LuAZ 1302 - uncrowned "rascal"

Very interesting car - LuAZ 1302, combining the most opposite features. It was in demand, but in the right volumes it was not produced, differed in simplicity, unpretentiousness and fantastic patency, but did not get to the needy in such a car. Born as a warrior, but did not find a place in a peaceful life, even as a collective farmer. This situation developed every time when there was an opportunity to use this car.

As it often happened before in history, the initiators of the appearance of such a machine were the military. The fighting in Korea in 1949-1953 revealed the need for a new type of car - the front end conveyor (TPK). His task was to evacuate the wounded, deliver ammunition, transport light artillery. Yes, and for the airborne troops required an all-terrain vehicle, which allowed landing from the air without an additional cargo platform. That's how the idea of an easy floating all-terrain vehicle, which received the LuAZ index 967, later renamed into the LuAZ 1302, appeared.

The original version of the car was developed by specialists of NAMI. For the first sample, a fiberglass carrier body was provided, an independent suspension, a front-wheel drive and a motorcycle engine. However, the test results turned out to be negative, and specialists of the Zaporozhye plant were connected to the development of the second sample. As a result of their joint work, an unusual car for those times was born LuAZ.

He had a front-wheel drive, such a car in the country at that time did not exist. The rear axle was connected at overcoming impassability. The driver's seat was in the middle, for the passengers there were rear folding seats. Behind the driver's back were a stretcher with two wounded or a cargo of up to 750 kg. The car could swim, while driving on water the rowing effect of the wheels was used. The suspension of all wheels is independent torsion, the rear axle had a differential lock, the driver could use the downshift.

The car LuAZ 967, the successor of which was LuAZ 1302, had a very high cross-country capability. This was facilitated by a significant clearance (280 mm), wheel gears, light weight of the car. He could climb up to 58 degrees, if necessary, he could pull the load up to 200 kg with a winch from the shelter (length 100 meters). Its dimensions (vertical) could be reduced, the car could be driven by the driver lying down, with the windshield reclining forward.

In 1978 in Turin at the international salon the car was recognized as one of the ten best cars in Europe, however, it was produced in small quantities in relation to the existing demand, mainly for the army. Of course, it did not meet any standards for comfort and convenience. It can be compared with the first Willys, about the same. But for the residents of the village, and many of the townspeople of that time, unskilled and not burdened with extra comfort, it was a very popular car. Consumers carried out tuning LuAZ on their own in the measure of their understanding and used it in everyday life.

It was repeatedly tried to produce for rural residents, fishermen and tourists. But there were not enough capacities, the plans were not coordinated, and then the time passed. To replace the LuAZ 1302 came to the free sale of new, comfortable and high-speed cars, and this car, despite its dignity, became useless. And the car is very interesting.