GAZ-69

The GAZ-69 is a four-wheel drive off-road vehicle produced by GAZ (ГАЗ, or Gorkovsky Avtomobilnyi Zavod, Gorky Automobile Factory) between 1953 and 1956 and then by UAZ, in 1956–1972, though all of these light truck class vehicles were known as GAZ-69s. It was also produced in Romania until 1975.[2]

GAZ-69
Overview
Manufacturer
  • GAZ (1953–1955)
  • UAZ (1954–1972)
Also calledKaengsaeng 68 (North Korea)[1]
Sungri 4.10/25
UAZ-69
Production1953-1972 (1975 for Romania)
AssemblyGorky, Ulyanovsk (USSR), Câmpulung (Romania - spare parts only)
Body and chassis
ClassLight truck
Body style2-door cargo, 4-door field car
LayoutFront-engine, four-wheel-drive
RelatedIMS-57, M59, ARO M461
UAZ-452
Powertrain
Engine2.1 L GAZ-69 I4
Transmission3-speed manual
Dimensions
Wheelbase2,300 mm (91 in)
Length3,850 mm (152 in)
Width1,750 mm (69 in)
Height1,950 mm (77 in)
Curb weight1,535–1,589 kg (3,384–3,503 lb)
Chronology
Predecessor
SuccessorUAZ-469
GAZ-69A
GAZ-69A rear

Development and production

The GAZ-69 was created by the team of chief designer Grigoriy Vasserman as a replacement for the GAZ-67B that would have lower fuel consumption than its predecessor and use the same 55 hp (41 kW; 56 PS) 2.1 L (130 cu in) inline four and three-speed transmission as the GAZ-M20 Pobeda. The development process started in 1946 and the first prototypes known under the name "Truzhenik" (Toiler) were built in 1947. After extensive on-road testing, the new off-road vehicle went into production on August 25, 1953.[3] Over 600,000 GAZ-69s had been built by the end of production in the USSR in 1972. a copy of the GAZ-69 with some modifications was produced by ARO in Romania until 1975, first as the IMS-57, its main difference was that it used the GAZ-A type I4 engine (obtained by importing old Soviet tooling, as the original GAZ-69 engine was seen as uneconomical), then heavily redisigned as the IMS M59, and later modernized as the ARO M461.[4] GAZ-69s were standard military jeeps of the Eastern Bloc and client states, except Romania that used mainly the locally built ARO models.

Design

The standard GAZ-69 was able to reach 56 mph (90 km/h),[5] but more powerful versions, with 2400 cc (derived from the basic 2100 cc) 65 h.p. engines and the same three-speed gearbox, could reach 100 km/h (62 mph). They were known as the GAZ-69M, or GAZ-69AM for the four-door version.[6]

It featured two fuel tanks, one of 47 litres (12 US gal; 10 imp gal) under the floor, one of 28 litres (7 US gal; 6 imp gal) beneath the passenger's seat.[2] All civilian models also had to meet Army requirements, in case of wartime requisitioning. (This is also why a hardtop version was not available until 1993)[7] The basic variant GAZ-69 has a pair of doors and usually has standard canvas top and upper sides; there are two seats in front and two folding benches for three passengers each on sides. The further variant GAZ-69A (UAZ-69A) has four doors, folding canvas top and two rows of seats.

It was used as the basis for the rear-wheel drive van GAZ-19 that was built in 1955 but didn't pass the prototype stage. The off-road van and light truck UAZ-450 and the newer UAZ-469 also traced their origins to the GAZ-69.[6]

Military use

The GAZ-69 had been the basic light off-road vehicle of the Soviet Army, replacing GAZ-67s and Willys Jeeps, before the army adopted the UAZ-469.[6] It was also used as the basis for the 2P26 tank destroyer, as well as for the GAZ-46 MAV, a light 4x4 amphibious vehicle inspired by the Ford GPA 'Seep'.[6]

Users

Many civilian use yellow coloured ones were imported in to Nepal and were successfully used in the mountain roads.

In the film Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull a GAZ-69 appears in one of the chases of the film involving Spalko and the main characters. Also, two GAZ-46s appear in that scene.

See also

References
  1. "KAENGSAENG 68KA | chinesecars". www.chinesecars.net. Retrieved 2023-10-06.
  2. Thompson, Andy. Cars of the Soviet Union (Haynes Publishing, Somerset, UK, 2008), p. 70.
  3. "The history of the development of the GAZ-69" (in Russian). www.off-road-drive.ru.
  4. IMS M461, "Avtolegendy SSSR i Socstran" No. 168, DeAgostini 2015, ISSN 2071-095X (in Russian), p.3-6
  5. Thompson, p. 176.
  6. Ware, Pat. The World Encyclopedia of Military Vehicles (Lorenz Books, 2010), p. 177.
  7. Thompson, p. 176
  8. Tsyganov, Mikhail (2014-03-20). "Tahun 1958, Mobil Uni Soviet GAZ-69 Taklukkan Gunung Api Jawa". Russia Beyond (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2022-07-30.
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