"What it is?" - both drivers, passengers and pedestrians are surprised when they come across a huge unusual jeep on the road. And almost everyone turns after the mechanical giant. Many try to catch up with him by car or come closer in the parking lot. And all in order to understand - how is this car made? But the exact answer to this question can only be given by the owner of an amazing miracle of technology. Khabarovsk entrepreneur Pavel Mashinistov assembled an SUV with his own hands, combining Suzuki, UAZ and special equipment.

Fishing Idea

-The answer to the question: where to buy one? there can be only one - with me! This is a piece copy, there is no second such in nature. But it’s not for sale: I did it for myself, for convenience and for the sake of my soul, why would I part with it? - Pavel laughs.

The idea to create a comfortable and passable SUV came from Pavel Mashinistov about six years ago. An avid fisherman and hunter, he once thought about what a car should be that would easily overcome any off-road without creating problems for the owner. As Pavel says, "so that you don't have to walk in the mud behind a tractor, pulling out a stuck jeep." Lightweight but stable, powerful, but not consuming too much fuel, durable, comfortable ... And at the same time - not too expensive.

At that time, a car that met the above requirements did not exist in nature. And then Pavel decided to make the car of his dreams with his own hands! Fortunately, there were quite enough skills for this. An auto mechanic by training, Pavel worked all his life with various equipment, from cars to special equipment.

Deciding not to postpone the venture indefinitely, Pavel soon bought an inexpensive 1993 Suzuki Escudo, the lightest and most compact of the jeeps. And the work on creating a giant car began to boil!

-First of all I took up the body, lifted it from the frame. Then he put axles with gearboxes from UAZ, rigid differential lock and reinforced axle shafts. This is so that the total load on the wheels is reduced, while the transmission of torque falls on the wheel with the best grip. The car has permanent four-wheel drive. To improve cross-country ability, I replaced the "native" 1.6-liter engine with a more powerful, two-liter, but also from "Suzuki Escudo" and a gearbox. The jeep weighs only 1900 kg, this engine is enough for him. But thanks to this ratio, the fuel consumption of my all-terrain vehicle, despite its impressive size, is not at all great - about 13 liters per 100 km on asphalt. Wheels - rubber measuring 120 by 60 cm and 21-inch disks specially ordered in Moscow. They were very expensive. Usually, such rather big wheels are intended for special special equipment, storming completely impassable off-road. All the work alone was beyond my power. Friends helped: with the body, and then with the design of the wings - Zinovy \u200b\u200bKravtsov, with the transmission work - Andrey Timofeev.

In front of his "giant" Pavel placed a winch, designed for 3 tons, with which the jeep can pull itself out or help other cars get out. True, larger cars than the Nissan Terrano, a light home-made all-terrain vehicle will not be pulled out, otherwise it risks being damaged. Pavel made a hatch on the roof, but not just as an element of tuning, but for convenience: during outdoor activities, it is convenient to explore the surroundings from it. The design of the wings also serves for comfort - the coating is waterproof. If something happens on the road, then in a special box attached to the back instead of a spare wheel, there is everything you need to fix the breakdown on the spot with your own hands.

TECHPASSPORT

Brand: Suzuki Escudo + skillful hands
Year of issue: 1993
Height: 250 cm
Length: 320cm
Width: 230 cm
Weight: 1900 kg
Displacement: 2.0 l
Maximum speed: 120 km / h
Transmission: mechanical
Drive: full
Control fuel consumption: 13 liters per 100 km

"Where I look, I go there"

As a result, this unique car - a square with giant wheels - cost its owner about 700 thousand rubles. Compared to the factory, especially new jeeps, it is inexpensive, but in terms of its qualities the homemade miracle, in Pavel's opinion, is ahead of all the "ready-made" options. The man managed to embody all his ideas in this car.

In March 2010, the SUV drove onto the roads of the Khabarovsk Territory for the first time. Since then, the giant drives, as a rule, outside the city; for everyday life, Pavel has a Toyota Camry. And the jeep is used for hunting and fishing trips. And here he has no equal.

- In summer and winter, wherever I look, I go there. Whether through soft mud, through swampy areas, or through snowdrifts. The main thing is that there are no trees in front, and everything else is not an obstacle. My car can easily go where even a tank gets bogged down. But what can I say, she can swim on water, if, of course, not too deep. It accelerates quickly, 120 km / h is definitely going, and then I did not check: I have it not for racing.

