ZIL-169: The story of the hood Bashny.Net

Examining archives, stumbled upon a photo bonneted truck ZIL-169, dated 1974 year. Kind of like an occasion for celebration, I thought. But there it was. The theme was so confused that in the end turned out not "anniversary", and an excursion into the history of the model - the predecessor of the current ZIL-4331

Photo ZIL and from the author's archive

Before proceeding to the story of the ZIL-169, you must plunge into history.

Beginning of the 60-ies of the last century, the Russian car industry just bursting with ideas and proposed models. ZIL not stand aside from these processes. Not yet put on stream promising ZIL-130, and are ready machine with the future. In particular, in 1963 there triaxial model ZIL-133 (6x4), designed to increase the productivity of rolling stock due to traffic growth and the rise in the economy.

Only this is not all. Recognizing the promise of construction of the truck cab-over-engine, are also working on a similar machine, which in the future will have to replace the ZIL-130.

December 25, 1964 the prototype "Zilovskoye" beskapotnika ZIL-E169A made on the chassis "an hundred and thirty," leaves the factory gates. In appearance the car resembled American specimens. This is not surprising. Overall design school ZiL gravitated toward the United States. Incidentally, this was not the first and not the last. The following year, the machine goes to trial. The design as a whole was successful and after the removal of defects has been recommended for production.

However, the design ZIL-E169A at the time of decision-making obsolete. Time inevitably going forward, as well as the demands made by the economy. In the depths of CB designers created a new look beskapotnika. So in 1967 there working sketch of the truck developed Zilovskoye designer Leo Samokhin.

Put on the conveyor ZIL-130, load capacity which at different times ranged from 4 to 6 m, the designers have chosen to limit the maximum permissible load on the axle, which was determined on the basis of operating while traffic restrictions. At the same time it became clear that the further growth of carrying capacity is only possible by increasing the number of axles - the permissible load on the truck of the top two bridges at that time was limited to 11 tons.

Therefore, developing a family of ZIL-133 (6x4), launched into production was delayed for various reasons, to Zile in 1967 and began work on a promising new family of ZIL-170 (6x4), similar to the class ZIL-133. < br />
And then, as luck would have appeared in time resolution of the Central Committee of the CPSU and the USSR Council of Ministers №1084 of November 16, 1967 to create a new family of cars, tractors. For mass production vehicles intended construction of seven plants with a total area of about 3 million m2, which should have been carried out in essentially the full production cycle of heavy vehicles. After reaching full capacity expected to produce 150,000 vehicles and 250,000 diesel engines a year.

Either on its own initiative, or on orders from above, is not known, a promising family of truck ZIL-170 overnight became the prototype of KAMAZ vehicles. ZIL has concentrated all its efforts in this direction.

By the way, in 1968 the Moscow Avtosrtoiteley finalized design documentation and built the first prototype of a truck tractor ZIL-170V75 with 210-horsepower diesel engine perspective YAMZ-6E641. According to the statement, the family perspective included only three-axle truck model.

Everything else in the early 1970s, the Soviet Union in the framework of the CMEA was to develop and put into production, at least two brand new family of trucks of different capacity. Along the way, in our country embarked on a general dizelizatsii truck and bus rolling stock.

As already mentioned, at the time when the government issued a decree ZIL hard at work on their promising models created for the future. About three-axle vehicle with cab-over-engine and wheel formula 6x4 models ZIL-170 we already know. But there was another development initiative - a two-axle truck ZIL-169 is the same layout. He was not only designed but also built in December 1969 and are factory tested, designated ZIL-3E169A. According to the plan zilovtsev he was supposed to be the successor of ZIL-130. In addition, the cabin ZIL-3E169A was identical triaxial ZIL-170.

After transmission in Naberezhnye Chelny all documentation for ZIL-170, by now a KAMAZ-5320, CB ZiL returned to the 169th model. However, by the mid-1970s in the automotive industry, as well as throughout the country entered a period of stagnation. This may explain the fact that in the course of further work on the ZIL-169 prevailed technology and industrials. Despite the huge funds allocated plant, it was decided to make the most of in car design and technology units, already mastered in the current production. Thus, the ZIL returned to the bonnet layout. And under the old index "169" began to design a completely different machine.

Imperceptibly we came to our hero of the story.

In 1973, all the same Leo Samohin develops models bonneted truck ZIL-169, and in 1974, appears the first prototype of the truck ZIL-169G, very reminiscent of American trucks of that time with a large hood and a small cabin. A characteristic feature of the latter-day ZIL-169 becomes integrated plumage. For him working out in the same year are options ZIL-130 truck with integrated plumage upper and lower performance.

In April 1976 at the exhibition organized in honor of the visit by the country's top leadership, headed by Leonid Brezhnev, was a demonstration of experimental machines. This has been the samples in 1975. Among them, long wheelbase truck ZIL-7E169G trailer GKB-817. Machine is a second version with angular cabs increased volume. All of them were equipped with diesel power unit promising ZIL-E645 (V8; 8, 74 x 180 l. C.), The production of which was to be established in the village of Yartsevo in 1981.

By 1979, the appearance of the truck has undergone significant changes: the hood, empennage, and most importantly - cabin. She gained almost definitive features. By the way, the elements of the cab ZIL-170 were used in the design of the cab bonnet ZIL-169. Also issued at that time ZIL-130 were improved braking system, developed in the course of creating a ZIL-170.

In 1984, an exhibition devoted to the 60th anniversary of the domestic automobile industry, there ZIL-4331, it is still the same but slightly modified ZIL-9E169G sample 1978, but renamed in accordance with normal industry introduced to designate car rolling.

By the way, in the same 1984 range in Dmitrov could be seen the final version of ZIL-4331 with lighting fixtures, located in the bumper. On top of that unit was shortened grille manufactured from plastic ABC full-width tail, and it became the volume. The front part of the car is much "thinner". This version with minor finishing touches and left the factory gates in 1985, subsequently rising to the conveyor.

In general, the development of the truck ZIL-169/4331 took just over 10 years. But it was not successful Zilu. That's one of the comments to the truck: "For the sake of imaginary economic effect payload train raised, which led to the use of more powerful powertrain increase the curb weight of the truck while maintaining the same load capacity, and required a huge investment in new facilities in Moscow, Smolensk and Yartsevo . Orientation to prevail operation srednetonnazhnika in combination vehicle was wrong, the scope of application in a market economy narrowed to use relatively small amounts as a single chassis for the installation of specialized add-ons. Moreover, because of the low annual mileage consumers prefer to purchase cars with the old petrol engine or a diesel engine Minsk less power, which is why the production of more powerful diesel engines had to turn ».

Does that not explain the fact that virtually unchanged truck today is only available with a gasoline engine and all the same engine Minsk "Tractor" origin?

According to the author of the material does not claim to chronological sequence and accuracy of any facts. Just woke Photo "Vereshchagin feelings" - for the power offensively!

Interior cabin experienced ZIL-4E169G (1974)