Onboard "Gazelle" GAZ-3302 - the favorite truck of all Rus' and its environs

The Soviet auto industry did not need light trucks. More precisely, the state believed that this class was not viable. If we take it as a whole, then this is true - there were no private traders in the USSR before the “perestroika”, and no one counted gasoline. Yes, and trucks were not sold to individuals.


A critical situation developed after the collapse of the Soviet Union. State-owned enterprises stopped buying trucks, and most private traders simply could not afford medium and large-capacity vehicles. They immediately mastered passenger cars, but vans or airborne models were required for work.


The Gorky plant was the first to orient itself. He released the famous "Gazelle" - GAZ-3302. We will talk about this car today.

Soviet developments

Few people know about this, but the Gorky designers have repeatedly tried to create a light truck. The first attempts were in the mid-50s. Then the engineers prepared the GAZ-56, a new lorry that could become the Soviet equivalent of a pickup truck.

Unfortunately, farmers as a class did not exist in the USSR. And in any case, trucks were not sold to private hands. The government decided that the GAZ-51 is quite capable of meeting the needs of business executives.


They returned to the light truck only in the first half of the 80s. Then it finally dawned on me that the country needed a lorry. It could provide a number of advantages:

✅ Reduce fuel consumption
✅ Increase maneuverability in urban environments
✅ Any person with a “passenger” license could drive such cars

An attempt to create such a car was made at the Bryansk plant. Local design engineers did not begin to adopt the experience of NAMI and UAZ, and after all, they could already take developments in a lorry from them.

BAZ tried to make its own small-tonnage family with the help of British designers. Naturally, none of this worked out. Soviet realities simply could not provide the required technological level for such production.


In the late 80s, the designers and management of the Gorky Automobile Plant already clearly saw the need for light trucks. It was then that cooperatives began to actively appear, and the newly-minted businessmen needed such machines like air.

However, the appearance of the Gazelle was more of an experiment. The plant felt great - "Volga" and "Lawns" were bought and so. The government, by the way, did not support the idea either. Cooperators and farmers were considered frivolous clientele. Only the collapse of the USSR showed that new developments were promising.

Features of the model

It is believed that the Gorky designers chose the Ford Transit as a role model. Moreover, they claim that this is almost a complete copy. In fact, everything is far from it. It is possible that they were guided by "Transit" as a standard, but the decision is all their own.


The GAZ-3302 cab turned out to be beautiful - a kind of mixture of passenger and cargo motifs. Two people are comfortably accommodated inside, and if you make room a little, then three. The review is amazing for its time. For this, we must say thanks to the large area of ​​​​glazing and thin side pillars.


By the way, it was the unification with cars that made it easier for potential customers to choose. They immediately understood that in case of breakdowns, they could fix the car with their own hands.

Engines and gearboxes

Under the hood of the Gazelle there were different engines, but it all started with the carburetor ZMZ-4025.10. This power unit is from the Volga. The four-cylinder engine with a volume of 2,44 liters develops 90 liters. With. Such an engine is not very suitable for a truck - in the summer it has periodic problems with overheating, especially in traffic jams when fully loaded.


The next motor that was installed on the GAZ-3302 is the ZMZ-4026.10. Not much different from the previous power unit. With the same working volume of 2,44 liters, it already produces 100 liters. With. A little more dynamic, but there are also problems with overheating.


A more structurally complex engine is the injection UMZ-4216. Appeared in 2003, has a volume of 2,89 liters and develops 107 liters. With.
The ZMZ-40524 is considered the most valuable engine in the series. Also an injection power unit, but it already produces 140 hp. With. Earlier, when selling, they wrote that he had 150 "horses", apparently for solidity. But in fact, this engine never developed such power.


For some time, the Gazelles were even equipped with diesel engines of their own design. The conversation is about the GAZ-5602. This engine was made under license from Steyr, having invested a lot of money in this project.

Н
Very rarely, American Chrysler 3302L-DOHC engines come across the GAZ-2.4. They put them mainly on the latest Volga, which have nothing to do with the legend of the Soviet and Russian car industry. This Volga Siber is a copy of Chrysler Sebring/Dodge Stratus.

The best motor in the series in terms of reliability, but it costs the most to repair. The volume is 2,42 liters with a power of 137 liters. With. Occurs very rarely. First, these motors were supplied in small quantities. Secondly, they are expensive.


Only manual gearboxes were installed on the GAZ-3302. The first models of light trucks were distinguished by tight clutches and fuzzy gear changes. Gradually, all these nuances were eliminated.

Disadvantages of GAZ-3302

"Gazelle" was developed in a hurry, the car turned out to be frankly "raw". But the cars were sold out instantly, so the manufacturer tried to increase the pace.


Despite the strong suspension, customers of the Gorky Automobile Plant often complained about the poor quality of the springs and shock absorbers. The designers strengthened these elements, although they understood perfectly well that for the weight declared in the performance characteristics, their margin of safety should be enough.

But overloading the GAZ-3302 one and a half, or even two times, was the norm. Unlike foreign-made vans and flatbed cars, the Gazelle withstood such bullying. For this, we must say thanks to the powerful frame for the class and the twin on the rear axle.

The quality of metal processing GAZ-3302, or rather, its absence, has become a byword. The onboard platform and cabin actively rusted, and through corrosion appeared after 2-3 years. This was critical for farmers or those who bought a car for personal use. For businessmen, rust did not play a special role - they operated the car "for slaughter" and it paid off several times in a couple of years.


In 2003, the GAZ-3302 was updated, giving it a new cabin with a more modern bumper, optics and body kit. The light truck continued to be in demand, so they did not think to remove it from the assembly line.

In 2010, a new model appeared - GAZelle Business. Despite the name, this is still the same GAZ-3302, of course, thoroughly modernized. Although the NEXT family appeared, the old model remained relevant. Moreover, it is produced and sold so far.

It’s even interesting - when the GAZ-3302 will be removed from the assembly line. So far, they are not going to do this - the cheapest light truck in the range of the manufacturer continues to be in demand.