Self-made transport does not remain unattended even in the deep taiga, and there will always be an interested fisherman. What can we say about city trips!

- Everyone is looking, taking pictures, interested. It happens that even the traffic cops stop documents to check, and along the way they will ask a couple of questions. And even more so drivers. “Selling? Where did you buy it? How much do the wheels cost? Where to do the same tuning? They often ask: how did you register? There were no difficulties with this. The all-terrain vehicle is registered in the traffic police in the most usual way and passes the inspection perfectly. Its width is only 230 cm, and in order to be in the category of agricultural machinery, you need 280 cm, all units are standard.

And sometimes Paul is asked: how to collect this yourself? And here the conversation, of course, drags on: craftsmen always have something to talk about.

Julia Mikhaleva

It is common for residents of our country, like citizens of the post-Soviet space, to reinvent the wheel. This applies to devices that are expensive to buy, but it is quite possible to create with your own hands. The devices that dozens of designers are working on can be created independently. This requires minimal knowledge, desire and imagination. For example, it is quite possible to make a homemade SUV from standard models of domestic cars.

Homemade SUVs based on UAZ

Bringing a car of this brand beyond recognition with your own hands is not so difficult. For fundamental changes you will need:

• A set of aluminum sheets with corrugated edging for cladding.
• Metal and rubber pads.
• Fixing screws.
• Synthetic rugs.
• Foam rubber.
• Triplex glass.
• Flexible plastic.
• Tools (wrenches, screwdrivers, accessories).

A homemade SUV, if all the manipulations are carried out correctly, in terms of characteristics, will come out no worse than expensive analogues.

Where to begin?

To begin with, you should take care of strengthening the outer cladding and It is best to use steel pipes designed for high loads. It is also necessary to consider ensuring insulation from moisture, especially if it is planned to create not just an SUV, but a swamp vehicle.

If it is impossible to weld pipes, you can use the original UAZ body. Sometimes it is modified to give the desired configuration. Side struts, roof and bottom will require mandatory reinforcement.

Sheathing

A homemade SUV is made from a UAZ car after removing the old trim. Simultaneously with the reinforcement of the case, a new structure of aluminum alloy is mounted, which is resistant to weather disasters and corrosion. When choosing sheets, you should select a material whose thickness is at least one and a half millimeters. The new skin is fastened with screws, which are fixed in the frame with special heads. To smooth out all irregularities and remove backlashes, use rubber pads.

If a new housing is incorrectly installed, a completely vulnerable structure to mechanical and natural influences can emerge. Therefore, the installation of the skin should be carried out carefully and carefully, checking all the stages, since this part is the most fastidious when creating a jeep with your own hands on the basis of an UAZ.

Features:

When making a homemade SUV, you need to pay attention to the camber when assembling the bridge, you should first weld the lower bearing elements. They are then bolted onto the frame. Taking into account the peculiarities of operation, the type of wheels or even tracks are selected.

Torque is transmitted via a propeller shaft from the power unit to the rear axle. Such a unit is advantageous in that it is easy to maintain and repair. First, you need to make sure that the landing nests match with each other. Otherwise, the required number of holes must be grooved.

Finally, you will need to test the updated machine several times. After finding problem areas, they must be checked and all problems fixed so that driving on a homemade SUV is safe. Almost the entire modernization process is carried out according to a single scheme. From the original, only the power unit and body will be needed.

Homemade SUV from "Oka"

For regions with difficult roads, it is quite possible to make a swamp vehicle even from a small car. In the process, you can use various improvised means, ranging from spare parts of a broken car, ending with scraps of pipes and metal sheets.

In great demand among folk craftsmen, universal equipment on a pneumatic base or on wheels with low pressure is in great demand. Creation of a jeep based on the Oka is a very profitable solution in terms of finance and practicality.

Work stages

Homemade SUVs, the photo of which is presented above, can be made from Oka by observing the following sequence:

1. Choose a basis for a new vehicle. It can be just a frame from a motorcycle "IZH" or "Ural".
2. Make a rear axle and suspension. At this stage, a brace is used, connected by parts of the side members.
3. By fixing the rack and the steering sleeve, a single suspension unit is created.
4. As wheels, you can use cameras from trucks, which are attached using an adapter hub.
5. After mounting the frame and suspension, an updated engine, brake system and transmission are installed.

