Export of GAZ-69: How the USSR Helped Iceland in the "Cod Wars"

Unfortunately, very often political disagreements between some countries have had a strong impact in the transport sector. We recently recalled one of the most striking examples of this dependence. I mean the article about American embargo for the supply of passenger cars and others cars to the island of Cuba.


Something similar happened in the 50s between sparsely populated Iceland and its more economically developed neighbor, Great Britain. The thing is that British sailors had a good catch of cod near the Icelandic coast. At some point, the island state decided to hinder this process by passing a law expanding its own exclusive economic zone. Thus, a conflict arose that lasted for many years.


In addition to diplomatic and even military levers, another favorite method was used – economic pressure. Small and cold Iceland had almost no specialized industry of its own. At the same time, its harsh climate required special and hardy transportPreviously, neighboring Great Britain helped in this regard by supplying:

✅ various agricultural machinery
✅ powerful trucks
✅ Land Rover SUVs

All these modifications were designed specifically for the harsh and damp Icelandic climate. In addition, the local roads can be called quite specific. So all-wheel drive frame technology is the best for them.

British embargo paves the way for Soviet designs

But because of the "cod conflict" the British simply suspended deliveries in order to bring the Icelanders to their senses and persuade them to reverse their decision. The northern guys had a hard time and had to urgently look for a worthy replacement for the now inaccessible British equipment. And help came from an unexpected source.


First, let's make a small digression with an excursion into geography and population. At that time, no more than 103 thousand people lived in the state, which had a territory of 150 thousand square kilometers. And the overwhelming majority of them were somehow connected with the fishing industry or seafood processing.

In conditions of a harsh climate, low population density and lack of necessary base, there was no talk of developing domestic production. And what was urgently needed was durable equipment capable of working at very low temperatures and at an affordable price. And then the government had to put aside any political issues and turn to the USSR for help.



The Icelandic government began negotiations with the Soviet "Autoexport", which ended quickly and positively for both parties. The USSR received the opportunity to sell its transport products, although far from being a leading, but still a capitalist country.

Soviet export of automobile equipment to Iceland

Of course, there had been experience of deliveries of Moskvichs (and later Zhiguli) to England. Small batches were also bought by other representatives of the Western world. First of all, they were tempted by the very low cost, and also very interested in what they could produce there, behind the Iron Curtain.


Quite rarely, Volgas and Zaporozhets were included in this number. The former were not that cheap, especially since they were noticeably inferior to their Western counterparts. But a "Zhuzhik" could only be taken for a joke or a gag. In such a situation, although not very large, but a stable and diverse Icelandic order turned out to be very useful.

Thus, deliveries of Soviet weapons began to the “land of ice” tractors, trucks and so-called SUVs. The latter meant the GAZ-69, the production of which began in 1952 and lasted more than two decades. As it turned out, it can quite compete with the vaunted British technology, having:

✅ better cross-country ability
✅ greater endurance
✅ much lower price

Of course, in terms of comfort of control and operation, the Soviet ascetic version could not be compared with the Land Rover of that time. But, perhaps, in the harsh Icelandic conditions, this could hardly play a leading role.

The trucks arrived, but there were problems with the GAZik

Thus, the USSR not only expanded the geography of its vehicle exports, but also slightly undermined one of its most important political opponents. The funniest thing is not this. As you remember, the basis of the Icelandic economy is the catch and processing of seafood (primarily cod). Yes, the one that caused all the fuss. So, the northern country partially paid for Soviet products with... fish and products made from it.

Can we now say that the GAZ-69 was ideal for operating conditions in Iceland? Probably not. Its weakest point was the awning roof. You must admit, it is not the best solution when it is minus 30-40 degrees outside.


But this problem was solved quite quickly. Moreover, the Soviet side did not have to somehow rework the production technology or put a special Icelandic modification of the GAZ-69 jeep on the conveyor. Local skilled and enterprising guys very soon began to offer their fellow countrymen hard roofs for export equipment. Those who did not want to freeze quickly responded to the offer and the issue was closed.

Returning to the general topic, I would like to note that Soviet tractors and powerful trucks very quickly fit into the local color. After all, the Icelandic climate is similar to the conditions that exist in the Far North. And there, Urals, KrAZs and other equipment successfully worked for decades. The same can be said about special versions of off-road tractors designed for use at very low ambient temperatures.

The Icelandic-British confrontation lasted until the mid-70s. During this entire period, the Soviet side provided regular supplies of limited lots of various equipment. Very soon, everything turned into a well-oiled system. SUVs with soft roofs came from the USSR, and even before they were put into operation, Icelandic workshops replaced them with hard tops. It's time to recall a little about the characteristics of the GAZ-69:

✅ weight – 1,53 tons (with a hard top it was heavier)
✅ capacity – 8 people or 2 passengers and 500 kg of cargo
✅ power - 52 liters. With
✅ maximum speed - 90 km / h

The total export history of this car included 56 countries, and its full assembly took place at Romanian or North Korean facilities. By the way, for the needs of the Soviet police, the GAZ-69 was also sometimes redesigned, replacing the soft roof with a hard top.


Although deliveries to the country with a harsh climate took place many decades ago, some examples of Soviet jeeps from the Gorky plant are still on the road. Of course, today they are no longer in constant active use. Rather, these are now blanks for trophy raids or exhibits in the classic car style. Yes, and any young Icelander who saw these cars would be very surprised that the GAZ-69 was originally produced with a soft top. You will not find a single example in this version here.