The Soviet people wanted Lamborghini Countach, photos

An engineer by training, an electrician at the Palace of children's creativity Ukhta in the profession, the head of the circle of technical creativity in combination, Alexander KULIGIN, established in 1979 shestikolёsny rover "Ukhta" in 1980 swung to build a sports car, the design of which served as a model famous Lamborghini Countach from Bertone.
Not having the material base for a mid line-up of the Italian supercar KULIGIN managed to create a stylistic resemblance to the units "Lada" with front engine and body "wagon" (not to disappear the same space!).
The car was named "pangolin" in association with the beast out of the Pangolin battleship streamlined. The car was the chassis and the engine volume of 1, 2 liters. and power 62l.s. from VAZ-2101. But, thanks to excellent aerodynamics and low weight stekloplastkovogo body, a top speed of 180 km / h.





Instead of the usual swing doors, as in most cars and doors "guillotine" type, both on the Countach, Alexander gave his "Pangolin" rising on hydraulic hood.



First showed his creation in 1981 KULIGIN runs regularly participated in "homemade" in the coming years.



The wheels on the car, incidentally, also custom-made of aluminum alloy. Low-profile tires constructor "pulled" from acquaintances avtosportsmenov "koltsevikov." The headlights were originally designed as a single block of four lights, raise the bonnet in the middle electric.



The architecture of the front panel is also in common with the original style of the Lamborghini. Pay attention to "break" the janitor, the construction of two "ikarusovskih" purified to 95% of the windshield - "know-how" of the Kulygina.



Initially, the role of mirrors played "periscope", visible in the skylight above the driver's head. Later, to obtain permanent state-rooms had to attach the "ears" with conventional mirrors.



To "Pangolin" released "abroad" in the Bulgarian Plovdiv to the international exhibition «EXPO-85", the car had to equip not only the "normal" mirror, and a pair of non-retractable headlights.



The same 1985 motor rally car was repainted in dark green and stood in the "standard" wheels.



As the "nose" pangolin was badly downhill and the engine of the Mercedes under it could not fit, the role of the "hood" sang climbing hydraulics front panel, equipped with serious noise and thermal insulation. Motor actually located "in the database" (strongly shifted back) but the back and front.



By the early '90s "Pangolin" again changed color and the "lost" his "break" the janitor, who subsequently took place ordinary, with a back door "Eight."



Mid 90's was marked by a serious car forced alteration of the body. Due to the fact that the truck driver to surrender ago "did not notice" pangolin was irrevocably pokorёzhena middle portion lifting the hood (a matrix of body parts have not survived), Kulygina had simply "cut off the roof" in his car. Along the way, "Pangolin" repainted in the color "red Ferrari»



According to the trends of the time but then in the depths of "trunk" based CD-changer with subwoofer (as vulgar stickers with dull tint on the glasses)



The fate of Alexander Kulygina there was not easy. Taken "Pangolin" by rail to Moscow (since the roads suitable for the passage in 1981 of Ukhta was not), Alexandre several years in a row went to his car in the caravans, then I got (in the wake of restructuring) Special design offices VAZ and AZLK . Decided to stay in Moscow and since the late 80's to mid 90's he worked on the "Moskvich". Not caught on among the elderly Soviet "artists-designers" KULIGIN in 1997 went to the US, where organized small design the desk in the manufacture and sale of "kit cars" (sets of plastic body parts for self-assembly). In 2004, on December 13 at half past nine in the morning in New York, on his way to work on his "wells" to his death drove the fault which turned without looking in the mirror ... (ironically ...)
Today "pangolin" is owned by a businessman from Moscow, kept at the Museum ...
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