What to pay special attention to?

Above, we looked at how to make a homemade SUV? Despite all the advantages, this technique has certain disadvantages. In particular, low pressure chambers are a lot of trouble. Although they do not require service, the elements become less maneuverable during operation.

It is also difficult to equip them with protection against flying mud, since the dimensions are significantly larger than standard wheels.

As practice shows, pneumatics on homemade all-terrain vehicles are less practical than caterpillars. Otherwise, a home-made SUV based on Oka or UAZ is economically profitable and convenient, given the aspect that its design can be adjusted, depending on the characteristics of operation and climatic factors.

First of all, such a technique is suitable for residents of rural areas and fans of extreme off-road tourism.

Instructions

When building an off-road vehicle, be guided by the requirements developed over the years by fans of extreme tourism. A real SUV must have: high ground clearance (at least 220 mm), a high-torque engine (better) with water hammer protection, power steering, a shock absorber on the steering linkage, 31 or 33 inch wheels, differential locks, powerful power sills and bumpers, powerful towing hooks, winch, underbody protection, large roof rack, radio and navigation.

Start with the wheels. 70% of a car's off-road performance is dependent on tire size and tread pattern. In addition, large wheels save the suspension from strong shocks, allow you to get out of the truck or tractor track, and increase it. When choosing tires according to the tread pattern, be guided by the size of the lugs. In most cases, when installing large wheels on an SUV, a body lift will be required.

Lift the suspension. If the SUV is a frame one, raise the body above the frame by installing oversized spacers. Ordinary hockey pucks can be used as spacers. At the same time, geometric passability will improve and it will be possible to install large wheels. Do not forget that this will also increase the center of gravity.

Perform hydraulic protection on the engine. This is necessary not only for, but also for the motor. For the procedure, it comes down to installing a snorkel - a pipe for air intake at roof level. For a gasoline engine, additionally protect the ignition system and spark plugs from water. If you don't want to mess around, get ready-made kits. When making your own snorkel, try to use the highest quality materials possible. In this case, the pipe should have a sufficiently large cross section and have no more than 2-3 bends. Its fastening must withstand blows from oncoming tree branches.

Additionally protect the transmission from water: repair the breather valves in the axles, transfer case and gearbox in good condition and bring them out with plastic pipes as high as possible. Seal the fuel filler neck and engine. Protect the underbody under the engine, gearbox, gas tank, steering racks. Take aluminum or steel as the material.

The steering shock absorber (damper), which protects the steering wheel from shocks transmitted from the wheels, is normally installed on SUVs such as Defender or Mercedes G-Class. For self-installation of such, purchase a double-acting shock absorber, calculate the attachment points on the steering linkage and secure it with high quality.

Power bumpers and thresholds that can withstand jacking up an SUV from any position, purchase from firms engaged in OFF-ROAD tuning, or make it yourself. In the manufacture of such products, it is important to observe certain subtleties. Therefore, if you want to make these parts yourself, be sure to consult with professionals. Power bumpers must have powerful towing hooks (eyes) and be welded directly to the frame. The front bumper must be dimensioned for the installation of the winch.

Install the locking mechanisms for the center and cross-axle differentials. They are sold as ready-to-use kits and are designed to fit onto the differential housing. Proprietary mechanisms work more reliably and more accurately than standard ones. The main disadvantage of locks is the ability to damage the transmission if you forget to turn them off after overcoming off-road.

Place an expedition roof rack on your roof. It is an indispensable item for off-road travel. The trunk can be welded independently from pipes of the desired size. Also install a GPS navigation system in your car to avoid getting lost in the terrain. If you are planning to travel not alone, but as part of several cars, put a 27 MHz CB radio station

How to make an SUV based on an ordinary car. The frame of this vehicle consists of two longitudinal spars, located with some toe, and three cross beams.

The spars have a rather complex section. They are based on two welded water pipes 032 mm, to which a box of two L-shaped bent steel sheets is also welded from above. The cross-sectional height of the spar ranges from 120 mm in the center of the frame to 80 mm at the ends. The square crossbeams are welded from 2mm thick steel sheet, and the front beam also serves as a reservoir for oil, therefore it has a drain and a filler hole with plugs. In addition to the crossbars, two diaphragms bent from steel sheet give additional rigidity to the frame (the front is 2 mm thick, the rear is 1.6 mm).

