GAZ-64

The GAZ-64 was a 4x4 vehicle made by GAZ (Gorkovsky Avtomobilny Zavod, translated as Gorky Automobile Plant, a cooperation between Ford and the Soviet Union), succeeding the earlier GAZ-61. Its design was led by Vitaliy Grachev. The design process was exceptionally quick, taking only a few weeks. Over 90,000 were produced in total, but the majority of the wartime production went to produce the BA-64 armoured car.

GAZ-64
A 1941 GAZ-64
Overview
ManufacturerGAZ
Production
  • 1940–42
  • 646 produced
Body and chassis
Body styleJeep
LayoutF4 layout
RelatedBA-64
Powertrain
Engine3.3L GAZ M1 I4
Chronology
PredecessorGAZ-61
Successor

Design

The curb weigh of the car was 1,200 kg (2,646 lb). It was powered by a 3285 cc, inline-4 engine giving 50 hp (37 kW) and a top speed of 100 km/h (62 mph).[1][2] It was produced using existing commercially available parts.[3]

Development

The GAZ-64 was developed from a requirement developed during the 1940 war between the Soviet Union and Finland. Although it appears superficially similar to the American Jeep (Bantam) , it was developed using commercially available parts already available in the Soviet Union.[4]

It was designed to replace the earlier GAZ-61, which was totally reconstructed in a very short period (3 February – 25 March 1941) under the leadership of Vitaly Grachev to create a 4×4 jeep, which was named the GAZ-64. It was later succeeded by the more popular GAZ-67 and the GAZ-67B. The GAZ-64 and GAZ-67 were the basis for later BA-64 armoured car.[1][2]

Production

646 GAZ-64s were made between March 1941 and summer 1942 by the GAZ or Gorkovsky Avtomobilny Zavod company. The name was translated from the Gorky automobile plant, a cooperation between the company Ford and the Soviet Union.[1][2]

Due to the availability of American made Jeeps provided by the American Lend-Lease program, the majority of wartime production of the GAZ-64 was dedicated to the BA-64 armored car. Due to GAZ-64 production being tied to BA-64 production, only around 2,500 were produced during the war. Post war production increased greatly, and more than 90,000 GAZ-64 were produced by the time production ended in 1953.[5]

References

Citations
  1. Thompson, p. 31.
  2. Pročko (2005)
  3. Jeeps 1941–45 By Steven J. Zaloga. P.38-39
  4. Jeeps 1941–45 By Steven J. Zaloga. P.38-39
  5. Jeeps 1941–45 By Steven J. Zaloga. P.38-39

Bibliography
  • Pročko, Evgenij (2005). GAZ-64/67, GAZ-61/AR-NATI (4x4). Militaria. ISBN 978-83721-922-71
  • Thompson, Andy (2008) Cars of the Soviet Union: The Definitive History. Haynes Publishing. ISBN 1-84425-483-6
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