"Pobeda GAZ M20" is a legendary car of the Soviet period. The history of the car GAZ M20 "Victory Volga victory m 20 3 series

The need for comfortable four-wheel drive vehicles did not disappear after the war - both the army and the national economy needed a car with a closed heated body, like the Pobeda, which would have the same cross-country ability as the GAZ-69 that appeared in 1953. Therefore, when the Gorky Automobile Plant was entrusted with the design of such a car, the designers, without hesitation, decided to create a hybrid of Pobeda and GAZ-69. All the design work on the design of the M-72 took literally three days. It took another month to assemble a prototype. As a result, February 24 out of the gate Gorky Automobile Plant released M-72 became the world's first all-wheel drive by car with a frameless monocoque body. Changes in the Victory body were the most minimal.

A group of designers led by Grigory Moiseevich Wasserman simply strengthened the weak parts of the Victory body and increased ground clearance... For this, it was decided to install the rear springs not under the rear axle beam, as on the M-20, but above it. At the same time, the body has risen by 150 mm. In addition, instead of the front independent suspension on coil springs, front springs were installed. The length of the car with a 2712 mm wheelbase (12 mm more than that of the "Pobeda") was 4665 mm. The width was 1695 mm. The equipment of the M-72's cabin was the same as that of the M-20: soft upholstery, a heater, a clock, a dual-band (long and medium wave) radio receiver. New levers have been added to control the all-wheel drive transmission. A plate with a driver's memo was reinforced under the instrument cluster - on it a demultiplier control circuit and a table of maximum speeds in each gear. Taking into account the need to work on dirty roads, for the first time in the USSR, a windshield washer was used on the M-72 - a mechanical pump that worked by pressing a special pedal naked.

Despite the initial plans to put on the car a 3.485-liter GAZ-11 engine, which was installed at that time on the ZiM and on the GAZ-51, at the last moment they decided to nevertheless leave the standard 2.112-liter engine, which was installed on Pobeda and for GAZ-69. Its cylinder diameter was still 82 mm, and the piston stroke was 100 mm. True, this engine acquired a different cylinder head, as a result of which, instead of a 6.2-fold compression ratio, it acquired a 6.5-fold. At the same time, it was recommended to operate the car on B-70 aviation gasoline. However, when installing the late ignition, it was possible to use the 66th gasoline, however, the fuel consumption increased somewhat. I must say that this very head was originally intended to be installed on the very first "Victory", but then, in order to use cheaper gasoline, a head with 6.2-fold compression was installed. An increase in the compression ratio, a change in the carburetor jets and an improvement in the intake system gave an increase in torque by high revs and an increase in power to 55 hp. Only at the end of the release of the M-72, the engine cylinders were bored to 88 mm, the working volume increased to 2433 cubic meters. cm, and the power increased to 65 horsepower. An oil cooler was included in the oil system. The oil got into it from the coarse filter, and cooled in the radiator, flowed into the oil filler pipe. When the body was lifted, gaps formed between it and the wheels. They were covered behind with shields, and in front, the depth of the cutouts in the wings was reduced.

The electrical equipment of the car was 12 volts. 1.7 hp starter was the most powerful of all Soviet starters. The starter was powered by a 6 STE-54 battery with a capacity of 54 ampere-hours. The rear axle, designed specifically for this machine, had semi-balanced axle shafts, which were supported by single-row ball bearings. There were no removable hubs, and the wheels were attached directly to the flanges of the axle shafts. The main gear of the rear axle had the same gear ratio as that of "Pobeda" - 5.125. The drive gear had 8 teeth, and the driven gear had 41 teeth. From the GAZ-69, the car received only a transfer case. Since this unit did not have a direct drive, even the top gear of the transfer case had a gear ratio of 1: 1.15, and the lower one - 1: 2.78. Therefore, the maximum speed of the M-72 was lower than that of Pobeda.

Road tests of the prototype M-72 showed it high cross-country ability and driving performance... The car confidently moved along dirty, broken roads, on sand, arable land, snowy terrain, and took ascents up to 30 degrees. Due to the streamlined body, the speed on the highway reached 100 km / h, and the fuel consumption was less than that of the GAZ-69. By the way, about the expense. Fuel consumption per 100 km of track on asphalt roads was 14.5-15.5 liters, on unpaved roads - 17-19 liters, and off-road conditions - 25-32 liters. In the spring of 1955, the prototype passed more than 40 thousand kilometers, which made it possible to identify some weak spots and eliminate the shortcomings. In May, the car was tested in the mountains of Crimea, and in June it began mass production M-72 at GAZ. Despite its considerable width, the car had a very small turning radius for those years - 6.5 meters, which allowed it to successfully turn around in narrow lanes.

