This is the GAZ-52/53

"TylerLinner" (tylerlinner1) 11/20/2016 at 17:30 • Filed to: GAZ, GAZ-52, GAZ-53, MEDIUM DUTY TRUCKS, SOVIET, USSR

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It’s pretty cool. This medium-duty truck was produced by the Gorky Automobile Plant (GAZ), famous for its Volga cars, from 1961 to 1993.

The GAZ-52 and -53 were outwardly !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! from each other due to shared cabs and bodywork.

Heavier-duty 3.5 and 4 ton models designated 53's may have been built as early as 1960, although mass production didn’t start until 1964. These were powered by a 115hp 4.3L OHV V-8 backed by a four speed hypoid manual transmission whose top two gears were synchronized.

Mass production of the lighter duty 2.5 ton 52 began in 1966 and powered by a 75hp 3.5L inline six with a conical transmission. It can be identified by its six-hole wheels as opposed to the 53's three-holers.

Max speed was reportedly !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , but with four wheel drum brakes that was probably plenty.

There were four front-end variations produced in its 30-year lifespan, laid out very nicely in !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! ’s extensive online !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! .

1 has high headlights and a hexagonal grille to match the badass !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . Produced until 1964.

2 is similar, but with a slightly different, vertical spear-like corner stamping as seen below. Late 1964-1974

3 sports lower headlights with a more aggressive hexagonal grille and extra cooling inlets. 1975-1983.

4 was adopted in 1984, featuring conservative rectangular graphics.

Now, on with the photos. This box truck appears to be a series 1 with smooth front corner stampings.

I like the series 3's little oval turn signals, reminiscent of a !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! .

The front-end graphics are kind of a mess with an angular grille fighting those ovals. I like it nonetheless and the off-road tires don’t hurt. Check out the heavy duty mirror stalks.

The Series-2 reminds me of a Task Force Chevy NAPCO. This truck is not 4x4, but YouTube suggests some examples have been converted.

Along with the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , the GAZ-52/53 seems to be one of the most popular old medium duty trucks in the former Eastern Bloc. Many former military examples have been converted to civilian duty.

Although some were built for civilian use from the start.

A double cab fire truck.

The later, series 4 trucks seem to have been popular in light blue, making them easy to confuse with ZILs. Judging by the wheels, this is a 2.5 tonner.

I have to say, the Russians built some cool looking trucks.

Blondude > TylerLinner 11/20/2016 at 18:30

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See also: ZIL-130

Little thing kicks ass in Spintires.

TylerLinner > Blondude 11/20/2016 at 20:06

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Igor’s got you covered. Maybe some day I’ll have the time to share about them in English... http://denisovets.ru/zil/zilpages/zil130.html

Also you had better not let the 130 hear you call it little! It’s a 4 ton chassis, not some wimpy big block dually pickup!

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > TylerLinner 11/20/2016 at 22:19

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Awesome post! I have a thing for Eastern Bloc metal, especially quirky cars (including non Eastern block stuff like FIAT and Citroen - hoping to import a Polish FIAT 126p in the next year or two!)....people must think I am crazy here in Canada :P

TylerLinner > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 11/21/2016 at 10:52

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Oh, people think I’m crazy in the US as well. But I keep digging for weirder stuff. Dig out your favorite online translator and pop into denisovets.ru. It’s my new favorite resource for old soviet cars.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > TylerLinner 11/21/2016 at 16:11

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I have found more if my kind! :P

Neat, will have to check it out! Megaretr on Toutube is a cool channel for Soviet vehicles...he does vids in Eng and Rus ‘SaabKyle’ style on cars sold in and from Russia, so modern stuff, Russian and Chinese...old Soviet stuff, Euro stuff, you name It! :)

TylerLinner > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 11/21/2016 at 19:02

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:)

Well I wish Megaretr did some driving in those cars. I just watched the Niva one, but what can you really learn from someone sitting in it, pushing buttons? Jay Leno and Petrolicious have done some interesting ones- Volga 21, Hongqi CA770 and Tatra 87, and Motor Week did a thing on the UAZ 469 & 452, but it’s still few and far between.

Chinese stuff is extremely hard to find info on. I’m not sure if it’s due to the nature of their semi-communist government restricting info, the language barrier, or maybe even cultural differences that don’t appreciate old cars as much. If you know of any websites like denisovets that deal with old Chinese cars, please let me know!