The engine is borrowed from the VAZ-2101 car along with the gearbox (although on N. Yakovlev's car, the latter was taken from the VAZ-2103 - perhaps this is the only significant difference in jeeps). The air and oil filters have been slightly redesigned.

The transmission and chassis were used from the GAZ-69 with the use of separate parts from the UAZ-46E. One cardan - between the gearbox and the transfer case - is homemade. True, the cardan half-coupling and the crosspiece in it are serial, from the GAZ-69.

The rear leaf springs of the GAZ-24 Volga car were used as the springs of both axles, however, to improve the softness of the ride, homemade earrings were used - 20 mm longer than on the Volga (the size was obtained experimentally). Shock absorbers are also from GAZ-24. The springs are installed parallel to the frame side members, that is, at an angle to the machine axis. However, this did not deteriorate their work in the least.

The body is made of steel sheet 1.0-1.2 mm thick. Moreover, it all consists of relatively small (no more than 1 m long) panels connected by a spot welded.

At first we tried to use fiberglass, but nothing worked. Then they opted for metal, - recalls Nikolai Yakovlev. However, this is quite understandable: Nikolai works as a welder, and, of course, he is familiar with this technology. This should be borne in mind by every self-made: it is very important to find "your" material.

We started to make the body with ... doors! - adds Vladimir Kapusto. Maybe someone will find it unexpected. However, those who already have some experience in auto design know that making doors is one of the most difficult operations. It is not surprising that many do-it-yourselfers tend to use ready-made doors from serial cars. Unfortunately, such solutions sometimes run counter to the requirements of the overall design of the structure.

The most common operation in the construction of a kuzoz is bending. It is not very convenient to carry it out in a vice, therefore Yakovlev and Kapusto equipped their garage with an electromagnetic stove: this significantly increased labor productivity.

For the doors, sheet steel with a thickness of 1.4 mm was used, the rest of the body was assembled from panels with a thickness of 1.2 mm; except for the front fenders, which have gone millimeter steel. The drift was used very limited: mainly when adjusting the windshield. The panels were joined using spot welding, for which a simple device, shown in the figure, was made from ordinary pliers.

Behind the windshield, a water pipe is welded around the perimeter, which, together with the front pillar of the frame, serves as a safety arc when the car rolls over.

The hinges and door locks are home-made, although it would be advisable to use ready-made ones - for example, from Zhiguli. Groaning handles and lifting mechanism - from "Moskvich-2140".

The cockpit windows were borrowed from the VAZ-2121 "Niva" car. To install them, the designers found a simple and effective solution: a corner of steel 1.2-2mm thick was welded along the perimeter of the window under a rubber seal. It would be much more difficult to knock out the flange.

The bumpers were prepared by rolling from steel sheet 1.6 mm thick, for which two shaped rollers had to be specially machined and an elementary rolling machine had to be built.

The hood is made of steel panels surrounded by a frame made of a thin-walled tube Ø 16 mm. A thin foam pad is provided in front of the windshield, behind which the wipers are removed. The hood tilts forward on homemade horseshoe hinges. The latter are hinged on a U-shaped frame, which is also a radiator stand.

The tailgate of the car also has a thin tube frame; outside it is covered with a steel sheet 1.2 mm thick, and inside - hardboard.

The steering is taken from the GAZ-69, however, due to the peculiarities of the layout, the angle of inclination of the steering column had to be slightly reduced. The brake system is from the GAZ-24. Headlights - motorcycle, from "Chezet". Initially, all four headlights were located strictly horizontally, the car, as they say, did not look good. Then the inner pair was raised by 10 mm - and everything fell into place. The front of the car has acquired a completely finished look.

Rear lights from "Moskvich-2140", sidelights and direction indicators are homemade. The instrument panel is from GAZ-24, but the top panel of our own production is made of polystyrene, pasted over with cloth.

The gas tank of the car is originally made. It consists of an 80 L capacity welded from sheet steel, mounted on a frame between two rear crossbeams.

