Commies

"Jonee" (Jonee) 07/17/2017 at 15:33 • Filed to: Communist cars

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There was a gathering of Soviet cars and trucks in Burbank yesterday. Some cool stuff. And a lotta Ladas, of course.

This big ZIL looks like an old Ford, or something.

Always a lot of weird sticks in these things.

This UAZ sits on a Bronco chassis and lives around the corner from me. It’s always a hoot to see in action.

I guess if everyone in your country drives a Lada, it’s not a disadvantage for the cops to drive one, too. This one has all the accoutrements.

This one’s got tiny weird sticks.

Always great to see some Nivas. Shame about the wheels on this white one, though.

This Volga has one of the world’s greatest speedometers. This is what it’s like to check your speed during the apocalypse.

Volga 24

The entertainment was as cool as the cars.

Dasvidaniya!

HammerheadFistpunch > Jonee 07/17/2017 at 15:38

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UAZ sport utility?

fintail > Jonee 07/17/2017 at 15:57

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Ah beautiful downtown Burbank. With so much local population from old Soviet lands, I guess this is a natural.

The cribbed-from-a-53/54-Ford Volga 21 is an interesting looking design.

Klaus Schmoll > Jonee 07/17/2017 at 16:17

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Man, those military trucks bring back memories!!! I grew up in the GDR so Russian soldiers and their hardware were everywhere. Sometimes their convoys would be up to 20 miles long. And don’t try to get between them, just don’t. In stop and go traffic they often swapped paint on their bumpers as the drivers were A. very young and B. inattentive and tired after long drives. No big deal between military trucks with steel bumpers, but just imagine you and your family in your Trabant being the meat in one of those sandwiches.

Also, my grandfather had one of those Shigulis. It was then passed onto my mom, repainted green (it was common practice to once-over a vehicle every ten years or so, including partial or complete repaint), and we then used it to flee via Hungary. They later offered to store it for me until I was old enough to drive, but teenage me didn’t want a commie car..... ;(

Jonee > fintail 07/17/2017 at 16:20

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Between the Russians in Burbank and the Armenians in Glendale, there’s a lot of interesting nostalgia in this area. There’s also an Iranian Peykan in my neighborhood.

Yeah, I’ve always liked the 21. There’s another one of those I see around sometimes. Definitely looks like a Communist Ford.

Jonee > Klaus Schmoll 07/17/2017 at 16:27

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My uncle used to tell a story about witnessing a small car getting crushed by a Soviet military convoy when he was stationed over there, so that’s interesting you mention that as well.

That sounds like a great story. It is a shame you didn’t want that car at the time. That would be a heck of a memento of your journey to freedom.

fintail > Jonee 07/17/2017 at 21:25

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A Peykan, that has to be a sight.

Ages ago, I swear I read that the 21 was patterned after a 53-54 Ford that was brought in via Finland. There are too many similarities for coincidence - even the door handles are near copies. Those Fords were clean solid cars, so the GAZ people picked a good one to copy, it aged better than a 53-54 Chevy.

And then we have the lovely 21 coupe made by a Russian tuning shop way back in the oughts:

Jonee > fintail 07/17/2017 at 22:11

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The Peykan is really interesting. More interesting than the Humber it really is for sure.

Yeah, those Fords are a very nice, relatively simple design. The 2 door looks even more like a Ford.

Jonee > HammerheadFistpunch 07/17/2017 at 23:41

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Wait, they actually tried to sell those here? Amazing.

CaptDale - is secretly British > Jonee 07/18/2017 at 13:10

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No GAZ Chaika M13? I want one of those pretty badly 

There is also the M14, but the 70's styling isn’t as awesome as the 50's

Jonee > CaptDale - is secretly British 07/18/2017 at 14:11

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Yeah, the M13 is awesome. I’d love to see one of those in person. Another case of the Russkies copying a Ford.

fintail > Jonee 07/18/2017 at 21:57

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Of all the things to bring in with the 25 year rule, but you’ll be the only one, and that has value to many people too.