Getting acquainted with the history of the car, it is difficult to refrain from thinking that we somehow do not imagine the events of the Great Patriotic War. For example, 1941 was accustomed to being considered a devastating year, when the very existence of Soviet statehood was called into question. However, this year at the Gorky Automobile Plant named after. Molotov, the captured Opel Kapitan captured from the Wehrmacht was transferred. And although the enterprise was transferred to release military equipment, the Gorky engineers studied the car and immediately began work on the design of a domestic analogue. Agree that the atmosphere of defeat and panic (at least, as shown in the films) does not fit at all with the creation of a civilian passenger car "for the future."

Opel Kapitan pre-war model. Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org

1943 - the day after the end of the Battle of Stalingrad, the largest land battle in the history of mankind, a meeting was held in Moscow, at the People's Commissariat for Sredmash. However, it was not dedicated to yesterday's battle at all: on it chief designer of the plant. Molotov Andrey Lipgart reported on the progress of work on the new machine (the original name is "Motherland"). And again the businesslike calmness of these people is striking: it seems that none of those present even doubted the outcome of the battle.

The initial sketches of the car were made by the artist V. Brodsky: on them, the future GAZ-M-20 is already significantly different from the German "Captain". The protruding fenders and footrests disappeared, the car became more streamlined, although it retained the stream-line style common with Opel - the "futurological" design concept that was fashionable in those years. Under her influence, a rather rare type of fastback body was chosen - a stepless roof line and a trunk, visually combined with the interior, but isolated in layout. Note that in the future this type of body was not used in the USSR; it was replaced by more utilitarian sedans.

M-20 "Victory". 3D model. Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org / Khusnutdinov Nail

The final version of the future "Victory" was drawn by a talented graphic artist V. Samoilov... He also worked on the creation of plasticine and wooden models. Note that the country did not have its own bodybuilding school at that time: before the war, business was limited to sketches; the Americans were engaged in the manufacture of industrial equipment (the USSR collaborated with by Ford). However, the creators of the GAZ-M-20 were tasked with mastering the full cycle of car production. It turned out to be difficult: during the war, in conditions of a shortage of materials, in workshops partially destroyed by air strikes, there was no one to ask for advice - the designers could only learn from their own mistakes.

So, for example, for the first time when creating a car in the USSR, a plaza design method was used: a full-size drawing with a breakdown to create production patterns and templates (ships are usually designed in this way). However, due to the lack of experience, the master molds were made from alder, which is subject to deformation due to changes in temperature and humidity. As a result, everything had to be redone, and the full-size reference model of the "Victory" was ready only by mid-1944.

M-20 with a radiator lining of the first series, popularly "striped", before the modernization of 1955. Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org / Andrey Sudarikov

In addition to the lack of experience, another negative factor was haste: Stalin watched the progress of the work, so one can imagine how the creators were rushed. But the car at that time was very "advanced": hydraulic drive brakes, independent front wheel suspension, thermostatic cooling system and an unheard-of amount of electrics: direction indicators and brake lights, electric wipers and a saloon "stove" with the function of blowing the windshield and so on.

Be that as it may, it was impossible to violate the deadlines: in November 1944, the first prototypes were assembled, Lipgart personally tested them. It was a complete headache: take at least the fact that, due to the shortage of steel sheet, the parts that were integral according to the idea had to be cooked from several parts. As a result, the drawing dimensions were not kept, gaps appeared at the joints, and the welded seams had to be masked with kilograms of putty.

No wonder that the car, according to the recollections of the designers, did not like Stalin. Inspection of the pre-production model took place on July 19, 1945, 5 days before the Victory Parade. Having examined the sample critically, the leader began to sneer at the working name of the car: "How much will you sell your Motherland?" He was immediately offered another name - "Victory"; but Stalin dismissed it: "Little Victory!" However, on reflection, he agreed - let it be "Victory". By the way, this was the first proper name in the Soviet automobile industry; before that, only an index was assigned to cars.

Pobeda also owes its weak two-liter four-cylinder engine to Stalin. Initially, the prototypes were fitted with a 2.7-liter "six" with a capacity of 62 horsepower. However, the fuel situation in the belligerent country was tense, in addition, the "six" was a copy of the American D5 engine from Dodge.

GAZ-M-20. Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org / joost j. bakker

It is not known which consideration was the most important here, but Stalin ordered the production of a car with an economical 50-horsepower engine of domestic design. A certain number of "sixes" were assembled by order of the MGB - the future KGB: this will become characteristic feature the Soviet car industry; powerful engines in the future they will be available only to special services.

After the highest approval was received, in August 1945, the State Defense Committee issued a decree “On the restoration of automotive industry", Instructing to start the release of" Victory "on June 28, 1946.

