GAZ-69

GAZ-69 at a glance: maker, years and purpose

The GAZ-69 was designed as a simple, tough vehicle for the army, farms and rural services. Its short wheelbase, low weight and high ground clearance gave it excellent off-road ability, and its nickname "kozlik" (little goat) came from the way it bounced over rough ground. GAZ's wider story is told in the history of GAZ, and the related models are in the GAZ catalogue.

History and development

Work on a successor to the GAZ-67 began in 1946, and the first prototypes ran in 1947. Chief designer Grigory Vasserman's team kept the proven 4×4 layout but used as many parts as possible from current GAZ cars and trucks: the engine and gearbox came from the GAZ-M20 Pobeda, and other units from the ZIM limousine and the GAZ-51 truck. This made production quick to set up. New features for the class included an engine pre-heater, a cabin heater and warm-air demisting of the windscreen, so the car could be used all year round.

State trials took place in September 1951, and series production began on 25 August 1953. GAZ needed its capacity for passenger cars and trucks, so in 1956 production moved to UAZ, which went on to specialise in off-road vehicles. Production ended in 1972, when the UAZ-469 took over. In Romania, licence-built versions (IMS-57, IMS M59 and ARO M461) continued until 1975, and North Korea built its own derivative.

Bodies and interior

The GAZ-69 had an open steel body with a folding canvas top on a metal frame. The upper door halves were canvas and the lower halves metal. Two body styles were built:

• GAZ-69: two doors, a driver's seat, a passenger seat and two longitudinal benches in the back for up to six people or cargo. The tailgate, when lowered, extended the load floor for long items.
• GAZ-69A: four doors and two rows of seats for five, nicknamed the "commander's" car in the army or the "chairman's" car on collective farms.

The cabin is basic. The dashboard holds a speedometer, a fuel gauge and an ammeter, with the ignition lock to the right; a large three-spoke steering wheel and a grab handle for the passenger complete the layout. The doors are narrow, the leatherette seats are slippery, and the stiff leaf springs make passengers bounce on rough roads. Police versions had a hard top and a divided interior with a separate compartment at the rear.

Engine and drivetrain

The engine is a robust side-valve unit, a four-cylinder relative of the GAZ six-cylinder used in the GAZ-51 truck, and it runs on low-grade fuel. The front axle uses Bendix-Weiss constant-velocity joints. Without a centre differential, four-wheel drive is meant for loose surfaces, not dry tarmac.

Chassis, steering and brakes

The GAZ-69 has a rectangular ladder frame with six cross-members and beam axles on semi-elliptic leaf springs front and rear. Steering is unassisted but light enough to turn the wheel even at a standstill, and all four wheels have drum brakes, without a servo.

Driving a GAZ-69

By modern standards the GAZ-69 is a demanding car to drive. There is no power steering and no brake servo, and neither the steering wheel nor the seats can be adjusted. On rough roads the short wheelbase and leaf springs make everyone on board bounce, which is why the passenger has a grab handle on the dashboard. The heater warms the area near it well but leaves the rest of the cabin cool, and the canvas top lets in draughts.

In return, the car is compact, can be driven with the top up or down, tows a small trailer, and its robust body metal and simple mechanicals are easy to repair with basic tools. Its high ground clearance under the axles and short overhangs let it climb out of mud and cross fords that stop larger vehicles, which is why owners still use restored examples for hunting and fishing trips.

GAZ-69 specifications

GAZ-69 versions and derivatives

Its small size let the GAZ-69 fit into transport aircraft and the cargo hold of the Mi-4 helicopter, which was designed with this vehicle in mind; for air-dropping, protruding parts such as the spare wheel and bumper were removed and the car was carried on a special platform.

Use, exports and legacy

The GAZ-69 was the standard light 4×4 of the Soviet Union and much of Eastern Europe, and it was supplied to many countries, including Afghanistan, China, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Egypt, Finland, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Poland and Vietnam. In civilian life it served collective farms, rural services and the police. Its successor, the UAZ-469, kept the same mission with a larger body, and the UAZ Hunter continues the line today. The story of the plant that built most GAZ-69s is told in the history of UAZ.

Buying and restoring a GAZ-69 today

Original, unmodified cars are now sought after by collectors, and many have been restored with reproduction parts; others were heavily modified for hunting and fishing trips. When inspecting one, check:

• Frame and body rust, especially the floor, sills and door bottoms.
• Originality of the engine and gearbox; many cars received later UAZ or GAZ units.
• Play in the front axle joints and steering.
• Condition of the brakes, which have no servo.
• Paperwork showing the version (69 or 69A) and production year.

More vehicles of the era are listed among Soviet classic cars.