-450P
is an experimental
truck tractor
that was developed at the Ural Automobile Plant. The car was all-wheel drive, that is, it had a 4x4 wheel arrangement. It was designed for use with a UAZ-752 semi-trailer with a load capacity of 2.25 tons. The UAZ-450P is another of the many modifications of the serial all-wheel drive van UAZ-450, which is why it inherited from the base model a cabin located above the engine, just like the UAZ-450D modification. During cold times, heated air was supplied to the windshield area, and the cabin itself was heated.