It is natural that the problems identified during the assembly of prototypes did not disappear at the beginning of serial production - rather, they were aggravated by the mass scale. The machines of the first years of production were worthless. Inaccurate dimensions of the body led to the fact that the glass broke on the go; water was flowing into the cabin, it was shining from the cracks. The engine detonated, the clutch jerked. A weak engine and improperly selected gear ratios in the checkpoint did not allow the car to overcome steep climbs; in addition, it accelerated poorly and consumed an excessive amount of gasoline.

In addition to the real shortcomings, "Pobeda" was presented with absurd claims: for example, the military leaders were not satisfied with the low ceiling in the rear seats, which is why they had to take off their hats. Officials complained that it was impossible to wear hats.

In October 1948, Pobeda was discontinued by Stalin's personal order; Chief Designer Lipgart lost his post (but continued to work at the plant). We can say that it was from the year 48 that the real history of "Pobeda" began - a car that a few years later the authoritative British magazine Motor describes as "an exceptional Russian car: strong, reliable and passable."

GAZ-M-20. Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org / Gwafton

The shutdown of production made it possible to carry out an additional test cycle without fuss. The body was pasted over with tapes and checked by torsion: when the structure deflected, the tapes sagged or, conversely, stretched. As a result of improvements, the rigidity increased to 4600 Nm / deg. For comparison, the body rigidity of the VAZ-2115, produced from 1997 to 2012, is 5500 Nm / deg.

Changes were made to the gearbox, the rear springs were made of parabolic sheets, the carburetor was modernized, and a seal appeared on the doors. Of course, they did not forget about the military hats: the rear seats were "cut" by 5 centimeters in height.

In June 1949, the modernized car was brought to the Kremlin; this time the inspection went smoothly - after sitting on back seat, Stalin remarked: "Now it's good!" Lipgart and new Director of the automobile plant G. Khlamov were even awarded the Stalin Prize of the second degree. In November 49, the first modernized Pobeda rolled off the assembly line. It is curious that all previously produced cars (according to various sources, from 600 to 1700 units) were recalled by the plant for free revision.

Participants of the rally "Victory - one for all" on a rare GAZ M-20 in honor of the 70th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War at the historical memorial complex "To the Heroes of the Battle of Stalingrad" on the Mamayev Kurgan in Volgograd. Photo: RIA Novosti / Kirill Braga

Despite the fact that the production age of "Victory" was not so long (it was removed from the assembly line in 1958 due to obsolescence), the car still managed to earn the title of truly national.

This was the first Soviet car, intended for sale to individuals, and since the shortage of personal transport in the USSR was not overcome, the cars changed owners endlessly. The words from Alla Pugacheva's song "Dad bought a car" - "With a cracked headlight, with old doors, a century of past style ..." - refer exactly to "Victory". Simple and maintainable, they traveled to the roads of Russia until the collapse Soviet Union and the beginning of the automobile boom of the 90s.

Material from the Encyclopedia of the magazine "Behind the wheel"

GAZ-M20
Specifications:
body	fastback (4-door sedan) and 4-door convertible
Number of doors	4
number of seats	5
length	4665 mm
width	1695 mm
height	1590/1640 mm
wheelbase	2700 mm
front track	1364 mm
back track	1362 mm
ground clearance	200 mm
trunk volume	l
engine location	front longitudinally
engine's type	petrol
engine volume	2112 cm 3
Power	52/3600 HP at rpm
Torque	125 N * m at rpm
Valves per cylinder	2
KP	3-speed with synchronizer for 2nd and 3rd gear
Front suspension	independent, lever-spring
Rear suspension	spring
Shock absorbers	hydraulic double-acting.
Front brakes	drum
Rear brakes	drum
Fuel consumption	13.5 l / 100 km
maximum speed	105 km / h
years of production	1946-1958
type of drive	rear
Curb weight	1350 kg
acceleration 0-100 km / h	45 sec

GAZ M-20 Pobeda is a serial Soviet-made passenger car produced at the Gorky Automobile Plant (GAZ) from 1946 to 1958. One of the world's first mass production vehicles with a monocoque 4-door pontoon body that did not have separate fenders, steps and headlights. Produced in various modifications, including those with an open body of the "convertible" type.

History of creation

The government assignment for the design and preparation for the production of a new model of a passenger car that would correspond to modern trends in the global automotive industry and have improved performance characteristics than the GAZ-M1 car produced at that time was received by the management of the Gorky Automobile Plant in December 1941. However, the plant was fully occupied with the production of military equipment, and the implementation of the project was temporarily postponed.
At the same time, at the very end of 1941, the Gorky plant received a captured German car Opel Kapitan of 1938. This car was chosen as a prototype because this car was the best fit for the requirements. terms of reference and the ideas of Soviet designers about what a modern passenger car should be like.

