GAZ-67

GAZ-67 at a glance

The GAZ-67 is often called the Soviet counterpart of the Willys Jeep. It was much less numerous during the war: in 1943 alone the Soviet Union received more than 50,000 American Jeeps under Lend-Lease, while GAZ built only 718 GAZ-67s that year. The history of Jeep covers the American side of that story. Other GAZ models are in the GAZ catalogue.

From the GAZ-64 to the GAZ-67

The project started with the GAZ-64. According to the old 1cars text, the Soviet army in 1941 asked GAZ and the NATI research institute for a light four-wheel-drive car carrying 400 kg, small enough to fit in a Li-2 transport aircraft, with a track and length similar to the American Bantam. Designer Vitaly Grachev led the work with engineer Grigory Vasserman; design began on 3 February 1941 and took 51 days. Assembly of the first car started on 4 March, short army trials ran from 15 to 27 April, and series production began in August 1941. By the end of that year 601 GAZ-64s had been delivered, according to the same source.

To speed production, the car reused proven parts. The engine, gearbox and fuel tank came from the GAZ-MM truck, the radiator from the GAZ-AAA, the electrics from the GAZ-M1 saloon and the brakes and steering from the four-wheel-drive GAZ-61. The narrow track of the GAZ-64 made it prone to tipping over, so the GAZ-67 of September 1943 widened it to 1,446 mm and added a stronger frame and larger fuel tanks.

Body and cab

The body is an open steel tub, made of flat panels and simple folds so that it was easy to build. There are no doors, only cut-outs that a canvas apron could cover in bad weather. This let soldiers jump in and out quickly. The windscreen stands upright, to avoid reflecting sunlight upwards, and folds forward flat onto the bonnet. A simple canvas top sits on one hoop, later two.

According to the old 1cars text, only the driver's side has a vacuum-driven wiper; the passenger side is cleared by hand. The radiator shell, bonnet, dashboard and the 43-litre main fuel tank in front of the windscreen came from the GAZ-AA family, and a second 33-litre tank sits under the driver's seat. The battery was moved to a box behind the front right wing.

The GAZ-MM engine and four-wheel drive

The engine is a slightly more powerful version of the GAZ-M1 saloon's four-cylinder, simple and easy to repair. The rear axle on the GAZ-64 broke gears when first or reverse was used under load. The GAZ-67 therefore got an interlock that allowed first gear and reverse only with front-wheel drive engaged, which spread the torque over both axles, according to the old 1cars text.

Chassis: quarter-elliptic springs and simple brakes

The front axle hangs on four quarter-elliptic cantilever leaf springs. Grachev chose them to keep the front overhang short, which gave a steep approach angle and let the car climb vertical steps of about half a metre, according to the old 1cars text. The drawback was durability: the leaves were heavily loaded and broke, and the springs gave little side support. The rear axle uses two semi-elliptic leaf springs mounted above the axle for more ground clearance.

The first cars had single-acting hydraulic dampers that wore quickly; double-acting units came in 1951. Brakes are mechanical drums, cable-operated, with no servo, and the steering has no power assistance. The steering column is set at an unusually steep angle because of the short layout.

GAZ-67B specifications in metric and imperial units

Versions and derivatives

According to the old 1cars text, the GAZ-67B of 1944 got a new carburettor and ignition distributor with a fuel filter, a stronger front axle with needle-roller joints and improved front suspension and drive shafts.

GAZ-67 compared with the Willys MB and its successor

The GAZ-67's strengths were its simplicity, tough frame and parts shared with GAZ trucks. Compared with the Willys MB, which Lend-Lease supplied in far larger numbers, it was built only in small numbers during the war and offered less comfort. Its successor, the GAZ-69, added doors, a proper cab, more space and a new engine. For heavier work GAZ built the GAZ-63 truck from 1948.

The GAZ-67 today: collecting and preservation

After the war most GAZ-67Bs went to civilian work: forestry, agriculture and, with a blade fitted, snow clearing. The Soviet post office put the GAZ-67B on a stamp in 1975. Today surviving cars are kept by museums and private collectors, and few come up for sale.

Our verdict: the GAZ-67B suits collectors of Second World War and early post-war vehicles who want a genuine Soviet field car rather than another Jeep. Look for an original body tub and frame, check the front quarter-elliptic springs and the transfer case, and expect to restore the cable brakes and the dampers. More cars of the period are listed in our 1940s classics.