Minskers Bashny.Net

In Soviet times, it was not easy to buy a car: Even if you have money for a new car all stretched on for years. Minsker Boris Karavkin decided to radically question the car, built himself a vehicle yourself. His creation he called "Fantasy".




Meet Boris I. Karavkin artist. In 1968 he started to build his car, five years later, the car was ready. It's obvious that the artist painted the car really - Design & quot; Fantasy & quot; It was very interesting. In the 70s the car looked no worse than a stock car at the time, and in some even have won. What the Soviet automaker offered sliding doors, elegant sloping roofline and baggy rear rack with air intakes?

 - I'm still a child engaged in a model airplane circle worked patternmaker, lathe, milling machine, a mechanic. That is a skill is, hands "fastened" as it should be. Experience in design, too, was: a friend suggested making snowmobile - we've got. One went on a business trip, and when he came, each has built a car. I saw, too, and caught fire. Many machines were, I also wanted to have their own, but the queues were such that you could not wait. Ten years collect money, wait for the queue. No, my patience was not enough.







It was decided to build a car. It all started with sketches and drawings, then the designer has created a model in 1:10 scale. Unfortunately, the model has not survived, but preserved project documentation, which is also needed to provide the traffic police.

 - I started to think, to think, to paint. Initially, I wanted to use fiberglass, even bought "epoxy". Then he decided that in a metal machine technology will be easier to perform. At that time I worked in MVIZRU (Minsk Higher Engineering School of anti-aircraft missile. - Comm. Aut.), The authorities went to meet me and write steel corners and aluminum. And the shop there was also his own. But with car components it was more difficult. The store on the path Logojsky parts were hard to get, so I painted them several years a wall newspaper and posters. I told them my artistic talent - they have me selling spare out of the lineup. And get started. Wife met the idea is good, it also helped me in the process of construction. Holidays with us at that time was not, after the work disappeared in the studio - anxious to finish. If not for the shortage of spare parts, time to build it would take much less.







Above the title, too, I had to think about. Friends and acquaintances offered their versions of "Iskra", "Dream", "Home» ...

 - Even the traffic police, when designed the home-made, advised: do you call "Belorusochka." As a result, the mother offered to call the car "Fantasia," I liked it - so named. In 1974 he managed to put the car on the account, and before that year traveled with homemade registration marks "breakdown" - questions the inspectors did not arise. The first time around homemade crowds: I'll go to the store, get out - do not go to the car. Everyone thought that it was some kind of a new model. Then, like the citizens of Minsk are accustomed to, but still my "Fantasy" is not deprived of the attention so far.





The owner at the time of our conversation, and then returned to the appearance of the machine. While design refinements limited to the strict requirements of traffic police homemade vehicles. These requirements are, by the way, came out in 1968, just in the year of the beginning of construction of the car. According to these dimensions "homemade" should not exceed 3 to 5 m in length, 1, 5 and 1 m width, 45 m in height. Boris I. was unable to keep within the first envelope.

 - The only thing that I have not fulfilled the requirements of the traffic police to the home-made cars - has made the car 25 sintimetrov longer. Otherwise, it just would not have looked: this would be curtailed, trimmed. And the back seat would be insufficient. It so happened that at the same time with me to the traffic police came another comrade on homemade. His creation of the employees clearly appreciated against the background of the second car, my car looked like a serial ... The wide C-pillars was not the aesthetic and technical necessity. After beginning the engine was standing behind me, from the "Cossacks." He needs a good airflow, and rack served as air intakes. And the strength of the body in this case higher. Then after all was the era of rocket, I worked in MVIZRU was associated with missiles, so wanted to do so. As for the sliding doors to eliminate slack loops, I have decided to make such a structure.









Let in the design of the vehicle discern some details of the various Soviet cars still largely aesthetic component created by the hands of the owner. Homemade car so good that is created based on personal needs. For example, in "Fantasia," for example, "glove box" not only covered, but also equipped with a light switch. After all, the owner himself knows when he shines in the "glove compartment" is needed, and when not. More pleasant things of note are two ceiling: on the front row of seats and at the rear. The undeniable advantage of interior - excellent visibility. Parking easier and more shifted down the rear window: by renting back, we can see the location of low objects, including the time to notice the small children.

