MAZ-200

MAZ-200 at a glance

The MAZ-200 was the first product of the Minsk Automobile Plant, founded on 16 July 1944, and the first in a line of trucks that continues today. Its early chassis and engines were supplied by the YaAZ plant, which developed the truck and later concentrated on engines as YaMZ. The plant's history is told in the history of MAZ, and its later trucks, from the MAZ-500 to the modern MAZ-5551 tipper, are in the MAZ catalogue.

History of the MAZ-200

After the Second World War, a decision was taken in 1944 to build a new automobile plant in Minsk to expand heavy truck production. The truck it would build had already been developed at the YaAZ plant, where it entered production in 1947 as the YaAZ-200. In 1950 production of the truck moved to Minsk, where it received the name MAZ-200. According to the old 1cars text, the two plants worked together for several years. They built closely related vehicles that differed only in details, such as the YaAZ-205 and MAZ-205 dump trucks, and the YaAZ plant and other suppliers delivered components.

The MAZ-200 remained in production until 1965, when the plant switched fully to the cab-over MAZ-500 family. The old 1cars text notes that a small number of trucks served into the 1980s with good care, and that the first MAZ trucks are now rare even in collections.

Two-stroke diesel engine

The MAZ-200's engine is one of its most distinctive features. It was a two-stroke diesel of General Motors design, built by YaMZ as the YaMZ-M204: an inline four-cylinder with a displacement of 4.7 litres. According to the old 1cars text, the engine was later uprated to 120 hp (88 kW).

In 1962 the YaMZ plant introduced the YaMZ-236 four-stroke V6 diesel with 11.1 litres. It was fitted to late versions such as the MAZ-200P and MAZ-200M. As the old 1cars text notes, it appeared on relatively few of these trucks because the new MAZ-500 was already being prepared.

Gearbox, brakes and steering

The five-speed manual gearbox had synchronisers, which the old 1cars text describes as an innovation for trucks of its region in the late 1940s. A rev counter on the dashboard was also unusual at the time. The brakes were air-operated, with a compressor driven by the engine and a reservoir, and drum brakes with adjustable shoes on all four wheels. The parking brake acted on the transmission and was operated by a lever to the right of the driver.

Steering was of the worm-and-sector type with a ratio of 21.5:1. The suspension used leaf springs at both axles, with shock absorbers at the front and additional helper springs at the rear, according to the old 1cars text.

Dimensions and weight

The old 1cars text adds a ground clearance of 290 mm and a front and rear track of 1,950 and 1,920 mm. It gives the flatbed truck an unladen weight of 6,560 kg and a gross vehicle weight of 14,500 kg.

Cab and later improvements

According to the old 1cars text, the first cabs were built largely of wood, which was slow to produce while steel-pressing capacity was still limited. Later cabs were assembled from separate steel elements. During its long production run the MAZ-200 received many updates. The old 1cars text lists combined side and indicator lights in the headlamp units and a one-piece windscreen that could no longer be opened. The brakes and parking brake were improved, and the battery was moved. A new G-25B generator and ST-26 starter arrived, and the electrical system changed from 12 to 24 volts.

MAZ-200 variants

The MAZ-205 dump truck was the most common derivative, according to the old 1cars text. The MAZ-501 logging truck had its own variants, the MAZ-501B with the YaMZ-236 engine and the MAZ-501V tractor unit, and the MAZ-502 added four-wheel drive, also available as the MAZ-502V tractor.

Special bodies on the MAZ-200 chassis

The MAZ-200 chassis was widely used for special equipment. According to the old 1cars text, it served as the base for fuel and milk tankers and for street-washing and watering trucks. Other bodies included the K-51, K-52 and K-53 truck cranes, the APK-6 container carrier, refrigerated trucks and a fire engine with an extending ladder 32 metres long. The fire-ladder truck was used mainly by fire services but also, in some cases, on construction sites.

Working life of the MAZ-200

The first Minsk truck was designed for heavy work on the roads of its time. The old 1cars text quotes a gross vehicle weight of 14,500 kg for the flatbed truck. A fully loaded tractor unit could travel at around 45 km/h on country roads, according to the same source. Its high ground clearance of 290 mm helped on unpaved roads, and the long 4,520 mm wheelbase gave space for a large cargo platform or special body. According to the same source, some trucks remained in use into the 1980s, and the chassis carried a wide range of bodies, from tippers to cranes.

Production timeline

Legacy of the MAZ-200

The MAZ-200 established the Minsk plant as a heavy-truck manufacturer, and as the YaAZ-200 it had been the first diesel-powered truck of its country. It was replaced by the cab-over MAZ-500, which used YaMZ's own four-stroke engines. The plant's tipper and tractor families continued with models such as the MAZ-503 dump truck and, later, the MAZ-5334 chassis. According to the old 1cars text, surviving MAZ-200 trucks are now rare even in collections.