The history of the main van of the Soviet Union

September 30, 60 years ago in Latvia, or rather, in the Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic, was founded Riga Bus plant, or rather the RAF. For a cute and sad story of the Creator of the popular Soviet minivans and minibuses, we got a lot of pictures and some letters.









However, the first Rafa was not micro, but quite the contrary – mikroavtobus. RAF-251 – only cabover body on an extended and strengthened chassis truck GAZ-51.





The first van (or a minivan) Riga plant was RAF-977 "Latvia". Built on the nodes and aggregates the 21st "Volga", 977-th was produced for 17 years and was used... However, he used...





For example, the medical version of "Rafik" with a stretcher, a radio and a spotlight-seeker called RAF-977И.





Served as "Latvia" and in taxis. However, in terms of a mass with the current generation of "gazelles", "transits" and "boxers" bet you couldn't. Probably, therefore, not left a bad memory.





"Latvia" in the format panel van under the brand name of RADIO were produced by the Yerevan automobile plant.





In 1976 replaced the 977-mu came a new model. RAF-2203 based on units of "Volga" GAZ-24 and could boast a much more modern (at least as it seemed) design.





New "Rafik", of course, immediately called for a special work: and the firemen and the police, and an ambulance.





Specifically for the Olympics-80 in Riga has created several interesting special model. Among them, the pick-up technical assistance for the riders, a car with a roof rack electronic boards and even judges van on electric! Of special note is a passenger train RAF-3407 for the guests and participants. After the Olympics, these fun "avtoperevozki" was used actively in amusement parks and at ENEA.





But the coolest of the "Rafikov" – armored car-the armored vehicle with a custom body by the French company Labbe. Heavy bonemancer poorly combined with slabenko suspension and Latvian plywood floor of the van. So the age of these vehicles was short-lived.





The disintegration of the Union led to the collapse of the Riga bus factory. Due to the lack of parts issue RAF-2203 was stopped, and a promising model of "Roxanne", the conveyor is not reached.





The same fate, however, was waiting and RAF Stils. Although front-wheel drive monocab design, developed in the US, for its time (early 90's, for a moment) looked very cool.





Production in the shops of the Riga bus factory stopped in 1997. Today on the site of the former flagship of the Soviet Union miniministerial located retail and office space. About cars here today, no one remembers...

источник:fresher.ru

Source: /users/1077