I find some Soviet cars to be attractive in a way - the Fiat-based Ladas are nice simple clean designs, too.

Jonee > fintail 07/18/2017 at 22:54

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Oddly, the guy who has it now bought it from someone in Minnesota who, I guess, imported it when it was nearly new because it needed restoration from sitting for 20 years. Go figure.

It helped that they didn’t have the funding to go too fancy. A lot less chrome and other frippery.

fintail > Jonee 07/19/2017 at 09:52

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I bet there’s a crazy story, as it isn’t exactly easy to get things in from Iran. Maybe came via Turkey.

A late 60s Italian design is a good clean slate, too. Even something like a Volga 24 wouldn’t be bad, kind of reminds me of a cross between mid-late 60s Ford and Mopar.

Jobjoris > Jonee 07/20/2017 at 03:32

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!

You’re right on the Lada 1200/Fiat 124 part for the rozzers. But...

That’s why Lada/VAZ started experimenting with rotors! REALLY !

Jonee > Jobjoris 07/21/2017 at 01:02

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!

Wow, fascinating. A Russian rotary. That’s exactly the motor the Wanke r l needs. Or, maybe the front two engines will be Russian, and the back two French. Really spread around the build quality. I love that bit about the antifreeze you’d squirt into the engine for cold starts. Only try it twice, they told you. Hilarious. No wonder they only lasted 10,000 km. What Russian would listen to those instructions?

Jobjoris > Jonee 07/21/2017 at 04:59

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You didn’t know this? You should do a piece on it for weird wheels! I love the Russian/French idea. We’ll have to make each engine totally dis-connectable to the wheels for failing engines. Then you can drive into infinity. For at least 10k kms.

Jonee > Jobjoris 07/23/2017 at 22:12

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I think I have read about it before, actually. It’s so wonderfully absurd, I probably figured it was legend. I will have to look more into it. Good idea. Maybe 40K kms. depending on how you run the motors.

Jobjoris > Jonee 07/24/2017 at 02:29

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We should resource such an engine and see if it will fit in a wheel.

Jonee > Jobjoris 07/25/2017 at 01:42

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Maybe with big wheels. It’d have to be the single rotor, but less rotors might extend the life, I’m not sure.

We could probably shrink it down. I bet a tiny one makes a hilarious noise.

Jobjoris > Jonee 07/25/2017 at 03:33

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The return of the sting’n beez. It’s sound will be hilarious, like an R/C car!

Jonee > Jobjoris 07/26/2017 at 00:59

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Like a flock of r/c cars. It would be gloriously epic.

Jobjoris > Jonee 07/26/2017 at 03:06

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That flock only at delivery of course, within a few months most of the engines will have ceased operation anyway.

Jonee > Jobjoris 07/26/2017 at 23:36

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Yeah, it’ll quickly go from swarm of bees to annoying mosquito.

Jobjoris > Jonee 07/27/2017 at 05:58

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All people passed by will have dengue in a heart beat. Better call Leonard.

Jonee > Jobjoris 07/28/2017 at 01:24

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We can install insecticide shooters in the hubcaps. That can double as an anti-theft device.

Jobjoris > Jonee 07/28/2017 at 04:51

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It will be so venomous our own mechanics don’t dare touching it. Which could make an epic marketing campaign for obtaining new staff.

Jonee > Jobjoris 07/29/2017 at 02:36

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“Mechanics hate it!” is a great slogan. People will assume it’s so reliable, it’ll put mechanics out of work. Like the Maytag repairman which is an old series of ads we’ve had here.

He was always sad because he had no washers and dryers to fix. Our situation is the opposite, but the clientele need not know that.

Jobjoris > Jonee 07/29/2017 at 12:50

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I’m not sure people actually will buy “mechanics hate it” with 4 rotaries. Or is our target clientele plain stupid?

Jonee > Jobjoris 07/29/2017 at 15:33

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Stupid or crazy. That would have to be our American campaign.