Photo Lipgart and Kirillov, 1944

The practical development of the GAZ-25 Rodina car began in early February 1943 with a sketch project by the artist V. Brodsky. On February 3, 1943, a meeting was held at the People's Commissariat for Sredmash in Moscow, at which A.A. Lipgart, chief designer of GAZ, made a presentation in which he outlined in detail the new car models being prepared for release, including the GAZ-25 Rodina, despite the fact that this project existed only in the form of general outline sketches. Upon returning to Gorky, a group of designers was organized at the plant, whose task was to create a new middle-class passenger car. It included B. Kirsanov (head of the design group), A. Kirillov (leading body designer) and other engineers. The work was supervised by Deputy Chief Designer A. Krieger (he was in charge of the chassis and engine) and Yu. Sorochkin (he supervised the progress of work on the design of the body). At the initiative of Sorochkin, the artist V. Samoilov was involved in the work, who created the unique look of the car. Samoilov's version was accepted for development. In contrast to the final version of the "Victory" in the car of Samoilov, the rear doors were hung on the rear pillar of the body and opened, like in the Opel Kapitan, backward, against the course of the car.

Photo of Kirillov shows a model by a model designer, 1944

The artist himself did not see his project in metal. Soon after finishing work on the sketches, Veniamin Samoilov died tragically. The first prototype of the car was ready on November 6, 1944, Andrey Aleksandrovich Lipgart personally took him outside the factory gates to the test site. Soon, two more vehicles were delivered for testing. Unlike the production model "Pobeda", these three cars were equipped with 6-cylinder engines from the GAZ 11-73 car (a modernized version of the GAZ-M1, produced during the war years). This motor was produced under license from the American company Dodge. The line of future "Victories" provided for the production of cars with both a 6-cylinder modernized Dodge D5 engine and a 4-cylinder engine. Moreover, the first modification was the main one, and the second was intended for recruiting taxi companies. But later, they decided to abandon the idea of equipping a new car with a 6-cylinder engine in favor of a 4-cylinder one for reasons of fuel economy (which was not enough in the post-war years in the country) and to simplify the design of the car. The 4-cylinder engine was unified in detail with a more powerful version and was the same "six" truncated by a third, which was later used in ZIM cars and trucks of the Gorky Automobile Plant (in particular, GAZ-51).

John Williams (in sleeveless jacket) and head of the body design bureau Yuri Sorochkin discussing plaster models. 1949 g.

On June 19, 1945, both modifications, with 6 and 4-cylinder engines, were presented to Joseph Stalin. The head of state was skeptical about the car with a 6-cylinder engine, believing that it was knocked out of the classification adopted by the government. passenger cars and closer to more high class machines. Soon the name of the car was also changed - Stalin, hearing the name of the project, said: "How much will you sell your homeland?" when the second title - "Victory" - was announced - Stalin chuckled and said: "A small victory, but it will do."

Life-size wooden mock-up

On August 26, 1945, a decree of the State Defense Committee "On the restoration and development of the automotive industry" was issued, according to which the production of the GAZ-M20 was scheduled for June 28, 1946. Serial release new car began ahead of schedule - June 21, 1946 (but this fact is not convincingly confirmed). Cars were manufactured using a bypass technology, mostly by hand. Until the end of 1946, only 23 cars were produced. Mass production of the GAZ-M20 was launched on April 28, 1947. At the same time, the original version of the car has undergone modernization. The design of the front of the car was changed, the speedometer was replaced (from a tape to a pointer), a place for a radio receiver was provided.

Name

GAZ-M20 became the first Soviet passenger car, which, in addition to the factory index, had a name - "Victory". The letter "M" in the car index denotes the word "Molotovets" - from 1935 to 1957 the plant bore the name of the People's Commissar V. Molotov. The number "20" means that the car belongs to a new lineup with a reduced engine displacement (up to "two liters"). Models of the senior line were designated as "1x" - GAZ-12 "ZIM", GAZ-13 "Chaika". In subsequent years, this indexation was preserved - GAZ-21 "Volga", GAZ-24 "Volga".

Design

For the mid-40s of the last century, the GAZ-M20 "Pobeda" was completely revolutionary. Borrowing the design from the 1938 Opel Kapitan load-bearing body(internal panels and power elements), the designers of the Gorky Automobile Plant have completely rethought appearance machines and adopted a number of innovations, which spread in the West only a few years later.