The awning frame is welded from water pipes Ø 25 mm. There are four thinner crossbars under the roof, three of which are removable. Plexiglass is glued into the awning windows. The method of attaching the plexiglass to the tarpaulin turned out to be very effective, so it can be recommended to all lovers of auto construction. A pocket is sewn to the canvas around the perimeter of the window, glass is inserted into it and the edges are impregnated with dichloroethane (or acetone) as shown in the figure. The tarpaulin is laid on a flat surface (for example, plywood), covered with plastic wrap and loaded - best with sand.

The front seats of the car from the GAZ-24 "Volga" car are slightly altered. The rear ones are home-made, it is planned to modify them so that when the car is converted into a pickup, they turn into the rear wall of the cab.

In conclusion, briefly about the operating data. Perhaps the main advantage of the jeep is its excellent cross-country ability. Last winter, during one of their fishing trips, Nikolai and Vladimir were caught in a heavy snowfall, and whole snowdrifts grew on top of the ice. But home-made cars did not care about this obstacle, while the nearby Niva had to wait for help.

In the pickup version, the maximum carrying capacity (when the rear springs become horizontal) of the machine is 800 kg. V. Kapusto's car runs on AI-93 gasoline, and its fuel consumption is about 10 liters per 100 mm of run. In N. Yakovlev's jeep, the engine was redesigned for A-76 gasoline; fuel consumption is somewhat higher.

24-year-old Artem Kaichuk, an automobile DIY, dedicated this project to his grandfather. Only the bow was taken from the GAZ-69, and all the other parts went to a homemade jeep from other cars.

The well-preserved frame of the Land Cruiser 60 was taken as a basis, Artem put on it the body of a Nissan Caravan minivan, to the front of which the "muzzle" of the GAZ-69 was welded. In the cabin, it was decided to keep the original landing formula of the Soviet SUV, where folding seats are located behind two stationary seats. This "custom" engine ZMZ-409 from AUZ Hunter and transmission from Land Cruiser is set in motion.

Personal attitude

It is also unusual to learn about the owner of the replicar: 24-year-old Artem Kaichuk, who dedicated this project to his grandfather, and called it "In memory of grandfather." Are there many young people of the “generation of the 90s” now with such an attitude to family history? I must say right away that Artyom has been living with cars since childhood, largely thanks to the professions and hobbies in the family, where everyone is on wheels both at work and on vacation, including on long travels. And now it is not prejudiced in vehicles - it is possible to drive modern models. But for a long time I also wanted something non-standard, rare, made according to my own understanding and with the use of my own hands, although not without help, of course.

The impulse for creativity in this direction was my grandfather's "Gazik", which I had a chance to ride, but which has not survived. However, the skills of "jeep building" were acquired back in 2011 during the preparation of the UAZ-452 that was in the family: they lifted, installed a Japanese diesel engine, "Barsovskie" bridges (gearbox UAZ with extended track), the winch, in general, was prepared for serious off-road conditions. It was after him that I was imbued with the idea to revive the image of the GAZ-69 - and I liked the car itself, and I wanted to do something of my own. I had a vague idea of \u200b\u200bwhat exactly should turn out and how to implement it, so I just decided to start by looking for some primary source.

And I found it. Shabby, half-disassembled, decayed in places, without a rear axle, with a "Volgov" engine - the state of the "prototype" least of all was conducive to the implementation of the plan. I didn’t want to get involved with the obviously “killed” units, it was extremely difficult to return the past in its authentic form, but the sad look of the big “eyes” did not let go. So I decided to make it out of it, but only now donors were needed.

An ad for the sale of another rarity, Land Cruiser 60, came in very handy. It was also of the first generation: with two round headlights and a 2F gasoline engine. As the acquaintance showed, the years in Russia were not in vain: there were already traces of "import substitution" - on the legendary Japanese SUV, spare parts from the GAZ-53, from the Volga, from the UAZ have peacefully taken root ... although in general the chassis is still in a bearable state. We must take, the bridges will definitely come in handy. They removed the body that was leaky in places, and under it the frame was almost in perfect condition. In any case, I immediately remembered that UAZ-452, where, after the installation of the diesel engine, the ridge began to burst, I had to strengthen it. Here, almost at the 30-year-old "sixty", the metal inspired confidence. And why, one wonders, to alter something, if there is a ready-made solution, a ready-made chassis?

