GAZ M21 Volga (1956)
The GAZ M21 Volga is an automobile which was produced in the Soviet Union by GAZ ("Gorkovsky Avtomobilniy Zavod", in English : "Gorky automobile factory") from 1956 to 1970. The first car to carry the Volga name, it was developed in the early 1950s.
The design process leading to the GAZ 21 began in November 1953. Alexander Nevzorov, head of the design team, was given a free hand to develop whatever he wanted to reach the objective of competing with American automobiles. The designer Lev Eremeyev decided to follow the fashion set by the Chevrolet Bel Air, Plymouth Savoy, and Ford Mainline; the finished product bears a resemblance to the 1955 Mainline.
The prototype appeared in the first quarter of 1954, powered by an inline four with overhead camshaft (driven by chain) and cross-flow hemi head. Since the OHV engine was not ready in time, production M21s had a 65 PS (48 kW; 64 hp) 2,432 cc (148.4 cu in) sidevalve four, based on the GAZ-20's.
Front suspension was independent, while the rear was a live axle with semi-elliptical springs;
The Volga offered front seats able to fold flat (not unlike a contemporary Nash option) and came standard with cigarette lighter and a radio (still optional on most U.S. cars).
The Volga made its public debut in 1955, with a three cars on a demonstration drive from Moscow to the Crimea,Full-scale production began in 1957, with a list price of 5,400 rubles. The new 1957 production cars, known as Series Ones, had a brand-new 2,445 cc (149.2 cu in) OHV engine, the first model produced by Zavolzhskiy Motorniy Zavod (Zavolzhye Engine Factory, ZMZ). Unusual for the era, it had aluminum block and head, with gear-driven camshaft and compression ratio of 6.6:1; it produced 70 PS (51 kW; 69 hp) at 4,000 rpm and 123 lb⋅ft (167 N⋅m) at 2,200 rpm.
Being October, which had always been the LUGNuts anniversary month, this GAZ M21 Volga has been built to the 66th challenge theme 'Behind the Iron Curtain'.
GAZ M21 Volga (1956)
The GAZ M21 Volga is an automobile which was produced in the Soviet Union by GAZ ("Gorkovsky Avtomobilniy Zavod", in English : "Gorky automobile factory") from 1956 to 1970. The first car to carry the Volga name, it was developed in the early 1950s.
The design process leading to the GAZ 21 began in November 1953. Alexander Nevzorov, head of the design team, was given a free hand to develop whatever he wanted to reach the objective of competing with American automobiles. The designer Lev Eremeyev decided to follow the fashion set by the Chevrolet Bel Air, Plymouth Savoy, and Ford Mainline; the finished product bears a resemblance to the 1955 Mainline.
The prototype appeared in the first quarter of 1954, powered by an inline four with overhead camshaft (driven by chain) and cross-flow hemi head. Since the OHV engine was not ready in time, production M21s had a 65 PS (48 kW; 64 hp) 2,432 cc (148.4 cu in) sidevalve four, based on the GAZ-20's.
Front suspension was independent, while the rear was a live axle with semi-elliptical springs;
The Volga offered front seats able to fold flat (not unlike a contemporary Nash option) and came standard with cigarette lighter and a radio (still optional on most U.S. cars).
The Volga made its public debut in 1955, with a three cars on a demonstration drive from Moscow to the Crimea,Full-scale production began in 1957, with a list price of 5,400 rubles. The new 1957 production cars, known as Series Ones, had a brand-new 2,445 cc (149.2 cu in) OHV engine, the first model produced by Zavolzhskiy Motorniy Zavod (Zavolzhye Engine Factory, ZMZ). Unusual for the era, it had aluminum block and head, with gear-driven camshaft and compression ratio of 6.6:1; it produced 70 PS (51 kW; 69 hp) at 4,000 rpm and 123 lb⋅ft (167 N⋅m) at 2,200 rpm.
Being October, which had always been the LUGNuts anniversary month, this GAZ M21 Volga has been built to the 66th challenge theme 'Behind the Iron Curtain'.