The body of "Victory" belongs to the type of "fastback", which is rare today. It is an aerodynamic "two-volume" with a sloping roof, a narrowed rear, a strongly sloped rear window, and a dedicated trunk of small capacity. The Opel Kapitan prototype had four doors, the front doors opened in the direction of the car, the rear doors against. On "Pobeda" all four doors open in the direction of the car - in a traditional way today. The modern (at that time) appearance of "Victory" received thanks to the appearance of a belt line, the combination of the front and rear fenders with the body, the absence of decorative footboards, an alligator-type hood, headlights mounted in the front part of the body and other characteristic details that were unusual in the mid-forties ...
The working volume of the 4-cylinder engine was 2.112 liters, the power was 50 horsepower. The maximum torque was reached at 3600 rpm. The motor has earned a reputation for being reliable, durable and high-torque. But the Pobeda engine clearly lacked power. Up to a speed of 50 kilometers per hour, the car accelerated quite briskly, but then there was a failure in acceleration. "Pobeda" reached speeds of 100 kilometers per hour in 45 seconds. Maximum speed was 105 kilometers per hour.
The M-20 engine was used on many poppies of passenger cars and not only Gorky plant... They were equipped with the Soviet "jeep" GAZ-69 "Truzhenik", the production of which was transferred to the Ulyanovsk Automobile Plant, they were equipped with "Warsaw" - the Polish version of "Victory", Polish minibuses "Nysa" and other cars. The low-valve engine was characterized by a low compression ratio and the ability to run on low-octane fuel (A-66 gasoline). For its time, "Pobeda" was an economical car, although by modern standards the fuel consumption for such a working volume is too high. According to technical data, the car consumed 11 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers, operating consumption - 13.5 liters, real - from 13 to 15 liters per 100 kilometers.

Of the other components of the machine, effective lever shock absorbers attract attention - the car was distinguished by a smooth ride. Hydraulic drum brakes with common all-wheel drive - this solution was used for the first time on a Soviet-made car. The brake mechanism was very simple - the pads were spread by one hydraulic cylinder in each of the four brake drums.
Further - in the original version of "Victory", which was mass-produced from 1946 to 1948, there was a three-stage non-synchronized gearbox from the GAZ-M1 car with an "easy on" clutch (instead of a synchronizer). In 1950, Pobeda received a 3-speed gearbox with synchronized 2nd and 3rd gears from the GAZ-12 ZIM car (this gearbox was later migrated to the GAZ-21 Volga). The gear lever has been moved from the floor to steering column... As a result, according to technical data, a five-seater car could accommodate six people - another passenger could sit in the front seat next to the driver.
The car was distinguished by a practical finish. In "Pobeda" for the first time in automotive history The USSR had a built-in heater that blew windshield... Then the warm air naturally spread through the cabin, there were no special outlets for the flow of warm air in the cabin, so in winter the Pobeda was a rather cold car. It is worth noting the ventilation system - to improve air circulation inside the cabin of the window rear doors the cars had swivel vents, the same ones that were installed in the windows of the front doors (only "back to front", not in the front part of the window, but in the back).

Photo - sailor and later famous writer Yuz Aleshkovsky (right). 1949 year

The car enjoyed great love among motorists, although there was no rush in demand during the years of production. It should be remembered that with the price of "Victory" at 16 thousand rubles, the average wage in the USSR was 600 rubles. The car was simply not available to anyone. For comparison - "ZIM" was sold for 40 thousand rubles and was on sale. Cars "Moskvich" 400 and 401 cost 8 and 9 thousand rubles (but they were not in great demand either).

Modifications to "Victory"

1946-1948 - GAZ-M20 of the "first" series.
1948-1954 - GAZ-M20 "second" series. The springs, the thermostat were modernized, since 1950, the clock, the car received a heater and a ventilation system (blowing the windshield). Since 1950, a new gearbox and a water pump (both mechanisms from the ZIM car) have been installed on Pobeda. The total production volume since the beginning of production is about 160 thousand copies.
1955-1958 - GAZ-20V. They began to install a modernized engine with a capacity of 52 horsepower... The car received a new radiator grille and radio. The volume of issue is 24285 copies. The total production volume of 184,285 copies with the first modifications and the GAZ-M20V.
1949-1958 - GAZ-M20A. Modification of "Victory" to work as a taxi. Compared to the base version, this one had a different interior and exterior design. The total volume of production is 37492 copies.
1949-1953 - GAZ-M20 "Pobeda-Cabriolet". A car with an opening fabric top and non-removable sidewalls that act as roll bars. The total volume of the issue is 14222 copies.
1955-1958 - GAZ-M72. The world's first jeep with a comfortable monocoque body. The car was a hybrid of "Victory", from which the body was borrowed, and an all-terrain vehicle GAZ-69 "Worker". The car never bore the name "Pobeda" and was produced in the amount of 4677 pieces.
The total number of cars "Pobeda" produced over the years of production, including small-scale models (pickup, van, ceremonial military convertible), amounted to 241,497 copies.

