LuAZ floating: specifications, description with photo, features of operation and repair, owner reviews

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

Lutsk Automobile Plant, known to many as LuAZ, produced a legendary car 50 years ago. It was a leading edge conveyor: LuAZ floating. It was created for the needs of the army. Initially, it was planned to use this car only for military purposes, for example, for transporting the wounded or transporting weapons to the battlefield. But then the military floating LuAZ got another life, and this article will be about that.

History of Creation

During the Korean War, which was in 1949-1953, the USSR did not officially take part in hostilities, but active financial assistance was carried out, and military supplies were also carried out.

The sick and wounded were transported in GAZ-69 cars, often the car got stuck, it took a lot of time to get it. The car was very heavy. Then the idea came about creating a light car, albeit with a low carrying capacity, but with good cross-country ability. Also, the car had to be floating. A number of tasks were set for the creators of the car during its development.

Car Development

The car was put into series production in 1961. Until that time, it was a long development. After all, the car should have turned out as a result not only to be waterfowl, small-sized, passable, but it also had to have a feature - a steering column that leans back. And this column, like the driver's seat, should have been located in the center of the car in front. It was this design that could allow the driver in a critical situation, for example, if the car came under fire, to drive the car in a supine position.

Under the leadership of B. M. Fitterman, US was developing a floating SUV.

Design stages

Before LuAZ was released as it was known, a lot of time passed. Long stages of design, development and testing of the car were behind the backs of its developers. Many people worked on the idea, and before the car was put into mass production, many technical solutions were changed in the creation of the car. There was more than one test version of the car.

Military versions

Military and civilian versions of the car were designed almost simultaneously. And all versions differed not only in name. In each test version of the car, something was added, changed, modified, the car became better in all respects.characteristics, with each new version, the found shortcomings of the car were finalized. The history of the creation of the military version and the civil version is also long and varied. First, we will talk about the military version.

NAMI-032G

The very first version of the military vehicle was called "NAMI-032G". It was the very first test sample and it was released in 1956-1957. But structurally, it was not yet the car that later began to be produced at the car factory. Fiberglass material served as the basis of the body. In those days, the Irbitsky plant was engaged in the production of engines and a weak engine was supplied to NAMI-032G. The motor was a two-stroke "MD-65", engine power 22 horsepower. On tests "NAMI-032G" suffered a number of failures. When the car was dropped with a parachute, the body cracked, besides, the engine was weak, and the goals set for the car could not be realized with such low power. Therefore, it was decided to change the technical characteristics of the car, as well as that the body material should be completely different. This version was intended only for off-road, so the car did not have a center differential.

NAMI-032M

This was the second version of the military floating LuAZ. He had similar parameters with the first car and was a real army SUV. The windshield of the car leaned forward. The car had a tilted steering column. The body was with low sides. Headlights were located in front of the car. Metal ladders were fixed on the sides to overcome pits, ruts and shallow ditches,sand dunes and other irregularities where the car can get stuck. There was a fixed winch on the hood. The mass of the TPK was 650 kg, the load capacity was 500 kg. The length of the car was 3 meters 30 cm. It could reach speeds of up to 60 km / h, the fuel supply was enough for 250 km. As you can see from the photo, the floating LuAZ had a stern look.

But in 1959, the car passed a series of tests in the suburbs, where many shortcomings and shortcomings were revealed. And this led to the creation of the third generation of the car.

NAMI-032S

The third version was different from the previous one. The hood was higher and the steering column passed over it. The wheels became larger, 15 inch tires gave hope that the car would not get stuck and slip, as was the case with the second series. But in this series, unsuccessful solutions were again applied, and many body elements were made of fiberglass, it was a failed decision, and after testing it also turned out that not only the idea with the body was a failure, but the idea of staging a motorcycle engine was also unsuccessful.

In 1962, "NAMI" handed over all the documentation to the Zaporozhye Automobile Plant. And 3 more series were built, which were called ZAZ-967. This ZAZ also had a motorcycle engine, and after many improvements, the production of this car on the basis of "NAMI-032M" was transferred to the well-known Lutsk Automobile Plant. And the mass production of a car called LuAZ-967 began.

LuAZ-967

Characteristics and reviews of the operation of the floating LuAZ-967 will tell you how it turned out inthe result of a military SUV.

The owners of this car love it for its off-road qualities and often brag that the Luazik does not even need a differential lock, although it does have one. The suspension of the car is completely independent. Ground clearance was 285 mm. The bottom of the car is smooth, which plays only a positive role and adds the speed of the conveyor afloat. The car has no equal in mud, snow or water.

The ideas were embodied: the driver's seat, if desired, transforms and folds, two seats on the sides of the driver's seat also fold, forming one straight and even platform, as in this photo of a floating LuAZ.

