PAZ-652 small class bus: specifications. "Pazik" bus

2024 Author: Erin Ralphs | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-19 11:42

In 1955, at the Pavlovsk Automobile Plant. Zhdanov, the design and experimental department begins to work, headed by Yu. N. Sorochkin, the creator of the famous Pobeda, who transferred from the GAZ plant. It was this department, a year after its appearance, that developed the PAZ-652 bus, which in its design differed from the traditional models of that time.

How it all began

It so happened that in the domestic automotive industry, the chassis of trucks served as the basis for the bus chassis. It was this that predetermined the further layout of the body of the future bus, practically excluding the possibility of further development of the industry. At the same time, all the specialists involved in the development of new models were well aware that a truck and a bus are different vehicles with different purposes. Therefore, the design of the truck chassis was not quite suitable for the bus. Pavlovtsy decided to move away from the established tradition and create their own small-class bus, with a wagon layout and a different design.

Basic design

First of all, in the new model, the designers changed the main thing: if earlier the basis of the bus was a cargo chassis, to which its body was attached from above, nowthe role of the carrier system was to be played by the body itself. It was a frame structure with the necessary components and mechanisms built into it.

The well-proven cargo GAZ-51A served as a donor for the stuffing of the future PAZ-652.

The body frame, like the frame, was made of steel, the sheet thickness of which was 0.9 mm. The bonding of all elements and key components of the structure was carried out using spot welding. This made it possible to reduce the overall weight of the frame while maintaining the necessary strength and load-bearing capacity.

Pazik glazing

The PAZ-652 bus received glazing, which visually gave the overall lightness of the entire structure. The windshield was quite large, with a curved shape to give the driver good visibility, both in line of sight and through the side mirrors. What could not be said about the old "pazik", the bus of the 651st model.

The interior windows were equipped with opening windows, which was an important addition, especially in hot weather. The roof was also not without glazing. The tinted windows built into its slopes made the PAZ-652 design quite attractive for that time. However, it was these glasses that could spoil the appearance of the bus if they were damaged. The fact is that they were a three-layer structure, the so-called "triplex". The advantage of such glass was that it did not break upon impact, but at the same time it was covered with light stripes-cracks that stood out ugly ondark toning background.

All the rest of the interior glazing was done by "Stalinites" - glass that had undergone special hardening. Its peculiarity was that it could withstand a blow even with a hammer, but if it did break, it crumbled into small cubes without sharp edges, excluding the possibility of injuring people. Thus, an additional safety factor for the driver and passengers worked in PAZ-652.

Bus interior

The first thing the designers did was delimit the space, as if separating the technical part, together with the driver's seat, from the passenger compartment. To do this, a sheet of Plexiglas was installed on the transverse air duct located behind the back of the driver's seat.

The bus also had two side seats specially designed for the conductor, as indicated by a sign attached to the wall above the seat.

The interior walls were lined with plastic or fiberboard with a treated front surface. This favorably distinguished it from the old model of the "groove", which was sheathed from the inside with ordinary cardboard. Cardboard began to warp, crack, dry out over time, and eventually fell off.

The bus was supposed to be used to carry both seated and standing passengers. For the latter, handrails attached to the ceiling were provided along the perimeter of the cabin.

For boarding and disembarking people on the bus there were two curtain doors on the rightboard, equipped with a vacuum control drive.

A few more features

There was one moment in the new "groove" that did not fit into the usual framework of the automotive industry at all. The designers installed a cooling radiator not traditionally in front of the engine, but to the side of it. At the same time, it became possible to combine the fan casing with the bus air duct system using a special tarpaulin cover. Due to this, during the operation of the bus in winter, the warm air discharged from the engine was transported directly to the passenger compartment. At other times, the cover was rolled up and placed in the radiator compartment.

The designers themselves placed the engine in the cabin to the right of the driver, in a special opening engine compartment. The walls of the compartment were laid with a layer of thermal insulation, and the top cover was sheathed with leatherette. Thus, the driver got access to the engine directly from the bus.

The brake system was equipped with a vacuum booster, and shock absorbers were added to the spring suspension.

As for lighting, here, in addition to elements from GAZ-51A, devices from Pobeda were also used. Plus, retroreflectors (reflectors) were added to the back of the bus.

PAZ-652: specifications

• Dimensions - 7, 15x2, 4x2, 8 m (length, width and height respectively).
• Curb weight PAZ – 4, 34 t.
• Gross weight – 7, 64 t.
• Cabin capacity - 42 seats, of which 23 are seated.
• Clearance - 25.5 cm.
• Engine - four-stroke, six-cylinder, withcarbureted fuel system.
• The power of the power unit is 90 l / s.
• Engine size - 3.48 cu. see
• Clutch - single disc design, dry.
• The maximum possible speed is 80 km/h.
• Gasoline consumption - 21 liters per 100 km.

Start of production and first modifications

The first tests of an experimental bus began in 1956, in the same year an order was signed to begin preparations for the mass production of new cars. 4 years later, in 1960, the first serial "pazik" rolled off the assembly line of the plant.

The bus, in addition to the main version, had two more modifications: 652B and 652T.

The modified "pazik" 652B differed from the reference model in a slightly modified body structure and design of the front of the car.

Another modification, PAZ-652 T (tourist), was produced with additional amenities in the cabin and one door for boarding passengers.

For all 10 years of serial production, 62121 buses rolled off the assembly line of the plant. Throughout the entire period of production, the PAZ was refined: changes were made to its design, various amendments were made, and shortcomings identified during the operation of the machines were eliminated. But in general, the bus did an excellent job with its functions, which is why it lasted so long in the series.