Fan site "Victory"

From the collection "Driving" 1976 №8

From the collection "Behind the wheel" 1978 №5

From the collection "Behind the wheel" 1982 №5

From the collection "Behind the wheel" 1982 №7

From the collection "Behind the wheel" 1987 №1

Victory Day №9-2003

Photo Bonus

Due to stamping defects, 15–20 kg of lead-tin solder had to be applied to each machine. That is why a legend was born among the people that the entire body of the "Victory" was tinned so as not to rust.

The image of "Victory" in the minds of the average man is made up of stereotypes: they say, it is unique, it is specially for "our life", and in general, "now they do not do such things." Having driven a restyled car of the 1955 model (GAZ M-20V) through the streets and streets of a big city, we understood its main essence: trouble-free and durable, but unhurried transport for all occasions.

And to carry officials as "personal", and ordinary workers as a taxi, and to be in personal use for very well-off citizens - "private traders". And all this under the savory sauce of solidity and healthy conservatism, characteristic of products under the "Made in USSR" brand. But it is we - auto journalists, experts, professionals and so on, and popular rumor has its own criteria ...

Myth number 1. Large and roomy

Certainly not small. With a length of 4,665 mm, which is not the most modest in modern times, "Pobeda" was officially considered a five-seater (including the driver). However, the width of the body (1,695 mm) and the solid front couch allowed us to easily accommodate six of us during the test. Of course, the third person was pushing the driver under the elbow all the time, but the steering wheel lever did not interfere with shifting gears, as well as using the "handbrake" located on the left under the dashboard. Those sitting in the back are left with little room for the legs and for the head, but there is plenty of space in front in these directions.

It is important that "Pobeda" has a trunk, though small (350 liters)! An innovation in the car, the luggage compartment is largely occupied by the spare wheel, but unlike the classmate models previous generations, can be accessed through a separate hatch rather than through the interior and rear seat backrest.

Myth number 2. Spartan and unpretentious

Our 1957 test car has everything that the manufacturer of that time could offer to a middle-class car at once: a heater, sliding windows on all doors plus pivot windows also on all doors, a radio, a clock that does not require winding, five control devices, three warning lights, sun visors, electric wipers, ashtrays, cigarette lighter.

In the interior decoration, plastic parts, good-quality artificial leather, high-quality woolen fabrics are widely used, on the ceiling - a ceiling light that automatically turns on when the doors (albeit only two) are opened, under the hood there is a socket and a backlight in case of repair. We should especially note that on foreign cars many of the aforementioned positions were offered as an option for a surcharge, and on the M20 all this luxury, without exaggeration, was in the "base" - there was one complete set, without options. Except for the version of the taxi, devoid of radio (by the way, quite advanced), but with a taximeter and with seats upholstered with wear-resistant vinyl instead of fabric.

As for unpretentiousness: from the very beginning, the car was designed as the main passenger car for the national economy of a huge country, the post-war economy of which did not have high-quality roads and a service network. The low-powered engine (compression ratio 6.2) was designed for low-grade oil and low-octane A-66 gasoline. For the repair of machine units, highly qualified auto mechanics and special equipment are not needed, but all current repairs can be performed by the forces of the chauffeur staff. In a word: unpretentious - yes, Spartan - no.

Myth number 3. Comfortable

By the standards of its time, definitely yes. The above equipment options are not all that the designers have done to increase the comfort of the car. Much attention was paid to reducing the impact on the comfort of road irregularities that characterized the Soviet roads of the post-war period. Since the roads have not radically improved since then, it was easy for us to check this. The smooth ride of the M20 is assisted by four double-acting hydraulic shock absorbers in the suspension, effectively absorbing shocks in potholes. An independent front suspension with soft springs and an anti-roll bar helps to reduce uncomfortable body vibrations. The rational layout of the car as a whole also does its job - the inhabited part of the cabin is located low and within the wheelbase, in the zone least prone to rolling.

Myth number 4. Strong as a tank

Not like a tank, but there is a certain monumentality in the behavior of the car. On bumps, even when we passed them without reducing the speed, the car does not shudder "with the whole body", but remains entirely stable (although the sound and vibrations are smaller in the passenger compartment). This is due to the chassis, designed to operate on a wide variety of roads. The safety factor in the suspension parts is combined with the high rigidity of the monocoque body, which is due, among other things, to the relatively small area of window and door openings and its shape with many biconvex panels. By the way, no matter what evil tongues may speak, the car is by no means heavy, "like a tank", the curb weight is 1,460 kg. Modern ones weigh about the same, or even more.