The folded side seats looked like the one shown in the photo.

Also, the car still has the ability to drive in a lying position.

The car has a winch. Its carrying capacity is 150 kg, which is actually not a plus, but a minus. After all, the car cannot pull itself out with this winch when it gets stuck, and the idea with the winch was such that people wounded on the battlefield were pulled up to the car for further transportation, if it were more powerful, then this would be a plus, since it could be pulled out and other cars and, in fact, directly the car on which it was installed. The weight of the car is 930 kg. The maximum speed was 75 km/h. The engine capacity was 0.9 liters, engine power - 27 horsepower. The speed of movement in water was 3km/h.

LuAZ 967A

Another improved military version. It differs from the previous version by a different engine. The transporter also had body changes.

LuAZ 967M

In 1975, a new modified version of the car was released, it was she who was put into mass production. The car received the MeMZ-967A engine. Engine displacement was 1.2 liters. Engine power - 37 horsepower. The transmission of the car has also been improved. The suspension has been improved. This car could not be called comfortable, but the tasks assigned to the car were fully completed.

Civil versions

It was already mentioned above that the car was originally developed only for military purposes, but it was decided that such a car would be needed in agriculture, as well as where there is no road surface. The first test car of the civilian version was called "Spark", and the second was called "Tselina".

• "NAMI 049" - "Spark"
• "NAMI 049A" - "Vselina"

These two test versions were the prototypes of the well-known floating LuAZ-969.

The design of "NAMI 049" was started in 1958. Many tasks and ideas were put before the car. It was planned to be used to obtain milk from cows, in firefighting, for loading purposes, as an ambulance, as a compressor for roadworks. But these ideas remained only on paper, they were not put into practice.

Vselina, unlike Ogonyok, hadcargo compartment. It was rather small in size, but its presence is already a significant plus.

The body of the car had a metal base. The door pillars, the frame at the windshield and the mount to which the tailgate was attached were also metal. Everything else was made of fiberglass to reduce the weight of the car. And the weight of the car was 750 kg. The engine was installed with 22 horsepower. Developed a car speed up to 80 km / h. The engine was considered economical, and consumption per 100 km ranged from 6.5 to 7 liters. The carrying capacity of the car was 300 kg. This is what concerns the engine of the test "NAMI 049", and in "NAMI 049A" the engine capacity after modifications became larger and its power was 26 horsepower with a torque of 4000 thousand revolutions per minute.

The drive of the car was front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive was connected if desired. Also in the car was also a differential lock. An additional low gear has been provided for off-road conditions.

The clearance of the car was 300 mm. Thanks to this ground clearance and its off-road characteristics, the car showed good cross-country ability.

NAMI 049 had the engine in front.

The suspension of the car was independent. Shock absorbers - telescopic.

• The length of the car was 3600 mm
• Width - 1540mm
• Car height- 1700 mm
• Weight - 750 kg
• Capacity - 300 kg
• Engine - petrol

After all test versions and developments Lutskythe automobile plant produces a well-known car, which, like all previous versions, does not come out in one modification, but already has a different name.

LuAZ 969

This car is easy to operate. Until 1975, the LuAZ 969 was equipped with the same engine as the test version, NAMI 049A. The passenger compartment is strongly shifted to the front axle, which gave it a load with front-wheel drive and good wheel traction. LuAZ 969, the military version had floating abilities after all the improvements lost. The rear axle differential lock has been retained.

The characteristic of LuAZ 969 was the same as that of the test version "NAMI 049A".

The name of the car was "Volyn", and the first car came off the assembly line in Lutsk in 1969. The car, like all the past, is constantly being refined. The very first Volyn had a lot of noise due to the engine.

LuAZ 969 had 3 modifications:

• LuAZ 969A
• LuAZ 969B
• LuAZ 969M

LuAZ 969B had a difference in that the rear-wheel drive was removed in the car, and the car became the first front-wheel drive car that was produced in the USSR.

LuAZ 969A had a canvas top of the body, if desired, it could be removed. The buildings board was folding. The carrying capacity of the vehicle has been increased to 400 kg.

LuAZ 969M has become completely different in terms of comfort. The characteristic of the LuAZ 969 differs from the latest modified version of the car. The seats in the car have already been installed in the same way as they were installed in the car"Zhiguli". A new powerful MeMZ-969A engine was installed, its power was 40 horsepower. Hydraulic brake booster. There have also been changes in the appearance of the car.

LuAZ 969 repair is quite simple, spare parts are inexpensive. Connoisseurs of such cars often prefer the military 967 LuAZ because of its ability to sail, but one and the other version of this car will have its connoisseurs.