But there is something else that I could not at that time propose Soviet automaker.



Seeing what you see in the photo above, we photojournalist almost simultaneously exclaimed: «Multivan!» Armchairs rotate in the manner of the well-known minivan premium. Unfortunately, until the end: the car was designed as a rear-and in transferring the engine forward the interior got a high tunnel, which prevents the chair to turn 90 degrees. But what an idea!





About the sliding doors we have said. Incidentally, they are equipped with the mechanism of raising and lowering the windows, and to open the door from the inside, you need to press a special button in the floor of the body. Together with a small width of the machine is becoming an undeniable advantage in the parking lot: you can squeeze into any gap and open the door without fear hit her car nearby. Nothing like? That's right, a Peugeot 1007, which went into production in 2005, also has a sliding door. Not if our homemade idea was borrowed?





The body has a frame structure. Hence, the strength, and the possibility of different engines. But despite the small size of the car, weight characteristics "Fantasy" because of the frame turned out to approximate a "Zhiguli": a curb weight of 1030 kg, the total - 1600 kg.

 - Some technical hitch is still there - says konutruktor. - For example, the steel frame and aluminum siding. A steel with aluminum, it turns out, does not play well - in places where they "kontachat" paint poorly kept ...



Initially, the engine and transmission has been installed from the "Cossacks", the car had a rear-engined layout. After some time in the requirements of traffic police were allowed to homemade engines of more than a liter. And Boris Karavkin set a "Zhiguli" engine capacity of 1, 2 liters and 64 hp Four-speed transmission is also moved to the "Lada". The power unit is now located in the front, rear-wheel drive stayed - the car has got a classic layout.



 - Between "Zaporozhye" and "Zhiguli" I had the engine of the Skoda volume liter. Beautiful unit, but at the time there were no spare parts to it, bore tired, do not fit the "native" parts. Soften the rules of traffic police - immediately bought "Zhiguli" engine. When I came to the traffic police in connection with the modernization, the staff I need to make calculations: To determine the axle load, the center of gravity, etc. It was found that the margin of safety design I get more than the standard domestic cars of the time!



Now the trunk turned back. Its size could be larger form - it is more convenient, and loading height - below. But the owner of the missing and the luggage compartment. But practical! After all, in fact, the body type - a hatchback. It can be defined as a two-door station wagon and - as you like. The rear seat removed - get a decent space for transportation of dimensional things. Another interesting solution: the floor behind understands - to gain access to the rear suspension can be directly from the cabin.



Front suspension homemade, but its design is based on the type of McPherson. Rear left from the "Cossacks».

 - Before the McPherson front was "Zaporozhye" suspension: two torsion arms ... It was tough enough, a lot of places occupied. With the same modern design is much simpler. The machine I have constantly modernized, because in the course delve into everything, look, compare and improve.





And we managed to experience the "Fantasy". The feel of the car - both the serial VAZ-2101: a very flexible and quite peppy engine, despite its low volume. Note also the clarity of gear, moves a small backstage. But the steering wheel tight and uninformative, but this is a homemade car, on the whole it goes well in the serial!

 - All set, power steering think, because, you see, this is very difficult to turn the steering wheel, - he said during a trip Boris Iosifovich. - Where I borrowed steering, no longer remember. Acoustic comfort is also not up to par. Calculated on the fact that the engine back, but when he moved forward, heard it was very good.





 - To date, the mileage of 290,000 kilometers, - continues the story of the owner. - Have been in its history, and breakage, and failures, and numerous upgrades. I repaint "Fantasia" three times. In winter, I try to keep in the garage, but in different periods of use the car very active. After the school was engaged in anti-aircraft missile decoration of facades and interior, driving to and from work, the cities of Belarus on various objects. Also he participated in several runs homemade, including all areas of Belarus in 1987. What a change it desires I never had. This machine - the love of life.



Source: