GAZ-M1
| GAZ-M1 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | GAZ |
| Production | 1936–1943 1940–1948 (GAZ 11-73)[1] |
| Assembly | Gorky,Soviet Union (now Nizhny Novgorod,Russia). |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Passenger car |
| Layout | Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive |
| Related | 1932 Ford |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | |
| Transmission | 3-speed manual |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 2,845 mm (112.0 in) |
| Length | 4,625 mm (182.1 in) |
| Width | 1,770 mm (69.7 in) |
| Height | 1,780 mm (70.1 in) |
| Kerb weight | 1,370–1,450 kg (3,020–3,197 lb) |
| Chronology | |
| Predecessor | GAZ-A(1932–1936) |
| Successor | GAZ-M20 Pobeda(4-cylinder) GAZ-12 ZIM(6-cylinder) |
TheGAZ M1( “Эмка“/”Emka”) was a passenger car produced by theSovietautomakerGAZbetween 1936 and 1943, at their plant inGorky(now Nizhny Novgorod,Russia).
Systematic production ended in 1941, but the factory was able to continue assembling cars from existing inventory of parts and components until 1943. In total, 62,888 GAZ M1 automobiles were produced.
Much of the car’s production period coincided with theGreat Patriotic War (World War II),and many, as they were commonly called,Emkaswere used by thearmyasstaff cars.Various special versions were produced such as theGAZ M - FAIandBA-20armoured car models.
The car has subsequently become an icon of its time in Russia, having been relatively popular, and featuring in film and photographic images of a defining period in the history of theSoviet Union.
Background
[edit]The Soviet Union’s first passenger car had been theGAZ-A,produced between 1932 and 1936, and based on theFord Model A (1927–31),built under license/technology sharing agreement with and using parts purchased from the AmericanFord Motor Company.It would be many years before passenger cars became available for private buyers in the Soviet Union, and passenger cars at this stage were produced for official and military use. By the time the GAZ-A was being produced in the Soviet Union, the western original Ford Model A was already becoming superseded in its western markets, and the politicians andRed armylooked for a way to reduce dependence on imported components and replacement parts. The version of the Ford adapted for Soviet production was an open topped car which was unsuitable for the winter climate encountered in most of the country, and the cars were felt to be unreliable and insufficiently robust for the relatively harsh Russian conditions.
There had therefore been various attempts to modify the GAZ-A using locally designed elements, but the body structures in question had used traditional timber frames with panels attached, which were labour-intensive to produce and excessively prone to deform. In theUScar body construction was changing radically during the later 1920s, using technology pioneered byBudd Company,for the production of all steel car bodies. The new approach used far more complicated steel pressings than had hitherto been possible, and the same new techniques were adopted by the more prosperous of the volume auto-makers in the west of Europe through the 1930s. GAZ’s western technology partner, Ford, took a conservative approach to these developments, but during the early 1930s they, too, would join in the switch to all-steel car bodies.
The Soviet Union was keen for the same technology to be applied at the GAZ plant in Gorky, exploiting the ten-year technology sharing agreement which had been signed with the Ford Motor Company in 1932, and which at this stage remained more or less intact.
Development and introduction
[edit]Work began in 1933/34 on a replacement for the GAZ-A, again using a (newer) Ford model as the basis. The model in question was theFord Model B,which was becoming available with a wide range of different bodies in North America.
Specifically, the first prototype for the GAZ M-1 was based on the 1934 Ford Model B 40A four-door sedan. The prototype was powered by a four-cylinder engine (a modified version of the one used in its predecessor theGAZ-A), although it appears already to have been intended that production cars, like the Ford on which they were based, would use V8 units. Documentation was transferred by Ford in accordance with the terms of the technology sharing agreement and the first prototype was unveiled in February 1935. A major innovation for the manufacturer was the all-steel body, although at this stage the roof was still reinforced using timber side rails and was coated with synthetic “leatherette” fabric.
In 1936 the M-1 replaced the GAZ-A on the manufacturer’s production lines, with the first two cars produced in March of that year and volume production starting in May. By the end of 1936 the plant had produced 2,524 GAZ M-1s, and in 1937 an M-1 was displayed inParisat theInternational Artistic and technical exhibition of modern life.The letter” M” was included in the car’s name as the plant's name included that ofVyacheslav Molotov.[2]
Local modifications
[edit]The development of the M-1 involved many changes to the Ford on which it was based, so that many came to view the Russian car as a separate model. The rather primitive Ford suspension was completely redesigned to cope with local conditions, and matched to strong steel wheels.[2]The V8 engine was based on the same technical drawings as those used for the Ford engine, but Ford has sent only drawings. The GAZ development team had not had access to the actual Ford engine as fitted in Detroit, and so any necessary interpretations of the technical drawings were their own. The GAZ engineers also redesigned the front wings which left the Russian car with a more elegant shape which provided better protection from the elements for the front suspension.
The body
[edit]The M-1 represented a huge advance over its predecessor in many respects. Most obviously, it came with a body that used the “all-steel” approach of the more modern western designs (despite retaining timber structural elements in the roof frame) and, unlike its predecessor, a permanent fixed roof. The chassis featured an X-shaped cross member making it far stronger. The suspension was more modern and the road holding more sure-footed. Under the bonnet/hood the car came with automatic ignition, while the cabin featured front seats that could be adjusted, sun-visors, along with an electric fuel gauge, and windows which could be swiveled into an open position.
The engine and transmission
[edit]The engine was more powerful and more durable. Maximum output rose from 40 PS (29 kW; 39 hp) to 50 PS (37 kW; 49 hp), supported by a compression ratio increased to 4.6:1 and a new carburetor design. The new engine came with a fuel pump whereas its predecessor had depended on a gravity driven fuel-feed system.[2]
The same engine was subsequently installed in theGAZ-MM light truck,an upgrade of the GAZ-AA.