Myth # 5. Thick metal

Not true. The iron from which our "Victory" was "forged" is not thicker than that of other classmate cars, for example, the Volga. When stamping parts of "Victory", a steel sheet with a thickness of 0.8-2.0 mm was used. Of course, today's cars are made of something more subtle, but at one time the M-20 did not stand out in this regard. Legends about the high strength of the Pobedovsky body owe their birth to its design, and not to the thickness of the sheet. Well, when the doors are slammed or, say, the hood, the sound is impressive - dull, heavy; probably this also helped to give birth to the legend of the thick metal.

Myth number 6. Tinned body

Again, not true. Anti-corrosion protection in the form of in the Soviet automobile industry was not used. Although there was tin on the bodies, including the "Victory". At the level of technology at the time, most of the bodies on the conveyor had to be reworked by hand. In a special area, the craftsmen straightened stamping defects, adjusted the joints of body parts, etc.

Since quick-drying putties did not exist then, the factory technology provided for the use of lead-tin solder for leveling the surface. Modern restorers say that they met layers of solder up to 1.5 cm thick at Pobeda, and the mass of tin consumed per body can exceed 15 kg! It is interesting that some modern masters have mastered the tinning technique half a century ago, and our specimen was restored in this way. Therefore, we slammed the doors and hoods of the recently restored car without fear, knowing that the layer of putty would not fall off due to vibrations.

Myth number 7. For war

Allegedly, "Victory" was created with an eye on participation in a new war and in the trunk of each instance there are nodes for attaching a machine gun. Of course not. In February 1943, when the Government assignment for a new model of the Gorky Automobile Plant (which was to become Pobeda) was approved, the military already understood that fighting in adapted cars was more expensive for themselves.

The new GAZ was planned exclusively as a civilian passenger car, although not without the opportunity to ride in the cabin of military ranks. And we easily found the grounds for such a legend - it was enough to open the trunk and look deeper. Firstly, two long "skis" for placing the spare wheel on the floor seem to hint at the possibility of attaching a bipod of a light machine gun to them - no matter what, a new generation machine-gun "tachanka" ... And secondly, with the rear sofa dismantled Between the passenger compartment and the trunk, a free opening with a flat floor suddenly opens up to the dashboard - as if specially for Anka the machine gunner! But no, this feature of the body was used only on the ambulance version of "Victory" to put a stretcher with a patient along the body.

Myth # 8. It was copied by others.

Perhaps, but, of course, there is no direct evidence. In any case, in 1944, when the pilot model of "Victory" was ready, it was the world's first car for the mass consumer with a pontoon body, that is, smooth, without wings and steps, sidewalls. In addition, the silhouette of the rear of the body of the fastback type came out characteristic. After the war, several car models appeared, specifically similar to our "Victory": the English Standard Vanguard (1948), the German Borgward Hansa 2400 (1952), etc.

It was not for nothing that the GAZ M20 passenger car was called "Victory" - it really was a victory in all respects. The Great Patriotic War was won, and it became possible to raise the country's industry to a high level. And the new car became a symbol of that era.

This is how one of the first models of the GAZ-20 Pobeda car looks like

The creation of a new car model proved that the industry of the Soviet Union has a huge potential and the country can produce products that are not inferior in their characteristics to those of well-known Western manufacturers. Considering that the production of GAZ M 20 began almost immediately after the end of the war, then for our fatherland such an event can be considered a great achievement.

The development of a new model of the GAZ passenger car began in the pre-war years. Then there were many design ideas - at the same time, a new project was being conceived, the development of a 6-cylinder GAZ 11 engine was in full swing. But the designers began to design a middle-class passenger car in 1943.

The first modification of the Victory

It was at this time that the basic units and assemblies were determined, the shapes of the future body were designated. The model had its own characteristic differences from the previous brand:

More low level gender compared to its predecessor;
Engine location above the front suspension beam;
The presence of a hydraulic drive in the brake system;
Improved independent front suspension;
Higher efficiency motor;
Streamlined body with "licked" wings;
Improved interior design.

Initially, the new model was considered in two versions, depending on the engine, each of which was assigned its own index:

With a 6-cylinder engine - M-25;
With a 4-cylinder engine - M-20.

This is what the M-20 engine looks like in a cut.

Almost immediately after the end of the war, "Victory" underwent lengthy tests, and after their successful completion was submitted to the highest party government for consideration.

The project was approved, and it was decided to launch a more economical version, the M-20 brand, into mass production. In the future, this name was stuck with the car.

In the development stage of the car, the name "Homeland" was also considered. But Stalin did not approve of this option. When it came to selling a car, it turned out that they were selling the Motherland. The production of the GAZ "Pobeda" car began at the end of June 1946. Despite the successful tests, many different design flaws and imperfections were revealed in the car. Therefore, over the next six months, only 23 cars rolled off the assembly line, and the mass assembly at the Gorky Automobile Plant began only in the spring of 1947.