We tried to hoist the body of the 69th on it. Just for now, for the experiment, it was necessary to start somewhere. And then it became clear to Artem that he had grown considerably out of that grandfather's Gazik, which he drove in childhood: cramped, small low windows, a roof “on his head,” there was not enough volume, there was no visibility. In general, it did not fit normally, the space is limited, but the car was needed not only for beauty, but also for everyday use, as well as long-distance trips. The whole idea suddenly slowed down, unexpectedly baffled me. What to do now?

The further course of events was prompted by a minibus with a characteristic name - Nissan Caravan, which idly and immobilized was gathering dust on the sidelines. It was bought as a donor for tuning that very UAZ-452, the engine and gearbox were removed, and the body remained. And I don't need it, but it's a pity to throw it out, maybe where else is needed. And now it came in handy. We measured everything with a tape measure, it is quite suitable in size, even powerful spars like an integrated frame “fit” very well on the LC frame, there is no need to cut and break the power structure.

At first I thought of cutting off the capacious rear of the "Caravan" and replacing it with the rear of the 69th. And then it came by itself - why not together with the entire front part, the windshield, with the doors? It is only necessary to cut out the central fragment with a sliding door, since the whole body did not fit into the plan in any way. Then, only the nose of the 69 was attached to the flat "muzzle" of the minibus. Even at its base, the bridge of the Gazik's nose did not cover the wide forehead of the Caravan, but on the whole it looked good - if you carefully spliced \u200b\u200bit together, then a quite harmonious combination of volumes is possible.

Between the past and the present

So everything spun, rattled with iron: sawing, docking, fitting - the front end of the 69th, as at home, settled on the front LC axle, almost without overhang, and the rear wheel arches of the minibus sat on the rear, providing a proportional overhang. As a result, a completely new silhouette appeared on the completely preserved base of the LC 60, with a recognizable face, a classic chassis scheme, but already a different, "minibus" layout in the cabin. In the sense that a free, more vertical landing was obtained, but with the placement of the engine in front, as it should be for an SUV.

The front seats remained in their place (only others), under them, where in the case of the "Caravan" was the engine compartment, found a place for a fuel tank, battery, small lockers. The side members of the "Caravan" body are bolted to the LC frame, nothing had to be welded on additionally, everything turned out to be doubly tough and thorough.

At the same time, under the hood, it turned out to be by no means what one might expect. This part of the project will surely cause the most ambiguous assessments, but the author proceeded from certain considerations, logical in their own way, well-reasoned. It would seem that the ideologically correct solution came with the LC 60. Inline cast-iron six 2F, with a lower camshaft and carburetor power, 135 forces at 3600 rpm and 210 Nm at 1800 rpm. The charm, in a word, was put on the great-grandfather of FJ. And yet this mighty gasoline "knight" did not suit: heavy, archaic, and its resource had already exhausted itself. Since maximum identity was not a priority, just as extreme trophy raids were not part of the future responsibilities, I still wanted a lighter, more modern engine.

Again, a diesel engine suggested itself, and a suitable one was in the "storerooms" - TD27, together with the KP and RK (transfer case), a ready-made "whale". Actually, I already wanted to put it, but doubts took on a different sense: the native units of the "sixty" will remain out of work, and in the bridges it will be necessary to change the main pairs, select already for this diesel engine, besides, the exit from the Republic of Kazakhstan is here on the other side. It was decided to follow the path of least resistance: leave the transmission completely from the LC, and look for a new gasoline engine for it (that is, it is better to change one unit than all for one).

The search for a possible replacement, so that it suits both the price and the parameters, was not easy. Of course, Japanese second-hand engines were also considered. And yet, as a result, something "protest" happened: if it has long been customary to put foreign power plants on domestic cars, then exactly the opposite happened here. That is, for the Japanese chassis, the choice fell on the ZMZ-409. He suited both from the technical side and from the "political" side - nevertheless, I wanted to bring more Russian into the project.

And yet this does not mean that the project has developed smoothly like clockwork. It took a good two years of painstaking work to convey the "spirit of the times" and at the same time meet at least modest modern requirements in design, comfort and control. And the point is not only in the docking of the ZMZ-409 with the LC 60 box, when it was necessary to build an adapter plate, but also to manufacture an extended primary shaft of the box on special order. After all, I also had to transfer the right-hand drive of the LC 60 and Nissan Caravan to the left side - this was "demanded" by the image of the GAZ-69 and their own desires. And if we consider that the steering LC 60 was without an amplifier, and did not want to remain without it for the sake of the "spirit of the times", it was a big deal.