The three speed manual transmission now featured synchromesh in the upper two ratios,[2]and was the gear box that would be carried forward to the replacementGAZ-M20 Pobedain the later 1940s.
Finish
[edit]Most of the cars were painted black with a thin red stripe down each side. The seat covers were of thick cloth material coloured grey or brown, while the interior décor was characterised by painted metal, albeit combined with some wood trim.
Engine upgrade
[edit]
Towards the end of the 1930s the decision was taken to replace the by now rather dated Ford designed side-valve engine. Again, the manufacturer turned to the US auto-industry, this time toChrysler.The engine selected was the six-cylinder unit fitted to theDodge D5,which was considered relatively advanced at the time despite being a development of a unit that had originated back in 1928. The 3485 cc unit produced 76 PS (56 kW; 75 hp), which was far more power than that produced by the Ford designed units that had powered the earlier M-1s.[3][4]The necessary drawings were purchased in 1937-38, and after all the measurements had been converted to their metric values the necessary tooling was created and volume production of this engine, now designated as theGAZ-11unit, began in 1940. The same unit was the basis for theGAZ-51andGAZ-12 ZIMengines, and a four-cylinder variant of it was also used in theGAZ-M20 Pobeda.It also found its way into the all-wheel driveGAZ-61as well as various military applications such as tanks and gun carriages.
When equipped with the six-cylinder GAZ-11 engine, the car received a new radiator shroud and longer bonnet, and was designatedGAZ-11-73,sometimes referred to as theGAZ M-11.Production of this variant ended in 1948 when production of its successor, theGAZ-M20 Pobeda,was completely mastered. After the production of GAZ 11-73 was finished, its role was taken up by the GAZ-M20 Pobeda, which however had a four-cylinder engine. Instead, the six-cylinder engine would be used on the larger and more luxuriousGAZ-12 ZIMfrom 1950.
Taxi use
[edit]Plans to develop a dedicated taxi version of the M-1 were never fully realised, but there was nevertheless a demand for taxis in some cities which the M-1 fulfilled. The first 20 cars produced were introduced as taxis inLeningradin 1936, and by the late summer of 1939 there were 20 of the cars being used for taxi work inMinsk.By that date there were 465 registered for taxi work in Leningrad and a further 2,740 inMoscow.
Variants
[edit]
Four-cylinder version
[edit]- GAZ-M1: Main production version. Produced 1935-1941, although assembly of available stock continued into 1942.
- GAZ-M1 phaeton: Prototype phaeton-bodied (four-door convertible) version of the GAZ-M1. Produced in 1937.
- GAZ-M45: LPG-fueled version of the GAZ-M1. Produced in 1941.
- GAZ-M415: Pickup truck version. Produced 1939-1941.
- GAZ-MS: GAZ-M1 chassis for mounting armored bodies.
Six-cylinder version
[edit]- GAZ-11-73 (GAZ-11): Passenger car version. Produced 1940-1941 and 1945-1948.[5]
- GAZ-11-40: Prototype four-door convertible version. Produced in 1940; all later rebuilt to GAZ-61-40.
- GAZ-11-415: Prototype pickup-truck version. Produced in 1940.
- GAZ-61-73:4x4 version. Produced 1941-1945
- GAZ-61-415: Prototype pickup-truck version of GAZ-61-73. Produced in 1940.
- GAZ-41-416: Prototype light artillery tractor version.
Three-axle prototypes
[edit]- GAZ-M21: Prototype 6x4 truck version with GAZ-AA cab. Produced in 1936; rejected as too complex and replaced by the GAZ-61.
- GAZ-M22:
- GAZ-M23:
- GAZ-M24:
- GAZ-M25: Prototype 7-seater car based on GAZ-M21. Produced in 1938.
Other variants
[edit]- BA-20:Light armored car on GAZ-M1 chassis.
- GAZ-M1 V8: Variant for NKVD with imported 65 hp Ford V8s. Most of the engines were removed in 1941 and were installed in T-60 tanks.
- GAZ-M2:
- GAZ-NATI-VM: Prototype halftrack with sedan and truck bodies. Produced 1937-1938.
- GAZ-GL1:racing carversion based on the M1.[6]During the later years, it was modified with GAZ 11-73 parts, including a new grille and engine. Only 1-2 prototypes were built. All of them were destroyed in the bombing of the factory during theGreat Patriotic War.In 2006 a Russian company started building a replica of the GL1 using both old surviving drawings from theGAZplant and some parts from an unrestored GAZ-M1. The body was newly-made from fiberglass. In 2010 the replica was completed.
In addition to these variants, a special model of the GAZ-M1 had been developed in 1938 for the NKVD agents. It was powered by a high-performance version of theFord V8engine, which was directly imported from the U.S. rather than built locally.[2]During the war, most of these engines were removed from M1s and put intoT-60tanks for the war effort.
References
[edit]
- ^"ГАЗ 11-73".SSR Hotel.Retrieved16 December2022.
- ^abcdeOdin, L.C.World in Motion 1939 - The whole of the year's automobile production.Belvedere Publishing, 2015. ASIN: B00ZLN91ZG.
- ^О двигателях ГАЗ-20 и ГАЗ-11
- ^О двигателе ГАЗ-11
- ^Малоизвестные отечественные автомобили // журнал "Наука и жизнь", № 9, 1980. стр.118-120
- ^Малоизвестные отечественные автомобили // журнал "Наука и жизнь", № 9, 1980. стр.118-120