The interior of the car "Pobeda" GAZ 20

Already in February 1948, GAZ assembled 1000 units of the new model, and by the beginning of autumn another 700 Pobeda vehicles had appeared.

Design features of "Victory"

The prototype of the GAZ M 20 is to some extent the Opel Kapitan, at least a lot of design decisions are taken from this car. But our own design solutions made Pobeda unique:

The front and rear fenders practically merged with the body, which was an innovation in those days;
The hinges of all four doors were attached to the front of the pillars and the doors opened in the direction of the car;
There were no decorative footrests.

The chief designer of the GAZ Pobeda project was AA Lipgart. The design group included engineers: Krieger, Kirsanov and Kirillov. The first of the listed was the deputy chief designer, the second led the group. Kirsanov was engaged in the development of the body. The unique look of the car was created thanks to the artist Samoilov, but Samoilov his project in the form real car I never saw - the artist died tragically in 1944. The very first sketches were created by the artist Brodsky in 1943.

For "Victory", the body and body elements for the first time became parts of their own, domestic production... Prior to that, other car brands received parts from foreign firms, in particular, they ordered production from American manufacturers.

Engine

Since the 6-cylinder GAZ 11 engine did not go into production, the main engine for the GAZ M20 was the 4-cylinder GAZ 20. The new power unit had the following differences from the GAZ 11 engine:

The compression ratio in the cylinders was only 5.6, but such a low figure made it possible to work on low-octane 66th gasoline. In the post-war years, there were problems with fuel in the country, and the use of such a brand of gasoline made it possible to somehow get out of the situation. But the engine thrust was weak, and the engine could hardly cope with its duties, even in a passenger car.

Gearbox and rear axle

The gearbox had three speeds forward and a gear reverse... There were no synchronizers in it, the gearshift lever had a floor arrangement. This box was borrowed from the GAZ M1 model. In the early 50s of the last century codes, the gearbox lever was moved to the steering column, and the gearbox was taken from the ZIM car. It already provided for synchronizers in second and third gear.

The rear axle was not borrowed from other car models, it was designed specifically for the GAZ M 20 brand.

It looks like a gearbox for Victory gas 20

On the main gear there was a pair of spiral-conical type. The inconvenience of the design is that in order to dismantle the axle shafts, it was necessary to completely disassemble the main gear housing.

Features of the body and interior

During the post-war years, the bodywork was considered to be made at a high level, which was repeatedly noted by foreign experts in the automotive business. The body had a thick layer of metal (1 to 2 mm). Thicker was the metal on the side members and in places where the body was reinforced. The body type was classified as a "convertible".

The salon had a modern layout for its time, it was attended by:

There were others useful little things, such as illumination of the luggage compartment and engine compartment, or a cigarette lighter in the salon console. In later versions of "Pobeda" in the heating system, a heated windshield was provided, and also late car began to be completed with a regular radio receiver.

Separate seats, which are in modern cars, on "Pobeda" was not. In total, two sofas were installed in the car: front and rear. At that time, velor was not used, the seats were trimmed with high-quality woolen fabric. Front seat had adjustments and could move back and forth. In cars intended for taxis, sofas were covered with leatherette.

Front and rear suspension, braking system

The schematic diagram of the front suspension was later used on all Volga models. It was of the pivot type, independent, provided for the presence of threaded bushings. Some parts were borrowed from the Opel Kapitan model (shock absorbers, threaded bushings), but the pivot device had own development... The hydraulic shock absorbers were of the lever type, that is, they simultaneously served as the upper suspension arms. The exact same design was present in rear suspension, the rear axle was mounted on springs.

The GAZ M 20 brake system was considered the most advanced in the middle of the twentieth century, for the first time it became hydraulic for the entire time of the Soviet automotive industry.

But there was only one circuit in the system, and there could be no question of any division. That is, if any of the 4 working cylinders began to leak, the brakes disappeared completely. In all Volga models with drum brakes, two working cylinders were installed per wheel.

Construction diagram drum brakes Victory

On "Victory" on both suspensions there was one cylinder, each cylinder spread two pads at the same time.

Electrical part

The electrical equipment of "Victory" was also distinguished by its modernity, it used the most advanced technologies of the post-war years. Of the features of the electrical part, it can be noted:

The instrument cluster in the cabin had all the necessary set of sensors that informed the driver about the state of the car and the speed of movement:

Speedometer;
Fuel level sensor;
Oil pressure sensor;
Water temperature indicator;
Ammeter;
Clock.

The panel also had two direction indicator lamps. The dashboard itself was made of steel and painted to match the body color, plastic trims adorned it and gave it elegance.