And this business asked for its considerable investments: the gearbox with the hydraulic booster found from the left-hand drive LC 60 alone cost 25,000 rubles in working order. It took a lot of time to rework the controls. The clutch is "UAZ", but with the brakes they did not become wise at all: native Japanese in front and behind (disc and drum). The leaf suspension is also unchanged, as are the wheels. The pursuit of the "extreme" was not initially envisaged, according to the conventional classification, the project was prepared rather as a "light" expeditionary, therefore there was no elevator and no rubber of "Krazov" size. “Thirty-first” Maxxis Mudzilla was considered quite an acceptable option for traveling on different roads.

Not only to "glue" the body of three main parts, but also to bring it to the desired state - that was another task with many conditions. The bow of the 69th, although it lay on the LC 60 frame as in its nest, however, did not match in width in size. To cover the track of the “sixty” with my graceful wings, I had to do “plastic surgery” - to cut the wings lengthwise, implant strips six centimeters wide. The physiognomy, "shattered" in this way, was only good for 69 - with age, this is a normal phenomenon.

The LC 60 itself offered replacement headlights for the non-preserved native headlights - its round "lenses" just sat in a rare metal "frame". But the dimensions Artem specifically looked for original ones in order to preserve the charm of that era as much as possible. For a full-fledged design of the front end, a modified bumper from the UAZ-469 came to the rescue, but at the same time it was necessary to additionally “cover” its junction with a splash-proof apron so as not to overwhelm the headlights in mud baths. On the rear arches: you could leave their shape together with the body of the "Caravan" and make some overlays. But why, because there were the original "arches" of the rear wings of the 69th: they fit perfectly here, transforming the stern under the general retro-styling.

The retractable air intake for the "stove" is functionally preserved as an exclusive element, but the native windshield wipers, of course, were no longer suitable. However, the "wipers" and from the Caravan itself did not fit, because they "shook" from left to right, leaving a large uncleaned corner for the driver when moving the steering wheel to the left side. They tried to adapt something "our", but in vain. The way out of this impasse was again prompted by the Japanese car industry, but already more modern: the Honda Odyssey minivan has “universal”, swing-type cleaners that perfectly clean the windshield from edge to edge. During the "disassembly" we managed to buy this complete system and, after revising the rods and levers, it was ideally adapted here, while maintaining all operating modes, and not just "on." and "off"

A separate song is the front panel. After all sorts of unsuccessful experiments to "connect the incompatible", including attempts to "screw in" a panel from Istana, it was decided to make the "face" of the interior on its own. We welded the frame, sheathed it with steel plates, picked up all the necessary indicators: the flat form of the panel and the round instruments perfectly conveyed the “spirit of the times”, even the handle was installed in front of the passenger, everything was like in the 69th.

How does the car go? As befits him: decorously, waddling, with unhurried reactions to the steering wheel, with the need to steer a little. But it rides confidently: there is enough power not only for a normal start and acceleration, but also to maintain a cruising speed of 110 km / h. And there is enough traction with these wheels to crawl in first gear at idle without connecting the lowering row.

On average off-road conditions, the engine fully justifies itself, but on the track, fifth gear would not hurt: in fourth, at a speed of 90 km / h, the engine spins resoundingly at 2500 rpm, if you add speed, I would like to switch. On a bumpy road, the run of an empty car may not be as smooth as that of a 60, but still without any particular jolts and vibrations. And if you directly compare with 69th, then there is no need to talk about his famous "goat" disease. Fuel consumption is as follows: on the highway in the region of ten liters, in the city up to 15 and more.

You can, of course, be smart about ergonomics, they say, not everything is ideally located, there are not enough adjustments for the versatility of landing behind the wheel, and so on. But why? For himself, Artyom adjusted everything normally, it is convenient for him, and, as they said, he made the car not just for the soul and as a memory, but so that he traveled a lot. Registered as GAZ-69 with conversion, active operation began in the summer of 2014, and by November the mileage had reached almost 4,000 km! Approximately half of it was the "break-in" period: both for the new engine and for old units - despite their preliminary preventive maintenance, it was necessary to replace some oil seals, the universal joint cross, in general, on trifles.