FYI - Soviet Union built these

"PartyPooper2012" (PartyPooper2012) 07/10/2020 at 06:59 • Filed to: None

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@11 minutes time, you can see a public car ramp.

Anyone can drive up on it and perform vehicle maintenance.

Quick oil changes, clutch work, etc.

Super convenient. Public. Free

Otto-the-Croatian-'Whoops my Volvo is a sedan' > PartyPooper2012 07/10/2020 at 07:06

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Lovely!

vondon302 > PartyPooper2012 07/10/2020 at 07:17

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Neat!

Nom De Plume > PartyPooper2012 07/10/2020 at 07:20

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I enjoy the fact your vehicle needs to be running strongly enough to climb up it.

That and it appears to be built with proportions that work with anything from small cars to rather large trucks.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > PartyPooper2012 07/10/2020 at 07:31

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Wow, that’s cool! I wish they did that here! :S

PartyPooper2012 > Nom De Plume 07/10/2020 at 07:33

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Back when I lived in USSR and my dad had to use one of these, not all vehicles were running. Not all of these ramps were concrete. Some were metal frames welded to accommodate.

Non running cars were pushed onto the ramp. Sometimes by man power, sometimes by other vehicles. Many times by horses or donkeys. 

PartyPooper2012 > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 07/10/2020 at 07:34

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I can just see lawsuits from people who can’t drive and drive off it . Cars land on their faces etc.

But I was wanting to build one of these near me for people to use. I just don’t want the law man coming after me.

ranwhenparked > PartyPooper2012 07/10/2020 at 08:19

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In the Soviet Union, all cars were also designed to be easy and straightforward for the average driver to maintain and repair themselves. They all came with a comprehensive tool roll and a thick owners manual with useful repair information. There really weren’t any repair shops or service stations around, so if your car broke down, you fixed it yourself or it stayed broken, your choice.

GAZ actually developed an automatic transmission for the Volga M21 in the early '60s, when consideration was given to selling it in the US, but when those plans were cancelled after someone came to his senses, the automatic was also scrapped as being too difficult for the average motorist to service. They did make a limited number for the KGB, though

PartyPooper2012 > ranwhenparked 07/10/2020 at 08:41

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My dad used to praise Stalin. Says he made car engineers work on broken cars in Siberia. If they could fix it in harsh, freezing temperatures, then car was well made for Russian conditions. If not, that engineer was fed to the bears and car design was sent back to be re-worked.

Now, I don’t know if any of that was true, but seems like a good idea.

Imagine GM engineers having to undergo that kind of testing? Cars would never have a CD player or AC  

ranwhenparked > PartyPooper2012 07/10/2020 at 08:47

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Actually, one of GM’s problems was that they did have all sorts of Byzantine internal rules and requirements for how components should be designed, including performance in unlikely conditions. Bob Lutz complained, for example, that door handles had to work in 70 degrees below zero, and 130+ degrees above, without seizing up, and that prevented GM from designing new and better looking ones for different models, sticking to what was already tested, even though 99.9% of drivers would never experience those conditions.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 07/10/2020 at 10:40

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Autozone parking lots would be very different but also these are just asking for a lawsuit. Maybe the employee in side has the key to open the gate to it.

Darkbrador > ranwhenparked 07/10/2020 at 11:44

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“ 70 degrees below zero, and 130+ degrees above” ... that sounds like Minnesota in times of global warming, dontcha know ?

Spoon II > PartyPooper2012 07/10/2020 at 18:38

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Man, I really dig that car!